Playoff Preview and Predictions Round Three

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Let’s start by looking back at my first two rounds of predictions:

CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS

EASTERN CONFERENCEPREDICTIONOUTCOME
(1) Hamilton vs (8) PeterboroughHamilton in 4Hamilton wins 4-0
(2) North Bay vs (7) OttawaNorth Bay in 5North Bay wins 4-0
(3) Kingston vs (6) OshawaKingston in 6Kingston wins 4-2
(4) Mississauga vs (5) BarrieMississauga in 7Mississauga wins 4-2
WESTERN CONFERENCEPREDICTIONOUTCOME
(1) Windsor vs (8) SarniaWindsor in 5Windsor wins 4-2
(2) London vs (7) KitchenerLondon in 6Kitchener wins 4-3
(3) Flint vs (6) Owen SoundFlint in 6Flint wins 4-3
(4) Sault Ste Marie vs (5) GuelphSault Ste Marie in 7Sault Ste Marie wins 4-1

CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS                                                                                                                                        

EASTERN CONFERENCEPREDICTIONOUTCOME
(1) Hamilton vs (4) MississaugaHamilton in 5Hamilton wins 4-0
(2) North Bay vs (3) KingstonNorth Bay in 6North Bay wins 4-1
WESTERN CONFERENCEPREDICTIONOUTCOME
(1) Windsor vs (7) KitchenerWindsor in 6Windsor wins 4-1
(3) Flint vs (4) Sault Ste MarieSault Ste Marie in 7Flint wins 4-1

As you can probably guess, not happy about my results when getting two incorrect winners in 12 series and only two correct in the right number of games. I really did try to find a loss for the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Conference Semi Finals, but it just didn’t materialize. So, I’ll try again for the Conference Finals!

 HamiltonNorth Bay
Season series2-2-02-2-0
Last 10 games10-0-08-1-1
Powerplay27.6%25.9%
PP vs opponent0.0%15.4%
PP Playoffs37.0%36.7%
Penalty Kill80.9%80.6%
PK vs Opponent84.6%100.0%
PK Playoffs87.9%87.5%
Goals for RS300267
Goals for Playoffs3843
Goals against RS176198
Goals against Playoffs1531
Team PIM / Game RS11.3/game9.1/game
Team PIM / Game Playoffs14.9/game7.0/game
Leading after 1st period34-2-422-2-3
Leading after 2nd period43-2-127-0-2
Trailing after 1st period5-9-13-6-0
Trailing after 2nd period3-9-27-14-2
Outshooting opponents36-5-226-5-4
Outshot by opponents15-7-317-12-2

Not too much to say here. In many ways, Hamilton and North Bay were close in the regular season. And North Bay dominated specialty teams against Hamilton through the season. They even split the season series versus each other. But this is the Hamilton Bulldogs we’re talking about and they were built just for these playoffs. Somehow, my head is saying to find one loss for them and it likely won’t come until the next round. But….

Prediction: Hamilton in 5 games.

 WindsorFlint
Season series7-0-11-5-2
Last 10 games8-1-17-3-0
Powerplay26.1%19.7%
PP vs opponent26.5%10.0%
PP Playoffs13.3%20.0%
Penalty Kill82.6%84.3%
PK vs Opponent90.0%73.5%
PK Playoffs78.0%83.3%
Goals for RS305286
Goals for Playoffs4144
Goals against RS248238
Goals against Playoffs2732
Team PIM / Game RS10.3/game10.4/game
Team PIM / Game Playoffs12.6/game9.5/game
Leading after 1st period23-5-022-4-1
Leading after 2nd period32-0-231-1-3
Trailing after 1st period7-7-28-12-3
Trailing after 2nd period6-14-33-14-2
Outshooting opponents34-12-420-8-1
Outshot by opponents10-4-320-13-4

You know what they say about the playoffs and special teams: Win the special teams battle and you stand a better chance of winning the series. The Spitfires had a far superior powerplay during the regular season. And head-to-head the Spitfires powerplay was two and a half times better than the Firebirds. But to date in the playoffs? The Firebirds have doubled their regular season proficiency while the Spitfires was cut in half.

On the penalty kill, the Firebirds were less than 2 percentage points better than the Spits during the regular season. Through the playoffs, the Firebirds were still above the Spits.

But head-to-head, the Spitfires hold a decisive advantage in both powerplay efficiency and penalty kill. It’s only reasonable to assume that the Spitfires hold a big advantage when it comes to specialty teams in this series.

The Spitfires like to come at you and produce a lot of shots having outshot their opponent’s 70 percent of the time. On the flip side, the Firebirds are outshot more times than not and rely more on their goaltending. And that was slightly better than the Spitfires during the regular season.

Both squads are great at protecting the lead, but the advantage goes to the Spitfires when it comes to coming from behind. I think this series will be tight and the difference will be specialty teams.

Prediction: Windsor in 7 games.

OHL Announces 2021-2022 Academic Player of the Year Winners

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the recipients of the League’s three Academic Player of the Year awards for the 2021-22 season.

Owen Beck of the Mississauga Steelheads is the winner of the Bobby Smith Trophy as Scholastic Player of the Year presented by CIBC, Adam Varga of the Ottawa 67’s has earned the Roger Neilson Memorial Award as the Top Post-Secondary School Student for a second straight year, and Owen Sound Attack defenceman Cal Uens has been recognized as the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award recipient as OHL’s Top High School Student.

Beck will serve as the OHL’s nomination for the CHL Scholastic Player of the Year Award.


Bobby Smith Trophy (CIBC Scholastic Player of the Year) – Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads:

Draft eligible forward Owen Beck of the Mississauga Steelheads is the 2021-22 recipient of the Bobby Smith Trophy awarded to the OHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year presented by CIBC.

Beck is the latest Steelheads player to earn academic recognition from a program that has produced recent Bobby Smith Trophy winners in Thomas Harley (2019) and Nicolas Hague (2016). The 18-year-old centreman has been busy in the classroom, carrying a heavy course load that includes Advanced Functions (96%), University Chemistry (93%), Kinesiology (94%), Calculus (91%) and University Biology (93%), resulting in an overall average of over 93% in his Grade 12 studies at Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School. On the ice, Beck came in as the 10th ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft following a rookie season that yielded 21 goals, 30 assists and 51 points in 68 games for the Steelheads.

“Education has always been important to me throughout my hockey career,” said Beck. “Being able to balance two busy activities has given me life skills and characteristics that I will use for the rest of my life. On top of that, as much as every hockey player wants to make a career out of hockey, not everybody always can for reasons beyond the person’s control. I have worked very hard over the past several years to make sure I have put myself in a position where if hockey unfortunately doesn’t work out I have a solid education and many opportunities available to move forward with another career.”

A native of Port Hope, Ont., Beck emerged as one of the OHL’s premier presences in the faceoff circle, winning 60.6% of his draws. He was voted the Eastern Conference’s top face-off man in the OHL Coaches Poll. Following an impressive season that included being named the OHL’s Rookie of the Month in November, Beck helped the Steelheads reach the second round of the OHL Playoffs, recording six points (1-5–6) in 10 games. He was Mississauga’s second round (29th overall) pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

“The Mississauga Steelheads would like to congratulate Owen Beck for being named this year’s Bobby Smith Trophy recipient,” said Steelheads Head Coach and General Manager James Richmond. “The entire organization is so proud of Owen for everything we all see every game on the ice but even more so for what he does in the classroom. This is a huge accomplishment! Owen’s commitment and dedication both in the classroom and on the ice is exceptional and he’s a very deserving recipient of this prestigious award.”

Each year the Bobby Smith Trophy is presented to the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence.  The trophy is in honour of Bobby Smith, a former Ottawa 67’s star who exhibited a standard of excellence in both of these areas.  Past recipients since the award was first presented in 1980 include three-time winner Dustin Brown (Guelph 2001-03), Steven Stamkos (Sarnia 2007), Ryan Ellis (Windsor 2008), Matt Duchene (Brampton 2009), Erik Gudbranson (Kingston 2010), Dougie Hamilton (Niagara 2011), Adam Pelech (Erie 2012), Darnell Nurse (Sault Ste. Marie 2013), back-to-back winner Connor McDavid (Erie 2014, ’15), Sasha Chmelevski (Ottawa 2017), Barrett Hayton (Sault Ste. Marie 2018), Thomas Harley (Mississauga 2019) and Cole Perfetti (Saginaw 2020).

Next in line for the award were a pair of other draft eligibles in forward Matthew Poitras of the Guelph Storm and top-ranked prospect Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs.


Roger Neilson Memorial Award (Top Post-Secondary Student) – Adam Varga (Ottawa 67’s):

For the second straight year, Ottawa 67’s forward Adam Varga is the recipient of the Roger Neilson Memorial Award presented annually to the League’s Top Academic Post-Secondary Student.

Varga managed to exceed his 2020-21 benchmark of a 94% average, achieving a 95.8% mark over seven courses at the University of Maryland, excelling in Human Resources Management (100%), Technology and Culture (98%), Philosophy (98%), Biology (98%), Psychology (95%), Information Systems and Organizations (94%) and Integrated Market Communications (88%).

Varga joins former Mississauga Steelheads teammate Stephen Gibson (2017 & ’18), Windsor Spitfires graduate Derek Lanoue (2010 & ’11) and past 67’s netminder Danny Battochio (2005 & ’06) as the fourth back-to-back winner in League history.

“I am honoured to receive the Roger Neilson Memorial Award for the second time,” said Varga. “At a young age, my family instilled in me the importance of continuing my education. The OHL has allowed me to do just that. I would not be able to achieve this honour without the resources provided to me by the Ottawa 67’s organization. I want to thank the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, James Boyd, Jan Egert, and Eileen Duffin for the remarkable support they have given me to succeed. Coach Dave Cameron has also had a tremendous influence on me. From day one, he preached the importance of hard work and dedication. Not just on the ice but in everything I do.”

A 20-year-old native of Bel Air, Maryland, Varga recorded four goals, 11 assists and 15 points in 40 games with the 67’s in his overage season. The 6-foot-1, 181Ib. right-winger appeared in 205 career regular season contests between Ottawa and Mississauga, recording 18 goals, 30 assists and 48 points in the process. He was originally Mississauga’s seventh round (121st overall) pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection.

“Adam’s strong leadership skills are evident both on the ice and in his approach to academics,” said 67’s General Manager James Boyd. “He has once again proven to be a diligent student athlete with excellent time management skills. What stands out most during his time with the 67’s is Adam’s relentless work ethic and perseverance towards every task that he dedicates his time to. We congratulate Adam and are all excited to follow and support him in the next phase of his career.”

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. Varga is the third different 67’s player to receive the honour following back-to-back recipient Danny Battochio (2005, 2006) while joining Sasha Chmelevski (2019) as the second American-born player to have his name engraved on the trophy.

Finalists for the Roger Neilson Memorial Award include defencemen Luc Brzustowski of the Soo Greyhounds and Ryan Mast of the Sarnia Sting.


Ivan Tennant Memorial Award (Top Academic High School Student) – Cal Uens (Owen Sound Attack):

Owen Sound Attack defenceman Cal Uens is the 2021-22 recipient of the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award presented annually to the League’s Top Academic High School Student.

Uens achieved a 98.7% average in studies at Owen Sound District Secondary School, excelling in Business Leadership (100%), a pair of English courses (98%, 99%) and Challenge and Change in Society (98%). His impressive work ethic has resulted in him accumulating enough credits to graduate Grade 12 a year early, enabling him to begin taking University courses next season.

“It’s an honour to win the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award,” said Uens. “I would like to thank academic advisor Sarah Rowe and the Attack organization for giving me the best opportunities to be successful both on and off the ice.”

A 17-year-old native of Napanee, Ont., Uens recorded four goals, 14 assists and 18 points over 68 games in his rookie season on the Attack blue line. The 5-foot-8, 152Ib. defender was Owen Sound’s third round (42nd overall) choice in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. He will be eligible for the NHL Draft in 2023.

“The Attack organization would like to congratulate Cal Uens on being named the recipient of this year‘s Ivan Tennant Memorial Award,” said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray. “Cal has been an incredibly dedicated individual both on and off the ice. Contributing in all 68 games this season and at the same time will finish with enough credits to graduate Grade 12 a year early. This in itself without the added commitment of playing in the OHL would be a tremendous feat. It is great to see that Cal’s drive in the classroom has been rewarded.”

The Ivan Tennant Memorial Award is given to the League’s Top Academic High School Player and is named in honour of Ivan Tennant, who spent a lifetime combining hockey and education. He was the Kitchener Rangers’ Education Consultant for 20 years and a key figure on the OHL’s Education Consultant’s Committee. Uens follows other recent Attack recipients in Logan LeSage (2020) and Mack Guzda (2018 & ’19). Hamilton Bulldogs forward Lawson Sherk claimed the award in 2021.

Finalists for the award included rookies Sam Alfano of the Peterborough Petes and Matthew Poitras of the Guelph Storm.


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.

OHL ANNOUNCES WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the 2022 OHL Western Conference Championship Series for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy between the Windsor Spitfires and Flint Firebirds beginning Saturday, May 21 in Windsor.

The third round series features a pair of highly familiar West Division rivals. The Spitfires won the West Division with a 44-17-4-3 record during the regular season. They proceeded to eliminate the Sarnia Sting in six games and the Kitchener Rangers in five to reach their first Western Conference Final since 2011. The Firebirds played to a franchise record 42-21-1-4 mark, finishing third in the Western Conference. They bested the Owen Sound Attack in seven games before eliminating the Soo Greyhounds in five contests, reaching the Western Conference Championship Series for the first time in their history.

The Spitfires and Firebirds faced each other eight times during the regular season, with Windsor winning seven of those meetings.

The Western Conference Champion receives the Wayne Gretzky Trophy named in honour of the Hockey Hall of Fame member who played for the Soo Greyhounds in 1977-78.  The Spitfires made three straight appearances in the Western Conference Championship Series from 2009-11, winning consecutive titles in the first two showings. The Firebirds have won their first two playoff rounds in the six-year history of the franchise this year, and look to keep the momentum going when the puck drops on Saturday.

WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE:

(1) WINDSOR SPITFIRES (44-17-4-3) vs. (3) FLINT FIREBIRDS (42-21-1-4) – #WSRvsFLNT

Game 1, Sat., May 21 at Windsor, 7:05pm
Game 2, Mon., May 23 at Windsor, 7:05pm
Game 3, Wed., May 25 at Flint, 7:00pm
Game 4, Fri., May 27 at Flint, 7:00pm
Game 5, Sun., May 29 at Windsor, 7:05pm*
Game 6, Tues., May 31 at Flint, 7:00pm*
Game 7, Wed., June 1 at Windsor, 7:05pm*
*if necessary 

2022 OHL Playoff Brackets

Don’t miss a second of the 2022 OHL Playoffs. CHL TV playoff packages are on sale now, with complete OHL Playoff passes, round-by-round passes and single day passes available. See a full range of options at watch.chl.ca.


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.

OHL ANNOUNCES EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the 2022 OHL Eastern Conference Championship Series for the Bobby Orr Trophy between the Hamilton Bulldogs and North Bay Battalion beginning Friday, May 20 in Hamilton.

The third round series features the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference as the Bulldogs, who won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy with the OHL’s best regular season record, come off consecutive series sweeps of the Peterborough Petes and Mississauga Steelheads to reach the Conference Final. They’ll face the Central Division champion North Bay Battalion, who eliminated the Ottawa 67’s and Kingston Frontenacs to reach the Eastern Conference Championship Series for the first time since 2015.

The Bulldogs and Battalion faced each other four times during the regular season, with North Bay winning the first two meetings before Hamilton responded with victories in the final two encounters.

The Eastern Conference Champion receives the Bobby Orr Trophy named in honour of the Hockey Hall of Fame member who played four OHL seasons with the Oshawa Generals from 1962-66.  The Bulldogs last hoisted the Bobby Orr Trophy in the same year they were eventually crowned OHL champions in 2018. The Battalion last won an Eastern Conference title in 2014.

EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE:

(1) HAMILTON BULLDOGS (51-12-3-2) vs. (2) NORTH BAY BATTALION (43-18-3-4) – #HAMvsNB

Game 1, Fri., May 20 at Hamilton, 7:00pm
Game 2, Sun., May 22 at Hamilton, 7:00pm
Game 3, Wed., May 25 at North Bay, 7:00pm
Game 4, Fri., May 27 at North Bay, 7:00pm
Game 5, Sun., May 29 at Hamilton, 7:00pm*
Game 6, Tues., May 31 at North Bay, 7:00pm*
Game 7, Wed., June 1 at Hamilton, 7:00pm*
*if necessary 

2022 OHL Playoff Brackets

Don’t miss a second of the 2022 OHL Playoffs. CHL TV playoff packages are on sale now, with complete OHL Playoff passes, round-by-round passes and single day passes available. See a full range of options at watch.chl.ca.


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.

ATTACK’S MARK WOOLLEYNAMED OHL HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Mark Woolley of the Owen Sound Attack is the 2021-22 recipient of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy awarded to the OHL Humanitarian of the Year.

Diagnosed as a Type 1 Diabetic as a teenager, the Attack captain has been a leader on and off the ice. Woolley raised $25,000 toward Diabetes Canada during the 2021-22 season, contributing to an overall contribution of over $60,000 through his Woolley’s Warriors initiative over the course of his five-year OHL career. The funds raised are being used to send children to Diabetes Canada D-Camps.

Even faced with barriers to community involvement through the Covid-19 pandemic, Woolley joined high school-aged Attack teammates in spearheading a charitable online auction entitled Woolley’s Warriors Operation November that raised over $2,000 for his foundation. He took the lead and joined forces with the Attack on February 26, 2022 to host the club’s first-ever Woolley’s Warriors Night that featured specially-themed uniforms auctioned off for charity, an event that raised upwards of $19,000.

“I’m extremely honoured to have been selected by the league for such a prestigious award,” said Woolley. “If you take a look at all the past winners of the Humanitarian Award there are some pretty special names that were involved in their community on that list, so to be recognized on that stage is a huge accomplishment that I am very proud of. Obviously it’s my face and name on the front of Woolley’s Warriors, but I just want to make sure I give proper thanks to everybody who has been involved thus far. There are so many little details that go on behind the scenes and without the amazing support I’ve gotten along the way none of this would have been possible. To the Guelph Storm and the Owen Sound Attack, thank you for giving me the opportunity to grow in two outstanding organizations and for shaping me into being the young man I am today.”

In addition to building friendships and forming connections with young fans who have also been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, Woolley was a force for the Attack on the ice, recording 12 points (3-9–12) over 54 games while drawing high praise on the OHL Coaches Poll, being voted the top Body Checker and top Shot Blocker in the Western Conference. The 6-foot-3, 226Ib. native of St. Thomas, Ont. played four OHL seasons between Owen Sound and Guelph, recording 41 points (9-32–41) over 225 regular season games while adding four assists in 18 postseason matchups. Woolley was originally a third round (54th overall) pick by the Guelph Storm in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection.

“The organization would like to congratulate Mark Woolley on being selected as OHL Humanitarian of the Year,” said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray. “Mark has shown an incredible amount of willingness to continue the growth of his endeavour through some crazy times during Covid. He has maintained his availability to help in every way he could at the same time being the captain of a young group of players that needed his direction as well. He is a very worthy recipient of this award and the Attack organization is proud to see him furthering the legacy of Dan Snyder, who made a tremendous impact on the city of Owen Sound.”

Each year the OHL awards a player that has demonstrated outstanding qualities as a positive role model in the community with the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy.  The Ontario Hockey League Board of Governors announced in 2004 that the OHL Humanitarian of the Year award would be renamed in recognition of the former Owen Sound Platers captain, who was twice named his team’s Humanitarian of the Year in recognition of his tremendous efforts in supporting community activities.

Woolley becomes the first Attack player to earn Humanitarian of the Year honours since Mike Angelidis in 2005-06. Recent recipients include back-to-back winner Garrett McFadden of the Guelph Storm in 2017 and 2018, Nicholas Canade of the Mississauga Steelheads in 2018-19 and Jacob Ingham of the Kitchener Rangers in 2019-20.

Two other Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy nominees joined Woolley as repeat candidates from 2019-20 including Kingston Frontenacs defender Braden Haché and Soo Greyhounds forward Cole MacKay, who both served as ambassadors for Hockey Gives Blood in their respective communities. Haché was the 2020-21 recipient of the Dayna Brons Honorary Award and launched his own blood drive in Kingston that recruited 30 new donors this past season. A hometown product of Sault Ste. Marie, MacKay was a 2021-22 nominee for the Dayna Brons Honorary Award having demonstrated his commitment to raising the profile of blood, stem cell, organ and tissue donation for the past two years.

Woolley will be the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Humanitarian of the Year Award.

For more information you can follow @WoolleysWarriors or visit www.woolleyswarriors.com to support the cause.

From Diabetes Canada Community Engagement Coordinator Lindsay Wig:
“As a person living with type 1 diabetes, Mark has been a strong role model in the Diabetes Canada community. He has been a supportive presence in our fundraising events, including our Flame of Hope Golf Tournament in Shelburne, Ontario; being a type 1 diabetes model in our Pump Couture Fashion Show; and rallying a team for our Lace Up to End Diabetes virtual walk. Since Mark launched Woolley’s Warriors in 2019, he has raised over $60,000 and connected those living with diabetes through sharing his story, while building a platform for others to share theirs.

“Mark doesn’t let diabetes stand in the way of his goals. Thanks to an exceptional health care team and the unwavering support of his family, Mark has risen above his diagnosis and achieved his dreams of playing hockey at an elite level. One in three Canadians are currently living with or are at risk of diabetes and Mark does everything he can to help and inspire those affected by diabetes live healthier, more hopeful lives.”

2021-22 Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy Nominees:
Barrie Colts – Ethan Cardwell
Erie Otters – Spencer Sova
Flint Firebirds – Luke Cavallin
Guelph Storm – Jacob Oster
Hamilton Bulldogs – Nathan Staios
Kingston Frontenacs – Braden Haché*
Kitchener Rangers – Reid Valade
London Knights – Antonio Stranges
Mississauga Steelheads – Ethan Del Mastro
Niagara IceDogs – Landon Cato
North Bay Battalion – Dalyn Wakely
Oshawa Generals – Ty Tullio
Ottawa 67’s – Cameron Tolnai
Owen Sound Attack – Mark Woolley*
Peterborough Petes – Konnor Smith
Saginaw Spirit – Nick Wong
Sarnia Sting – Nolan DeGurse
Soo Greyhounds – Cole MacKay*
Sudbury Wolves – David Goyette
Windsor Spitfires – Daniel D’Amico

*- 2019-20 nominee

2022 OHL Awards announcements continue next week when the OHL recognizes its academic award winners.


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.

STEELHEADS’ JAMES RICHMOND NAMED OHL COACH OF THE YEAR

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that James Richmond of the Mississauga Steelheads is the recipient of the Matt Leyden Trophy awarded annually to the OHL’s Coach of the Year.

Completing his fifth season as head coach in Mississauga, Richmond steered the Steelheads to club records with 37 wins and 82 points, placing second in the Central Division standings. They surrendered the League’s second-lowest total of 189 goals, produced the OHL’s third-ranked penalty kill, finished first in both shots-per-game (35.7) and fewest shots-against-per-game (26.6), and outshot opponents in 53 of their 68 contests. The Steelheads finished the season tied for the League lead with six players included on NHL Central Scouting’s Final Draft Rankings, including top-10 considerations Luca Del Bel Belluz and Owen Beck.

“It’s a tremendous honour to be a finalist for Coach of the Year in the OHL and an even greater honour to ultimately win it,” said Richmond. “Knowing that your peers are responsible for the votes gives me a huge sense of humility because I can tell you, I think we have great coaches throughout this entire league. I also know I didn’t win this award on my own. The Steelheads organization is filled with wonderful hard-working people that make me better and I can’t thank them enough for everything they do.”

Richmond took the opportunity to recognize key individuals to the Steelheads’ success throughout the season.

“Mike Doyle has been with me for more than a decade and his work and friendship mean the world to me. My assistant coaches, Jeff Kyrzakos and Brendan Taylor are two unbelievable people that grind away everyday and I’m so thankful for their commitment to the Steelheads. Our goalie coach Chris Beckford-Tseu and video coach Matt Comand make our team and myself better. Our support staff, equipment manager Tom Frater and athletic therapist Binne Brouwer are two of the best in the business. Our Director of Scouting Rob Toffoli finds the character players for us to coach, and our boss the owner, Elliott Kerr, is much more than that. He’s a wonderful man that allows me to coach in this league and work at what I love to do. I’m a pretty lucky person to have the job I have. I’ve had a super group of players to lead and none of this goes unnoticed. I am truly thankful of everyone that is part of the Steelheads team.

“Most importantly I’d like to thank my family, my wife, Ainsley is by my side everyday and night encouraging me to be the best I can be. My kids, Kennedy and MacGregor love me no matter what the score is.

“With great pride and gratitude I accept the Coach of the Year Award not just for myself but for all those that surround me. Thank you so so much!”

Richmond joined the Steelheads as an assistant coach in 2015-16 after spending 10 seasons as a head coach in the OJHL between the Georgetown Raiders and Aurora Tigers while also serving on the player development staff of the Los Angeles Kings. Richmond assumed head coaching responsibilities with the Trout to begin the 2016-17 season and became the club’s general manager starting in 2017-18 after guiding the Steelheads to an East Division title and Eastern Conference championship. The 58-year-old Mississauga native owns a career OHL coaching record of 163-134-18-18 for a winning percentage of .544.

The Matt Leyden Trophy has been awarded annually to the OHL’s Coach of the Year as selected by his peers since 1972.  The award is in recognition of the contributions of Matt Leyden, past president of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1965-67, and former manager of the Oshawa Generals who spent more than 50 years with the team.

The first Matt Leyden Trophy recipient in the all-time history of the Steelheads franchise, Richmond will be the OHL’s nominee for Canadian Hockey League Coach of the Year Award.

2022 OHL Awards announcements continue on Thursday when the OHL recognizes its Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy recipient as the League’s Humanitarian of the Year.


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.

OHL COMPLETES 2022 UNDER-18 PRIORITY SELECTION

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today conducted the sixth annual OHL Under-18 Priority Selection for U18 AAA hockey players in Ontario.

Eligibility for the 2022 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection included all U18 players (2004 and 2005 birth years) not currently on an OHL Member Team Protected List who were carded with an Ontario based U18 AAA Hockey Club or an accredited Hockey Canada sport school within the Ontario Hockey Federation, Hockey Eastern Ontario or Hockey Northwestern Ontario in the current season.

A total of 52 players were selected from 32 different teams and included 23 forwards, 16 defencemen and 13 goaltenders. 46 of the 52 players selected were born in 2005.

“Congratulations to all 52 players selected tonight,” said OHL Director of Player Recruitment and Development Kyle Pereira. “It’s an exciting day for players, family members, coaches and teammates to celebrate perseverance through the past couple of seasons that may have included some players being overlooked in last year’s OHL Priority Selection. The Under-18 Priority Selection has provided the OHL with a number of quality players since its inception in 2017, and it presents another opportunity for prospects to further their development and showcase themselves in an effort to become the best player they can be.”

Winners of the Under-18 Priority Selection Draft Lottery back on April 20, the Saginaw Spirit used the first overall selection to take right-winger Lincoln Moore of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds U18 program. The pick follows their selection of Calem Mangone with the second overall choice from the same program last year. Mangone recorded 13 goals and 34 points in his rookie season with the Spirit.

The Erie Otters picked second and scooped up the first goaltender in 6-foot-2 netminder Vlad Visan of the Burlington Eagles U18 team. The Sudbury Wolves followed-up with another goaltender at third overall in Nate Krawchuk of the Thunder Bay Kings.

All OHL member teams were required to draft a minimum of two players, however to enhance opportunities specifically for goaltenders, clubs selecting a goaltender with one of their selections had the option to select another player (skater only) in a third round.

The Greater Toronto Hockey League led the way with 18 players selected including five from the Central Region U18 AAA champion Mississauga Reps. The Ontario Minor Hockey Association followed with 16, including five each from the Ajax-Pickering Raiders and Oshawa Generals U18 programs. The Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario produced 12 picks, Hockey Eastern Ontario produced seven, and first overall pick Lincoln Moore was the lone representative from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. One player was selected from an accredited Hockey Canada sport school.

The OHL Under-18 Priority Selection was conducted in partnership with RinkNet as picks were submitted online by OHL member clubs and displayed in real time at ontariohockeyleague.com. The selections were also streamed live on CHL TV.

Announced in January 2017, the concept of the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection was developed with full support from Hockey Canada’s three Ontario Branches including the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), and Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO).


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.

OHL Playoff Preview and Predictions Round Two

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Before we look at the second round series matchups, lets look back and see how poorly I did in round one:

EASTERN CONFERENCEPREDICTIONOUTCOME
(1) Hamilton vs (8) PeterboroughHamilton in 4Hamilton wins 4-0
(2) North Bay vs (7) OttawaNorth Bay in 5North Bay wins 4-0
(3) Kingston vs (6) OshawaKingston in 6Kingston wins 4-2
(4) Mississauga vs (5) BarrieMississauga in 7Mississauga wins 4-2
WESTERN CONFERENCEPREDICTIONOUTCOME
(1) Windsor vs (8) SarniaWindsor in 5Windsor wins 4-2
(2) London vs (7) KitchenerLondon in 6Kitchener win 4-3
(3) Flint vs (6) Owen SoundFlint in 6Flint wins 4-3
(4) Sault Ste Marie vs (5) GuelphSault Ste Marie in 7Sault Ste Marie wins 4-1

So, 7 out of 8 correct winners. The Hockey Gods looked after the Kitchener Rangers after they were robbed of a goal as video review deemed it kicked in when it wasn’t. (The OHL officially came out and said the next day that it was an error). That call quite possibly cost the Rangers game 5. But they bounced back, tied the series and forced a game 7 in London in which they won in overtime to take the series.

But in only two of the series where I picked the correct winner did, I hit on the number of games. The biggest discrepancy was the Soo Greyhounds taking care of business against the Guelph Storm in 5 games where I had predicted it to go the distance. I don’t think anyone predicted the Storm wouldn’t give the Greyhounds a fight.

So, I try again with round two:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Hamilton vs (4) Mississauga

 HamiltonMississauga
Head-to-head5-2-0-13-5-0-0
PP Regular Season27.6%20.9%
PP Playoffs39.4%33.3%
PP vs opponent16.7%14.3%
PK Regular Season80.9%81.3%
PK Playoffs91.3%75.0%
PK vs opponent85.7%83.3%
GF Regular season300229
GF Playoffs2717
GA Regular season176189
GA Playoffs913
PIM /game regular season11.3/game11.5/game
PIM /game playoffs21.5/game9.8/game

I want to say “it’s hard to imagine the Hamilton Bulldogs losing a game in these playoffs” but I can’t because it’s bound to happen at some point. Offensively, the Bulldogs dominated during the regular season and the playoffs. Defensively, the Steelheads were almost as good as Hamilton during the regular season and the playoffs.

Both teams brought their powerplays to new levels during the playoffs. Mississauga’s penalty kill took a hit during the playoffs while Hamilton’s skyrocketed. However, one must take into account their respective opponents. If special teams are going to be a factor in this series, then you have to take into account that Mississauga is taking fewer penalties in the playoffs than the regular season while Hamilton has almost doubled theirs. But I’m not going to overthink this trying to find wins for Mississauga.

Prediction: Hamilton in 5 games.

(2) North Bay vs (3) Kingston

 North BayKingston
Head-to-head4-0-0-00-4-0-0
PP Regular Season25.9%25.3%
PP Playoffs30.0%26.7%
PP vs opponent53.8%13.3%
PK Regular Season80.6%79.8%
PK Playoffs90.0%60.0%
PK vs opponent86.7%46.2%
GF Regular season267285
GF Playoffs1727
GA Regular season198242
GA Playoffs1118
PIM /game regular season9.1/game11.1/game
PIM /game playoffs7.8/game11.5/game

As you can see above, the North Bay Battalion swept the season series against the Kingston Frontenacs. Only 6 points separated the two teams in the regular season. Their powerplays were pretty even as was their penalty kills and their goals for. North Bay had a decisive advantage in the goals against department.

Where North Bay had the big advantage was on specialty teams head-to-head. North Bay’s powerplay clipped along at 53.8% against Kingston while the Fronts could only score on 13.3% of their chances against the Battalion. And in the four games head-to-head during the regular season North Bay outscored Kingston 19-10. If Kingston gets into penalty trouble, this series could be over quickly.

Prediction: North Bay in 6 games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Windsor vs (7) Kitchener

 WindsorKitchener
Head-to-head4-3-0-14-4-0-0
PP Regular Season26.1%18.3%
PP Playoffs7.4%22.7%
PP vs opponent21.9%16.0%
PK Regular Season82.6%77.4%
PK Playoffs76.0%80.0%
PK vs opponent84.0%78.1%
GF Regular season305236
GF Playoffs1823
GA Regular season248271
GA Playoffs1123
PIM /game regular season10.3/game11.0/game
PIM /game playoffs14.3/game9.3/game

The regular season series between the Kitchener Rangers and Windsor Spitfires was pretty even. The Spits were better team on the powerplay and the penalty kill against each other and the rest of the league. The Spits scored 69 more goals than the Rangers – that’s a goal per game more and also allowed 23 fewer goals against than the Rangers.

But in the playoffs, it was the Rangers who came out on top in the special team’s department while also playing a tougher opponent in the London Knights than Windsor had against the Sarnia Sting. The Spits have some star power for sure but of Rangers goalie Pavel Cajan can play as he did versus the Knights it will be a tight series. Mathias Onuska was no slouch for Windsor in the blue paint either.

Prediction: Windsor in 6 games.  

(3) Flint vs (4) Sault Ste Marie

 FlintSault Ste Marie
Head-to-head2-1-0-23-1-1-0
PP Regular Season19.7%28.4%
PP Playoffs9.7%35.3%
PP vs opponent34.6%17.6%
PK Regular Season84.3%78.7%
PK Playoffs87.5%90.9%
PK vs opponent82.4%65.4%
GF Regular season286295
GF Playoffs2221
GA Regular season238246
GA Playoffs                              2011
PIM /game regular season10.4/game11.5/game
PIM /game playoffs10.9/game15.4/game

The Flint Firebirds and Soo Greyhounds were also very close in the regular season. Only 4 points separated them in the standings. Their offence and defence were also close. The Greyhounds win out in the powerplay department while the Firebirds topped them on the penalty kill. However, head-to-head the Firebirds dominated.

Flint couldn’t get the man advantage to work for them in their first round series against the Owen Sound Attack while the Greyhounds exploded against the Guelph Storm. Unless the Greyhounds can limit the number of penalties, they take the powerplay could be the difference in this series. It could also come down to home ice advantage. For me, this is a flip a coin series.

Prediction: Sault Ste Marie in 7

BATTALION’S BRANDON COE NAMEDOHL OVERAGE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that San Jose Sharks prospect Brandon Coe of the North Bay Battalion is the 2021-22 recipient of the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year.

Coe joined Wojtek Wolski and Justin Brazeau as the third player in Battalion franchise history to reach the century mark offensively, leading the team with 101 points including 34 goals, 67 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-33.  He becomes the second member of the Battalion to earn the award, following Brazeau who first did so with a 113-point season in 2018-19.

“It’s an honour to receive this award,” said Coe. “It’s been a good year for myself and for our team, so it’s pretty cool to be recognized for that. None of this is possible without my teammates, so I want to thank them. I’ve just tried hard to be consistent and bring the same game every night.”

A 20-year-old native of Ajax, Ont., Coe was originally selected by the Battalion with the third overall pick of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection and has recorded a North Bay Battalion record 132 career assists, contributing to 218 points (86-132–218) over 250 regular season games. The 6-foot-5, 203Ib. right-winger produced 33 multi-point performances for the Central Division champions, including five different games with three assists. He was recognized as one of the game’s three stars 20 times throughout the season, receiving first star honours 11 times. He was voted the Eastern Conference’s third-best skater and playmaker in the 2021-22 OHL Coaches Poll. Coe, who appeared in 17 AHL contests with the San Jose Barracuda last season, signed an entry-level NHL contract with the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 6, 2021. He was San Jose’s fourth round (98th overall) pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

“First and foremost, we are all so happy for Brandon,” said Battalion general manager Adam Dennis. “He truly deserves this award and has had to deal with quite a bit of adversity to get here. He has been a leader on and off the ice for our team and has shown significant growth since coming back from his stint in the AHL last season. We congratulate Brandon for his achievement and look forward to having him help us for one final playoff push as a Battalion before he sets off on a successful professional career.”

The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Top Overage Player of the Year as selected by OHL General Managers.  Teams were asked to submit a nominee for the award and were not permitted to vote for players from their own hockey club.

Coe emerged as the top candidate in the Eastern Conference, receiving more votes than Western Conference representative Tye Kartye of the Soo Greyhounds in the final round of voting to be crowned the winner.

First presented in 1984, the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy was donated by the trainers of the Ontario Hockey League, in memory of the late Leo Lalonde, former Chief Scout of OHL Central Scouting.  Leo Lalonde was also formerly the Chief Scout for the Belleville Bulls as well as a scout for the Peterborough Petes.

While Coe is the second Battalion player to win the award, it had been won three times by former North Bay Centennials including Len Soccio (1988), John Spoltore (1992), and B.J MacPherson (1994).  Ottawa 67’s forward Austen Keating won the award in 2019-20.

2021-22 OHL Awards announcements continue next week when the League recognizes its Matt Leyden Trophy recipient as Coach of the Year.


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.

SPIRIT ANNOUNCE MICHAEL MISA AS FIRST OVERALL PICK IN 2022 OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League in association with the Saginaw Spirit Hockey Club today announced that 15-year-old forward Michael Misa of the OHL Cup champion Mississauga Senators U16 program will be the first overall pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore.

The announcement was made at a news conference held at The Dow Event Center in Saginaw, introducing Misa and his family to the organization, local fans and media.

The 2007-born Misa joins John Tavares (2005), Aaron Ekblad (2011), Connor McDavid (2012) and Shane Wright (2019) as the fifth player to be selected first overall after being granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada.

“It is an honour to be selected by the Saginaw Spirit with the first overall pick in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection,” said Misa. “I am grateful to Spirit owner Dick Garber, President & Managing Partner Craig Goslin, and the entire ownership group as well as GM Dave Drinkill and his scouting staff, and Head Coach Chris Lazary for putting their trust in me as their first overall pick. I also want to thank Spirit fans everywhere for welcoming me and my family to the organization. I am committed to this team, this city, and these fans. There is lots of hard work and development ahead. I am looking forward to the future and contributing to the organization on and off the ice.”

Misa joins a Spirit organization that won back-to-back West Division titles in 2019 and 2020, with the franchise making its first-ever appearance in the Western Conference Championship Series in 2019. The Spirit have produced such current day NHL performers as Brandon Saad (St. Louis Blues), Vincent Trocheck (Carolina Hurricanes), Filip Hronek (Detroit Red Wings) and Winnipeg Jets top prospect Cole Perfetti among others.

“On behalf of the entire Saginaw Spirit organization, we are thrilled to welcome a player of Michael’s caliber to our franchise,” said Spirit General Manager Dave Drinkill. “He joins a very select group of players granted exceptional status and we recognize his talents by making Michael our first overall pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. Michael is an elite hockey player, with high-end skills, ability and high hockey IQ to match. He is also a very dedicated, humble, young man with great character, from a great family, and a well-rounded individual, on and off the ice.”

A native of Oakville, Ont., Misa put together a spectacular finish to his season with the Mississauga Senators, breaking Connor McDavid’s OHL Cup scoring record with 20 points (10-10–20) in seven games. Misa became the first player in OHL Cup history to score a hat trick in the championship final, recording a championship record five points as the Senators defeated the Toronto Jr. Canadiens to hoist the OHL Cup for the first time in their history. Misa finished the regular season with a grand total of 93 points (37-56–93) in 55 games. He will be eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.

Misa is the 2022 recipient of the Jack Ferguson Award presented annually to the player selected first overall in the OHL Priority Selection. The “Fergie” recognizes the dedication and contributions made by Jack Ferguson during his 25 year association with the OHL, first as a scout with the Ottawa 67’s and followed by his appointment as head of the OHL’s Central Scouting Bureau in 1981 as its Director of Central Scouting. First presented in 1981, Misa becomes the second member of the Spirit to receive the award following Patrick McNeill, who was the franchise’s first-ever selection back in 2003.

“Michael Misa is a dynamic offensive player that was one of the driving forces for the Senators in their OHL Cup run,” said Darrell Woodley, Director of OHL Central Scouting. “He plays like he has eyes in the back of his head. His vision is exceptional, he anticipates plays well and always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He received exceptional status because of his all-around game. He is not a one-dimensional player. He has tremendous hockey sense and he does the little things well. He will be able to make an impact as a 15-year-old in the OHL.”

WATCH: #OHLDraft Prospect Profile – Michael Misa (Mississauga Senators)

Join Michael Misa as he hears his name called to kick-off the first round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft Show presented by Real Canadian Superstore beginning at 7:00pm on Friday night. The OHL Priority Selection will once again be held over the course of two days, with Rounds 1-3 taking place on Friday. The proceedings continue on Saturday, April 30 starting at 9:00am with Rounds 4-15. The Priority Selection will be streamed for free in its entirety on CHL TV. Fans can also watch complete Day 1 coverage on YourTV, Rogers tv, Eastlink, Cable 14 and Shaw Spotlight community stations, as well as on the OHL Action Pak.

Winners of the Jack Ferguson Award Include:
1981 Dan Quinn, Belleville Bulls
1982 Kirk Muller, Guelph Platers
1983 Trevor Stienburg, Guelph Platers
1984 Dave Moylan, Sudbury Wolves
1985 Bryan Fogarty, Kingston Canadians
1986 Troy Mallette, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1987 John Uniac, Sudbury Wolves
1988 Drake Berehowsky, Kingston Raiders
1989 Eric Lindros, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1990 Pat Peake, Detroit Ambassadors
1991 Todd Harvey, Detroit Ambassadors
1992 Jeff O’Neill, Guelph Storm
1993 Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67’s
1994 Jeff Brown, Sarnia Sting
1995 Daniel Tkaczuk, Barrie Colts
1996 Rico Fata, London Knights
1997 Charlie Stephens, Toronto St. Michael’s Majors
1998 Jay Harrison, Brampton Battalion
1999 Jason Spezza, Mississauga IceDogs
2000 Patrick Jarrett, Mississauga IceDogs
2001 Patrick O’Sullivan, Mississauga IceDogs
2002 Robbie Schremp, Mississauga IceDogs
2003 Patrick McNeill, Saginaw Spirit
2004 John Hughes, Belleville Bulls
2005 John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
2006 Steven Stamkos, Sarnia Sting
2007 Ryan O’Reilly, Erie Otters
2008 John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves
2009 Daniel Catenacci, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
2010 Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia Sting
2011 Aaron Ekblad, Barrie Colts
2012 Connor McDavid, Erie Otters
2013 Travis Konecny, Ottawa 67’s
2014 Jakob Chychrun, Sarnia Sting
2015 David Levin, Sudbury Wolves
2016 Ryan Merkley, Guelph Storm
2017 Ryan Suzuki, Barrie Colts
2018 Quinton Byfield, Sudbury Wolves
2019 Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs
2020 Ty Nelson, North Bay Battalion
2021 Quentin Musty, Sudbury Wolves
2022 Michael Misa, Saginaw Spirit


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.