Billy Constantinou – Kingston Frontenacs – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’

Weight: 185 pounds

Date of birth: March 25th, 2001

Hometown: Scarborough, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 2, 36th overall, 2017 Priority Selection (Niagara IceDogs)

NHL Central Scouting Rankings: Pre-season, November: B Prospect. Mid-term, 54th North America

Billy Constantinou played his Minor Midget AAA hockey during the 2016-2017 season for the Toronto Marlboros before he got a look with the Aurora Tigers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The blue-liner appeared in 33 games for the Marlboros, scoring 3 goals and 16 assists. His brief stint with the Tigers had him score 2 goals in the OJHL.

The Niagara IceDogs would use their second-round pick, 36th overall to select Constantinou at the 2017 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

The 2017-2018 season was Constantinou’s first in the OHL and the IceDogs’ rookie defencemen had a good year notching 3 goals and 9 assists in 45 contests.

Billy Constantinou of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Billy Constantinou was traded to the Kingston Frontenacs on November 20, 2018. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

This season was turning out to be a breakout year for Constantinou. In 22 games to start the year, the rearguard was off to a great start with 4 goals and 11 assists and an impressive plus-12. In fact, by the end of November, the defenceman scoring race among draft eligible players was a two-horse race between Constantinou and Mississauga Steelheads, Thomas Harley. He was a model of consistency, going pointless back-to-back just twice in his time with the IceDogs.

On November 20, 2018 everything changed. The IceDogs were preparing to make a Memorial Cup run and Constantinou was traded along with Ian Martin and 11 draft picks for Jason Robertson and Jacob Paquette. Transitioning from a championship favorite to a rebuilding Kingston Frontenacs has definitely put a damper on his offensive production.

Through 27 games with the Fronts, Constantinou has managed 2 goals and 8 assists and a minus-34. The obvious question now becomes: Is the real Bill Constantinou the one we saw in Niagara or the one currently in Kingston? Or is he somewhere in between?

Everything about Constantinou’s skating is excellent, except that maybe he could add a step in his first couple strides. If his edgework, lateral movement, backwards skating and overall agility isn’t the best in the draft class, it’s definitely top-2. When carrying the puck, it allows him to slice through opponents almost at will.

Offensively, Constantinou has shown in his time with Niagara that he can play with a talented roster around him. His skating and high hockey IQ allows him to join in the rush. His excellent vision allows him to be a set up guy from the point. He can see and find even the smallest of lanes. His ability to move laterally and control the offensive blue line makes him an excellent powerplay quarterback.

Defensively, I don’t want to say the move to Kingston has exposed a flaw in his game. The horses aren’t there in Kingston and what it has done is forced him to play more on the defensive side of the puck. His gap control is very good. He recognizes the need and has the ability to keep players to the outside. Once he adds more muscle, he will become more adept at winning battles along the wall and in front of the paint. His strength has been and always will be the transition game with an excellent ability to clear his zone with an excellent first pass or to take care of business himself and skate out of danger.

Ask anyone who watches him play and the word that is most often spoken about Consantinou is “confidence”. That goes a long way to becoming successful.  

Stat page at Elite Prospects

OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month for January

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

For the first time this season, Hamilton Bulldogs’ forward and to prospect for the 2019 National Hockey League Draft Arthur Kaliyev is our draft eligible player of the month after having come close in previous months.

Kaliyev, who is ranked 11th on NHL Central Scouting’s mid term rankings among North American Skaters, appeared in 12 games for the Bulldogs in January scoring 10 goals while assisting on 8 others. He also notched a pair of goals at the Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Kaliyev leads all draft eligible players in goals, assists, points, shots and possesses the top three goal scoring streaks of the season as well as the longest assist streak of the season. He was named the OHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 7, 2019. In January, he was named the games’ first star twice and third star once.

Also considered were Mississauga Steelheads defenceman Thomas Harley and Niagara IceDogs forward Philip Tomasino. Harley recorded 4 goals and 11 helpers in 12 contests while Tomasino notched 9 goals and 7 helpers.

Harley was ranked by NHL Central Scouting 9th overall among North Americans and the top prospect from the OHL while Tomasino was ranked 24th.

Among goaltenders, Jet Greaves of the Barrie Colts gets our vote. Despite his record of 2-3-2 in January, Greaves posted a 2.42 goals-against-average and .926 save-percentage. Greaves is not ranked on Central Scouting’s mid term rankings.

Players of the month

Connor McMichael – London Knights – December

Philip Tomasino – Niagara Ice Dogs – November

Hunter Jones – Peterborough Petes – October

OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders – January

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Well, it is February and it is miserably cold outside, so what better time to look at the Ontario Hockey League’s statistical leaders among players eligible for the 2019 National Hockey League Draft for the first time?

This has quickly become the Hamilton Bulldogs’ Arthur Kaliyev show. He leads in almost all offensive categories, including goals, assists and points along with the three longest goal scoring streaks of the season and the longest assist steak of the season. Barring a complete collapse with about 20 games remaining, he should end the season at the top of those lists.

Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

If you look hard enough, Mississauga Defenceman Thomas Harley is in the same situation as Kaliyev among defencemen. Peterborough Petes’ netminder Hunter Jones has led goaltenders from start to finish in every goaltending statistic. Like Harley and Kaliyev, it will take a total collapse to drop.

We strive to be as accurate as possible compiling statistics but urge you to check the OHL Website for official stats.

Points Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Arthur Kaliyev Hamilton Bulldogs 49 36 36 72
Connor McMichael London Knights 46 30 26 56
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 47 25 27 52
Ryan Suzuki Barrie Colts 44 16 31 47
Thomas Harley Mississauga Steelheads 48 10 34 44
Daniel D’Amico Windsor Spitfires 49 21 22 43
Cole McKay Soo Greyhounds 45 17 25 42
Danil Antropov Oshawa Generals 46 11 27 38
Ethan Keppen Flint Firebirds 50 17 20 37
Eric Uba Flint Firebirds 49 16 20 36
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player Team GP G GPG
Arthur Kaliyev Hamilton Bulldogs 49 36 0.73
Connor McMichael London Knights 46 30 0.65
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 47 25 0.53
Daniel D’Amico Windsor Spitfires 49 21 0.43
Blake Murray Sudbury Wolves 46 20 0.43
Nicholas Porco Saginaw Spirit 47 18 0.38
Cole MacKay Soo Greyhounds 45 17 0.38
Ethan Keppen Flint Firebirds 50 17 0.34
Nick Robertson Peterborough Petes 34 17 0.50
Ryan Suzuki Barrie Colts 44 16 0.36
Assist Leaders
Player Team GP A APG
Arthur Kaliyev Hamilton Bulldogs 49 36 0.73
Thomas Harley Mississauga Steelheads 48 34 0.71
Ryan Suzuki Barrie Colts 44 31 0.70
Danil Antropov Oshawa Generals 46 27 0.59
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 47 27 0.57
Connor McMichael London Knights 46 26 0.57
Cole MacKay Soo Greyhounds 45 25 0.56
Vladislav Kolyachonok Flint Firebirds 36 22 0.61
Daniel D’Amico Windsor Spitfires 49 22 0.45
Keean Washkurak Mississauga Steelheads 46 20 0.43
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Thomas Harley Mississauga Steelheads 48 10 34 44
Billy Constantinou Kingston Frontenacs 47 6 19 25
Vladislav Kolyachonok Flint Firebirds 36 3 22 25
Jack York Barrie Colts 45 4 15 19
Nathan Staios Windsor Spitfires 46 3 16 19
Mason Millman Saginaw Spirit 46 2 16 18
Grayson Ladd Windsor Spitfires 48 2 16 18
Simon Rose North Bay Battalion 38 2 15 17
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player Team GP +/-
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 47 +25
Jacob LeGuerrier Soo Greyhounds 47 +21
Liam Ross Sudbury Wolves 47 +20
Nikita Okhotyuk Ottawa  67’s 37 +19
Lucas Peric Ottawa  67’s 44 +19
Connor McMichael London Knights 46 +18
Grayson Ladd Saginaw Spirit 47 +15
Matvey Guskov London Knights 38 +13
Cole MacKay Soo Greyhounds 45 +13
Ashton Reesor Sarnia Sting 47 +13
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player Team GP PIM M/G
Navrin Mutter Hamilton Bulldogs 49 75 1.53
Joe Carroll Soo Greyhounds 45 53 1.18
Ethan Keppen Flint Firebirds 50 52 1.04
Keean Washkurak Mississauga Steelheads 46 50 1.09
Mason Primeau North Bay Battalion 50 44 0.88
Michael Vukojevic Kitchener Rangers 47 43 0.91
Eric Uba Flint Firebirds 49 43 0.88
Faceoff Leaders  (wins)
Player Team GP FOA FOW %
Tye Kartye Soo Greyhounds 44 345 191 55.4
Blake Murray Sudbury Wolves 46 504 272 54.0
Connor McMichael London Knights 46 464 250 53.9
Jamieson Rees Sarnia Sting 27 218 114 52.3
Camaryn Baber Saginaw Spirit 28 199 104 52.3
Tyler Angle Windsor Spitfires 40 581 302 52.0
Cole Schwindt Mississauga Steelheads 48 684 352 51.5
Dalton Duhart Barrie Colts 43 286 147 51.4
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 47 286 146 51.0
Erik Cermak Peterborough Petes 48 337 168 49.9
Longest Goal Scoring Streak
Player Team From To Gms Goals
Arthur Kaliyev Hamilton Bulldogs 12/31 1/6 4 7
Arthur Kaliyev Hamilton Bulldogs 10/13 10/19 4 7
Arthur Kaliyev Hamilton Bulldogs 9/21 9/30 4 6
Thomas Harley Mississauga Steelheads 1/19 1/26 4 4
Jamieson Rees Sarnia Sting 12/8 12/15 4 4
Longest Assist Streak
Player Team From To Gms Assts
Arthur Kaliyev Hamilton Bulldogs 12/8 12/15 5 8
Jamieson Rees Sarnia Sting 12/12 12/30 5 5
Daniel D’Amico Windsor Spitfires 1/10 1/18 5 5
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 11/9 11/17 4 4
Ryan Suzuki Barrie Colts 9/20 9/27 3 7
Longest Point Streak
Player Team From To Gms Pts
Daniel D’Amico Windsor Spitfires 12/21 1/20 10 14
Ethan Keppen Flint Firebirds 1/2 1/25 10 12
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 12/15 1/11 9 17
Ryan Suzuki Barrie Colts 9/20 10/7 7 15
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 11/2 11/23 7 11
Shots On Goal Leaders
Player Team GP SOG
Arthur Kaliyev Hamilton Bulldogs 49 229
Connor McMichael London Knights 46 161
Ethan Keppen Flint Firebirds 50 144
Philip Tomasino Niagara IceDogs 47 137
Eric Uba Flint Firebirds 49 121
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average (min 20 games)
Player Team GP Min GA Avg
Hunter Jones Peterborough Petes 42 2330 130 3.35
Zachary Roy Hamilton Bulldogs 29 1686 94 3.35
Mack Guzda Owen Sound Attack 35 1881 110 3.51
Ethan Langevin Sarnia Sting 31 1666 104 3.75
Kari Piiroinen Windsor Spitfires 21 1111 80 4.32
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage (min 20 games)
Player Team GP SH  SVS SV%
Hunter Jones Peterborough Petes 42 1373 1243 0.905
Zachary Roy Hamilton Bulldogs 29 898 804 0.895
Mack Guzda Owen Sound Attack 35 918 808 0.880
Ethan Langevin Sarnia Sting 31 842 738 0.876
Kari Piiroinen Windsor Spitfires 21 614 534 0.870
Goaltending Leaders – Wins
Player Team GP W L OL
Hunter Jones Peterborough Petes 42 22 18 2
Zachary Roy Hamilton Bulldogs 29 15 12 2
Mack Guzda Owen Sound Attack 35 14 13 3
Ethan Langevin Sarnia Sting 31 12 12 3
Andrew MacLean Owen Sound Attack 23 9 8 1
Goaltending Leaders – Shutouts
Player Team GP SO
Hunter Jones Peterborough Petes 42 2
Mack Guzda Owen Sound Attack 35 2
Ryan Dugas Kingston Frontenacs 15 1
Kari Piiroinen Windsor Spitfires 21 1
Zachary Roy Hamilton Bulldogs 29 1
Andrew MacLean Owen Sound Attack 23 1

Thomas Harley – Mississauga Steelheads – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’3

Weight: 188 pounds

Date of birth: August 19, 2001

Hometown: Syracuse, New York

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 14th overall, 2017 Priority Selection

 

NHL Central Scouting Rankings: Pre-season, November: B Prospect; Mid-term, 9th North America

If you are one of the few people who had Thomas Harley as the top ranked player from the Ontario Hockey League for the 2019 National Hockey League Draft, then a congratulatory note goes out to you. That’s exactly where NHL Central Scouting ranks Harley on their mid-term rankings: first from the OHL and 9th among North American Skaters. On their pre-season and November’s Players to Watch List, Harley was ranked as a B Prospect – typically a second or third round prospect.

Although he was born in Syracuse, New York, Harley has dual citizenship and has already represented Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17. The WHC-U17 is not an International Ice Hockey Federation sanctioned tournament, therefore if the United States or Canada calls his name in the future for an IIHF tournament, he has the option of choosing his country. However, he can only make that choice once.

harley, thomas (1)
Thomas Harley of the Mississauga Steelheads Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

Harley played his Minor Midget AAA for the Vaughan Kings during the 2016-2017 season amassing 5 goals and 19 assists in 33 games. Entering his OHL draft year, Harley already had a reputation as a well rounded, two-way defenceman and the skill set to be a first rounder. The Steelheads would use the 14th overall pick at the 2017 Priority Selection to call Harley’s name.

The scouting report from OHL Central Scouting read as follows:

Thomas is a big defenceman that has a presence when he is on the ice. He is a good skater with good mobility which he uses to help him beat forecheckers and move the puck up the ice. He loves to have the puck on his stick and he has the skill to make some pretty nice plays. His game really took off in the second half of the season when his team had numerous injuries and he was relied on heavily to carry the load. He has a heavy shot and is always looking to get the puck to the net.

Harley broke onto the OHL scene during the 2017-2018 season appearing in 62 games and scoring once while adding 14 assists. He would add 2 helpers in the Steelheads’ 6 playoff contests.

During his rookie season, it was evident that his defensive game was well ahead of where most defenders are at that stage of their careers. He has excellent gap control and a long reach with a very active stick who not only can break up plays in his own zone but deny entry at the blue line. Preventing zone entries was an area he needed to improve and he has done just that. He is very good at angling players off on the rush but could have used more physicality in doing so, an area he has improved on this season. He is very good at eluding the forecheck and makes an excellent first pass, but he appears to be at his best when skating the puck out of the zone.

Harley has shown a marked improvement offensively. A year ago, he would rush the puck and once gaining the offensive blue line he was content to dump the puck in and let his forwards go into battle. But too many times it would create a turnover. Now, his entries are done with puck possession in mind. He holds onto the puck and looks for opportunities to put the disc onto a teammates stick. He has excellent vision and passing abilities which helps. He makes excellent reads and pinches while in the offensive zone as well.

Harley is a very good powerplay quarter back. His vision and passing abilities make him a threat along with his ability to get into open lanes attacking the net. He doesn’t posses an elite shot from the blue line which is an area we’d like to see improved. He does shoot with a purpose and is able to get his shot through, but it’s not going to overpower a goaltender. And who knows? Maybe it will come when he adds more strength.

Harley is the complete package. Along with his shot, if he could improve on his edgework and maybe make his first steps quicker, there’s no telling what his upside could be. He is definitely a first round talent. But is he the best of the best from the OHL? Only time will tell.

Stat page from Elite Prospects

Philip Tomasino – Niagara IceDogs – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’

Weight: 180 pounds

Date of birth: July 28, 2001

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario

Position: Center/Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 5th overall, 2017 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings: Preseason: B prospect, November: B prospect, Mid-term: 24th, NA

There was a pleasant intrigue surrounding Philip Tomasino last season as he broke onto the Ontario Hockey League scene with the Niagara IceDogs and posting 5 goals and 19 assists in his rookie season. And while he only posted one assist in 5 games for Team Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17, that intrigue was still there.

Tomasino played his Minor Midget AAA hockey for the Mississauga Rebels during the 2016-2017 season and recorded 37 goals and 31 assists in 54 games, locking the IceDogs in on his offensive prowess.

Philip Tomasino of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Philip Tomasino of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

OHL Central Scouting had this scouting report on Tomasino:

Philip is a hard working, skilled centre that you can never give up on when he is on the ice. He has explosive speed with the ability to change gears in mid-stride and is always moving his feet and putting pressure on the other team. He has very good one-on-one skills and is dangerous whenever he has the puck. Philip has a good shot with a quick release that catches some goalies by surprise. He plays a complete game and is reliable in every situation.

His flair for offense has shone through this season as he has 22 goals and 25 assists through his first 44 games and his 47 points trail only Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs and Connor McMichael of the London Knights among first time draft eligible players. He started off slow, but on a veteran team with OHL and Memorial Cup aspirations, Tomasino has been on fire. Through his first 22 games, Tomasino recorded 7 goals and 9 assists. But in his last 22 games he’s notched 15 goals and 16 assists and has registered at least one point in 15 of his last 22 games with 14 of those contests producing multi-point games.

As Central scouting’s report says, Tomasino has explosive speed, both in first steps and top end speed. He has excellent agility and able to change direction instantly and has excellent lateral mobility. Along with an ability to read situations quickly, he uses those quick bursts to bust into lanes and make himself available for teammates. He uses that speed to attack defences and, in most cases, that opens up ice for his linemates. When you do that, you have to be able to feed your linemates, and Tomasino can do that. He’s also not shy about taking the puck straight to the net.

Among draft eligible players, Tomasino’ s work ethic doesn’t play second fiddle to anyone. He has a relentless work ethic that rubs off on his teammates and he attempts to make something happen every time he hits the ice. To be able to do that, you have to have a certain amount of confidence from your coaches and the belief that you can make a difference. And Tomasino has both.

As dynamic as Tomasino is offensively, his defensive game can not be overlooked. He is predominantly playing wing now, but earlier in the season Niagara would use him in the middle in a shut-down role. It was an injury to Akil Thomas that enabled Tomasino to move up into a more offensive role.

He uses his quick steps to get on top of players in a blink of an eye, He keeps his gaps tight, has a very active stick, understands and closes lanes very quickly and is not shy about dropping to the ice to block a shot.

I am often asked id I see Tomasino more of a winger then a pivot. That’s a tough question. I love his game on the wing, but he is so in tune with the defensive side of the puck and with his smarts and skating and ability to defend, he can find a career in the middle.

Stat page at Elite Prospects

Connor McMichael – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’

Weight: 170 pounds

Date of birth: January 15, 2001

Hometown: Ajax, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 11th overall, 2017 OHL Priority Selection (Hamilton Bulldogs)

NHL Central Scouting Rankings: Preseason, C Prospect, November, B Prospect

Connor McMichael Captained his Ajax/Pickering minor midget AAA squad during the 2016-2017 season where he established himself as an offensive threat tallying 35 goals and 27 assists in 34 games. He would add 7 goals and 3 assists in 7 playoff games.

There was talk that, his OHL draft season, that McMichael showed brilliance and a solid two-way game but lacked in consistency. That’s not to suggest I agree with that take. Some OHL draft rankings had him pegged as a second-round pick. But the Hamilton Bulldogs saw the potential and used the 11th overall pick to select him at the 2017 OHL Priority Selection.

This is what OHL Central Scouting had to say about McMichael at the time:

Connor is one of the top players in this year’s class. He is a skilled centre that is dangerous every time he is on the ice. He is deceivingly quick and has very good separation speed. His pucks skills are elite and he has great one-on-one moves. Connor is a threat whenever he has the puck on his stick. He sees the ice better than most do at this age and has the ability to find the open man and put the puck in a position for that player to get a good chance.

Connor McMichael of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Connor McMichael of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

McMichael’s rookie season saw him play 32 games for the Bulldogs in which he scored 5 goals and added 5 assists. On January 8, 2018, he became the center piece in a deal that brought Robert Thomas to the Bulldogs for a championship run –  a run they succeeded in, capturing the OHL title.

At the time of the trade, Knights’ General Manager Rob Simpson had this to say: “He was a player that we were extremely interested in. He added, He’s got skill, he’s got excellent hockey sense, he can make plays and score and he has a deceptive shot as well. We are very happy to be able to bring him in and build around him.”

The Knights are recognized as being one of the top teams in the Canadian Hockey League in preparing players for the next level. And that bodes well for McMichael.

As of today, McMichael has appeared in 37 games for the Knights scoring 25 goals and 21 assists and his 46 points trails only Arthur Kaliyev of the Bulldogs among draft eligible players.

McMichael is an excellent two-way player with an extremely high hockey IQ. He is a very strong puck possession player. His anticipation is very good. He is a very effective forechecker and does not shy away from playing in the dirty areas. Once he adds more muscle and mass, he should become even more effective.

McMichael sees the ice extremely well. He will at times take chances making plays that most wouldn’t try, but that’s rare. He usually sticks to making the safe play. He puts the effort required to be successful in all three zones. He plays in any and all situations.

If there is an area I would like to see him continue to work on it’s his skating. He’s a good skater – strong on his skates, good edge work, can move east-west well. But I would like to see him add an extra gear to his first few strides and top end speed. I’m not concerned as that can be worked on, and by all accounts, McMichael is more then willing to put in the effort.

McMichael started off as a C prospect on NHL Central Scouting’s list of players to watch. In November, they moved him up to a B prospect. And he hasn’t slowed down, but he’s actually increased his pace. And I suspect he will continue to rise until draft day.

McMichael was selected to represent Team Orr at the 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

Here at OHL Writers, we selected McMichael as our draft eligible Player of the Month for December.

 

Rosters Announced for 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with National Hockey League Central Scouting have announced the rosters for the 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game which takes place on Wednesday January 23 in Red Deer, Alberta.

Top Prospects Game

The 40 players from across the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League selected by NHL clubs to compete in the 24th annual showcase of draft eligible talent have been divided into Team Cherry and Team Orr by NHL Central Scouting.

Team Cherry will be coached by Ron MacLean alongside Dave Hunter and Brent Sutter, with Team Orr to be coached by Kelly Hrudey with Robyn Regehr and Marc Habscheid.

NHL Central Scouting ‘A’ rated prospects Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants), Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Nolan Foote (Kelowna Rockets), Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs), Peyton Krebs (Kootenay ICE), Raphael Lavoie (Halifax Mooseheads), Samuel Poulin (Sherbrooke Phoenix), and Matthew Robertson (Edmonton Oil Kings) headline the Team Cherry roster.  The group also includes World Junior Championship talents in Mads Sogaard (Medicine Hat Tigers) from Denmark, and Valentin Nussbaumer (Shawinigan Cataractes) from Switzerland.  A total of 20 different CHL teams are represented on Team Cherry including eight WHL, six OHL, and six QMJHL clubs.  The home team will feature the host Rebels with forward Oleg Zaytsev.

‘A’ rated prospects on Team Orr include Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades), Vladislav Kolyachonok (Flint Firebirds), and Ryan Suzuki (Barrie Colts).  The group also includes Brett Leason (Prince Albert Raiders) who was a member of Canada’s National Junior Team.  The roster breakdown includes nine OHL players, with seven WHL, and four from the QMJHL representing a total of 17 CHL teams.  Kelowna Rockets defencemen Kaedan Korczak and Lassi Thomson will compete together, as will London Knights forwards Matvey Guskov and Connor McMichael, and teammates Nikita Okhotyuk and Graeme Clarke of the Ottawa 67’s.  The Rockets pair will play opposite Foote, Orr forward Josh Williams will face his Tigers teammate Sogaard, and Orr goaltender Hunter Jones will face his Peterborough Petes teammate Nick Robertson on Cherry.

2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Rosters:

Team Cherry:


Goaltenders:
Taylor Gauthier (Prince George Cougars)
Mads Sogaard (Medicine Hat Tigers)

Defencemen:
Samuel Bolduc (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants)
Billy Constantinou (Kingston Frontenacs)
Thomas Harley (Mississauga Steelheads)
Matthew Robertson (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Michael Vukojevic (Kitchener Rangers)

Forwards:
Maxim Cajkovic (Saint John Sea Dogs)
Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Nolan Foote (Kelowna Rockets)
Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Peyton Krebs (Kootenay ICE)
Raphaël Lavoie (Halifax Mooseheads)
Nathan Légaré (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Valentin Nussbaumer (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Samuel Poulin (Sherbrooke Phoenix)
Jamieson Rees (Sarnia Sting)
Nick Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
Oleg Zaytsev (Red Deer Rebels)

Team Orr:

Goaltenders:
Colten Ellis (Rimouski Océanic)
Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)

Defencemen:
Artemi Kniazev (Chicoutimi Saguenéens)
Vladislav Kolyachonok (Flint Firebirds)
Kaedan Korczak (Kelowna Rockets)
Jake Lee (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Nikita Okhotyuk (Ottawa 67’s)
Lassi Thomson (Kelowna Rockets)

Forwards:
Nikita Alexandrov (Charlottetown Islanders)
Joe Carroll (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Graeme Clarke (Ottawa 67’s)
Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades)
Matvey Guskov (London Knights)
Brett Leason (Prince Albert Raiders)
Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Sasha Mutala (Tri-City Americans)
Jakob Pelletier (Moncton Wildcats)
Ryan Suzuki (Barrie Colts)
Philip Tomasino (Niagara IceDogs)
Josh Williams (Medicine Hat Tigers)

The teams are named in recognition of event builders and hockey icons Don Cherry and Bobby Orr who were instrumental in the success of the event when it was first introduced in 1996.  Since 2006, the winning team has been presented with the Don Cherry and Bobby Orr CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Trophy engraved with the names of every player to ever participate in this prestigious event.  Teams wearing the Orr crest carry an overall record of 13-6 while Team Cherry holds an all-time record of 7-13 with the extra victory opposite Team Davidson in 2005.

The 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by title partner Sherwin-Williams, and CHL associate sponsors CIBC, Kia Canada, Cooper Tires, and Kubota Canada.  The game will be broadcast live across Canada on Sportsnet and TVA Sports, and in the United States on NHL Network.

Tickets are still available and can be purchased via reddeerrebels.com or ticketsalberta.com.  For further ticket details please contact the Rebels office at 403-341-6000.

For more event information please visit http://sherwin-williamstopprospects.ca.

Bulldogs’ Arthur Kaliyev named OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that NHL Draft prospect Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the regular season week ending January 6 recording 11 points in four games which included scoring seven goals and four assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-2.

Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Kaliyev produced four straight multi-point performances including three multi-goal efforts to help the Bulldogs earn seven of a possible eight points in a busy second week following the league’s holiday break.  He scored two goals on New Year’s Eve as the defending champions celebrated the end of a special 2018 in style defeating the Erie Otters 4-3 in a shootout.  His week continued Wednesday with a goal and an assist as part of a 7-1 win over the Kingston Frontenacs, then Saturday when he scored two goals including the OT winner while adding an assist as first star of 4-3 triumph over the Sarnia Sting.  On Sunday he matched a season-high with four points tallying twice with two assists earning third star honours despite a 6-5 shootout loss to the Niagara IceDogs.  The recent success has brought Hamilton’s record back up to .500 where they stand 18-18-3-1 holding onto eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

A 17-year-old from Staten Island, New York, Kaliyev is playing in his second season with the Bulldogs who chose him in the second round of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection.  He’s currently fourth in league scoring with 63 points in 40 games featuring 31 goals to match his rookie total that set a franchise record for most goals by a 16-year-old.  Eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft, Kaliyev was given an ‘A’ rating by NHL Central Scouting in their December ‘Players to Watch’ list identifying first round candidates.

Watch video highlights of Kaliyev and the Bulldogs against the Otters, Frontenacs, Sting, and IceDogs.

Also considered for the award this week was Alan Lyszczarczyk of the Mississauga Steelheads who also recorded 11 points in four games including four goals and seven assists, and Anthony Salinitri of the Oshawa Generals who scored six goals and four assists for 10 points in four games.  In goal, Arizona Coyotes prospect Ivan Prosvetov of the Saginaw Spirit posted a 3-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .969.  His Sunday shutout against the Wolves featured 54 saves which is the most in a shutout by an OHL goaltender since Sudbury’s Alain Valiquette made 57 saves back in March, 2011.

2018-19 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:

Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Kyle Maksimovich (Erie Otters)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Andrew MacLean (Owen Sound Attack)
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: Brett Neumann (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Jason Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11: Jason Robertson (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4: Kevin Hancock (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Lucas Chiodo (Barrie Colts)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)

MacLean and Hrudey to Coach 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League is proud to announce the coaching staffs for the Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game set for Wednesday January 23, 2019, hosted by the Western Hockey League’s Red Deer Rebels.

Top Prospects Game


Making the move from broadcast to bench for the 24th annual showcase of the CHL’s top NHL Draft eligible prospects are members of Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast team including host Ron MacLean and analyst Kelly Hrudey.  Joining them are a pair of CHL alumni and former NHL stars in the province of Alberta including former Edmonton Oilers forward Dave Hunter and Calgary Flames defenceman Robyn Regehr.  Rounding out the coaching staffs are current WHL bench bosses Brent Sutter of the host Rebels and Marc Habscheid of the Prince Albert Raiders. 


MacLean will lead Team Cherry alongside Hunter and Sutter, with Hrudey assigned to Team Orr with Regehr and Habscheid.


“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League it is with great pride that we welcome Ron MacLean and Kelly Hrudey as head coaches of the 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game,” said CHL President David Branch. “Their participation with alumni Dave Hunter and Robyn Regehr, and CHL coaches Brent Sutter and Marc Habscheid, will make this a special experience for the players and for the great hockey fans in Red Deer and across the province of Alberta.”


A Red Deer native, MacLean has been part of the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast team since 1986.  In 2014 he joined Sportsnet and began hosting the newly created Rogers Hometown Hockey which is in the midst of its fifth season.  The multi Gemini Award winner was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1996, the Oakville Sports Hall of Fame in 2015, and received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2016.  MacLean’s on-ice experience includes a successful officiating career working his way up to Level V certification with Hockey Canada.


Hrudey spent three seasons between-the-pipes for the Medicine Hat Tigers from 1978-81 and was a WHL Second Team All-Star his final year.  The Edmonton native was chosen 38th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft starting a 15-year career that would also take him to the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks accumulating 677 games in the crease.  Upon retirement, Hrudey became a full-time studio analyst with Hockey Night in Canada in 1998 and joined the Sportsnet broadcast team in 2014.


Hunter won three Stanley Cups with the Oilers in 1984, 1985, and 1987 playing parts of 10 NHL seasons with the organization.  His career spanned 746 games between Edmonton, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Winnipeg Jets amassing 323 points after being originally chosen 17th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.  The Petrolia, Ont., native played his major junior hockey with the Sudbury Wolves and is the older brother to Dale and Mark Hunter who currently serve as head coach and general manager of the OHL’s London Knights.


A member of Team Orr back in the 1998 showcase at Maple Leaf Gardens, Regehr would be selected 19th overall by the Colorado Avalanche later that season.  The Rosthern, Sask., native spent three seasons with the Kamloops Blazers from 1996-99 and was a First Team All-Star his final year.  He ranks first all-time in games played by a Flames defenceman with 826 and finished his career with 1,090 games which included stops in Buffalo and Los Angeles where he won the Stanley Cup in 2014 with the Kings one year before his retirement.


Sutter’s tenure with the Rebels began in 1999 as coach and general manager and in just his second season hoisted the Memorial Cup as champions of the 2000-01 season.  He spent two seasons as head coach of the New Jersey Devils from 2007-09 highlighted by a franchise record 51-win campaign his second year, then spent three seasons with the Flames from 2009-12 before returning to Red Deer.  As a player the native of Viking was one of six brothers to play in the NHL.  Following a WHL playing career in Lethbridge, Sutter played 1,111 NHL games winning two Stanley Cups with the Islanders.


Habscheid currently leads the CHL’s top ranked Raiders serving behind the bench in Prince Albert for the fourth straight season.  This season he’s poised to coach his 1000th WHL game with previous positions in Kamloops, Kelowna, Chilliwack, and Victoria.  He won Coach of the Year honours in 2003 the same year he helped the Rockets hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup, then won the Memorial Cup on home ice in 2004.  The Swift Current, Sask., native played for the Saskatoon Blades from 1979-82 before playing parts of 11 NHL seasons beginning with the Oilers in 1981.


Support staff for the event include members of the host Rebels working with Team Cherry, and members of the Edmonton Oil Kings with Team Orr.


The 40 players selected to compete in this event will be split into Team Cherry and Team Orr and will be announced in the coming weeks.


2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Staff:


Team Cherry:
Head Coach – Ron MacLean
Assistant Coach – Dave Hunter
Assistant Coach – Brent Sutter
Athletic Therapist – Terence Robertson
Trainer – Dave ‘Radar’ Horning

Team Orr:
Head Coach – Kelly Hrudey
Assistant Coach – Robyn Regehr
Assistant Coach – Marc Habscheid
Athletic Therapist – Brian Cheeseman
Equipment Manager – Rogan Dean


MacLean becomes the 24th different head coach to participate in this event since 1996 with a list that already includes Hrudey who participated opposite Tiger Williams back in 2002.  Don Cherry has been involved 17 times while fellow event builder Bobby Orr has coached 13 different times.  Past coaches also include John Davidson (2005), Michel Bergeron and Pat Burns opposite Scotty Bowman and Jacques Demers (2007), Glenn Anderson and Grant Fuhr against Lanny McDonald and Mike Vernon (2008), Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark (2011), Pat Quinn against Mark Recchi (2012), Mike McPhee (2013), Jim Peplinski against Tim Hunter (2014), Simon Gagne against Guy Chouinard (2017), and Eric Lindros (2018).


The 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by title partner Sherwin-Williams, and CHL associate sponsors CIBC, Kia Canada, Cooper Tires, and Kubota Canada.  The game will be broadcast live across Canada on Sportsnet and TVA Sports, and in the United States on NHL Network.

Tickets are still available and can be purchased via reddeerrebels.com or ticketsalberta.com.  For further ticket details please contact the Rebels office at 403-341-6000.

For more event information please visit http://sherwin-williamstopprospects.ca.

OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month for December

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Writers’ draft eligible player of the month for December is Connor McMichael of the London Knights. McMichael appeared in 9 games and notched 8 goals to go along with 9 helpers to move into second place in points production among first time draft eligible players behind Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Connor McMichael of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Connor McMichael of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

McMichael produced points in 7 of his 9 contests in December that included 4 multiple point games and leading the Knights in scoring. It also included 3 multi goal games and 3 multi assist games. He was named the games first star on two occasions and second star twice.

Also considered were Philip Tomasino of the Niagara Ice Dogs who recorded 5 goals and 7 assists in 9 games and Kaliyev who posted 5 goals and 9 assists in 11 contests.

In goal, Andrew MacLean of the Owen Sound Attack led the way with a 5-2-0-0 record in in 8 appearances and posting a 2.61 goals-against-average and a .929 save percentage to go along with 1 shutout.

Previous players of the month

Connor McMichael – London Knights – December

Philip Tomasino – Niagara Ice Dogs – November

Hunter Jones – Peterborough Petes – October