Around the OHL

OHL ANNOUNCES 2022-23 ALL-STAR AND ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS

Posted on June 2, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the first, second and third all-star team selections, in addition to the first and second all-rookie team designations for the 2022-23 season.

OHL all-star and all-rookie teams were selected by the OHL’s General Managers, with voting conducted in two stages beginning with a Conference ballot followed by a final ballot that integrated the top selections from both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

A total of 12 of the league’s 20 member teams are represented on his year’s all-star and all-rookie team selections, with the Western Conference champion London Knights leading the way with seven. The OHL champion Peterborough Petes join the Sarnia Sting trailing with four members recognized while the North Bay Battalion, Ottawa 67’s, Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires each boast three.

Historical results of note include North Bay’s Domenic DiVincentiis becoming the first Battalion netminder ever selected to a first all-star team while Troops head coach Ryan Oulahen was voted to an all-star team for the first time in his OHL career. NHL Draft eligible left-winger Colby Barlow was voted to the first all-star team, giving the Attack their first forward to receive the designation since Joey Hishon and Garrett Wilson in 2010-11. The four Sarnia Sting representatives (Del Mastro, Pastujov, Voit, Kyrou) voted to all-star teams matches a franchise record set back in 1995-96.

On the all-rookie teams front, the Saginaw Spirit become the first team to have three players (Misa, Parekh, Willis) voted to a first all-rookie team since the 1993-94 North Bay Centennials (Jinman, Neilson, Yachmenev). Liam Greentree became the first Windsor Spitfires forward voted to an OHL all-rookie team since Taylor Hall in 2007-08. Mason Vaccari is the first Kingston Frontenacs goaltender voted to an all-rookie team since Curtis Cruickshank in 1996-97.

2022-23 OHL All-Star & All-Rookie Teams:

Representatives with major positional awards in brackets are default first team members, all other designations are determined by votes cast by OHL General Managers

First All-Star Team:
C – Logan Morrison, Ottawa 67’s
LW – Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack – voted 1st all-rookie team in 2021-22
RW – Matthew Maggio, Windsor Spitfires (Most Outstanding Player)
D – Pavel Mintyukov, Ottawa 67’s (Defenceman of the Year) – voted 3rd all-star team in 2021-22
D – Brandt Clarke, Barrie Colts – voted 2nd all-star team in 2021-22 and 1st all-rookie team in 2019-20
G – Domenic DiVincentiis, North Bay Battalion (Goaltender of the Year) – voted 2nd all-rookie team in 2021-22
Coach – Dave Cameron, Ottawa 67’s (Coach of the Year) – fifth time being voted to an OHL all-star team

Second All-Star Team
C – Amadeus Lombardi, Flint Firebirds
LW – Sasha Pastujov, Sarnia Sting
RW – Ty Voit, Sarnia Sting
D – Ethan Del Mastro, Sarnia Sting
D – Logan Mailloux, London Knights
G – Brett Brochu, London Knights – voted 1st all-star team in 2021-22 and 1st all-rookie team in 2019-20
Coach – Dale Hunter, London Knights – seventh time being voted to an OHL all-star team

Third All-Star Team
C – Owen Beck, Peterborough Petes – voted 2nd all-rookie team in 2021-22
LW – Brennan Othmann, Peterborough Petes – voted 1st all-star team in 2021-22 and 1st all-rookie team in 2019-20
RW – Avery Hayes, Peterborough Petes
D – Ty Nelson, North Bay Battalion – voted 2nd all-rookie team in 2021-22
D – Christian Kyrou, Sarnia Sting
G – Michael Simpson, Peterborough Petes
Coach – Ryan Oulahen, North Bay Battalion

First All-Rookie Team
C – Joey Willis, Saginaw Spirit
LW – Michael Misa, Saginaw Spirit (Rookie of the Year)
RW – Liam Greentree, Windsor Spitfires
D – Zayne Parekh, Saginaw Spirit
D – Sam Dickinson, London Knights
G – Zach Bowen, London Knights

Second All-Rookie Team
C – Gabriel Frasca, Kingston Frontenacs
LW – Easton Cowan, London Knights
RW – Beckett Sennecke, Oshawa Generals
D – Oliver Bonk, London Knights
D – Anthony Cristoforo, Windsor Spitfires
G – Mason Vaccari, Kingston Frontenacs

About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

ROBERTSON AND SIMPSON NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of playoff games ending Sunday, May 14, 2023.

Petes’ Tucker Robertson Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Seattle Kraken prospect Tucker Robertson of the Peterborough Petes is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, posting two goals, three assists and five points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-3.

Robertson picked up an assist in Peterborough’s 3-2 win over the North Bay Battalion on Monday, helping the Petes advance to the OHL Championship Series for the first time since 2006. Bouncing back from a Game 1 3-0 loss to the London Knights on Thursday, the 5-foot-10, 184lb. forward tallied a pair of goals and assists, including the game-winner as the Petes defeated the Knights 5-3 on Saturday.

A 19-year-old native of Toronto, Ont., Robertson recorded 36 goals, 54 assists and a club-leading 90 points in 68 games this season, making him the first Petes player since Daniel Ryder (2005, 2006) to record back-to-back 80+ point seasons in maroon and white. Among the league’s top faceoff performers, Robertson won 58.5 percent of his faceoffs during the 2022-23 regular season. He sits second in Petes playoff scoring with 17 points (7-10–17) in 19 games. Robertson was a fourth round (123rd overall) pick of the Seattle Kraken following 41 goals, 40 assists and 81 points in 68 games last season. The former fourth round (72nd overall) pick by the Petes in 2019 has registered 85 goals, 104 assists and 189 points in 191 career regular season OHL contests.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
May 8 – May 14: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
May 1 – May 7: Ryan Winterton (London Knights)
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Denver Barkey (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit)

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Ethan Miedema (Kingston Frontenacs)
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts)
Mar. 6– Mar. 12: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Christian Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Braeden Bowman (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Nolan Burke (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Sean McGurn (London Knights)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Bryce McConnell-Barker (Soo Greyhounds)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Ryan Gagnier (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Brody Crane (London Knights)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Matvey Petrov (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Deni Goure (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)

Petes’ Michael Simpson Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Michael Simpson of the Peterborough Petes is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-1 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .936 save percentage.

Simpson helped the Petes defeat the North Bay Battalion in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Championship Series on Monday, stopping 22 of the 24 shots that came his way in a 3-2 win. The 6-foot-1, 198lb. netminder returned to the crease in his hometown of London on Thursday, making 29 saves in a 3-0 loss to the Knights. Simpson rebounded with a 51-save performance on Saturday in Game 2, closing out the week with a 5-3 victory to knot the OHL Championship Series at one win apiece.

A 20-year-old from London, Ont., Simpson played to a 24-22-2-2 record with a 2.73 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in 51 games this past season, leading the OHL in saves (1,442) and minutes played (2,989). He’s currently 13-6 with a 2.76 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. Simpson was the OHL’s Goaltender of the Month for October 2022. He played to a mark of 20-18-3-1 in 2021-22, registering a 3.56 goals-against average and .891 save percentage. Simpson was a 10th round (193rd overall) pick by the Petes in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the London Jr. Knights U16 program.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
May 8 – May 14: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
May 1 – May 7: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Liam Sztuska (Peterborough Petes)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Zach Bowen (London Knights)
Jan 30 – Feb. 5: Nate Krawchuk (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan 23 – Jan. 29: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Jan 16 – Jan. 22: Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan 9 – Jan. 15: Matteo Drobac (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Owen Flores (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Joe Ranger (Sudbury Wolves)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ivan Zhigalov (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Alessio Beglieri (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)

SPITFIRES’ MAGGIO AWARDED RED TILSON TROPHY AS OHL’S MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER PRESENTED BY KIA

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires is the 2022-23 recipient of the Red Tilson Trophy, an award presented annually to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player during the regular season as voted by the writers and broadcasters that cover the league. The OHL’s Most Outstanding Player Award is presented by Kia.

“As proud partner of the CHL and presenting sponsor of the Memorial Cup, Kia Canada is thrilled to congratulate Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires, recognized as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player for the 2022-23 season,” said Michael Kopke, Director of Marketing for Kia Canada. “Matthew’s performance this season has been remarkable and we look forward to seeing where it takes him next.”

Maggio led the OHL with 54 goals and 111 points in 66 games, and gives the Spitfires back-to-back Red Tilson Trophy recipients after current Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston claimed the honour in 2021-22. Maggio helped the Spitfires win their second of back-to-back West Division titles and becomes the first player in OHL history to receive both the Red Tilson Trophy as Most Outstanding Player, while also being voted the league’s Overage Player of the Year.

“I am incredibly honoured and humbled to receive the Red Tilson Trophy,” said Maggio. “I would like to acknowledge the support and contributions of my family, friends, teammates, coaches, management, and ownership with the Windsor Spitfires. I am grateful for their guidance, motivation, and unwavering support throughout the season. I am also honoured to join the esteemed group of past winners and their legacy of excellence in the OHL and the sport of hockey. This award is not only a personal achievement, but a reflection of the team’s success. I would like to thank the OHL and its fans for this recognition, and I am excited to continue working hard to achieve even greater success in the future.”

“Matt was a consistent performer all year,” noted Spitfires General Manager Bill Bowler. “He was valuable to our organization both on and off the ice. This award is a credit to Matt and all his hard work.”

Maggio’s 111 points were 35 more than the next-highest scorer on his team. He was a plus-41 performer, scoring just four of his 54 goals on the power play to become one of four players in the past decade to score at least 45 even strength goals in a season. He led the league with 311 shots on goal and was held pointless in just nine of his 66 games.

“Matt was the hardest worker on the Spitfires this season and played the right way night in night out and got rewarded for it,” said Spitfires Head Coach Marc Savard. “He is a great human being, and it’s great to see. Well deserved.”

A 20-year-old native of Tecumseh, Ont., Maggio wraps-up his OHL career with 99 goals, 118 assists and 217 points over 212 regular season contests spent between Windsor and the Ottawa 67’s, who selected him in the fifth-round (86th overall) of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. He tied a Spitfires single game franchise record with his five goals on Dec. 15th in a 6-3 win over the Erie Otters, joining Daniel D’Amico, Paul Gagne and Gerry Leroux as the fourth Spitfire to accomplish the feat. The 6-foot, 185Ib. right-winger recorded 17 points (7-10–17) in 25 games last spring as the Spits won a Western Conference title and reached Game 7 of the OHL Championship Series. He was a fifth-round (142nd overall) pick of the New York Islanders in the 2022 NHL Draft, and signed a three-year entry-level NHL contract with the club on May 1, 2023.

Maggio follows Johnston (2021-22) as well as blueliner Ryan Ellis (2010-11), forward Ernie Godden (1980-81) and goaltender Glenn Hall (1950-51) as the fifth Spitfire to earn the Red Tilson Trophy. Recent winners have included Marco Rossi (Ottawa 2020), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury 2019), Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia 2018) and Alex DeBrincat (Erie 2017).

The Red Tilson Trophy is the most prestigious individual award presented by the Ontario Hockey League. First presented in 1945, the trophy is named in honour of Albert “Red” Tilson, who was killed in action in Europe during World War II. Tilson was the OHA scoring champion for the 1942-43 season after scoring 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 22 games with the Oshawa Generals.

Accredited media were asked to select their top choice from a ballot consisting of 20 team-nominated representatives. Maggio emerged as the front-runner, receiving 45 percent of the vote ahead of Barrie Colts defenceman Brandt Clarke, who received 23 percent. Sarnia Sting forward Ty Voit placed third, earning 11 percent of the vote.

The Red Tilson Trophy winner is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. Maggio will be formally presented with the Red Tilson Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete list of award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.

67’s’ MINTYUKOV HONOURED WITH MAX KAMINSKY TROPHY AS OHL DEFENCEMAN OF THE YEAR

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Anaheim Ducks prospect Pavel Mintyukov of the Ottawa 67’s is the 2022-23 recipient of the Max Kaminsky Trophy, an award presented annually to the OHL’s Defenceman of the Year as voted by the league’s General Managers.

Mintyukov led OHL blueliners with 88 points including 24 goals and 64 assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-33, joining the 67’s midway through the season to help them secure the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the league’s regular season champions.

“I am extremely honoured to receive such a prestigious award,” said Mintyukov. “This would not have been possible without the support of everyone around me. A huge thank you goes out to my family as well as both the Ottawa 67’s and Saginaw Spirit organizations consisting of all of my teammates, and coaching staffs.”

Mintyukov saw time in all situations, logging big minutes throughout the season as he led OHL rearguards with six game-winning goals and put together 27 multi-point outings. He became the OHL’s first defenceman on record to ever receive league Defenceman of the Month honours in three consecutive months, doing so in October, November and December.

“Throughout the 2022-23 season, Pavel exhibited his tremendous skill, energy, and passion for the game, each and every day,” said 67’s General Manager James Boyd. “His positive impacts as a teammate, and leader extend beyond the ice surface. It is great to see Pavel receive this well-deserved, prestigious recognition.”

A 19-year-old from Moscow, Russia, Mintyukov recorded 150 points (41-109–150) over 136 career regular season games between Ottawa and Saginaw over the past two seasons, becoming the first blueliner to ever lead the Spirit in regular season scoring during the 2021-22 campaign as he was voted an OHL third team all-star. The Anaheim Ducks selected Mintyukov with the 10th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft, and signed him to a three-year entry-level NHL contract on July 16, 2022. He was Saginaw’s first round (52nd overall) pick in the 2020 CHL Import Draft.

The Max Kaminsky Trophy is awarded each year to the Most Outstanding Defenceman as selected by OHL General Managers. All 20 clubs submitted a nominee but were not permitted to vote for their own player.

The award is named in recognition of Max Kaminsky, who enjoyed a 10-year professional playing career that included four years in the NHL with Ottawa, Boston, and Montreal. After he retired from playing, Kaminsky enjoyed a 15-year coaching career that was capped by winning the Memorial Cup with the St. Catharines Teepees in 1960.

Barrie Colts blueliner Brandt Clarke finished as the runner-up in this year’s award voting.

Mintyukov is the latest Ottawa 67’s blueliner to win the award, joining an impressive list of names that includes Noel Hoefenmayer (2020), Brendan Bell (2003), Brian Campbell (1999), Sean Blanchard (1997), Chris Snell (1991), Brad Shaw (1984), Randy Boyd (1981) and back-to-back winner Denis Potvin (1972, 1973). Other prominent winners have included Dougie Hamilton (Niagara 2012), two-time recipients Ryan Ellis (Windsor 2009 & 2011) and Bryan Berard (Detroit 1995 & 1996), Drew Doughty (Guelph 2008) as well as Chris Pronger (Peterborough 1993).

Mintyukov is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Defenceman of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. He will be formally presented with the Max Kaminsky Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.

WINTERTON AND DIVINCENTIIS NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for playoff games ending Sunday, May 7th, 2023.

Knights’ Ryan Winterton Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Seattle Kraken prospect Ryan Winterton of the London Knights is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, posting five goals, one assist and six points in four games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-5.

Helping London skate to a 4-2 series win over the Sarnia Sting to capture the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as Western Conference champions last week, Winterton started things with a goal in a 5-2 road loss on Tuesday night. He went on to record another goal the following night as the Knights fell 6-3. Helping London rebound back at home on Friday, the 6-foot-2, 190lb. forward recorded a pair of goals in the 5-2 victory. Winterton closed out the series with a goal and an assist on Sunday, stretching his current point streak to eight games as the Knights punched their ticket to the OHL Championship Series with a 5-1 win over the Sting.

A 19-year-old from Whitby, Ont., Winterton recorded 12 goals, 24 assists and 36 points in 34 games this season. He’s produced 105 points (44-61–105) over 124 career OHL regular season games between London and Hamilton since being selected by the Bulldogs with the eighth overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. He’s currently produced 10 points (6-4–10) over 12 games in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. Winterton was selected in the third round (67th overall) by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week, Knights teammate and 2023 NHL Draft eligible Denver Barkey was productive, recording three goals and three assists in four games, while Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov of the Sarnia Sting had eight points (2-6–8) in four outings.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
May 1 – May 7: Ryan Winterton (London Knights)
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Denver Barkey (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit)

Battalion’s Dom DiVincentiis Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, playing to a 2-2 record including a goals-against average of 2.75 and a save percentage of .927.

DiVincentiis helped the Battalion play to a 2-2 mark against the Peterborough Petes in the Eastern Conference Championship Series last week, beginning with a 40-save performance in a 3-2 road loss on Tuesday. DiVincentiis stopped 37 of the 39 shots he faced in Wednesday’s Game 4, defeating the Petes 5-2. He returned home to block 22 of the 24 shots that came his way in a 6-2 win on Saturday, before the 6-foot-2, 190lb. netminder would close out the week in Peterborough, stopping 40 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss in Sunday’s Game 6.

A 19-year-old native of Bolton, Ont., DiVincentiis played to a 36-9-2-0 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 48 games this past season to earn the Jim Rutherford Trophy as the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year. He was the recipient of the OHL’s F.W. ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy in 2021-22, posting a league-low 2.59 goals-against average among rookies to go with a 14-8-0-1 record and .907 save percentage. DiVincentiis was selected in the seventh round (207th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 NHL Draft. He’s a former sixth round (116th overall) pick by the Battalion in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
May 1 – May 7: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)

SPIRIT’S MISA CLAIMS EMMS FAMILY AWARD AS OHL’S TOP FIRST-YEAR PLAYER

Posted on May 5, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa is the 2022-23 recipient of the Emms Family Award, presented annually to the OHL’s Top First-Year Player as voted by the league’s General Managers.

Misa led the league’s newcomers with 56 points, including 22 goals and 34 assists in 45 games. He did so after becoming the sixth player to be granted exceptional player status to play in the OHL by Hockey Canada, competing as the league’s lone 2007-born player during the 2022-23 season. Misa’s 1.24 points-per-game are the highest rate of any of the OHL’s six exceptional status talents during their first season, surpassing the benchmark of 1.18 previously held by John Tavares of the 2005-06 Oshawa Generals.

“Receiving this award is a tremendous honour and I couldn’t have done it without all the help from my teammates and coaching staff supporting me throughout my first year,” said Misa. “I’m super excited for what’s ahead with this group and I can’t wait to get started next year.”

A 5-foot-11, 160Ib. left-winger from Oakville, Ont., Misa was chosen first overall by the Spirit in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection and wasted little time finding the scoresheet in the OHL, picking-up where he left off to end the 2021-22 season with a record-setting performance as his Mississauga Senators won an OHL Cup title. Misa scored twice in his first career OHL contest on Oct. 1st against the Guelph Storm and registered points in each of his first three games. He went on to be named the league’s Rookie of the Month for October.

Misa’s first OHL campaign was headlined by 19 different multi-point outings including a four-point performance (1-3–4) on Oct. 14th in Guelph along with a trio of three-point efforts.

“As an organization we are extremely proud of Michael for winning this award,” said Spirit General Manager Dave Drinkill. “Since the day we drafted Michael he has done everything we have asked of him and more, both on and off the ice. It is not easy to succeed in this league as a first-year player, especially one that was granted entry to the OHL a year early, but Michael’s skill and drive to be the best allowed him to adapt quickly. He is an outstanding, humble young man that is very deserving of this recognition and we could not be happier for him.”

Misa, who turned 16 on February 16th, becomes the first player in Spirit franchise history to win the Emms Family Award and follows present-day NHL players in Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie 2018), Alex DeBrincat (Erie 2015), Travis Konecny (Ottawa 2014), Connor McDavid (2013) and Aaron Ekblad (Barrie 2012) in receiving the honour. Guelph Storm defenceman Cam Allen was the 2021-22 award-winner.

The Emms Family Award was donated by Leighton “Hap” Emms, former owner of the Barrie, Niagara Falls, and St. Catharines OHL franchises. The award is selected by all 20 member club General Managers. Teams were asked to submit only one nominee from their own club for consideration on the ballot and were not permitted to vote for the player from their own hockey club.

Finalists in this year’s voting included forwards Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires and Porter Martone of the Mississauga Steelheads, who each tied for second-place.

Misa is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. He will be formally presented with the Emms Family Award at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.

LOCKHART AND BROCHU NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of playoff games ending Sunday, April 30, 2023.

Petes’ Connor Lockhart Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Vancouver Canucks prospect Connor Lockhart of the Peterborough Petes is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, posting four goals, one assist and five points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-1.

Lockhart pushed the Petes to the Eastern Conference Championship Series, scoring a hat trick as Peterborough defeated the Ottawa 67’s 5-4 in Game 6 of their second round series on Monday night. The 5-foot-9, 164lb. forward continued his scoring ways against North Bay on Friday, recording a goal and an assist as the Petes defeated the Battalion 3-2 in Game 1. Lockhart continues to excel on a line alongside Owen Beck and Chase Stillman as the Petes enter Tuesday’s Game 3 of their Conference Final series tied at one with the North Bay Battalion.

A 20-year-old from Kanata, Ont., Lockhart recorded 29 goals, 50 assists and 79 points in 66 games this season. He’s produced 154 points (61-93–154) over 187 career OHL regular season games between Peterborough and Erie since being selected by the Otters with the third overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. He’s currently produced 10 points (6-4–10) over 12 games in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. Lockhart was selected in the sixth round (178th overall) by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week, Petes teammate and Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck was productive, recording one goal and four assists in three games, while Seattle Kraken prospect Ryan Winterton of the London Knights had five points (2-3–5) in two victories.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Denver Barkey (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit)

Knights’ Brett Brochu Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Brett Brochu of the London Knights is the OHL Goaltender of the Week for the third time in the past four weeks, going 1-0 with a 0.62 goals-against average and .980 save percentage.

Brochu helped the Knights take a 2-0 series lead over the Sarnia Sting in the Western Conference Championship Series last week, turning aside 32 of the 33 shots he faced in a 4-1 win to earn first star honours on Friday. The 6-foot, 176lb. netminder stopped all 18 shots he faced in Sunday’s Game 2, leaving the game in the second period with an injury as the Knights went on to win by a score of 3-1.

A 20-year-old from Belle River, Ont., Brochu played to a 28-17-2-0 record with a 2.82 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 47 games this past season. He’ll graduate with 89 regular season career victories, the second-most in London Knights franchise history. He posted a 2.67 goals-against average and .910 save percentage over 132 career regular season games, and also set a new OHL record for wins by a rookie goaltender with 32 in 2019-20. The overage netminder is currently 9-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average and .943 save percentage with four shutouts over 11 games in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. Brochu was London’s sixth round (114th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. He attended training camp with the Vancouver Canucks last October.

Also considered for the award this week, Michael Simpson of the Peterborough Petes went 2-1 with a 2.68 goals-against average and .928 save percentage, making 103 saves over three games played last week. Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion went 2-2 with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)

BATTALION’S DIVINCENTIIS AWARDED JIM RUTHERFORD TROPHY AS OHL’S GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY REAL CANADIAN SUPERSTORE

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Winnipeg Jets prospect Domenic DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the 2022-23 recipient of the Jim Rutherford Trophy, awarded annually to the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year presented by Real Canadian Superstore.

DiVincentiis put together the best statistical season by a goaltender in North Bay Battalion franchise history, leading the OHL with 36 wins, a 2.33 goals-against average and .919 save percentage. His five shutouts were tied for the league-lead, and he did not lose consecutive games throughout the entire season.

“I am truly honoured and humbled to be receiving the Jim Rutherford Trophy today as the top goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League,” said DiVincentiis. “To share this recognition with some of the best goaltenders in our league’s history is extremely exciting. This award, in my opinion, is a recognition and acknowledgment to the incredible support and encouragement I have received from my teammates, coaches, support staff, and fans with the North Bay Battalion.

“Finally, I would like to share this award with my family, billet family and support network that has been with me every step of the way. Your love and support has been my greatest source of strength and motivation, and I am grateful for every moment we have shared together through my career to date on and off the ice.”

DiVincentiis’ season was highlighted by being named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Month for both January and March. He had a tremendous finish to the season, recording four of his five shutouts after Feb. 24th while winning his final six outings of the campaign.

“This is another very proud day for our organization,” said Battalion General Manager Adam Dennis, who won the award as a member of the London Knights in 2006. “Dom has given us a chance to win all season with not just his play but also his leadership. Since the day he came into our program he has been a tireless worker who is incredibly dedicated to his craft; this award is well earned. We look forward watching Dom’s continued growth on the ice as his legacy in the North Bay community continues to grow.”

A 19-year-old from Bolton, Ont. DiVincentiis is the first goaltender in Battalion franchise history to win the award, becoming the first North Bay-based goaltender to do so in the league’s history. The 6-foot-2, 190Ib. netminder has played to a career OHL mark of 50-17-2-1 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .915 save percentage over 75 regular season games. He’s currently 9-4-2-0 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .928 save percentage through 15 games for the Battalion in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. The Troops selected DiVincentiis in the sixth round (116th overall) of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. He was chosen by the Winnipeg Jets last summer, being taken in the seventh round (207th overall).

Announced in August 2019, the Jim Rutherford Trophy is presented by the League in honour of former OHL goaltender, General Manager, Chairman of the Board and two-time Executive of the Year Jim Rutherford. The current President of Hockey Operations of the Vancouver Canucks, Rutherford played 13 seasons as an NHL netminder and was the architect behind Stanley Cup championships for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2019.

The OHL’s Goaltender of the Year Award was first presented in 1988 to Rick Tabaracci (Cornwall), with other notable winners including Manny Legace (Niagara Falls 1993), Andrew Raycroft (Kingston 2000), Craig Anderson (Guelph 2001), the League’s only back-to-back winner Mike Murphy (Belleville 2008 & 2009), along with current NHL goaltenders Jordan Binnington (Owen Sound 2013), Alex Nedeljkovic (Plymouth 2014) and Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie 2016).

Finalists in this year’s voting included 2022 recipient Brett Brochu of the London Knights, along with New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit, who finished in a tie for second.

DiVincentiis is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. He will be formally presented with the Jim Rutherford Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.

OHL Conference Finals Preview

Posted on April 28, 2023April 28, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Through the first two rounds, the Peterborough Petes have been my nemeses having predicted two losses for them and they’ve won both. That makes four incorrect picks for me – a lifetime worst. And here we are trying again. So, let’s get to it.

WESTERN CONFERENCE (2) LONDON KNIGHTS VS (3) SARNIA STING – WAYNE GRETZKY TROPHY

	LONDON KNIGHTS	SARNIA STING
Regular season record	45-21-2-0	41-18-5-4
Playoff record	8-1	8-2
Head-to-head	4-2-0-0	2-2-1-1
Home record	22-11-1-0	21-7-4-2
Away record	23-10-1-0	20-11-1-2
Goals scored (regular season)	269	298
Goals scored (playoffs)	43	41
Goals against (regular season)	214	224
Goals against (playoffs)	17	23
Powerplay (regular season)	21.3%	26.0%
PP at home (regular season)	23.0%	27.2%
PP away (regular season)	19.7%	24.6%
Powerplay (playoffs)	29.2%	15.4%
PP at home (playoffs)	29.6%	27.8%
PP away (playoffs)	28.6%	4.8%
Penalty kill (regular season)	78.9%	81.4%
PK at home (regular season)	76.9%	82.5%
PK away (regular season)	80.4%	80.3%
Penalty kill (playoffs)	75.0%	91.7%
PK at home (playoffs)	68.8%	94.4%
PK away (playoffs)	81.3%	88.9%
Powerplay vs opponent	15.0%	32.3%
Penalty kill vs opponent	67.7%	85.0%
Leading after 1^st (playoffs)	5-0	4-0
Leading after 2^nd (playoffs)	7-0	5-0
Trailing after 1^st (playoffs)	3-0	2-1
Trailing after 2^nd (playoffs)	0-1	0-2
1-goal games (playoffs)	2-0	3-1
2-goal games (playoffs)	0-0	1-1
3 goal games (playoffs)	0-0	1-0

It’s a historic year for the Sting, who are into the Western Conference Championship Series for the first time in their history.

Sarnia comes off a sweep of the fourth-seed Saginaw Spirit in which they conceded just four goals, with Ben Gaudreau making franchise history with his second and third shutouts of the playoff run. After going up 2-0 over the eighth-placed Kitchener Rangers in the previous round, the Knights responded to a 6-1 Game 3 loss with consecutive Brett Brochu shutout wins in Games 4 and 5.

Following a spell in which they won the J. Ross Robertson Cup three times in five seasons, London has not reached the Western Conference Final since their last championship in 2016.

There was plenty of changeover in London this season, with 17-year-old newcomers Easton Cowan, Jacob Julien, Oliver Bonk, and Zach Bowen, as well as 2022 fourth-overall pick Sam Dickinson playing big roles.

The team began to find a rhythm after adding Bulldogs teammates Ryan Winterton and Ryan Humphrey at the trade deadline.

The Sting boast a powerhouse offence but showed an ability to grind out results in the series against Saginaw. Their defensive trade-deadline acquisitions were a subject of discussion ahead of Game 1.

The Sting’s blueline spent much of the season riddled with injuries but with Ethan Del Mastro, Christian Kyrou, Ryan Mast, Nolan Dillingham, and Ethan Ritchie all available, Sarnia’s defence has looked steady in front of Gaudreau.

Not to be overlooked, Sarnia’s offence was a force throughout the season as they put together the OHL’s top power play, guided by one of the league’s top playmakers in Ty Voit. Factor in 50-goal scorer Nolan Burke and mid-season additions Sasha Pastujov and Luca Del Bel Belluz, and Sarnia isn’t a team London can afford to get into penalty trouble against.

PREDICTION: Sarnia in 6 games

EASTERN CONFERENCE (2) NORTH BAY BATTALION VS (4) PETERBOROUGH PETES BOBBY ORR TROPHY

	NORTH BAY BATTALION	PETERBOROUGH PETES
Regular season record	48-17-2-1	35-29-2-2
Playoff record	8-5	8-2
Head-to-head	4-0-0-0	0-4-0-0
Home record	27-5-1-1	18-13-1-2
Away record	21-12-1-0	17-16-1-0
Goals scored (regular season)	285	247
Goals scored (playoffs)	49	34
Goals against (regular season)	183	207
Goals against (playoffs)	33	25
Powerplay (regular season)	22.9%	21.7%
PP at home (regular season)	25.0%	22.1%
PP away (regular season)	20.9%	21.3%
Powerplay (playoffs)	28.6%	11.4%
PP at home (playoffs)	23.3%	8.0%
PP away (playoffs)	36.8%	15.8%
Penalty kill (regular season)	87.1%	81.3%
PK at home (regular season)	90.3%	80.2%
PK away (regular season)	84.4%	82.4%
Penalty kill (playoffs)	81.3%	88.5%
PK at home (playoffs)	79.3%	85.7%
PK away (playoffs)	84.2%	91.7%
Powerplay vs opponent	20.0%	11.1%
Penalty kill vs opponent	88.9%	80.0%
Leading after 1^st (playoffs)	4-1	2-1
Leading after 2^nd (playoffs)	6-2	5-1
Trailing after 1^st (playoffs)	2-1	3-0
Trailing after 2^nd (playoffs)	2-1	0-0
1-goal games (playoffs)	2-3	4-1
2-goal games (playoffs)	1-1	4-1
3 goal games (playoffs)	2-1	0-0

Two of the league’s top goaltenders in Michael Simpson and Domenic DiVincentiis, will go head-to-head.

The Petes are in search of their first trip to the OHL Championship Series since they were last champions in 2005-06. Captain Shawn Spearing and assistant captains Tucker Robertson and J.R. Avon were all members of the 2019-20 team that was poised to make a deep playoff run before the season came to a premature end. The group has been preparing for another one ever since.

The Battalion were on the receiving end of a sweep in last year’s Eastern Conference Final, falling to the eventual champions: the Hamilton Bulldogs. With much of the same core returning, the Troops have been a contender since the season began and added the requisite depth.

Picked first overall in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection and CHL Import Draft respectively, Ty Nelson and Matvey Petrov have developed into two of the most talented players in the league. Alongside overage forward Kyle McDonald, they sit tied for first in scoring among remaining players (18 pts.). Not fair behind in fourth is centreman Kyle Jackson (13 pts.).

The Battalion are ranked first in the postseason with 49 goals for, and much of that is to do with how seamlessly trade additions Pasquale Zito (5-9-14) and Josh Bloom (2-5-7) have fit into the team.

Fellow newcomers Luc Brzustowski and Brayden Hislop have also rounded out the defence with their veteran presence.

After acquiring 50-goal man Brennan Othmann from the Flint Firebirds in November, the Petes went after the big fish at the trade deadline, too. GM Mike Oke prioritized championship pedigree, dealing for Hamilton Bulldogs overage pair Avery Hayes and Gavin White. They have proven themselves to be instrumental for Peterborough thus far.

The Petes finished the season with a 5-6-1-0 record in March, which evoked questions about whether they were ready to take the next step in the postseason. Internally, however, the focus was on being prepared to flip the switch for Game 1.

PREDICTION: North Bay in 7 games

GENERALS’ MCINTYRE WINS ROGER NEILSON MEMORIAL AWARD AS OHL’S TOP POST-SECONDARY STUDENT

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to announce that Oshawa Generals forward Ryder McIntyre is the 2022-23 recipient of the Roger Neilson Memorial Award presented annually to the OHL’s Top Academic Post-Secondary Student.

McIntyre achieved an overall average of 81 percent in studies at the University of Guelph, headlined by a 100 percent grade in an Introduction to Marketing course, in addition to a 95 percent in Human Development. McIntyre’s course load also included Psychology and Microeconomics as he achieved high standing during his second season in the OHL.

“I’m very honoured to receive the Roger Neilson Memorial Award,” said McIntyre. “I’d like to thank my teachers, Oshawa Generals Academic Advisor Tom Buchanan, and the entire Generals organization for their continued support and the environment needed to succeed.”

A 6-foot-3, 221Ib. 18-year-old right-winger from Stouffville, Ont., McIntyre recorded seven goals, 10 assists and 17 points over 63 games between the Generals and the Sarnia Sting in 2022-23. He was acquired by the Generals from Sarnia on Oct. 20, 2022.

“It’s not a surprise to me that Ryder has won this prestigious academic award,” said Generals Vice-President and General Manager Roger Hunt. “He is a young man that is very capable of prioritizing things and has a great work ethic. He works as hard in the gym, on the ice and in the classroom – a great formula for young people to follow if you want to succeed in life.”

Originally a third round (51st overall) pick by Sarnia in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, McIntyre’s top performance this past season came on Feb. 20th when he recorded a goal and two assists in a 10-7 win over the Niagara IceDogs.

“Ryder has shown himself as a dedicated and conscientious student,” said Generals Academic Advisor Tom Buchanan. “He has demonstrated the self-discipline and time management skills to combine a busy hockey schedule with the rigours of a university timetable. Ryder successfully completed four university courses during the hockey season.”

The Roger Neilson Memorial Award is named in honour of the Hall of Fame Coach who served behind the Peterborough Petes bench in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Neilson, a former high school teacher, was a pioneer in stressing the importance of education to all of his players. McIntyre becomes the second Oshawa Generals player to win the award, following goaltender Daniel Altshuller who last did so in 2012-13.

Guelph Storm defenceman Payton Robinson finished as a finalist for this year’s Roger Neilson Memorial Award.

For a full list of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.

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