Around the OHL

Blades’ Dawson Davidson named CHL Player of the Week

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Saskatoon Blades defenceman Dawson Davidson is the CHL Player of the Week for the regular season week ending October 7 with eight points in four games including one goal and seven assists along with a plus-minus rating of plus-6.

Davidson leads the CHL in scoring among defencemen following a week where a trio of multi-point performances helped spark three straight wins for the Blades lifting them into second place in the WHL’s Eastern Conference standings with a 6-2-0-0 record.  The three Blades wins came at the end of a four-game Alberta road trip that began last Tuesday night with a 5-4 loss to the Red Deer Rebels with Davidson tallying two assists.  The next night in Edmonton, Davidson matched a season-high with a goal and two assists earning third star honours in a 5-3 victory that handed the Oil Kings their first loss of the season.  His weekend included one assist as part of a 3-0 win over the Calgary Hitmen on Friday, then two assists as second star of a 3-2 shootout win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Saturday.  Davidson’s point total last week included four even strength marks and four on special teams including three with the man advantage.  He is the second member of the Blades to earn CHL Player of the Week honours in three weeks this season following forward Kirby Dach.

A 20-year-old from Moosomin, Sask., Davidson is playing in his fifth WHL season since joining the league as a third round pick of the Kamloops Blazers in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft.  The majority of his career was spent in Kamloops playing 124 games for the Blazers before a trade led him to the Regina Pats where he finished the 2016-17 campaign and started 2017-18.  Since being acquired by the Blades last season his tenure has included 34 games where he amassed 28 points including two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in eight games this season.

Also considered for the award this week was fellow overage defenceman Gabriel Bilodeau of the Gatineau Olympiques who scored once with four assists for five points in a trio of victories.  In the OHL, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Isaac Ratcliffe of the Guelph Storm scored three goals and two assists for five points in a pair of wins.

2018-19 CHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:

Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Dawson Davidson (Saskatoon Blades)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Luka Burzan (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades)

Giants’ Trent Miner named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Vancouver Giants rookie Trent Miner is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the regular season week ending October 7 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .964.

Miner turned aside 54 shots across his first two starts of the 2018-19 WHL season helping the Giants extend their winning-streak to four games putting them in a first place tie atop the Western Conference standings with a 6-1-0-0 record.  On Wednesday night he earned his first career shutout with a 21-save performance and third star honours blanking the Kelowna Rockets by a 5-0 score on the road.  He followed that effort with 33 saves on Saturday night in Prince George including 14 stops in the third period alone to preserve a 3-2 victory over the Cougars.

A 17-year-old from Brandon, Man., Miner was chosen 20th overall by the Giants in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.  His two games this season follow his WHL debut of a year ago where he appeared in nine regular season games and carried a 3-4-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 4.20 and save percentage of .885.  He also appeared in three playoff contests and earned a victory in Game 1 of the first round series against the Victoria Royals.  Miner is eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week was Buffalo Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen who made 99 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.66 and save percentage of .952 winning all three games of a Sudbury Wolves road trip.  In the QMJHL, Alexis Shank of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens went 1-0-0-1 with a shutout victory stopping 40 shots in total for a goals-against-average of 0.96 and save percentage of .952.

2018-19 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:

Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Trent Miner (Vancouver Giants)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League in association with the Canadian Hockey League announced today that the Kelowna Rockets have been selected to host the 2020 Memorial Cup presented by Kia. The 2020 Memorial Cup will be held at Prospera Place in Kelowna from May 22 to 31, 2020 and will represent the 102nd edition of the CHL’s national championship.

Three WHL Clubs, the Kamloops Blazers, Rockets and Lethbridge Hurricanes, submitted applications to host the 2020 Memorial Cup. The decision to award the hosting of the 2020 Memorial Cup was made by a majority vote of the WHL Board of Governors on Wednesday, October 3 in Calgary.

“The WHL is very confident the Kelowna Rockets, the City of Kelowna and Province of British Columbia will serve as outstanding hosts of the 2020 Memorial Cup presented by Kia,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “The Kelowna Rockets bid not only met all the requirements to host a Memorial Cup, but they also have exceptional facilities and the strong community support necessary to host a national event of this magnitude.”

This marks the second time Kelowna has been selected to host the Memorial Cup. The Rockets previously hosted the Memorial Cup in 2004 when they defeated the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to claim the CHL national championship.

“We are extremely honored and feel very privileged to have the Memorial Cup coming to Kelowna in 2020,” said Bruce Hamilton, President and General Manager of the Kelowna Rockets. “I want to thank the Western Hockey League Board of Governors for their support of our bid, and also congratulate our Kelowna Bid Committee.”

The last time the Memorial Cup was hosted in B.C. was in 2007, when the Vancouver Giants won the tournament on home ice.

“Our successful bid will send vibrations throughout the Okanagan region,” said Tom Dyas, Chair of the Kelowna Rockets Bid Committee. “It was such a collaborative effort that allowed this dream to come to Kelowna. It has been a privilege to work with such top-class organizations on an event that will provide a substantial economic impact for our community.”

The 2020 Memorial Cup represents the third time in five years the Western Hockey League will host the CHL national championship, following in the footsteps of Red Deer (2016) and Regina (2018).

All games of the 2020 Memorial Cup will be televised nationally by Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

The 2019 Memorial Cup will be hosted by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Halifax Mooseheads from May 16 to 26, 2019 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Memorial Cup features a four-team round robin format with the host Club competing with the Champions from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League.

The Western Hockey League has won a total of 19 Memorial Cup Championships since its inaugural season in 1966, including: Red Deer Rebels (2001), Kootenay ICE (2002), Kelowna Rockets (2004), Vancouver Giants (2007), Spokane Chiefs (2008) and Edmonton Oil Kings (2014).

 

(Quebec City, QC) October 3, 2018: The Canadian Hockey League in association with Kia Canada Inc. are proud to announce a new partnership whereby Kia Canada becomes the Official Automotive Partner of the Canadian Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, as well as new presenting sponsor of the Memorial Cup.

The new partnership officially launched today with media events in Quebec City and Calgary where the logo for the 2019 Memorial Cup Presented by Kia was unveiled and the host city for the 2020 Memorial Cup Presented by Kia was announced as Kelowna, British Columbia.

“On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League it is my pleasure to welcome Kia Canada to the CHL family,” said CHL President David Branch. “We are excited to work together to align our goals and build a strong partnership that includes creating a unique and memorable experience at our distinguished national championship. We look forward to the Memorial Cup Presented by Kia in Halifax this May, and our 2020 event in Western Canada.”

The Memorial Cup has a rich tradition that has shaped the way junior hockey is played in North America.  The trophy was originally known as the OHA Memorial Cup and was donated by the Ontario Hockey Association in March, 1919, in remembrance of the many soldiers who paid the supreme sacrifice for Canada in the First Wold War.  In 2010 the Memorial Cup was rededicated to the memory of all fallen Canadian Military Personnel.  Last season marked the centennial celebration of the Memorial Cup where it was presented for the 100th time to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in Regina.  The 2019 Memorial Cup Presented by Kia will feature the host Halifax Mooseheads along with the champions from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL competing May 16-26.

“At Kia, we believe in the power that sports have to bring people and communities together so, as we enter our 20th year in Canada, we are proud to be a new partner of the Canadian Hockey League – the highest junior echelon of Canada’s favourite sport,” said Michael Kopke, Director of Marketing, Kia Canada Inc. “With our industry-leading quality and advanced safety and technology features, Kia’s lineup is a great fit for the CHL and Canadian hockey families wanting to stay safe and warm on their way to the rink; and everyone at Kia will be working hard to drive our national past-time and working within communities across the country to provide more opportunities for Canadians to watch, play and love the sport of hockey.”

Kia Canada will also have the opportunity to engage with CHL fans and communities across the country as an associate partner of the CIBC Canada Russia Series and the Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.  Throughout the regular season they’ll help spotlight some of the league’s best teams with feature content and title sponsorship of the CHL’s popular weekly top-10 rankings, then join each regional league as a playoff partner during the stretch drive towards the Memorial Cup Presented by Kia.  With commitment to community top of mind, Kia Canada will also present Humanitarian of the Year awards in all three leagues and to a national recipient at the annual CHL Awards Ceremony.

Established in 1999, Kia Canada has achieved impressive growth including recent record years that exceeded over 70,000 annual vehicle sales through our 188 dealerships nationally.  For more information please visit http://www.kia.ca/home

About Kia Canada Inc.
Kia Canada Inc. (www.kia.ca – www.facebook.com/kiacanada), a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart is a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) which was founded in 1999 and sells and services high quality, class leading vehicles like the Soul, Forte, Optima and Sorento through a network of 192 dealers nationwide. Kia Canada Inc. employs 154 people in its Mississauga, Ontario headquarters and three regional offices across Canada, including a state-of-the-art facility in Montreal. Kia’s brand slogan “The Power to Surprise” represents the company’s global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting & inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.

The 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season is just around the corner as the exhibition season is in full swing around the league and in Buffalo N.Y. this Labor Day Weekend for the OHL Showcase.

As we do every year at this time, we bring you the list of players eligible for the 2019 National Hockey League Draft from June 21-22, 2019 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver British Colombia.

This is not a final list as some players will not make their respective teams and will eventually take a different route whether it be the Ontario Junior Hockey League or the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League or other options available to them. And of course, there will be names added to this list. Once the season begins and teams have their final rosters, we will update this list once again.

Here is a team-by-team breakdown of players eligible for the NHL Draft (does not include draft re-entry candidates):

#	Player	POS	Team
3	Matthew Hill	D	Barrie Colts
6	Victor Hadfield	D	Barrie Colts
21	Peter Flemming	LW	Barrie Colts
22	Luke Bignell	C	Barrie Colts
61	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie Colts
72	Nathan Allensen	D	Barrie Colts
31	Jet Greaves	G	Barrie Colts
2	Brendan Kischnick	D	Erie Otters
17	Daniel D’Amato	RW	Erie Otters
44	Brendan Sellan	LW	Erie Otters
72	Petr Cajka	C	Erie Otters
19	Kyle Harris	C	Flint Firebirds
21	Jacob Winterton	LW	Flint Firebirds
43	Eric Uba	RW	Flint Firebirds
92	Evan Keppen	LW	Flint Firebirds
31	Luke Cavallin	G	Flint Firebirds
10	Tag Bertuzzi	LW	Guelph Storm
10	Steven Grant	LW	Guelph Storm
12	Keegan Stevenson	RW	Guelph Storm
20	Mason Primeau	C	Guelph Storm
25	Anthony Aguanno	D	Guelph Storm
35	Nico Daws	G	Guelph Storm
15	Navrin Mutter	LW	Hamilton Bulldogs
34	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton Bulldogs
81	Liam Van Loon	LW	Hamilton Bulldogs
91	Tim Fleischer	C	Hamilton Bulldogs
31	Zachary Roy	G	Hamilton Bulldogs
2	Evan Brand	D	Kingston Frontenacs
29	Ryan Dugas	G	Kingston Frontenacs
8	Arber Xhekaj	D	Kitchener Rangers
9	Jack York	D	Kitchener Rangers
15	Carter Tresoor	C	Kitchener Rangers
17	Mike Petizian	LW	Kitchener Rangers
51	Michael Vukojevic	D	Kitchener Rangers
72	Matt Gordon	C	Kitchener Rangers
7	Vladislav Kolyachonok	D	London Knights
11	Connor McMicheal	C	London Knights
21	Lucas Rowe	RW	London Knights
23	Liam Whittaker	D	London Knights
24	Andrew Perrott	D	London Knights
58	Emmet Pierce	RW	London Knights
70	Matvey Guskov	C	London Knights
76	Dalton Duhart	LW	London Knights
9	Keean Washkurak	C	Mississauga Steelheads
11	Cole Schwindt	RW	Mississauga Steelheads
19	Kurt Watson	LW	Mississauga Steelheads
48	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga Steelheads
61	Adam Varga	RW	Mississauga Steelheads
2	Mason Howard	D	Niagara Ice Dogs
19	Ian Martin	RW	Niagara Ice Dogs
26	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara Ice Dogs
65	Daniel Nardi	D	Niagara Ice Dogs
68	Constantinou, Billy	D	Niagara Ice Dogs
71	Kyen Sopa	RW	Niagara Ice Dogs
1	Jukka Schotter	G	Niagara Ice Dogs
14	Kurtis Evans	RW	North Bay Battalion
22	Harrison Caines	LW	North Bay Battalion
29	Payton Vescio	D	North Bay Battalion
7	Danyk Drouin	C	Oshawa Generals
42	Mitchell Brewer	D	Oshawa Generals
90	Danil Andropov	RW	Oshawa Generals
20	Marco Rossi	C	Ottawa 67’s
24	Lucas Peric	D	Ottawa 67’s
28	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	Ottawa 67’s
92	Greame Clarke	RW	Ottawa 67’s
9	Manuel Alberg	RW	Owen Sound Attack
12	Bryce Caruk	C	Owen Sound Attack
20	Griffin Wilson	C	Owen Sound Attack
22	Mitchell Russell	C	Owen Sound Attack
1	Mack Guzda	G	Owen Sound Attack
30	Andrew MacLean	G	Owen Sound Attack
9	Jake Partridge	LW	Peterborough Petes
10	Erik Čermák	LW	Peterborough Petes
16	Nick Robertson	C	Peterborough Petes
29	Hunter Jones	G	Peterborough Petes
12	Mason Millman	D	Saginaw Spirit
26	Camaryn Baber	C	Saginaw Spirit
71	Nicholas Porco	LW	Saginaw Spirit
75	Duncan Penman	D	Saginaw Spirit
8	Ashton Reesor	D	Sarnia Sting
11	Cameron Hough	LW	Sarnia Sting
14	Braden Guy	LW	Sarnia Sting
18	Justin McCombs	C	Sarnia Sting
24	Marko Jakovljevic	D	Sarnia Sting
39	Jamieson Rees	C	Sarnia Sting
48	Alexandre Hogue	D	Sarnia Sting
33	Ethan Langevin	G	Sarnia Sting
8	Jacob LeGuerrier	D	Soo Greyhounds
19	Joe Carroll	LW	Soo Greyhounds
22	Robert Calisti	D	Soo Greyhounds
24	Cole MacKay	RW	Soo Greyhounds
4	Drew Wawrow	D	Sudbury Wolves
63	Liam Ross	D	Sudbury Wolves
92	Blake Murray	C	Sudbury Wolves
34	David Bowen	G	Sudbury Wolves
3	Grayson Ladd	D	Windsor Spitfires
7	Tyler Angle	C	Windsor Spitfires
10	Jordan Frasca	LW	Windsor Spitfires
28	Cody Morgan	C	Windsor Spitfires
29	Daniel D’Amico	C	Windsor Spitfires
43	Louka Henault	D	Windsor Spitfires
44	Nathan Staios	D	Windsor Spitfires

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the final results of the 2018 CHL Import Draft.

The 27th annual CHL Import Draft included a total of 77 players consisting of 47 forwards and 23 defencemen while seven goaltenders were selected, marking the first time since 2013 that they have been eligible. The 77 players were chosen from across 12 different countries featuring a draft-high 16 players from the Czech Republic.

The two-round draft took place online with the order of selection rotating through each of the CHL’s three leagues using an inverse order of final regular season standings within each league from the 2017-18 season.

The Saint John Sea Dogs used the first overall pick to select Slovakian forward Maxim Cajkovic, a 2019 NHL Draft prospect who spent last season with Malmo of Sweden’s top junior league while also starring for his country at the IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship.  The Edmonton Oil Kings used the second overall pick to select Belarusian forward Vladimir Alistrov who, like Cajkovic, was a standout at the IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship for his native Belarus. At third overall the Sudbury Wolves chose the first goaltender of the draft, selecting Buffalo Sabres second round pick Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen who spent much of the past season with LeKi of Finland’s Mestis league while also representing his country at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

A trio of different countries made their return to the CHL Import Draft selections list including Austria (Marco Rossi, 18th to Ottawa and David Maier, 87th to North Bay) for the first time since 2016, Norway (Kristian Roykas Marthinsen, 83rd to Saskatoon) for the first time since 2014 and Great Britain (Liam Kirk, 9th to Peterborough) for the first time since 2010.

CLICK HERE TO SEE 2018 CHL IMPORT DRAFT ORDER AND RESULTS

The 2018 CHL Import Draft featured 12 players previously selected by NHL teams in 2017 and 2018 drafts.  Of that group, six players were selected at the 2018 NHL Draft in Dallas this past weekend including second round pick Axel Andersson (57th, Boston) chosen 51st overall by the Kitchener Rangers, third round pick Jan Jenik (65th, Arizona) chosen sixth overall by the Flint Firebirds, fourth round picks in forward Matej Pekar (94th, Buffalo) chosen 108th overall by the Barrie Colts and goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (114th, Arizona) selected 15th overall by the Saginaw Spirit. Fifth round pick goaltender Akira Schmid (136th, New Jersey) was selected 20th overall by the Lethbridge Hurricanes while British standout and seventh round pick Liam Kirk (189th, Arizona) was chosen 9th overall by the Peterborough Petes to round out 2018 NHL Draft choices.

The Brandon Wheat Kings selected the lone first round NHL pick in the CHL Import Draft, picking Vegas Golden Knights prospect Erik Brannstrom, the 15th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft, with the 44th overall pick.

A total of 40 players selected in the 2018 CHL Import Draft are first-year eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft, while six players selected are not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2020.

Each team in the CHL is permitted to dress and play a maximum of two import players each season who are selected annually through the CHL Import Draft.

2018 CHL Import Draft Summary:

Draft Picks by Position:

Forward – 47

Defence – 23

Goaltender – 7

Draft Picks by Country:

Czech Republic – 16

Russia – 15

Belarus – 8

Finland – 8

Slovakia – 7

Switzerland – 7

Germany – 5

Sweden – 5

Denmark – 2

Austria – 2

Great Britain – 1 Norway – 1

Draft picks by Birthdate and NHL Status:

2001-born late and 2020 NHL Draft eligible – 6

2001-born and 2019 NHL Draft eligible – 32

2000-born late and 2019 NHL Draft eligible – 8

2000-born and 2018 NHL Drafted – 5

2000-born early and NHL Undrafted – 13

1999-born and NHL Drafted – 7

1999-born and NHL Undrafted – 6

NHL Draft picks in CHL Import Draft:

3. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (G) (Sudbury – 2nd round to Buffalo in 2017)

6. Jan Jenik (RW) (Flint – 3rd round to Arizona in 2018)

9. Liam Kirk (LW) (Peterborough – 7th round to Arizona in 2018)

15. Ivan Prosvetov (G) (Saginaw – 4th round to Arizona in 2018)

20. Akira Schmid (G) (Lethbridge – 5th round to New Jersey in 2018)

44. Erik Brannstrom (D) (Brandon – 1st round to Vegas in 2017)

48. Maksim Zhukov (G) (Barrie – 4th round to Vegas in 2017)

51. Axel Andersson (D) (Kitchener – 2nd round to Boston in 2018)

83. Kristian Roykas Marthinsen (LW) (Saskatoon – 7th round to Washington in 2017)

96. Daniel Bukac (D) (Niagara – 7th round to Boston in 2017)

104. Jiri Patera (G) (Brandon – 6th round to Vegas in 2017)

108. Matej Pekar (C) (Buffalo – 4th round to Buffalo in 2018)

A total of 12 players acquired through the CHL Import Draft were recently selected in the 2017 NHL Draft including Carolina Hurricanes second overall pick Andrei Svechnikov of the Barrie Colts, Detroit Red Wings sixth overall pick Filip Zadina of the Halifax Mooseheads, Toronto Maple Leafs 29th overall pick Rasmus Sandin of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Washington Capitals 31st overall pick Alexander Alexeyev of the Red Deer Rebels all going in the first round. Last season a total of 72 players were selected from 11 different countries led by 19 players from Russia and consisting of 50 forwards and 22 defencemen.

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the regular season schedule of games for 2018-19. 

#OHLOpeningWeek begins on Wednesday September 19 when the Saginaw Spirit host the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and continues with a trio of games on Thursday September 20, seven games on Friday September 21, five games on Saturday September 22, and two games on Sunday September 23 featuring a total of 14 home openers to launch the new campaign. 

Among the highlights in 2018-19 are home openers for the league’s four division winners including the Central Division’s Barrie Colts on September 20 against the Owen Sound Attack, the West’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds against the Sarnia Sting and the Midwest’s Kitchener Rangers against the Flint Firebirds both on September 21, and the East’s Hamilton Bulldogs who will also celebrate their OHL championship season when they host the Ottawa 67’s on September 30. 

The schedule includes five days that feature special morning starts for a total of eight School Day games.  On Wednesday November 7 the Firebirds host the Sting and the 67’s host the Kingston Frontenacs both at 11:00 am, then on Remembrance Day, Wednesday November 14, the Bulldogs host the Colts at 10:30 am while the Erie Otters host the Rangers and the Mississauga Steelheads host the Guelph Storm both at 11:00 am.  On Wednesday November 28 the Frontenacs host the 67’s at 10:30 am, followed by Thursday February 7 when the Bulldogs host the Oshawa Generals at 10:30 am, and Wednesday February 27 when the Steelheads host the Rangers at 11:00 am. 

YourTV’s sixth annual Hockey Day in the OHL takes place this year on Sunday January 27 with a broadcast tripleheader that includes the Niagara IceDogs at the Windsor Spitfires at 1:00 pm, the Frontenacs visit the North Bay Battalion for a 4:00 pm start, and the Bulldogs visit the Sting to close out the day at 7:00 pm. 

The busiest day on the OHL calendar this season is Friday December 27 when the league resumes play following the holiday break and features all 20 teams in action.  The schedule also includes eight days where nine games will be played including Friday October 12, Saturday November 10, Friday November 23, Friday December 14, Sunday January 6, Friday February 1, Saturday February 2, and most notably Monday February 18 with nine matinee matchups to celebrate Ontario’s Family Day. 

For the second straight season, the schedule includes 681 games due to another interleague series between the 67’s and the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques.  The teams will play their home-and-home series on Friday December 7 in Gatineau and Saturday December 8 in Ottawa. 

Milestone seasons in 2018-19 include the Sting playing their 25th campaign in Sarnia, while it also marks the 30th season for the OHL in Owen Sound. 

The regular season wraps up on Sunday March 17 with six games scheduled before the top eight teams in each conference will compete for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in the 2019 OHL Playoffs. 

Divisional alignment remains the same for 2018-19 with the same 68-game unbalanced schedule. Teams continue to play out of conference opponents a minimum of two times (one home, one away) while the majority of teams play interconference teams a minimum of four times including two games at home and two on the road. Interdivisional teams will play each other up to six times and in a number of cases, closest rivals will play each other up to eight times. 

The OHL continues the tradition of being primarily a weekend league in order to accommodate the student athlete with over 87% (597) games scheduled between Thursday and Sunday.  Friday continues to be the busiest night during the season with 191 games scheduled, followed by 165 on Saturdays, and 143 on Sundays.   

Day – No. of Games (Percentage)

Monday: 16 games (2.4%)

Tuesday: 11 games (1.6%)

Wednesday: 56 games (8.2%)

Thursday: 98 games (14.41%)

Friday: 191 games (28.09%)

Saturday: 165 games (24.26%)

Sunday: 143 games (21.03%) 

CHL Special Events not listed within the official schedule but should be noted include the CIBC Canada Russia Series in OHL markets on Thursday November 8 in Sarnia, and Monday November 12 in Oshawa.  The 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game takes place this season in Red Deer, Alberta, on Wednesday January 23, while the 2019 Memorial Cup will be played for May 16-26 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and will feature the OHL champion along with the host Mooseheads, the Western Hockey League champion, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion. 

Full schedule can be found online at www.ontariohockeyleague.com. 

Help promote the launch of the 2018-19 OHL Regular Season on social media by using #OHLOpeningWeek.

Hockey Canada released the list of 111 players invited to the Team Canada Camp for the 2018 World Hockey Challenge Under-17 tournament held from November 3, 2018 through November 10, 2018 in New Brunswick, Canada. The players will be competing for spots on one of three Canadian Teams in the tournament.

Of the 111 players invited to attend, almost half (53) are from the Ontario Hockey League. And 53 of the 111 players are first round draft picks in the Canadian Hockey League’s respective drafts in 2018. 19 of the 53 OHL players were first round picks at the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. All but 7 of the 53 OHL players invited are eligible for the 2020 National Hockey League Draft, with those 7 being eligible for 2021. Players born before September 15, 2002 are eligible for 2020.

Four of the 53 OHL draft picks are goaltenders. Another seventeen are defencemen and thirty-two are forwards. Four players invited have dual citizenship (American and Canadian). Because the World Hockey Challenge is not an International Ice Hockey Federation sanctioned tournament, those four can choose to play for Canada or the USA in future IIHF tournaments. Under IIHF rules, once you play for one country in one of their tournaments, you can no longer play for the other country in future tournaments.

Here are the 53 OHL drafted players invited to camp:

Goaltenders
Name	Catches	HT	WT	DOB	Hometown	2017-2018 Team	OHL Draft
Tye Austin	L	6’3¾”	171	05/28/02	Dunrobin, Ont.	Kanata (HEOMAAA)	PBO 2018 (3/43)
Will Cranley	L	6’1¾”	160	02/26/02	Peterborough, Ont.	Peterborough (OMHA-ETA)	OTT 2018 (2/35)
Tristan Lennox	L	6’2”	173	10/21/02	Mississauga, Ont.	Mississauga Reps (GTHL)	SAG 2018 (2/26)
Joe Vrbetic	L	6’4”	164	10/24/02	Dunvegan, Ont.	Don Mills (GTHL)	NB 2018 (2/31)
Defence
Name	Shoots	HT	WT	DOB	Hometown	2017-2018 Team	OHL Draft
Kyle Aucoin	L	5’9½”	142	07/02/02	Hinsdale, Ill.	Chicago Mission (USU16)	SUD 2018 (7/121)
Jack Bar	R	6’2”	175	10/07/02	Newmarket, Ont.	York Simcoe (OMHA-ETA)	PBO 2018 (3/52)
Alec Belanger	L	5’11½”	181	05/29/02	Barrie, Ont.	Barrie (OMHA-ETA)	OTT 2018 (3/44)
Michael Bianconi	L	5’11¼”	152	05/19/02	Toronto, Ont.	Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL)	FLI 2018 (3/48)
Nolan Dillingham-Morelli	R	6’1”	196	06/22/02	Mississauga, Ont.	Mississauga Rebels (GTHL)	SAR 2018 (4/68)
Jamie Drysdale	R	5’11”	157	04/08/02	Toronto, Ont.	Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)	ER 2018 (1/4)
Lleyton Moore	L	5’7¼”	159	02/27/02	Woodbridge, Ont.	Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)	NIA 2018 (1/12)
Jake Murray	L	6’2½”	188	04/11/02	Oakville, Ont.	Oakville (OMHA-SCTA)	KIN 2018 (1/13)
Ryan O’Rourke	L	6’0½”	165	05/16/02	Pickering, Ont.	Vaughan (GTHL)	SSM 2018 (1/20)
Owen Power	L	6’4½”	207	11/22/02	Mississauga, Ont.	Mississauga Reps (GTHL)	FLI 2018 (2/22)
Michael Renwick	R	5’10¾”	160	01/26/02	Mississauga, Ont.	Mississauga Reps (GTHL)	HAM 2018 (2/34)
Ben Roger	R	5’11”	128	11/03/02	Brighton, Ont.	Quinte (OMHA-ETA)	LDN 2018 (4/74)
Pacey Schlueting	L	6’0½”	176	01/02/02	Corbeil, Ont.	North Bay (GNML)	NB 2018 (1/9)
Donovan Sebrango	L	5’10¾”	162	01/12/02	Kingston, Ont.	CIHA White (HEOMAAA)	KIT 2018 (2/40)
Nolan Seed	L	5’11½”	152	04/24/02	Newboro, Ont.	Smiths Falls (HEOMAAA)	OS 2018 (1/15)
Zack Terry	L	6’1”	177	04/05/02	Oakville, Ont.	Oakville (OMHA-SCTA)	GUE 2018 (2/36)
Jack Thompson	R	5’11”	161	03/19/02	Courtice, Ont.	Clarington (OMHA-ETA)	SUD 2018 (2/30)
Forwards
Name	Shoots	HT	WT	DOB	Hometown	2017-2018 Team	OHL Draft
Colby Ambrosio	R	5’7”	147	08-07-02	Welland, Ont.	Buffalo (USU16)	OTT 2018 (4/66)
Josh Barnes	L	5’9”	155	09/27/02	Cornwall, Ont.	Cornwall (HEOMAAA)	OS 2018 (2/24)
Cameron Butler	R	6’4”	190	06/09/02	Gloucester, Ont.	York Simcoe (OMHA-ETA)	PBO 2018 (2/27)
Quinton Byfield	L	6’3½”	202	08/24/02	Newmarket, Ont.	York Simcoe (OMHA-ETA)	SUD 2018 (1/1)
Ethan Cardwell	R	5’9½”	157	08/30/02	Courtice, Ont.	Clarington (OMHA-ETA)	SAG 2018 (2/33)
Ty Collins	R	6’0”	156	06/11/02	Newmarket, Ont.	York Simcoe (OMHA-ETA)	GUE 2018 (2/38)
Will Cuylle	L	6’2”	187	02/02/02	Toronto, Ont.	Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)	PBO 2018 (1/3)
George Diaco	L	5’5”	140	02/14/02	London, Ont.	London (MHAO)	HAM 2018 (6/101)
Luke Evangelista	R	5’9¾”	149	02/21/02	Oakville, Ont.	Oakville (OMHA-SCTA)	LDN 2018 (1/14)
Jean-Luc Foudy	R	5’10”	153	05/13/02	Scarborough, Ont.	Toronto Titans (GTHL)	WSR 2018 (1/10)
Stephen Halliday	L	6’2½”	203	07/02/02	Glenwood, Md.	Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)	NIA 2018 (3/41)
James Hardie	L	5’10¾”	154	01/18/02	Innisfil, Ont.	Barrie (OMHA-ETA)	MIS 2018 (1/8)
Isaac Langdon	L	5’11½”	170	05/22/02	Belleville, Ont.	Quinte (OMHA-ETA)	KIT 2018 (2/32)
Matthew Maggio	R	5’8¾”	162	11/25/02	Tecumseh, Ont.	Sun County (MHAO)	OTT 2018 (5/86)
Kyle McDonald	R	6’3”	176	02/05/02	Ottawa, Ont.	Ottawa (HEOMAAA)	WSR 2018 (2/25)
Sean McGurn	R	5’9¼”	150	07/20/02	Ottawa, Ont.	Ottawa (HEOMAAA)	LDN 2018 (3/53)
Dawson McKinney	R	6’0”	183	06/23/02	Binbrook, Ont.	Hamilton (OMHA-SCTA)	OSH 2018 (4/64)
Logan Morrison	R	5’9½”	144	07/09/02	Guelph, Ont.	Guelph (OMHA-SCTA)	HAM 2018 (1/18)
Sahil Panwar	L	5’11½”	177	01/26/02	Troy, Mich.	Detroit Honeybaked (USU16)	LDN 2018 (2/23)
Cole Perfetti	L	5’9¼”	170	01/01/02	Whitby, Ont.	Vaughan (GTHL)	SAG 2018 (1/5)
Jacob Perreault	R	5’10”	195	04/15/02	Hinsdale, Ill.	Chicago Mission (USU16)	SAR 2018 (1/19)
Cameron Peters	L	6’0¾”	167	07/09/02	Toronto, Ont.	Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)	NB 2018 (2/29)
Riley Piercey	L	6’2½”	184	03/20/02	Mississauga, Ont.	Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)	BAR 2018 (1/16)
William Portokalis	L	5’9¾”	173	04/04/02	Mississauga, Ont.	Don Mills (GTHL)	MIS 2018 (2/39)
Dylan Robinson	L	6’1”	163	07/02/02	Simcoe, Ont.	Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL)	OSH 2018 (2/28)
Eric Russell	L	6’1½”	178	03/26/02	Oakville, Ont.	Vaughan (GTHL)	BAR 2018 (3/56)
Spencer Smith	L	5’8”	152	05/20/02	St. Catharines, Ont.	Niagara North (OMHA-SCTA)	GUE 2018 (3/47)
Cameron Tolnai	L	6’0”	166	02/14/02	Oakville, Ont.	Oakville (OMHA-SCTA)	OTT 2018 (1/6)
Tyler Tullio	R	5’7½”	140	04/05/02	Lakeshore, Ont.	Vaughan (GTHL)	OSH 2018 (1/11)
Reid Valade	R	5’10”	160	03/14/02	Caledon, Ont.	Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)	KIT 2018 (1/17)
Evan Vierling	L	5’11½”	148	06/20/02	Aurora, Ont.	York Simcoe (OMHA-ETA)	FLI 2018 (1/2)
Davis Young	L	5’10¾”	162	01/03/02	Mississauga, Ont.	Mississauga Reps (GTHL)	HAM 2018 (2/37)

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Exhibition Game Schedule for the 2018-19 season. 

The schedule includes 46 games from Friday August 31 through Sunday September 16 and features a pair of showcase events in Buffalo and Kitchener taking place during the opening weekend of exhibition play August 31 to September 2. 

The second annual HarborCenter OHL Showcase brings four teams together in Buffalo for a round-robin trio of games each to be played between the host Erie Otters, the Flint Firebirds, Hamilton Bulldogs, and Windsor Spitfires.  Kitchener’s Preseason Showcase will also feature four teams and a total of six weekend games played between the host Rangers, the North Bay Battalion, Saginaw Spirit, and the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. 

Additional interleague games highlight the pre-season schedule including a September 14 matchup between the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and the Sudbury Wolves to be played in Timmins.  The Ottawa 67’s will also play a pair against the Gatineau Olympiques across the river on September 14 and in Orleans on September 16.   

All OHL clubs are currently scheduled to play between two and five exhibition contests with the potential for additional games still to be added in the coming months. 

The 2018-19 OHL Regular Season Schedule will be announced in full on Tuesday June 12. 

2018 OHL Exhibition Game Schedule:                                                                                                                                                                                               

Fri. Aug 31 Saginaw vs. North Bay 2:00 (Kitchener Preseason Showcase)

Fri. Aug 31 Hamilton vs. Flint 4:00 (OHL Showcase at Buffalo’s HarborCenter)

Fri. Aug 31 Moncton (QMJHL) vs. Kitchener 7:00 (Kitchener Preseason Showcase)

Fri. Aug 31 Windsor vs. Erie 7:00 (OHL Showcase at Buffalo’s HarborCenter)

Fri. Aug 31 Oshawa at Mississauga 7:00 (Hershey Rink 2)

Fri. Aug 31 Barrie at Niagara 7:00

Fri. Aug 31 Ottawa at Sudbury 7:05

Fri. Aug 31 Sarnia at London 7:30

 

Sat. Sept 1 Moncton (QMJHL) vs. North Bay 2:00 (Kitchener Preseason Showcase)

Sat. Sept 1 Windsor vs. Hamilton 2:30 (OHL Showcase at Buffalo’s HarborCenter)

Sat. Sept 1 Saginaw vs. Kitchener 7:00 (Kitchener Preseason Showcase)

Sat. Sept 1 Flint vs. Erie 7:00 (OHL Showcase at Buffalo’s HarborCenter)

Sat. Sept 1 Peterborough at Guelph 7:00

Sat. Sept 1 London at Sarnia 7:05

 

Sun. Sept 2 Moncton (QMJHL) vs. Saginaw 11:00 (Kitchener Preseason Showcase)

Sun. Sept 2 Flint vs. Windsor 12:30 (OHL Showcase at Buffalo’s HarborCenter)

Sun. Sept 2 Ottawa at Kingston 2:00

Sun. Sept 2 Sudbury at Owen Sound 2:00

Sun. Sept 2 North Bay vs. Kitchener 2:00 (Kitchener Preseason Showcase)

Sun. Sept 2 Oshawa at Peterborough 2:05

Sun. Sept 2 Hamilton vs. Erie 3:15 (OHL Showcase at Buffalo’s HarborCenter)

 

Mon. Sept 3 Mississauga at Guelph 2:00

Mon. Sept 3 Kingston vs. Ottawa 2:00 (Cornwall)

Mon. Sept 3 Owen Sound at Barrie 6:00

 

Thurs. Sept 13 Kingston at Peterborough 7:05

Thurs. Sept 13 Sault Ste. Marie at Sudbury 7:05

Thurs. Sept 13 Sarnia at Windsor 7:05

Thurs. Sept 13 Niagara  at Barrie 7:30

 

Fri. Sept 14 Guelph at Mississauga 7:00

Fri. Sept 14 Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) vs. Sudbury 7:00 (Timmins)

Fri. Sept 14 Ottawa at Gatineau (QMJHL) 7:00

Fri. Sept 14 Saginaw at Flint 7:00

Fri. Sept 14 Windsor at Sarnia 7:05

Fri. Sept 14 Niagara at Kitchener 7:30

Fri. Sept 14 Erie at London 7:30

 

Sat. Sept 15 Owen Sound at North Bay 2:00

Sat. Sept 15 Hamilton at Guelph 7:00

Sat. Sept 15 Flint at Saginaw 7:00

Sat. Sept 15 Kitchener at Niagara 7:00

Sat. Sept 15 London vs. Erie 7:00 (Location-TBA)

Sat. Sept 15 Mississauga vs. Oshawa 7:05 (Ajax Community Centre)

Sat. Sept 15 Peterborough at Barrie 7:30

 

Sun. Sept 16 North Bay at Owen Sound 2:00

Sun. Sept 16 Gatineau (QMJHL) at Ottawa 2:00 (Orleans)

Sun. Sept 16 Sudbury at Sault Ste. Marie 2:07

Sun. Sept 16 Peterborough vs. Oshawa 6:00