Around the OHL

OHL THIS WEEK: NOVEMBER 4 TO 7, 2021

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – November has arrived and we’ve got cross-border play in the Ontario Hockey League! Here’s your rundown of what’s taking place across the League this week.

November is Special Olympics Game Month in the OHL
For the 13th consecutive season, the Ontario Hockey League is teaming up with The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) and Special Olympics Ontario to raise awareness around the Special Olympics movement. Read more

OHL Top Performers of the Month for October:
The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in October 2021, including Guelph Storm forward Sasha Pastujov, Sudbury Wolves defenceman Jack Thompson, Oshawa Generals rookie Calum Ritchie and London Knights goaltender Brett Brochu. Read more

OHL Academic Players of the Month for October:
The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Sam Alfano of the Peterborough Petes, Owen Beck of the Mississauga Steelheads, Cal Uens of the Owen Sound Attack and Bronson Ride of the Windsor Spitfires have been named the OHL Academic Players of the Month for October. Read more

Knights and Frontenacs included in Week 5 edition of Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings:
The London Knights are up another two spots this week, climbing to second in the Canadian Hockey League as the only remaining undefeated squad. The Kingston Frontenacs are in the Top 10 for the sixth straight edition, rising one spot to number nine in the CHL. Read more

Petes’ Robertson named OHL Player of the Week:
Tucker Robertson of the Peterborough Petes is the OHL Player of the Week with five points including three goals and two assists in a pair of victories. Read more

Generals’ Leaver named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
Patrick Leaver of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two wins, a 1.00 goals-against average, .976 save percentage and one shutout. Read more

Robertson, Clarke and Leaver named to CHL Team of the Week:
Peterborough’s Tucker Robertson, Barrie’s Brandt Clarke and Oshawa’s Patrick Leaver have been named to the CHL Team of the Week for Oct. 25-31, 2021. Read more

Hockey Canada Announces Capital City Challenge
The nation’s capital will serve as the backdrop for the Capital City Challenge, a four-team tournament featuring Canada’s National Women’s Team and three national men’s under-17 teams starting November 26. Read more

Chromiak’s lacrosse-inspired special leads OHL Plays of the Week:
Surveying the OHL Plays of the Week for action ending Sunday, October 31st featuring Niagara’s Cameron Peters, Sarnia’s Justin O’Donnell, Guelph’s Sasha Pastujov, Mississauga’s combo of Ty Collins and Luca Del Bel Belluz as well as Kingston’s Martin Chromiak. Watch

Kicking-off November with terrific turnaways in the OHL Saves of the Week:
Kicking-off the month of November with terrific turnaways by OHL puckstoppers including Saginaw’s Andrew Oke, Kitchener’s Pavel Cajan, Barrie’s Matthew Sbrocca, Windsor’s Kyle Downey, Oshawa’s Patrick Leaver, Sault Ste. Marie’s Samuel Ivanov, Kingston’s Aidan Spooner and North Bay’s Joe Vrbetic. Watch

Twelve first goals and a shutout in OHL Milestone Moments:
Check out 12 first career OHL goals and Patrick Leaver’s first career shutout from the past week of action in the latest edition of OHL Milestone Moments! Watch

OHL Weekend Notebook:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Read more

Rodion Tatarenko commits to Battalion:
The North Bay Battalion have received a commitment from ninth round 2020 OHL Priority Selection choice Rodion Tatarenko who has started his season with the NOJHL affilaite Powassan Voodoos. Read more

Matthew Mania commits to Wolves:
The Sudbury Wolves have received a commitment from fourth round 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Matthew Mania who began his season with the USHL’s Fargo Force. Read more

Betts and Gushchin added to IceDogs’ leadership group:
Niagara IceDogs head coach Billy Burke has named overage defenceman Dakota Betts and first-year San Jose Sharks prospect Danil Gushchin as alternate captains. Read more

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Otters fire up ‘Movember’ with team campaign:
The Erie Otters are growing their ‘Mo’s’ in support of men’s health this month. Visit the club’s donation page at movember.com.

Petes host Battalion for Remembrance Day game on Thursday:
The Peterborough Petes will be saluting veterans and active military service members on Thursday when they host the North Bay Battalion in their annual Remembrance Day game. The Petes will welcome, recognize and honour the men and women who have and continue to put their lives on the line for our great country. More info at gopetesgo.com

Rangers unveil 16th annual Remembrance Day jersey for Friday:
The Kitchener Rangers are excited about their fast approaching Remembrance Day game on Friday. They recently unveiled their 16th annual Remembrance Day jersey that will be auctioned off to raise funds for local military charities. Read more

Spirit host First Responders Night on Saturday: The Saginaw Spirit hold their annual 4:00pm Team Police vs. Team Fire charity game prior to pcuk drop against the Sarnia Sting on Saturday. A long-standing Spirit tradition, the charity matchup will take place for a 14th season.

Spitfires hand out limited edition Remembrance Day poster on Saturday:
Fans attending Saturday’s Windsor Spitfires game at home to the Erie Otters will receive a free, limited edition team Remembrance Day poster while supplies last. The Spits will salute past and present military service members at Saturday’s game.

ALUMNI NOTES:

Pezzetta makes NHL debut: Former Sudbury Wolves and Sarnia Sting forward Michael Pezzetta made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday at the age of 23. The former sixth round pick by Montreal in 2016 broke into the NHL after spending 115 games in the American Hockey League. A former Wolves captain, Pezzetta played in the OHL from 2014-18, recording 111 points (48-63–111) over 241 regular season games. He had six points (3-3–6) through his first eight games of the season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket before being recalled.

Harley skates in first NHL regular season matchup: Thomas Harley had the opportunity to make his NHL debut during the Dallas Stars’ 2020 Stanley Cup playoff run, but on Tuesday saw his first regular season action in the NHL as the Stars fell to the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in a shootout. The 20-year-old Mississauga Steelheads graduate has one assist through six games with the AHL’s Texas Stars this season. He played 38 AHL games last year, putting up 25 points (8-17–25). Harley, who played in Mississauga over three seasons from 2017-20, was Dallas’ first round (18th overall) pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Merkley lights the lamp with Sharks: Former first overall OHL Priority Selection choice and OHL Rookie of the Year Ryan Merkley scored his first NHL goal on Tuesday as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-3. Merkley was skating in his second career NHL contest after making his debut on Oct. 30th. The 21-year-old registered four assists through his first four games of the season with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. Merkley played four OHL seasons between Guelph, Peterborough and London from 2016-20, graduating with 269 points (54-215–269), the sixth-most by a defenceman in OHL history.

Brodie plays in 700th NHL contest: Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner T.J. Brodie suited up in his 700th career regular season game on Tuesday. The 31-year-old product of Chatham, Ont. is in the midst of his 11th NHL season and second in Toronto after starting out with the Calgary Flames as a fourth round pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. Brodie played four OHL seasons between the Saginaw Spirit and Barrie Colts from 2006-10. He has two assists through 10 games with the Maple Leafs this season.

Monahan suits up for 600th NHL game: Calgary Flames centreman Sean Monahan played in his 600th career NHL game on Tuesday, recording an assist in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators. The 27-year-old from Brampton, Ont. has spent the entirety of his nine-year career with Calgary after being selected by the Flames with the sixth overall pick of the 2013 NHL Draft. Monahan played three OHL seasons for the Ottawa 67’s from 2010-13. He has 205 goals, 238 assists and 443 points over his 600-game NHL tenure.

Landeskog notches 300th assist: Former Kitchener Rangers captain Gabriel Landeskog recorded career assist number 300 on Wednesday. The 28-year-old Colorado Avalanche captain picked up two helpers to reach 300 as the Avs fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 in overtime. Landeskog has 10 points (4-6–10) through his first seven games of the season and joins Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk, Nathan MacKinnon and Alex Tanguay as one of six Avs players to record 300 assists with the club. Landeskog played two seasons in Kitchener from 2009-11 before being selected by the Avs with the second overall pick of the 2011 NHL Draft.

Quinn named AHL Rookie of Month: Ottawa 67’s grad Jack Quinn is the AHL Rookie of the Month for October. The Buffalo Sabres first round draft pick tallied five goals and five assists for 10 points over six games with the Rochester Americans. The Cobden, Ont. native was limited to just 15 games with the Amerks last season after undergoing a hernia surgery in April. The 20-year-old scored 52 goals for the 67’s during the 2019-20 season before being selected by the Sabres with the eighth overall pick in 2020. Quinn played parts of three seasons in Ottawa under head coach Andre Tourigny from 2017-20.

Luchuk named ECHL Player of Month: Former OHL top scorer Aaron Luchuk is the ECHL Player of the Month, putting up four goals, four assists and eight points in three games for the Orlando Solar Bears, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 24-year-old tallied at least two points in each of his three games, and had a four-point game (3-1–4) in a 5-4 overtime win over Jacksonville on Oct. 31, which included the fastest hat trick in Solar Bears’ history (12:07). Luchuk played four full seasons in the OHL, winning a Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires in 2017 before winning the Eddie Powers Trophy as the League’s top scorer between Windsor and Barrie with 115 points in 2017-18.

Oksentyuk named ECHL Rookie of the Month: Flint Firebirds graduate Evgeniy Oksentyuk (Yauheni Aksiantsiuk) of the Idaho Steelheads is the ECHL Rookie of the Month for October, recording four goals, five assists and a plus-6 rating in five games during the opening month of the season. A sixth round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2020, Oksentyuk recorded 78 points (33-45–78) in his lone season in Flint, the 2019-20 campaign. The Belarusian forward is under an NHL contract with Dallas.

KEY MATCHUPS:

Barrie Colts at Oshawa Generals
Friday November 5th – 7:35pm

Brandt Clarke and the Barrie Colts visit Oshawa to kick-off their weekend on Friday, entering play with a 4-5-0-1 record through their first 10 games. It’s been a mixed bag to start the season for the Colts, who have Clarke coming off a six-point week that saw them take wins in two of three. Clarke leads the Colts offensively with 12 points (3-9–12) through eight games while Colorado Avalanche first round pick Oskar Olausson also has 12 points (7-5–12) to his credit. The Generals featured Edmonton Oilers prospect and captain Ty Tullio who owns the OHL’s longest point streak this season. He’s put up a point in each of his 10 games thus far. Oshawa enters play with points in each of their last four games as Generals netminder Patrick Leaver comes off OHL Goaltender of the Week honours.

Guelph Storm at Soo Greyhounds
Friday November 5th and Saturday November 6th – 7:07pm

Winners of three straight, the Guelph Storm are in Sault Ste. Marie for two this weekend as the OHL’s four top scorers will share the same ice surface. Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov (10-9–19) was the OHL Player of the Month for October and sits tied with Sault Ste. Marie’s Tye Kartye (11-8–19) for the League lead in points. The Hounds feature an offensive triple thread, with Calgary Flames prospect Rory Kerins (7-11–18) and overage winger Cole MacKay (6-11–17) joining Kartye while St. Louis Blues prospect Tanner Dickinson (4-12–16) trails close behind. The 8-4-0-0 Greyhounds currently sit first in the West Division. The Storm, who feature top 2022 NHL Draft prospect Matthew Poitras (4-7–11) are 6-4-1-0.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday November 4th:
Erie at Niagara – 7:00pm
North Bay at Peterborough – 7:05pm

Friday November 5th:
North Bay at Kingston – 7:00pm
Hamilton at Mississauga – 7:00pm
Peterborough at Ottawa – 7:00pm
Saginaw at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Niagara at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Guelph at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Flint at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Owen Sound at London – 7:30pm
Barrie at Oshawa – 7:35pm

Saturday November 6th:
Sudbury at Hamilton – 4:00pm
London at Flint – 7:00pm
Sarnia at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Erie at Windsor – 7:05pm
Guelph at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Kitchener at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday November 7th:
Barrie at Hamilton – 2:00pm
Peterborough at Kingston – 2:00pm
Niagara at Mississauga – 2:00pm
North Bay at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Erie at Sarnia – 2:05pm
Sudbury at Oshawa – 6:05pm

OHL’s DRAFT ELIGIBLE STATISTICAL LEADERS FOR OCTOBER

Posted on November 1, 2021October 31, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

This season will be unlike any other for the players eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft that are playing in the Ontario Hockey League.

As you know, the pandemic wiped out the entire 2020-2021 OHL season and NHL scouts didn’t have an opportunity to scout the talent in the OHL with the exception of those that played in Europe or the Under-18 or the showcase tournament in Erie. We are basically combining two drafts into one and there are over 200 players eligible for the draft for the first time or re-entering the draft.

In a normal season here at OHL Writers, we look only at the players eligible for the NHL Entry Draft for the first time, but because of the number of players eligible for 2022 we have decided to include first time eligible players and players entering the draft for the second time which is why you will see some players born after September 15, 2002 throughout the season talked about here.

Here’s a look at the statistical leaders in a variety of categories. While we take great care in compiling stats, always refer to the OHL’s site for official stats.

Points Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	9	6	10	16
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	11	3	10	13
Deni Goure	Owen Sound Attack	10	6	5	11
Evan Konyen	Sudbury Wolves	11	4	7	11
David Goyette	Sudbury Wolves	11	4	7	11
Liam Arnsby	North Bay Battalion	11	4	6	10
Matthew Poitras	Guelph Storm	10	4	6	10
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	11	2	8	10
Colton Smith	London Knights	8	6	3	9
Vsevolod Gaidamak	Ottawa 67’s	10	5	4	9
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	GPG
Braedon Bowman	Guelph Storm	10	7	0.70
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	9	6	0.67
Deni Goure	Owen Sound Attack	10	6	0.60
Colton Smith	London Knights	8	6	0.75
Ethan Larmand	Sudbury Wolves	11	6	0.55
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	7	6	0.86
Vsevolod Gaidamak	Ottawa 67’s	10	5	0.50
Stepan Machacek	Owen Sound Attack	10	5	0.50
Evan Konyen	Sudbury Wolves	11	4	0.36
Liam Arnsby	North Bay Battalion	10	4	0.40
Assist Leaders
Player	Team	GP	A	APG
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	9	10	1.11
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	10	10	1.00
Michael Buchinger	Guelph Storm	10	8	0.80
Nick DeGrazia	Sudbury Wolves	11	8	0.73
Jake Karabela	Guelph Storm	10	8	0.80
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	11	8	0.73
Servac Petrovsky	Owen Sound Attack	10	8	0.80
Evan Konyen	Sudbury Wolves	11	7	0.64
Gavin White	Hamilton Bulldogs	10	7	0.70
Liam Arnsby	North Bay Battalion	11	6	0.55
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	11	2	8	10
Michael Buchinger	Guelph Storm	10	0	8	8
Gavin White	Hamilton Bulldogs	10	0	7	7
Samuel Mayer	Peterborough Petes	9	3	3	6
Jorian Donovan	Hamilton Bulldogs	10	1	4	5
Sam Sedley	Owen Sound Attack	10	1	4	5
Pavel Mintyukov	Saginaw Spirit	6	1	3	4
Isaac Enright	Niagara IceDogs	8	1	3	4
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player	Team	GP	PIM	M/G
Samuel Mayer	Peterborough Petes	9	23	2.56
Teddy Sawyer	Ottawa 67’s	10	19	1.90
Riley Pitt	Oshawa Generals	7	18	2.57
Nathan Poole	Kingston Frontenacs	7	16	2.29
Ty Anselmini	Mississauga Steelheads	8	16	2.00
Faceoff Leaders
Player	Team	GP	FOA	FOW	%
Marko Sikic	Guelph Storm	10	27	17	63.0
Owen Beck	Mississauga Steelheads	8	164	100	61.0
Servac Petrovsky	Owen Sound Attack	10	200	119	59.5
Paul Ludwinski	Kingston Frontenacs	8	49	29	59.2
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	9	238	140	58.8
Jake Karabela	Guelph Storm	10	51	30	58.8
Landon McCallum	Sudbury Wolves	10	135	79	58.5
Alex Geci	Sarnia Sting	5	37	21	56.8
Max Namestnikov	Sarnia Sting	7	91	51	56.0
Vsevolod Gaidamak	Ottawa 67’s	10	177	99	55.9
Minumum 25 faceoffs
Shooting Percentage Leaders
Player	Team	GP	Shots	Goals	SH%
Braedon Bowman	Guelph Storm	10	13	7	53.8
Dean Loukus	Saginaw Spirit	6	9	4	44.4
Oliver Smith	Barrie Colts	6	10	4	40.0
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	7	17	6	35.3
Ethan Larmand	Sudbury Wolves	10	18	6	33.3
Brett Bressette	Erie Otters	8	12	4	33.3
Colton Smith	London Knights	8	19	6	31.6
Dylan Wakely	North Bay Battalion	10	14	4	28.6
Landon Sim	London Knights	8	7	2	28.6
Thomas Johnston	Ottawa 67’s	10	11	3	27.3
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player	Team	GP	Min	GA	Avg
Brett Brochu	London Knights	8	493	17	2.07
Patrick Leaver	Oshawa Generals	7	481	20	2.49
Pavel Cajan	Kitchener Rangers	5	306	14	2.75
Andrew Oke	Saginaw Spirit	3	174	8	2.76
Jacon Oster	Guelph Storm	6	302	16	3.18
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player	Team	GP	SH	SVS	SV%
Marshall Nicholls	Erie Otters	2	50	48	0.960
Brett Brochu	London Knights	8	263	246	0.935
Patrick Leaver	Oshawa Generals	7	268	248	0.925
Pavel Cajan	Kitchener Rangers	5	173	159	0.919
Andrew Oke	Saginaw Spirit	3	82	74	0.902

OHL ANNOUNCES ACADEMIC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Sam Alfano of the Peterborough Petes, Owen Beck of the Mississauga Steelheads, Cal Uens of the Owen Sound Attack and Bronson Ride of the Windsor Spitfires have been named the OHL Academic Players of the Month for October.

East Division: Sam Alfano of the Peterborough Petes is being recognized as October’s East Division Academic Player of the Month.

Alfano currently holds a 96% average in five Grade 12 U/M level courses at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School and posted the highest grade in the class with a perfect 100% on his Grade 12 University Data Management midterm. He is described by his teacher as a hard worker, well-mannered and very interactive with the students while balancing a busy hockey schedule.

The 17-year-old forward was drafted by the Petes 23rd overall in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection out of the Southern Tier Admirals U16 program and has scored one goal over his first eight OHL games. The Cayuga, Ont. native was named OMHA-SCTA Player of the Year in 2019-20 season with 63 points over 32 games with the Admirals.

Central Division: Mississauga’s Owen Beck is October’s Central Division Academic Player of the Month. In his studies at Philip Pocock CSS, he’s achieved a 95% in Advanced Functions and a 90% in University Chemistry.

“Owen exemplifies responsibility. He is always on time, his work is extremely organized, thoughtfully executed and he is a joy to teach,” said Genevieve Wong, Philip Pocock CSS Guidance Counsellor. “We are very proud of his accomplishments and congratulate him on being a role model student-athlete.”

The second round 2020 OHL Priority Selection choice currently holds two goals and two assists for four points in his first six games with the Steelheads. The 17-year-old forward from Port Hope, Ont. is a product of the Quinte Red Devils U16 program.

Midwest Division: Cal Uens of the Owen Sound Attack has been named the Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for October.

At Owen Sound District Secondary School, Uens earned a 98% in Grade 12 University English, an 87% in his Ontario Literacy Course, an 80% in Grade 11 University Math, a 99% through two periods of Co-op, an 87% in Grade 12 University/College Business and a 99% in his Grade 12 University Leadership course.

“Cal has a tremendous work ethic and unparalleled initiative. His teachers all point to the fact that he can focus on a given task until completion,” wrote Attack academic advisor, Sarah Rowe. “He is never distracted. He is always the first to finish his assignments and is more than happy to help others. As a result, he is an amazing asset in the classroom.”

The rookie defender from Napanee, Ont. was drafted in the third round of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection and has one assist over his first eight OHL appearances. Prior to joining the Attack, Uens suited up for the Quinte Red Devils U16 program.

West Division: Windsor Spitfires defenceman Bronson Ride is the West Division Academic Player of the Month for October. Ride has had an excellent start to his studies at St. Anne High School and is currently taking Grade 11 University Math, Grade 11 University English, High Performance Co-op and Phys-ed Leadership. Several of his teachers have commented on his excellent writing and perspective.

Drafted 20th overall by the Spitfires in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection out of the Oakville Rangers U16 program, the 16-year-old defenceman has two assists through seven OHL contests this season.

2021-22 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
October – Sam Alfano (Peterborough Petes)

Central Division:
October – Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)

Midwest Division:
October – Cal Uens (Owen Sound Attack)

West Division:
October – Bronson Ride (Windsor Spitfires)

A total of 343 graduates utilized their OHL Scholarship at post-secondary institutions across North America during the 2020-21 academic year, with a total contribution by teams of over $3.1 million. Over the past 10 seasons, OHL Scholarship payments have totalled more than $25 million.

Click here for more information about ‘OHL Players First’ programs.

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 THIS WEEK: OCTOBER 28 TO 31, 2021

Posted on October 28, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – Prepare to be spooked in buildings across the League this weekend as Halloween is fast approaching! Here’s a look at what’s happening across the Ontario Hockey League this week.

67’s and Frontenacs streaming for TSN subscribers on Friday:
TSN subscribers can catch the Ottawa 67’s and Kingston Frontenacs streaming at TSN.ca as well as on the TSN App on Friday night. The game can also be viewed on OHL Live on CHL TV. Catch top 2022 NHL Draft prospect Shane Wright as he hits the ice against the 67’s, who received an honourable mention in this past week’s CHL Top 10 Rankings presented by Kia.

Knights, Rangers and Frontenacs included in Week 4 edition of Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings:
The undefeated London Knights, Kitchener Rangers and Kingston Frontenacs are included in the Week 4 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings. Read more

Sights & Sounds: Colts and 67’s bring #GameON buzz to CBC:
The Ottawa 67’s and host Barrie Colts brought the #GameON buzz to CBC for the first time this season. Feel the energy with a sights and sounds feature! Watch

Greyhounds’ Kerins named OHL Player of the Week:
Calgary Flames prospect Rory Kerins of the Soo Greyhounds is the OHL Player of the Week with a league-leading 10 points including five goals and five assists over three games. Read more

Storm’s Oster named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
Guelph Storm rookie Jacob Oster is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with a pair of wins, a 1.50 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. Read more

Kerins, Gushchin and Betts named to CHL Team of the Week:
OHL Player of the Week Rory Kerins joins Niagara IceDogs teammates Danil Gushchin and Dakota Betts on the CHL Team of the Week. Read more

OHL Weekend Notebook:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Read more

Spirit duo leads OHL Plays of the Week:
Comin’ at you with OHL Plays of the Week! Highlighting the stellar skills of Erie’s Brendan Sellan, Owen Sound’s Gavin Bryant, Niagara‘s Cameron Butler, and Saginaw Spirit teammates Calem Mangone and Nick Wong. Watch

Attack’s Guzda headlines OHL Saves of the Week:
The latest edition of the OHL Saves of the Week is bookended by big-time stops from Owen Sound Attack netminder Mack Guzda. You’ll also get a glimpse of North Bay’s Dom DiVincentiis, Guelph’s Owen Bennett, Sudbury’s Mitchell Weeks, Windsor’s Xavier Medina, Mississauga’s Roman Basran, Kitchener’s Pavel Cajan and Ottawa’s Will Cranley. Watch

OHL Milestone Moments:
Check out 22 first career OHL goals from the past week of action in the latest edition of OHL Milestone Moments! Watch

Ruslan Gazizov commits to Knights:
The London Knights have received a commitment from twelfth overall 2021 CHL Import Draft selection Ruslan Gazizov. Read more

Gavin Ewles commits to 67’s:
The Ottawa 67’s have received a commitment from fifth round 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Gavin Ewles. Read more

Parfenyuk and Stewart commit to Generals:
The Oshawa Generals have received commitments from 2003-born defencemen Nikita Parfenyuk and Thomas Stewart. Read more

COMMUNITY CORNER:

OHL rinks get spooky for Halloween: Teams across the OHL are busily preparing for Halloween home dates this coming weekend. Fans are encouraged to wear their costumes to games across the League, and keep an eye out for contests and giveaways when you’re at the rink this weekend

Attack’s Perrott announces support for Canadian Blood Services: Hard-hitting Owen Sound Attack defenceman Andrew Perrott has announced that he’ll donate $5 for every point he records during the 2021-22 season to Canadian Blood Services. The total raised by Perrott will be matched by Owen Sound businesses. The 19-year-old defender currently leads the Attack in scoring with 12 points (1-11–12) over eight games.

Rangers raise over $33,000 for KidsAbility: The Kitchener Rangers recently donated over $33,000 to KidsAbility through their Rangers Reach 50/50 initiative. It also meant great news for winning ticket holders Glenn Sider and Terry Kempel of Kitchener! Read more

Petes host Scooby Doo Night on Thursday: In the Petes’ only home game this week, the team will be welcoming a special guest to help win a hockey game and to solve a mystery. Upon entry at the PMC on Thursday, October 28 against the Hamilton Bulldogs, fans will be welcomed by the Petes mascot Roger, and Scooby-Doo! More info at gopetesgo.com

Big weekend planned in Hamilton: The Hamilton Bulldogs will debut their black Stealth jerseys on Friday night at home to the Niagara IceDogs. Saturday’s home date with the Mississauga Steelheads at 4:00pm is ‘Zombie Night’ at FirstOntario Centre. Prepare to be spooked! Full details at hamiltonbulldogs.com

ALUMNI NOTES:

Daws wins NHL debut: Reigning OHL Goaltender of the Year Nico Daws was the big winner of his NHL debut last Saturday, making 24 saves in a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres. The 20-year-old claimed the Jim Rutherford Trophy with the Guelph Storm in 2019-20 before being selected by the Devils in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Daws spent last season with Ingolstadt ERC of the German Elite League and claimed a win in his AHL debut with the Utica Comets to start this season before being called up. He hoisted the J. Ross Robertson Cup as an OHL champion with the Storm in 2019.

Ekblad plays 500th NHL contest: Barrie Colts graduate Aaron Ekblad skated in his 500th career NHL contest on Wednesday as his Florida Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1. The 25-year-old Ekblad has seven points (3-4–7) through his first seven games of the season on a Panthers club that has played well out of the gate. The first overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft, Ekblad entered the OHL as an exceptional status rookie in 2011 and played three seasons in Barrie, winning an Eastern Conference championship with the Colts in 2013.

Mangiapane lighting the lamp for Flames: Barrie Colts grad Andrew Mangiapane has seven goals through his first six games of the season. The 25-year-old from Bolton, Ont. was a two-time 100-point scorer during his three-year tenure in Barrie after making the Colts as a free agent walk-on. The 5-foot-10 winger was drafted by the Flames in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Phillips called up by Blackhawks: Sudbury Wolves alumnus Isaak Phillips earned his first NHL call-up on Thursday. The 20-year-old from Barrie, Ont. played two seasons in Sudbury from 2018-20, registering 26 points (9-17–26) during the 2019-20 campaign. Phillips had a strong showing with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs last season, posting nine points (2-7–9) over 27 outings. The 6-foot-3 defender was Chicago’s fifth round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Dineen, Hayton and Prosvetov recalled by Coyotes: A trio of OHL grads has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes, with former North Bay Battalion and Sarnia Sting blueliner Cam Dineen looking to make his NHL debut. Joining Dineen on the road from Tucson to Phoenix are Soo Greyhounds grad Barrett Hayton and Saginaw Spirit goaltending graduate Ivan Prosvetov. Hayton was the fifth overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft and played three seasons in Sault Ste. Marie from 2016-19. Prosvetov spent one season in Saginaw, helping the Spirit make their first-ever appearance in the Western Conference Championship Series in 2019.

Quinn off to hot start in Rochester: Ottawa 67’s graduate and Buffalo Sabres first round draft pick Jack Quinn is off to a hot start with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, recording seven points (4-3–7) through four games this season. The 20-year-old made his pro debut last season, recording nine points (2-7–9) through 15 appearances with the Amerks. Quinn scored 52 goals with the 67’s during the 2019-20 season before being selected eighth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.

KEY MATCHUPS:

Ottawa 67’s at Kingston Frontenacs
Friday October 29th, 7:00pm

The front end of an East Division home-and-home clash between the Ottawa 67’s and host Kingston Frontenacs will be streaming live for TSN subscribers over at TSN.ca as well as over on CHL TV as the two clubs meet for the third time in the young season. Kingston partied hard against the 67’s with an 8-1 win on opening night before the Barber Poles settled the score, defeating the Fronts 3-2 at home on Oct. 10th. Ottawa made it as an honourable mention in this past week’s Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings after defeating the Barrie Colts and Oshawa Generals to close out last weekend. Kingston is the 10th-ranked team in the country, having won three in a row with victories over Sudbury and Peterborough.

Kitchener Rangers at Windsor Spitfires
Saturday October 30th, 7:05pm

Based off last weekend’s 3-2 shootout finish in favour of the Rangers in Kitchener, this Saturday’s Rangers/Spitfires sequel in Windsor is shaping up to be a good one. The Rangers have suffered consecutive road losses entering a Friday night matchup with the Soo Greyhounds. Kitchener makes the trip to Windsor on Saturday to face a Spitfires squad that will first welcome the Guelph Storm on Thursday. Two up and coming coaches in Kitchener’s Mike McKenzie and Windsor’s Marc Savard will have their teams ready for action.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday October 28th:
Oshawa at North Bay – 7:00pm
Hamilton at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Sudbury at Barrie – 7:30pm
Guelph at Windsor – 7:30pm

Friday October 29th:
Flint at Erie – 7:00pm
Niagara at Hamilton – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Kingston – 7:00pm – Streaming at TSN.ca
Barrie at Mississauga – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Guelph – 7:30pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Sarnia at London – 7:30pm

Saturday October 30th:
Kingston at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Mississauga at Hamilton – 4:00pm
Flint at Erie – 7:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Guelph – 7:00pm
Peterborough at Niagara – 7:00pm
Kitchener at Windsor – 7:05pm
North Bay at Barrie – 7:30pm
Sarnia at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday October 31st:
North Bay at Sudbury – 2:05pm

KERINS AND OSTER NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on October 25, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, October 24, 2021

Greyhounds’ Rory Kerins Named OHL Player of the Week

Calgary Flames prospect Rory Kerins of the Soo Greyhounds is the OHL Player of the Week with a league-leading 10 points including five goals and five assists over three games including a plus/minus rating of plus-3.

Kerins got the week started with a four-point performance on Wednesday night as the Greyhounds defeated the visiting Sudbury Wolves 4-3 in overtime. Kerins scored twice, tying the game with a third period power play marker before collecting an assist on Tye Kartye’s game winner. His dominance carried over into Friday’s home date against the North Bay Battalion as Kerins posted a career-high six points including his first OHL hat-trick as the Hounds outgunned the Troops 8-5. Kerins’ six points were the most by a Greyhounds player in a single game since Nick Cousins recorded six on Feb. 16, 2013 against the Kingston Frontenacs. Kerins was held off the scoresheet on Saturday as the Hounds fell to the Battalion 4-2 on home ice. The 5-foot-11, 186Ib. centreman was an impressive 68 percent in the faceoff circle last week, winning 51 of his 75 draws.

A 19-year-old from Caledon, Ont., Kerins is currently tied for the OHL lead in scoring with his 14 points (8-6–14) over eight games. His 61.8 percent success rate in the faceoff circle is third among centremen with at least 100 faceoff attempts this season. Kerins was a sixth round (174th overall) pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft and made his pro debut with the organization last season, appearing in four games with the AHL’s Stockton Heat. The Greyhounds selected him with their fourth round (71st overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection from the Mississauga Rebels U16 program.

Kerins becomes the first Greyhounds player to earn the weekly honour since Morgan Frost last did so from Jan. 14-20, 2019.

Also considered for the award this week were San Jose Sharks prospect Danil Gushchin of the Niagara IceDogs who finished the week with nine points including five goals and four assists over three contests. Gushchin’s first career OHL hat-trick headlined an IceDogs win over the Barrie Colts on Thursday. Kerins’ Soo Greyhounds teammate Tye Kartye was also in the running after recording eight points including four goals and four assists over three games last week.

2021-22 OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Rory Kerins (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves)

Storm’s Jacob Oster Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Guelph Storm rookie Jacob Oster is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with a pair of wins, a 1.50 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage.

Oster stopped 49 of the 52 shots he faced over the weekend, first denying 35 of 36 in a 2-1 Storm road win over the Sarnia Sting on Friday. He was back in the crease on Sunday afternoon at home to the Kitchener Rangers, earning first star honours with 14 saves in a 4-2 victory.

A 17-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., Oster is 3-1-0-0 with a 2.52 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in four games this season. The 6-foot-3, 187Ib. netminder was Guelph’s fifth round (92nd overall) pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection from the Kemptville 73’s U18 program.

Also considered for the award this week were Owen Sound Attack goaltender Mack Guzda who went 1-1 with a 1.53 goals-against average and .963 save percentage as well as St. Louis Blues prospect Will Cranley of the Ottawa 67’s who went 1-1 with a 2.50 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and one shutout.

2021-22 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Jacob Oster (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Tucker Tynan (Niagara IceDogs)

OHL THIS WEEK: OCTOBER 21 TO 24, 2021

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The 2021-22 OHL season is up and running! Here’s a look at what’s happening across the Ontario Hockey League this week.

OHL comes to CBC on Saturday with Colts and 67’s:
The Ontario Hockey League makes its first appearance on national television this season as the Barrie Colts play host to the Ottawa 67’s Saturday at 3:00pm on CBC. Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke and the Colts face the OHL’s back-to-back Hamilton Spectator Trophy recipient 67’s who are under new head coach Dave Cameron. Learn more about Clarke, one the League’s top defencemen as he prepares to face his hometown team. Watch

66 OHL players included on NHL Central Scouting ‘Players to Watch’ List for October:
A total of 66 OHL players have been included on NHL Central Scouting’s October ‘Players to Watch’ List for the 2022 NHL Draft scheduled to take place July 7-8 in Montreal, Quebec. Forwards Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs and Matthew Poitras of the Guelph Storm each received ‘A’ ratings indicating a potential first round selection. All 20 OHL member teams were represented on the list led by the London Knights with eight players included. Full list

Knights, Bulldogs and Frontenacs flying high in Week 3 edition of Kia CHL Top 10:
The London Knights continue to climb the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, leading OHL clubs in the fifth slot this week. The undefeated Hamilton Bulldogs make their debut on the list at seventh, while the Kingston Frontenacs hold steady as the ninth-ranked team in the country. Read more

Generals’ Ritchie named OHL Player of the Week:
Rookie forward Calum Ritchie of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Player of the Week with a league-leading seven points including four goals and three assists over three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-4. Ritchie’s six goals tie him with teammate Ryan Stepien for the League lead. Read more

Knights’ Brochu named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
London Knights netminder Brett Brochu is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with three wins, a 2.55 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Brochu helped the Knights improve to a League-best 5-0 record with back-to-back wins over the Windsor Spitfires before edging the Sarnia Sting in a shootout on Saturday. Read more

Attack’s Perrott named to CHL Team of the Week:
Owen Sound Attack rearguard Andrew Perrott is the OHL’s lone representative on this week’s CHL Team of the Week. Perrott finished the week with five points (1-4–5) over two contests. Facing the Soo on Saturday, Perrott finished with a career single-game high of three points en route to first-star recognition. He currently leads the Attack in scoring with six points in four games.

Firebirds’ Giroux headlines OHL Plays of the Week:
Fancy stick work, highlight reel goals, a beautiful penalty shot finish…it’s all featured in OHL Plays of the Week! Take in the talent of North Bay’s Brandon Coe, Saginaw’s T-Bone Codd, Hamilton’s Jonathan Melee, Barrie’s Oskar Olausson and Flint’s Zacharie Giroux. Watch

Terrific turnaways in OHL Saves of the Week:
The latest edition of Saves of the Week features terrific turnaways from Mississauga’s Roman Basran, London’s Brett Brochu, Sudbury’s Mitchell Weeks, Erie’s Nolan Lalonde, North Bay’s Joe Vrbetic, Barrie’s Matteo Lalama, Owen Sound’s Mack Guzda, Saginaw’s Tristan Lennox and Peterborough’s Michael Simpson. Watch

OHL Milestone Moments:
Check out a total of 31 first OHL goals along with a trio of inaugural shutouts in the latest edition of OHL Milestone Moments. Watch

OHL Weekend Notebook:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Read more

Spearing named Petes captain:
The Peterborough Petes have identified their leadership group for the 2021-22 season, naming veteran defenceman Shawn Spearing team captain. Read more

OHL mourns the loss of Leo Boivin:
The Ontario Hockey League is saddened by the loss of former Ottawa 67’s head coach, long-time NHL defenceman and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Leo Boivin who passed away at the age of 90 on Saturday. Read more

OHL Live streaming packages now on sale:
For just $109.99, OHL fans can enjoy full access to all scheduled games throughout the 2021-22 regular season. Fans can also purchase a monthly pass providing access to all OHL games over the span of one month for the price of $24.99. If a 24-hour pass is more your flavour, OHL Live has you covered for the price of $6.99. Full details at watch.chl.ca.

OHL Employment Opportunity – Manager, Communications:
The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to announce the opportunity for a Manager of Communications. The successful candidate will be a key member of the communications department which will contribute to the League and Member Teams’ communication strategy. More details

COMMUNITY CORNER:

First Responders Night in Peterborough on Thursday:
The Peterborough Petes will be recognizing local First Responders on Thursday when they play host to the Oshawa Generals. Representatives from OPP, Peterborough Police, Fire, and Paramedics will be taking the ceremonial puck drop prior to the game. At the first intermission, fans will have the opportunity to catch a live stretcher race. The first 500 fans into the PMC will take home a souvenir First Responders helmet. Read more

Spits celebrate 75 years on Thursday:
The Windsor Spitfires are saluting 75 years of history Thursday night as they play host to the Owen Sound Attack. The Spits will be wearing special commemorative jerseys and a historical museum will be on location at the WFCU Centre. The first 2,000 fans into the building will take home a special souvenir collectible.

Steelheads play home opener on Friday:
The Mississauga Steelheads play their first home regular season game in 595 days on Friday night when they take on the Ottawa 67’s. The Trout visit Niagara on Saturday before returning home to close out a three-in-three against the Hamilton Bulldogs on Sunday at 2:00pm.

Otters prepare for home opener on Saturday:
The long-awaited Erie Otters home opener takes place on Saturday when the Saginaw Spirit visit Erie Insurance Arena. The Otters play their first home game in 594 days and the first 1,500 fans into the building will receive a free rally towel. They follow-up Saturday’s contest with another against Saginaw on Sunday as they host their first Family Funday home date of the season.

Storm support the Guelph Food Bank on Sunday:
The Guelph Storm will hold their annual Food Drive on Sunday afternoon when they take on the rival Kitchener Rangers at 2:00pm. Fans are asked to bring non-perishable food items to the Sleeman Centre. For every food item donated, fans will receive a raffle ticket that will be entered into a draw with the chance to win an autographed Storm jersey. The Storm were able to donate over 1,800 meals to the Guelph Food Bank through the generous donations of their fans the last time they held the event. Read more

Colts show appreciation for First Responders throughout October:
The Barrie Colts are showing their appreciation for First Responders and Health Care workers, providing them a special buy one, get one free offer for home games on October 23, October 28 and October 30. Read more

ALUMNI NOTES:

Katchouk makes NHL debut:
Soo Greyhounds graduate Boris Katchouk made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning last weekend. The 23-year-old from Waterloo, Ont. played four seasons in Sault Ste. Marie from 2014-18 and becomes the seventh member of the Greyhounds’ 2018 Western Conference championship squad to play a game in the NHL. Katchouk put up 34 points (11-23–34) over 29 AHL contests with the Syracuse Crunch last season.

Daws recalled by Devils:
Former Jim Rutherford Trophy recipient Nico Daws has been called-up by the New Jersey Devils. The Guelph Storm graduate was the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year in 2019-20, going 23-8-6 with a 2.48 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 38 games. A former OHL champion, Daws was New Jersey’s third round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and spent the 2020-21 season playing with ERC Ingolstadt of the German Elite League. He recently won his AHL debut with the Utica Comets.

Kyrou off to hot start in St. Louis:
Sarnia Sting graduate and former OHL Player of the Year Jordan Kyrou is off to a hot start with the St. Louis Blues. The 23-year-old has seven points (2-5–7) through his first three games of the season including a four-point effort in a 7-4 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Oct. 18. St. Louis’ second round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, Kyrou played four seasons in Sarnia, graduating as the club’s all-time leader in assists with 191 over 250 regular season games.

McTavish sidelined in Anaheim:
Third overall 2021 NHL Draft pick Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks is heading to injured reserve. The star Peterborough Petes centreman left Monday’s game against the Calgary Flames and will be sidelined for at least a week. The 6-foot, 213Ib. centre made his NHL debut on Oct. 13, scoring against the Winnipeg Jets in his first game. McTavish finished second among OHL rookies with 29 goals during the 2019-20 season and played a key role in Canada’s gold medal at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 Worlds this past May in Frisco, Texas. The 18-year-old from Carp, Ont. was the fifth overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection.

161 OHL grads begin the 2021-22 season on AHL rosters:
A total of 161 OHL grads, including four born in 2002, were included on AHL rosters to begin the 2021-22 season. The Kitchener Rangers topped the list with 15 graduates included followed by the Ottawa 67’s with 13 and the London Knights, Saginaw Spirit and Soo Greyhounds with 11 each. Full list

KEY MATCHUPS:

Hamilton Bulldogs at North Bay Battalion
Thursday, October 21, 7:00pm
The Hamilton Bulldogs put their perfect 4-0 record to the test behind enemy lines on Thursday. The Dogs enter action having not surrendered a goal in over 138 minutes of play and hit the ice as the seventh-ranked team in the CHL this week. The Battalion come off a 6-4 home loss to the Barrie Colts on Sunday, closing out a four-game homestand that saw them pick up wins over Sudbury and Mississauga. San Jose Sharks prospect Brandon Coe leads the Troops on the scoresheet with nine points (5-4–9) in five games.

Ottawa 67’s at Barrie Colts
Saturday, October 23, 3:00pm – CHL on CBC
The OHL comes to CBC for the first time on Saturday afternoon as the Barrie Colts and visiting Ottawa 67’s play before a national audience. The Colts feature the electric presence of puck-moving power play quarterback Brandt Clarke who was chosen by the Los Angeles Kings with the eighth overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft. Colorado Avalanche first round pick Oskar Olausson has been a welcome addition in Barrie, leading the club with six points (4-2–6) through his first five OHL matchups. The Ottawa 67’s enter the weekend with the League’s top power play, going 7-for-19 (36.8%). Dave Cameron makes his return to the OHL following 10 years between the NHL and European pro ranks. Calgary Flames prospect Jack Beck has been red hot for the Barber Poles, with eight points (5-3–8) through his first five games.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday October 21st
Barrie at Niagara – 7:00pm
Hamilton at North Bay – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Windsor – 7:30pm

Friday October 22nd
Peterborough at Kingston – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Mississauga – 7:00pm
Guelph at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Hamilton at Sudbury – 7:05pm
North Bay at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Windsor at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Owen Sound at London – 7:30pm
Niagara at Oshawa – 7:35pm

Saturday October 23rd
Ottawa at Barrie – 3:00pm (CHL on CBC)
Saginaw at Erie – 7:00pm
Mississauga at Niagara – 7:00pm
North Bay at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Windsor at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday, October 24th
Saginaw at Erie – 2:00pm
Kitchener at Guelph – 2:00pm
Hamilton at Mississauga – 2:00pm
Ottawa at Oshawa – 6:05pm

OHL THIS WEEK: OCTOBER 14 TO 17, 2021

Posted on October 14, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The 2021-22 OHL season is up, up and away and OHL This Week makes its return to your newsfeeds!

Opening Week saw a successful return of OHL action and now we’re gearing up for another weekend of matchups with 20 games from Thursday through Sunday.

Here’s a glance at what’s happening across the League this week.

Knights, Colts and Frontenacs make Week 2 edition of Kia CHL Top 10:
The 3-0 London Knights shot up the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings in Week 2 while the Barrie Colts and Kingston Frontenacs remain on the national radar. READ

Wolves’ Thompson named OHL Player of the Week, earns CHL honours:
Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Jack Thompson of the Sudbury Wolves is the OHL Player of the Week after record seven points over two Opening Week victories. Thompson was also named to the premiere edition of the CHL Team of the Week. READ

OHL Plays of the Week:
It’s a Central Division special in the first edition of the OHL Plays of the Week! Check out contributions from Sudbury Wolves rookie Quentin Musty, Niagara IceDogs forward Jake Uberti, North Bay Battalion winger Brandon Coe, Sudbury Wolves forward Chase Stillman and Mississauga Steelheads attacker Luca Del Bel Belluz. WATCH

OHL Saves of the Week:
Niagara IceDogs netminder Tucker Tynan headlines the premiere edition of the OHL Saves of the Week, as netminders opened the season with sensational saves across the League. WATCH

OHL Milestone Moments:
With so many rookies, we’ve got a lot of first goals to cover! A total of 41 players scored their first career OHL goal last weekend while Flint Firebirds netminder Luke Cavallin logged his first shutout. WATCH

OHL Weekend Notebook:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. READ

What’s new for the OHL in 2021-22?:
With the long-awaited start of the 2021-22 OHL season comes a slew of new faces, some upgrades to facilities across the League as well as the OHL’s first woman linesperson. READ

Captains named across the League:
Teams across the OHL have been naming their leadership groups in the opening weeks of the season. Click on a team name to see their leadership group details: Erie Otters (C: Daniel D’Amato, Brendan Sellan), Hamilton Bulldogs (C: Colton Kammerer), Kingston Frontenacs (C: Shane Wright), London Knights (C: Luke Evangelista), Mississauga Steelheads (C: Ethan Del Mastro), Niagara IceDogs (C: Cameron Butler), North Bay Battalion (C: Liam Arnsby), Oshawa Generals (C: Ty Tullio), Owen Sound Attack (C: Mark Woolley), Saginaw Spirit (C: Camaryn Baber), Sarnia Sting (C: Brayden Guy), Windsor Spitfires (C: Will Cuylle).

OHL Officiating Team for the 2021-22 season:
The OHL has unveiled a 105-official crew that will work games throughout the 2021-22 regular season. MORE

Sting’s Thornton signs with Coyotes:
The Arizona Coyotes have signed Sarnia Sting rookie goaltender Anson Thornton to a three-year entry-level contract. Thornton becomes the first-ever OHL Under-18 Priority Selection choice to sign an NHL contract. READ

67’s’ Matier signs with Predators:
Ottawa 67’s defenceman Jack Matier has signed a three-year entry-level NHL contract with the Nashville Predators. He was Nashville’s fourth round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft this past summer. READ

Sting add alumnus Micheal Haley to coaching staff:
The Sarnia Sting have hired alumnus and former long-time NHL forward Micheal Haley as an assistant coach. READ

Derek Smyth commits to 67’s:
The Ottawa 67’s have received a commitment from 11th round 2020 OHL Priority Selection choice Derek Smyth who joins the team’s blueline. READ

Antonino Pugliese commits to Rangers:
The Kitchener Rangers have received a commitment from 14th round 2020 OHL Priority Selection choice Antonino Pugliese who has enjoyed a hot start to his season with the GOJHL’s Fort Erie Meteors. READ

Chase MacQueen-Spence commits to Battalion:
The North Bay Battalion have received a commitment from fourth round 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Chase MacQueen-Spence who has started the season with the affiliate Powassan Voodoos. READ

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Firebirds host Pink Out the Rink on Thursday:
The Flint Firebirds will be raising funds and breast cancer awareness on Thursday night when the Erie Otters visit at 7:00pm. The ‘Birds will be wearing specially themed pink uniforms that will be auctioned off live postgame, with proceeds benefitting breast cancer initiatives and partner the McLaren Flint Foundation. More at flintfirebirds.com

Frontenacs salute Frontline Workers on Friday:
The Kingston Frontenacs are extending a special discount to Frontline Workers on Friday night when they play host to the Sudbury Wolves. The Fronts are offering the special rate to any frontline worker and their family members. More at kingstonfrontenacs.com.

Eventful opening weekend planned in Saginaw:
The Saginaw Spirit will open their regular season at home on Saturday against the Erie Otters as fans in attendance will receive a free magnet schedule. The Spirit host the Otters again on Sunday at 5:30pm in their annual Pink Out game in support of Ascension St. Mary’s. Fans attending will receive a light up bracelet. Be sure to take part in the post-game jersey auction with proceeds benefitting breast cancer awareness initiatives.

ALUMNI NOTES:

198 OHL grads named to NHL Opening Night rosters:
A total of 198 OHL graduates started the 2021-22 regular season on NHL rosters. The Toronto Maple Leafs lead the way with 13 to open the season and the London Knights produced a league-leading 32 graduates starting the season in ‘the show.’ READ

McTavish scores in NHL debut:
Peterborough Petes star and third overall 2021 NHL Draft selection Mason McTavish lit the lamp in his NHL debut with the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. The Carp, Ont. product helped the Ducks defeat the visiting Winnipeg Jets 4-1 in their home opener, recording a goal and an assist on the night. McTavish finished second among OHL rookies with 29 goals in 2019-20 and helped steer Canada’s National Under-18 team to a gold medal this past spring.

Perfetti makes NHL debut with Jets:
Saginaw Spirit graduate and 10th overall 2020 NHL Draft choice Cole Perfetti skated in his first career NHL contest on Thursday night in Anaheim. The 19-year-old Winnipeg Jets forward cracked Winnipeg’s opening night roster following a strong AHL showing with the Manitoba Moose in 2020-21, posting 26 points (9-17–26) over 32 games. The Whitby, Ont. was the CHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year in 2020 and holds Saginaw’s single season record for goals by a rookie with his 37 in 2018-19.

Henrique records 400th NHL point:
Former back-to-back Memorial Cup champion Adam Henrique hit a career milestone on Wednesday, recording his 400th career point as his Anaheim Ducks were victorious over the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. Henrique, of Burford, Ont., played in 45 games with the Ducks last season, recording 21 points (12-9–21). The 31-year-old was an integral part of two Windsor Spitfires Memorial Cup championships in 2009 and 2010. He played four seasons with the Spits from 2006-10 and has been in the NHL since 2011-12, spending time between New Jersey and Anaheim.

Nolan joins Kings front office as Community Relations Consultant:
Soo Greyhounds graduate and two-time Stanley Cup champion Jordan Nolan is returning to the Los Angeles Kings as a Community Relations Consultant and Ambassador. A member of the First Nations community, Nolan will play a critical role in the Kings’ We Are All Kings initiative, which is special programming that reflects values which the LA Kings holds to its core, inclusivity while ensuring every hockey player and fan feels welcome in the LA Kings family. The son of former OHL and NHL player and head coach Ted Nolan, Jordan played five OHL seasons from 2005-10, spending time with the Greyhounds, Windsor Spitfires and Erie Otters. He’s a veteran of 375 career NHL contests.

KEY MATCHUPS:

Soo Greyhounds at Barrie Colts
Thursday, October 14, 7:30pm
Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke makes his season debut on the Barrie Colts blue line as his team seeks its first victory. Colts fans got a taste of Swedish newcomer Oskar Olausson can do as the Colorado Avalanche first round pick scored twice last weekend. The opposing Soo Greyhounds hit the road with stops in Barrie, Guelph and Owen Sound for a three-in-three. They’ve certainly got depth up front with veterans Rory Kerins, Cole MacKay, Tanner Dickinson, Joe Carroll and Tye Kartye all able to put points on the scoresheet. The Hounds will miss captain Ryan O’Rourke on Thursday as he finishes serving a two-game suspension.

Peterborough Petes at Oshawa Generals
Sunday, October 17th, 6:05pm
As is often their custom, the Oshawa Generals close out the weekend at home on Sunday evening, facing the long-time rival Peterborough Petes in the first of 12 encounters this season. The Generals are still in search of their first win, most recently falling to the Ottawa 67’s 7-3 in the nation’s capital on Monday. Second overall 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Calum Ritchie looks like the real deal, recording three goals and an assist through his first three games after leading the pre-season in scoring. The visiting Peterborough Petes also enter the weekend looking for their first win. A younger group in 2021-22, the Petes will lean on newly-signed Philadelphia Flyers prospect J.R. Avon for offensive contributions along with recent overage additions Emmett Sproule and Joe Carroll.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday October 14th
Erie at Flint – 7:00pm
Sudbury at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Barrie – 7:30pm

Friday October 15th
Niagara at Hamilton – 7:00pm
Sudbury at Kingston – 7:00pm
Mississauga at North Bay – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Ottawa – 7:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Guelph – 7:30pm
Sarnia at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Windsor at London – 7:30pm

Saturday October 16th
Hamilton at Niagara – 7:00pm
Kingston at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Erie at Saginaw – 7:05pm
London at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Mississauga at Barrie – 7:30pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday October 17th
Barrie at North Bay – 2:00pm
Sudbury at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Erie at Saginaw – 5:30pm
Peterborough at Oshawa – 6:05pm

OHL UNVEILS 2021-22 REGIONAL TELEVISION BROADCAST SCHEDULE DETAILS

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today unveiled details surrounding its 2021-22 regional television broadcast schedule, with over 600 games being carried across the province on the OHL Action Pak.

Rogers tv will broadcast over 400 games throughout the season on its local stations that serve Barrie, Guelph, Kitchener, London, Oshawa, Ottawa and Owen Sound.

YourTV stations will air over 350 games and continue to produce all home games in local markets including Kingston, Niagara, North Bay, Peterborough, Sarnia and Windsor. YourTV subscribers in OHL markets can also watch all of the away broadcasts involving the local team. YourTV is exclusively available to Cogeco television customers.

Additionally, Cable 14 will carry all home and away action of the Hamilton Bulldogs, Eastlink will broadcast 27 Wolves home games in Sudbury and Shaw Spotlight will air 23 Greyhounds home games along with 26 road games in Sault Ste. Marie. The Erie Otters, Flint Firebirds and Saginaw Spirit will see each of their 34 home games aired on the OHL Action Pak.

“The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to provide over 90% of all regular season games on television as well as 100% of our season and playoff streaming live and online with OHL Live on CHL TV,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch. “We’re all excited about the return of OHL hockey and fans have the opportunity to enjoy it in a variety of ways with the support of our great broadcast partners.”

Select pre-season games will be televised before the regular season gets underway on Thursday, October 7 with games in North Bay (vs. Peterborough), Barrie (vs. Niagara) and Windsor (vs. Sarnia).

The OHL Action Pak is part of the Rogers Super Sports Pak and is available through Rogers, Cogeco and Eastlink. Find more information at rogers.com/sports and a complete schedule at supersportspak.com.

Related Links:

OHL BOARD OF GOVERNORS APPROVE TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OF GUELPH STORM HOCKEY CLUB

Posted on September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Board of Governors’ approval for the Transfer of Ownership of the Guelph Storm Hockey Club from current owners Rick Gaetz, Scott Walker, Rick Hoyle and John Heeley to Toronto businessmen Joel Feldberg and Jeffrey Bly. The transfer of ownership is effective immediately.

The Storm franchise began as the Toronto Marlboros before a brief two-year stint as the Dukes of Hamilton, arriving in Guelph in 1991. The Storm have enjoyed great success, winning four OHL championships, two of which came under the guidance of the current ownership group as the club hoisted the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2014 and 2019.

“On behalf of the Ontario Hockey League and our Board of Governors I would like to acknowledge the contributions made by Storm Governor Rick Gaetz and the rest of the Guelph ownership group consisting of Scott Walker, Rick Hoyle and John Heeley. Throughout their tenure, the Storm have remained a competitive force on the ice and done tremendous things in the Guelph community,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch. “We are excited to welcome Joel Feldberg and Jeffrey Bly to the OHL family.”

“This was an extremely difficult decision,” commented Rick Gaetz, who was named the OHL’s Executive of the Year in 2010. “I can speak for the entire ownership group when I say that we will miss the Storm very much. We are proud of what we have all achieved on the ice and in the great community of Guelph. It has been a sincere privilege to be a part of this great League and tremendous city.”

Incoming Storm Owners Joel Feldberg and Jeffrey Bly are the President/CEO and Senior Vice President respectively of The Global Furniture Group of companies.

“We are eager to get involved with the team, the League and the community of Guelph,” said Feldberg. “I want to thank the current ownership group for this opportunity. The Storm have always been an integral part of the community and we look forward to carrying out that legacy.”

The Storm return to the ice for pre-season action on Sunday in Mississauga at 2:00pm, squaring off against the Steelheads in a rescheduled matchup that was previously postponed last Sunday. Their next home action comes Friday, September 24th against the Niagara IceDogs at 7:30pm. The Storm open their 2021-22 regular season in Kitchener on Friday, October 8th before hosting the Rangers in their home opener at the Sleeman Centre on Saturday, October 9th at 7:00pm.

CANADIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE ANNOUNCES 2021-22 CBC BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Posted on September 16, 2021September 16, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced today that six games from the upcoming 2021-22 regular season schedule will be televised by CBC as part of the CHL’s new multi-platform, multi-year broadcast rights partnership.

“We are very excited to drop the puck on Saturday afternoons during the 2021-22 season with the CBC,” said CHL President Dan MacKenzie. “Their iconic position in Canadian hockey combined with the CHL’s role as the top development league in the world will make for a winning partnership.”

The six games include representation from each of the CHL’s three member leagues with action beginning Saturday, Oct. 2 featuring the Regina Pats and 2023 NHL Draft favourite Connor Bedard hosting the Prince Albert Raiders. The schedule concludes with a matinee contest featuring the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads taking on the Kingston Frontenacs and 2022 NHL Draft headliner Shane Wright.

All six CBC games will air Saturdays in October and November at 3 p.m. Eastern time:

Sat., Oct. 2 – Prince Albert Raiders vs. Regina Pats (WHL) – 3 p.m. ET
Sat., Oct. 9 – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies vs. Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) – 3 p.m. ET
Sat., Oct. 16 – Calgary Hitmen vs. Red Deer Rebels (WHL) – 3 p.m. ET
Sat., Oct. 23 – Ottawa 67’s vs. Barrie Colts (OHL) – 3 p.m. ET
Sat., Nov. 6 – Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) – 3 p.m. ET
Sat., Nov. 13 – Mississauga Steelheads vs. Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) – 3 p.m. ET

“We’re proud to partner with the CHL and we’re looking forward to sharing the excitement of Canadian major junior hockey with fans across the country this fall,” said Chris Wilson, Executive Director, Sports & Olympics, CBC. “We’re committed to engaging our audiences on a regional and community level, and this partnership with the CHL helps to further that commitment by providing fans more opportunities to cheer on their local teams.”

In addition to being broadcast on CBC TV, all six games will also be available via CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and the free CBC Gem streaming service. Beginning in November, CBC Gem, CBCSports.ca and the CBC Sports app will offer live streaming coverage of one CHL game per week through the end of the regular season. The schedule for these games will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The 2021-22 CHL regular season begins September 30 as part of an exciting new campaign that features the stars of tomorrow in Bedard and Wright in addition to the return of the CHL’s signature national events including the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia.

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About the Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is the world’s largest development hockey league with 52 Canadian and eight American teams participating in the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

Also of note: Many have asked me how the new TV deal affects the OHL Action Pak on the Rogers Sports Pak on cable. In an email I sent to Josh Sweetland, Director of Communications of the OHL, he replied it does not have any effect.

Hi Dominic,

The national TSN deal has no impact on the OHL Action Pak or regional coverage on Rogers, YourTV, Eastlink, Shaw or Cable 14 channels. The Action Pak will continue to carry upwards of 700 OHL games throughout the regular season and playoffs.

A complete television broadcast schedule is forthcoming.

Thanks,
Josh Sweetland

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