Toronto, ON – Ontario Hockey League action heads into the fourth week of the regular season schedule with 26 games beginning tonight through Sunday.

 Here’s a look at what’s going on around the league:

AT THE RINKS

Troops don pink Thursday night – The North Bay Battalion host their annual Pink in the Rink event on Thursday night at home to the Oshawa Generals. The Troops will wear special pink sweaters for the occasion, which will be a part of a silent auction in the North Concourse. Pink event t-shirts will be available to purchase for $15 with proceeds also benefitting the Canadian Cancer Society. For more information on the event, visit battalionhockey.com.

Sittler drops the puck in St. Catharines – Toronto Maple Leafs legend and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Darryl Sittler will conduct the ceremonial puck drop on Thursday night in St. Catharines as the Niagara IceDogs host the Hamilton Bulldogs. Sittler will be taking time to sign autographs at the Meridian Booth pre-game and during the first intermission. Don’t miss your chance to miss one of the game’s all-time greats!

Firebirds host first ever Pink Out Night – The Flint Firebirds are taking up arms against breast cancer Friday night at home to the Ottawa 67’s. Firebirds players will be wearing special pink jerseys during the game that will be auctioned off at the end of the contest in addition to goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic’s game worn helmet. A 50/50 raffle and special pink merchandise will also be on sale on the concourse. For full details on the event please visit flintfirebirds.com.

Frontenacs hold Foster Parent Night at the KRC – The Kingston Frontenacs are supporting a special cause on Friday night – the need to find foster parents for the many youth who can’t stay in their homes due to abuse or neglect. Join the Frontenacs as they shine a light on this very important issue in our society on Friday at home to the Peterborough Petes.

PETES’ HUNTER GARLENT RECEIVES WEEKLY HONOURS

Hunter Garlent of the Peterborough Petes is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 11 after leading the league with eight points in three games scoring twice with six assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-7.  Garlent helped the Petes grab four of a possible six points on their West Division road trip lifting the club into a first place tie in the OHL’s Eastern Conference standings with 10 points.

TIP TOP TAILORS OHL PLAYS OF THE WEEK – WEEK 3

The goaltenders stole the show on the third installment of the Tip Top Tailors OHL Plays of the Week. Dawson Carty headlined the highlight reel with an outstanding save to rob his former team, the Mississauga Steelheads of a goal. Michael Giugovaz played second fiddle, similarly taking a goal away from one of his old clubs in the Peterborough Petes. A pair of OHL youngsters scored their first OHL goal in fine style as both Greg Meireles and Ben Gleason made it into the top five while Flint’s Will Bitten showed us his soft hands with a dandy breakaway backhand deke. Catch the third edition of the Tip Top Tailors OHL Plays of the Week.

GETTING ON THE BOARD: FIRST OHL GOALS IN 2015-16

53 different players have scored their first OHL goal this season! Revisit their exciting milestones right here! Click on a player’s name below to watch his first OHL goal! 

Vladislav Barulin, Daniel Beaudoin, Robbie Burt, Chase Campbell, Cole Candella, Jacob Cascagnette, Sasha Chmelevski, Ryan Cranford,Cam Dineen, Stepan Falkovsky, Christian Fischer, Morgan Frost, Ben Garagan, Brady Gilmour, Christian Girhiny, Ben Gleason, Brendan Harrogate, Jake Henderson, Noel Hoefenmayer, Aiden Jamieson, Ben Jones, Olli Juolevi, Boris Katchouk, Max Kislinger, Jack Kopacka, David Levin, Lukas Lofquist, Ryan McGregor, Greg Meireles, Mitchell Mendonca, Jarrett Meyer, Christian Mieritz, Daniel Muzito-Bagenda, Julius Nattinen, Alex Nylander, Tyler Parsons, J.J. Piccinich, Zack Pittman, Isaac Ratcliffe, Daniel Robertson, Jason Robertson, Jordan Sambrook, Eddie Schulz, Mikhail Sergachev, Kole Sherwood, Nicolas Sicoly, Dmitry Sokolov, Matthew Strome, Nick Suzuki, Robert Thomas, Owen Tippett, Matthew Tkachuk, Gabe Vilardi

ROGERS HOMETOWN HOCKEY IN NORTH BAY THIS WEEKEND

The Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour stops in North Bay this weekend! The festival caps off with the broadcast of the Vancouver Canucks vs. Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night hosted by Ron MacLean LIVE from the Sportsnet Mobile Studio in North Bay. For more information visit hometownhockey.com.

Be sure to wrap up the weekend with some Battalion hockey on Sunday as they host the Niagara IceDogs at 3:00pm.

CHL CANADA/RUSSIA SERIES COMES TO OWEN SOUND AND WINDSOR

The 2015 Canada/Russia Series brings hard-hitting action to Owen Sound and Windsor next month as the world’s best young players continue the historic Canada/Russia rivalry.

While the game in Owen Sound on Thursday November 12 has sold out, tickets to catch the action on Monday November 16 in Windsor are on sale now!

Don’t miss out! See the OHL’s brightest young stars put their best foot forward in an early audition for a potential spot with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Helsinki, Finland.

ALUMNI NOTES

McDavid, Fabbri, Domi and McCann all score first NHL goal – With the dawn of a new NHL season comes significant career milestones for prominent OHL graduates. Connor McDavid, Robby Fabbri, Max Domi and Jared McCann each scored their first NHL goal in the past week.

McDavid lit the lamp on Tuesday in his third game, a 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. The 2015 CHL Player of the Year tipped an Andrej Sekera point shot past Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen at 12:18 of the second period.

Fabbri scored in an opening night victory over McDavid’s Oilers, taking a centering feed from linemate Jori Lehtera to beat Edmonton goaltender Cam Talbot.

Domi got on the scoresheet in a 4-1 Arizona Coyotes victory over Los Angeles on Monday. Domi made the Kings pay for a defensive zone turnover, beating goaltender Jonathan Quick over the shoulder with his signature quick release at 4:43 of the second period. The goal was part of a two-point game for Domi, who also had an assist on Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s first goal of the season.

McCann picked up his first NHL marker on Saturday as the Vancouver Canucks fell to the Calgary Flames 3-2. McCann teamed up with Jannik Hansen and London Knights graduate Brandon Prust to beat goaltender Jonas Hiller at 11:33 of the second frame.

Tyler Randell scores first NHL goal – Tyler Randell’s first NHL goal was game winner, propelling the Boston Bruins to a 6-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. Randell tipped home an Adam McQuaid point shot for the first of his NHL career, coming in his debut.

Randell played in 267 career OHL contests from 2007-2012 between the Belleville Bulls and the Kitchener Rangers. He registered 67 goals, 44 assists and 111 points. His past four seasons have been predominantly spent with the AHL’s Providence Bruins.

Binnington enjoys productive, knowledge-filled summer: Former Owen Sound Attack goaltender Jordan Binnington took big steps this summer to improve himself on and off the ice. The American Hockey League’s Lindsey Willhite fills us in on what the St. Louis Blues prospect learned about nutrition, flexibility and a wide range of other diverse subjects. READ

Dundas is OUA’s early season scoring leader: Former Oshawa Generals and Sarnia Sting forward Justice Dundas is off to a hot start to his OUA career, scoring four goals and two assists for six points in his first two games with the University of Windsor Lancers. Dundas, who spent his overaged season last year with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, played in 152 career OHL games from 2011-2014.

KEY WEEKEND MATCHUPS

Ottawa 67’s (4-3-0-0) vs. Windsor Spitfires (5-1-1-0)
Thursday October 15 at Windsor

Two of the OHL’s hottest teams clash in Windsor on Thursday night as the Ottawa 67’s enter action as winners of four straight, overcoming an 0-3 start to the season. The Windsor Spitfires hit the ice as the 10th ranked team on the most recent edition of the BMO CHL Top-10 Rankings.

67’s head coach and GM Jeff Brown sends his club out against his son Logan and a Spitfires squad that has impressed many out of the gate this season.

Erie Otters (6-0-0-0) vs. Oshawa Generals (4-3-1-0)
Friday October 16 at Oshawa

The Erie Otters visit the Oshawa Generals in a rematch of last spring’s OHL Championship Series that saw the eventual MasterCard Memorial Cup Champion Generals take a 4-1 series victory.

With captain Dylan Strome back in the lineup and OHL leading scorer Alex DeBrincat doing what he does best, the Otters boast a formidable lineup that features 12 holdovers from last year’s squad. They enter a three-in-three weekend with games in Peterborough and Oshawa before returning home to face Guelph.

Along with the Otters and Barrie Colts, the Generals have been one of the OHL’s best defensive team to start the season, with goaltender Jeremy Brodeur recording four shutouts through his first seven starts.

This game has been circled on a lot of calendars since May.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

Thursday, October 15
Hamilton at Niagara – 7:00pm
Oshawa at North Bay – 7:00pm
Erie at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Ottawa at Windsor – 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Barrie – 7:30pm

Friday, October 16
North Bay at Sudbury – 7:00pm
Peterborough at Kingston – 7:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Ottawa at Flint – 7:30pm
Owen Sound at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Saginaw at London – 7:30pm
Windsor at Guelph – 7:30pm
Erie at Oshawa – 7:35pm

Saturday, October 17
Guelph at Erie – 7:00pm
Kingston at Hamilton – 7:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at London – 7:00pm
Sudbury at Niagara – 7:00pm
Mississauga at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Kitchener at Barrie – 7:30pm

Sunday, October 18
Windsor at Owen Sound – 2:00pm
Niagara at North Bay – 3:00pm
Sudbury at Hamilton – 3:00pm
Ottawa at Saginaw – 4:00pm
Kitchener at Guelph – 6:00pm
Kingston at Oshawa – 6:05pm
Mississauga at Sarnia – 7:05pm

CATCH ALL OF THE ACTION ON OHL LIVE

The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Dennis Yan of the Shawinigan Cataractes is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 11 after recording 10 points in two games scoring six goals and four assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-6.

Yan produced back-to-back career-high five-point performances for the Cataractes who continued their strong start to the 2015-16 QMJHL season winning both games last week to improve their record to 9-2-0-0.  On Friday night, Yan scored his second career hat-trick and added two assists including the helper on Anthony Beauvillier’s game-winning goal to claim second star honours in a wild 8-7 overtime victory against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.  Then on Saturday, Yan repeated his offensive effort with another hat-trick and two assists this time claiming first honours in a 5-2 win over the Val-d’Or Foreurs.

Yan, an 18-year-old from Portland, OR, is playing in his second career QMJHL season.  Selected by the Lightning in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft, Yan has nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in seven games so far this season after scoring 33 goals and 31 assists for 64 points in 59 games as a rookie last season.

Also considered for the award this week was fellow Lightning prospect Brayden Point of the Moose Jaw Warriors who scored five goals and four assists for nine points in three games, while Hunter Garlent of the Peterborough Petes scored twice with six assists for eight points in three games.

2015-16 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Dennis Yan (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Conor Garland (Moncton Wildcats)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Alex Forsberg (Victoria Royals)

The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Coleman Vollrath of the Victoria Royals is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending October 11 after posting a 3-1-0-0 record with a shutout victory along with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .960.

Vollrath backstopped the Royals to three straight wins last week making 97 saves in four starts lifting the Royals into first place in the WHL standings with a 7-1-0-0 record to start the 2015-16 season.  Vollrath made 25 saves on Tuesday despite the Royals first loss of the campaign by a 3-1 score against the Spokane Chiefs.  In a rematch on Wednesday night, his 27 saves helped defeat the Chiefs 4-1 earning him third star honours.  He stopped all 26 shots he faced on Friday for his first shutout of the season earning first star honours in a 3-0 win over the Kelowna Rockets, then wrapped up the week with 19 saves on Saturday in a 3-1 win over the Kamloops Blazers.

Vollrath, a 20-year-old from Calgary, AB, is playing in his fourth career WHL season with the Royals posting a career 59-36-4-4 record with eight shutouts.  So far this season he carries a goals-against-average of 1.63 and save percentage of .938.

Also considered for the award this week was Lucas Peressini of the Kingston Frontenacs who posted a 2-0-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.48 and save percentage of .955, and Olivier Tremblay of the Victoriaville Tigres who won both of his road starts maintaining a goals-against-average of 1.98 and save percentage of .944.

2015-16 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Coleman Vollrath (Victoria Royals)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Louis-Philip Guindon (Rimouski Oceanic)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)

Forward Owen MacDonald sounds off after his team nearly blows a 5-1 from the first period

 Forget simply giving thanks. This weekend for the London Knights was about escape and relief.

They blew a 5-1 first-period lead Monday afternoon but still managed to beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 8-6 before 3,058 — a lot of them Knights fans — at First­Ontario Centre (formerly Copps Coliseum).

“We can’t give that away,” said London forward Owen MacDonald, who tipped in the winning goal with 3:45 left in the third period. “It was terrible play by us in the second period (outscored 3-0 in the middle 20 minutes). That’s what cost us and luckily, we grinded them down in the third.

“We can’t have that again.”

Did MacDonald worry his high tip off a Brandon Crawley point shot would be negated on a high-stick video review?

“I’m not too tall, so no,” the 5-foot-9 veteran quipped.

The Bulldogs grew a few inches when ex-Knight Ben Gleason, dealt to the Hammer last week after struggling to get in London’s lineup, brought his new team all the way back to even late in the third. It was his first OHL goal.

That joy lasted a grand total of 67 seconds before MacDonald’s redirection.

“(Gleason) got his moment of fame,” MacDonald said. “It didn’t last for very long but good for him. I hope he succeeds here and wish him all the best.”

The Knights spent a lot of time crossing their fingers in hope Matthew Tkachuk wasn’t seriously injured after a collision with an Attack player in a 2-1 loss in Owen Sound on Saturday.

Full story

Rangers rookie collects five points in romp

The Kitchener Rangers are hoping it’s a glimpse of things to come.

Rookie winger Greg Meireles picked up five points in an 8-2 rout against the Sudbury Wolves on Thanksgiving Monday at the Aud.

It’s the first five-point performance since Michael Catenacci did the quint back in 2012. But “Cat” was a fifth-year captain at the time, not a 16-year-old playing in just his third OHL game.

“It means the world,” said Meireles, who scored twice and added three assists. “It has always been my dream to go to the OHL, and to get five points is amazing. It’s unreal.”

The freshman has taken an unusual path to the Aud.

The Rangers’ first-round draft pick (12th overall) opted to sign with the club as an affiliate player while spending the majority of the season with the Ottawa Jr. Senators in the Central Canada Hockey League.

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Storm ring in new phone policy

Before entering the dressing room, before practice and on game days, Guelph Storm players must first stop by the equipment table sitting in the hallway outside their dressing room door.

There, into a bright red former shoe box with the word “PHONES” written on it in black marker, they must leave their cellphones and only then can they enter the dressing room. When all phones are accounted for, it’s put safely away by equipment manager Rusty Hammond.

While other teams in the OHL have had a similar rule in previous years, it’s something Guelph Storm coach Bill Stewart implemented prior to this season at the Sleeman Centre.

“It’s a different way to look at things, but we’re so young that we just want to make sure the focus is in the right direction as opposed to all over the place,” Stewart said of the ban on phones in the dressing room.

“There’s agents, parents, friends and all this stuff. We just want everyone to focus when they come here so that we get their full attention. It’s not that they’ve been abusing things. We just need a little more focus because of their youth.”

Stewart said there are so many different social media avenues out there that young people are involved with, that the team has to be aware of them all.

Full story

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Louis-Philip Guindon of the Rimouski Oceanic is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending October 4 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 0.96 and save percentage of .966.

Guindon made 56 saves in two starts backstopping the defending QMJHL champion Oceanic to a pair of victories improving their record to 6-1-0-0.  On Friday night he made 27 saves as part of a 6-2 win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, then earned second star honours on Sunday in a 1-0 shootout win over the Charlottetown Islanders.  In that contest, Guindon made 27 saves and stopped all six shootout attempts for his first shutout of the season and 13th of his QMJHL career.

Guindon, a 20-year-old from Montreal, QC, is playing in his fourth QMJHL season and second with the Oceanic.  In addition to his league-high six wins so far in the 2015-16 campaign, Guindon carries a goals-against-average of 2.69 and save percentage of .901.

Also considered for the award this week was Coleman Vollrath of the Victoria Royals who posted a 2-0-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .944, while New Jersey Devils prospect Mackenzie Blackwood of the Barrie Colts went 2-1-0-0 with a goals-against-average of 1.33 and save percentage of .960.

2015-16 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Louis-Philip Guindon (Rimouski Oceanic)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Zack Bowman of the Flint Firebirds is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending September 27 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including one shutout with a goals-against-average of 0.96 and a save percentage of .966.

Bowman made 58 saves in two games earning first star honours in both contests for the Firebirds who opened their inaugural season in the CHL with a pair of victories over Michigan I-75 rivals the Saginaw Spirit.  In Thursday night’s season opener, Bowman stopped all 24 shots he faced on the road earning his first career shutout blanking the Spirit 3-0.  In Saturday night’s home opener, Bowman turned aside 34 shots then stopped all three Spirit shootout attempts backstopping the Firebirds to a 3-2 victory in the first ever OHL game played at Flint’s newly refurbished Dort Federal Event Center.

An 18-year-old from St. Catharines, ON, Bowman is playing in his third career OHL season after being selected by the Plymouth Whalers in the fourth round of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.  In 34 career games he carries a 7-15-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 4.30 and save percentage of .883.

 Also considered for the award this week was Chase Marchand of the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies who posted a 2-0-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .958, while Landon Bow of the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos who posted a 1-1-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.95 and a save percentage of .957.

 2015-16 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)

 

London Knights know they have put together something special with their roster this season

They are, on paper, an impressive lot.

The London Knights know they have put together something special with their roster this season. They shoot for the stars every fall, and even when they finish short of those heights, the trip is rarely dull.

“We like our good speed,” London coach Dale Hunter said. “We’ve talked about it all along here. We’re bigger than we were before — bigger and with speed. Speed is involved in everything, penalty killing, power play and forechecking.”

They went after power and quickness because that’s what wins in hockey today. In the OHL over the last decade, you have almost zero chance of getting to the Memorial Cup unless you finish first in your conference. You invariably need about 50 wins to do it.

The Knights won 40 games and finished third in their conference last year, but moved Michael McCarron and Dakota Mermis to Oshawa anyway as they knew they couldn’t out-muscle the best in the business.

This year, they believe they can go to toe-to-toe with the likes of chief rivals Sault Ste. Marie and Niagara, who are also top contenders. And if they need more midway through the season, they have the draft picks and prospects to do it.

“We should do better than last year,” 19-year-old defenceman Aiden Jamieson said. “The new guys (brought in) have adjusted to the speed (of the league) and we’ll be fast. Our forwards will be deep. Every line is going to be good, especially (Mitch) Marner and (Christian) Dvorak — if they come back (from NHL camps in Toronto and Arizona).

“Obviously, we want them to stay as long as they can for themselves, but for the team’s sake, you want them to come back.”

Marner and Dvorak can help cover up, in the early run, any missing chemistry, inexperience or growing pains.

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The Legend will be missed

I always tried to beat Don Cameron to the media room.

Like me, the veteran broadcaster liked to arrive at the Aud about three hours before puck drop to prepare for the night’s action.

But, more often than not, as I approached the media room — named in his honour — I’d catch a whiff of the coffee brewing and realize that the 79-year-old play-by-play man had already settled in.

“How ya doin’ Don?” I’d ask.

His reply was always the same.

“Good … so far.”

You got the sense that it was Cameron’s way of saying “ask me how I feel after the game.”

Though never a cheerleader, he always wanted to see the Kitchener Rangers do well.

For some 50 years Cameron’s voice brought images to life to ears across Waterloo Region. Friday’s season opener between the Rangers and Owen Sound Attack was the first time in decades that fans heard a different delivery on the radio.

And it was hard not to notice his absence.

I kept peering to my left throughout the game to look for my compadre in the press box only to be reminded that he had retired.

In his place was longtime colour guy Mike Farwell. And he’ll be great. He has the passion, skill and hockey sense to carry the torch. But, with no disrespect, it’s just not the same.

How can it be?

Cameron, a Summerside, P.E.I. native, called more than 4,000 games. For some Rangers fans his voice is the only one they’ve ever known.

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Predicting this year’s top OHL performers

With every team tied for first place and every player tied for the scoring lead, it’s always fun to take a look at who some of the leading contenders are for the Ontario Hockey League’s year-end awards.

TOP SCORER: Andrew Mangiapane, Barrie: We don’t see much of the super skilled Mangiapane here in the Western Conference, but the five-foot-10-inch tall, 170-pound centre put up 104 points last season (43 goals and 61 assists) and is on a team that will be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The scoring race will be close, but Mangiapane could benefit from not going to the World Juniors while his main competition does.

Runners up: Dylan Strome, Erie; Mitch Marner, London; Josh Ho Sang, Niagara.

Long shot: Jared McCann, Sault Ste. Marie.

TOP DEFENCEMAN: Jakub Chychrun, Sarnia: Might be a bit of a stretch to take a 17-year-old as the top blueliner, but Chychrun has it all: size (six feet two inches tall, 215 pounds), skill (33 points in 42 games last season) and he skates like the wind. Plus, he should have a much better team around him this season.

Runners up: Vince Dunn, Niagara; Mitch Vande Sompel, Oshawa.

Long shot: Travis Dermott, Erie.

TOP GOALTENDER: Alex Nedeljkovic, Flint: Nedeljkovic has been the best goaltender in the OHL for a couple of years now. While he won’t have a good team in front of him this season as the Firebirds enter rebuilding mode, he should be on Team USA at the World Juniors and will likely be dealt to a contender at some point. Numbers don’t always tell the true story, but if it was Game 7 of the Memorial Cup, I think most coaches would want Nedeljkovic in net.

Runners up: Mackenzie Blackwood, Barrie; Brandon Halverson, Sault Ste. Marie.

Long shot: Michael McNiven, Owen Sound.

TOP OLDER ROOKIE: Matt Tkachuk, London: The Knights have brought in a busload of older rookies this year and the ’97 born Tkachuk (son of former NHLer Keith) might be the best of the bunch. But a couple of his teammates might be right behind him. Tkachuk had 96 points last season playing in the United States National Team Development Program.

Runners up: Max Jones, London; Vili Saarijarvi, Flint.

Long shot: Alex Nylander, Mississauga.

TOP 16-YEAR-OLD ROOKIE: Brady Gilmour, Saginaw: Gilmour’s five-foot-nine-inch stature scared some teams away at the draft table as the talented centre didn’t go until the sixth pick overall. But he led the OHL in pre-season scoring and will play huge minutes immediately for the Spirit.

Runners up: Owen Tippett, Mississauga; David Levin, Sudbury.

Long shot: Markus Phillips, Owen Sound.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Marty Williamson, Niagara: Williamson is respected, talented and has a good team. Plus, everyone is rooting for him after a serious health scare last season. But Williamson will win this one on merit, as the IceDogs should be one of the top teams in the East this season.

Runners up: Derian Hatcher, Sarnia; Mike Van Ryn, Kitchener.

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Halverson frustrated by nagging ankle injury

The Soo Greyhounds No. 1 netminder isn’t confident he’ll be back anytime soon.

“I won’t be at 100% for a couple of weeks,” said Brandon Halverson, forced to miss Friday’s Ontario Hockey League 2015-2016 regular season opener against the Windsor Spitfires.

The 19-year-old (1996 birth year) native of Traverse City, Mich., will not dress tonight either, when the Hounds entertain the Niagara IceDogs in a 7:07 p.m. start.

In Halverson’s absence, Dougie Newhouse, a 12th-round draft choice in 2015, is with the team serving as backup to second-year man Joseph Raaymakers.

Newhouse is slated to spend the season with the Waterloo Wolves Major Midgets.

Halverson continues to be bothered by a bruised left ankle, an injury he suffered on Sept. 4 in the team’s annual Luke Williams Red & White Game.

“It’s getting better,” said Halverson, who set a Greyhounds franchise record last season with 40 regular season victories. “It’s strong off the ice for doing certain things. But I’m not at 100% on the ice. It’s still painful.”

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Attack’s Jarett Meyer taking an aggressive stance

Jarett Meyer is the Friendly Giant minus sidekicks Rusty and Jerome.

The big Owen Sound Attack defenseman is amiable and easy going. So was the famed kids TV show host.

But everyone seems to want the Long Island, N.Y., native to play more like the the giant in Jack in the Bean Stock – grumpy and fierce.

So Meyer is frequently asked to be more physical and more aggressive on the ice. Two additions to his game that would make him play more like Boston’s Zdeno Chara, the other giant that people want to compare him to.

“When you’re big like (me) that’s how you should play,” Meyer said in an interview prior to Owen Sound’s 5-4 overtime win in Kitchener in their Attack’s season opener on Friday.

“I’m not Chara but it’s flattering.”

The opposition often make it easier for Meyer to play with an edge.

Everybody wants to take a run at the big guy to see him fall.

“My Dad’s always saying some guy tried to run me but I don’t even notice,” Meyer said.

“I don’t really feel it.”

But he did feel it when Detroit invited him to its main training camp after an impressive showing at a rookie tournament for Red Wings.

“That was the best news ever when you get that,” said Meyer who sat near Red Wings’ defenseman Niklas Kronwall and across the room from Henrick Zetterberg. at main camp.

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10 key storylines to keep an eye on as the Sarnia Sting embark on a new season

So much of what happens over the course of a six-month OHL season is unpredictable.

Injuries, trades, and production – or lack thereof – from surprise sources all have a significant impact on a junior hockey franchise’s fortunes.

Here, though, are 10 key questions that, depending on how they’re answered, could significantly sway the Sarnia Sting’s 2015-16 season – which began Friday night against Erie and continues Sunday when Kingston arrives in Sarnia – one way or the other.

1. What will the Devils do with Pavel Zacha?

What route the New Jersey Devils decide to take with Pavel Zacha is crucial for the Sting.

The Devils currently have the 18-year-old Czech forward – they selected him sixth overall in June’s draft – at training camp.

They have several options: Return him to Sarnia at some point over the next two weeks as their camp roster is trimmed down, keep him for up to nine NHL regular-season games, then send him back to junior so as not to use the first year of his entry-level contract, or make him a full-time Devil.

Without his services this season, the Sting’s offence will take a significant hit.

2. How will Justin Fazio react to starter’s minutes?

Last season’s starting goalie, Taylor Dupuis, is gone, leaving backup Justin Fazio and the newly-signed Kaden Fulcher as the two candidates for crease minutes.

Fazio, a 17-year-old Sarnia native, had a strong preseason with a 2-1 record, 2.00 goals against average and .935 save percentage, while Fulcher is a rookie coming out of a Toronto-based hockey academy.

The team’s coaching staff is looking for one of the masked men to take the reigns, and the first opportunity will be handed to Fazio, who appeared in 29 games last year.

3. Will Jakob Chychrun stay healthy all season?

So much of the team’s fortunes rest on the surgically-repaired shoulder of Jakob Chychrun.

The sophomore defenceman managed to finish 11th in rookie scoring last season despite missing almost half of his team’s games due to a pair of upper-body ailments.

The club needs him to stay on the ice this winter, and being his NHL draft year he’ll be aiming for the same result, no doubt.

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Former Colts coach being inducted into Barrie Sports Hall of Fame

Bill Stewart won’t hide from the past.

While his one only year at the helm of the Barrie Colts included the franchise’s lone Ontario Hockey League championship and appearance in a Memorial Cup final, he takes full responsibility for the part he played in a 1999-2000 season that was filled with as much controversy off the ice as there was success on it.

Stewart admits he made some serious mistakes, but the now head coach of the Guelph Storm says he has learned a great deal from them and is a better coach and person today than he was back then.

“I don’t want any pity party, because I got what I deserve and I deserve everything that I got. You know what? Pick yourself up and let’s go,” said the Barrie native who is being inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame when they host this year’s induction ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall.

Stewart knows he can’t change the past, but he’s humbled that his hometown would allow him this great honour.

“I just wish it was under better circumstances. But you know what? It’s not a perfect world and you learn from your mistakes and I think I’ve done that,” the 57-year-old said. “I really appreciate that finally I am getting recognized for whatever reason and it’s just great to part of a tradition in Barrie.”

Despite leading Barrie to a Central Division title and a 43-18-6-1 record that season, it was overshadowed by several incidents, including when Stewart was suspended by the OHL for putting a player inside the luggage compartment of the team bus after realizing import defenceman Vladimir Chernenko didn’t have his proper paper work as they were set to cross the U.S. border.

As a result, Stewart was banned from crossing the U.S. border and had to watch from a Windsor hotel as the Colts clinched the OHL title in Game 7 in Plymouth, Mich.

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New Steelhead Nylander likes the Canadian game

Alexander Nylander will have plenty of family support when he suits up for the Ontario Hockey League’s Mississauga Steelheads this season.

His father Michael, a former NHL star, is an assistant coach in the organization, and his brother William is a top prospect with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

While being close to his brother was a factor in Nylander’s decision to move to the Toronto area, the Swedish teenager said the chance to play the Canadian style of hockey was also a draw.

“It’s great hockey here in Canada. I really like small rinks,” said Nylander, who is considered a potential first-round pick in next year’s NHL draft. “My brother is living here so it’s super close and Toronto is a great area, so is Mississauga.”

The Steelheads drafted Nylander in June’s CHL import draft, and the 17-year-old decided to make the move August during the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, where he finished tied for second in tournament scoring with two goals and four assists.

Nylander’s offensive ability will be welcomed on a team that struggled to score last season.

“He plays the game at a fast-fast pace and he’s got a great shot and nose for the net,” said Mississauga head coach James Boyd.

“He’s one of the better players in his age group, in Sweden, likely in Europe. He’s going to be a key guy and someone to watch for at the NHL draft next year.”

Michael Nylander, who had 679 points in 920 career NHL games, will join his son as an assistant on Boyd’s staff. He has a bit of coaching experience under his belt, serving as an assistant for AIK in Sweden last season.

“Then I got asked this, of course I have big family to think of but everybody was on board and William is here also in Toronto and it’s pretty fun to be able to be around as a dad for him,” he said. “When I played all the time, I was away a lot so now I can just sit back and see what happens, enjoy it … and be part of this organization. It’s a great opportunity for me.”

Alexander Nylander played the majority of last year with AIK’s junior squad where he had a team-high 42 points in 40 games. His play earned him a brief promotion to the senior team where his dad coached, meaning this year’s arrangement with the Steelheads isn’t new territory.

“At the rink I’m the coach and Alex just a player, like every player on the team. I treat him like a player,” Michael Nylander said. “And of course when you’re home, I’m his dad, but at the rink it’s a big difference. He gets treated the same way as everybody else and nothing like a dad-son thing, it’s just I’m the coach and that’s it.”

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25 things you need to know about the OHL Bulldogs

1. There are 20 teams in the Ontario Hockey League. The Bulldogs’ closest divisional opponent by distance is Mississauga (door to door from arenas) at 52.7 kilometres. Sudbury is farthest at 439 km.

2. Bulldogs’ players range in age from 16 to 20. They’re technically not paid, but do receive $470 monthly for expenses ($900 if they’re overage players), scholarship money, financial support for off-season training, access to tickets and other perks.

3. With a seating capacity of 17,383, Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre is nearly twice the size of the next largest OHL arena. Bulldogs tickets range between $29 a seat at centre ice to $20 at the goal-line.

4. The OHL didn’t realign divisions when the Belleville Bulls moved to Hamilton. That means the Bulldogs will continue to play in the East Division with the Peterborough Petes, Oshawa Generals, Ottawa 67’s and Kingston Frontenacs for at least one more campaign.

5. The Belleville Bulls finished seventh out of 10 teams in the OHL’s Eastern Conference last season and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

6. The majority of Bulldogs players live with billet families in the Hamilton area. Their hosts are compensated with everything from tickets to grocery cards to a weekly stipend for food.

7. Head coach George Burnett played college hockey at McGill with Maple Leafs’ coach Mike Babcock.

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No regrets for Hounds Kopacka

There was a time when Jack Kopacka wasn’t sure which path he’d choose.

Which is why, at the time of the 2014 Ontario Hockey League draft, the Lapeer, Mich., native lasted until the eighth round.

“I was undecided about my future at the time of the draft. I was unsure of where I wanted to go,” Kopacka admitted during a recent interview.

The fact he was taken by the Soo Greyhounds, an organization he calls “great,” helped to begin pointing him towards Major Junior hockey, and away from the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

What followed the draft was a trip to the Hounds 2014 development camp, and the talented winger was all but sold.

“I really enjoyed my time here at that camp and the quality of the organization impressed me,” recalled Kopacka, about to begin his first full season in a Greyhounds uniform.

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Attack rookie Sean Durzi looking to crack the lineup

Sean Durzi isn’t worried about being one of nine defenseman vying for an Owen Sound Attack roster spot.

The 16-year-old Mississauga native is just happy that he got invited to the party.

“I was just looking for an opportunity and now that (I’ve signed) I have to work to get myself into the lineup,” Durzi said in an interview prior to Owen Sound’s 4–0 to visiting Barrie on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League exhibition play.

“They’re all great defensemen because they’re in the OHL so I look at this as a learning year for me. If something happens and I get into the lineup, I’ve got to be ready.”

Owen Sound entered training camp with seven defensemen with OHL experience – Damir Sharipzyanov, Thomas Shemitsch, Santino Centorame, Tyler McArthur, Connor Walters, Jarrett Meyer, and Jacob Friend – as well as first-round pick Markus Phillips.

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GIFFEN: Youngsters making it tough on Wolves brass

It’s a very small sample size, but two exhibition games into the 2015-16 season, the Sudbury Wolves are exactly where one might expect.

A promising glimpse at the future in a 4-2 win on home ice against the rival Battalion, and a stiff dose of reality in a 5-1 loss in the return engagement in North Bay.

Granted, it’s preseason and making any predictions about the season based on these results would be a fool’s game. For starters, both clubs have leaned heavily on their kids to give them the ice time and opportunity required for the club to make those hard decisions on who stays and who goes. Rookies who are getting big minutes right now might be fourth liners when the regular seasons begins. Or they may be shipped elsewhere for more seasoning.

What has become increasingly apparent throughout the first week of the Wolves training camp and exhibition season, is that the organization has a good problem on its hands – but one that will not be easily resolved. There are a lot of young players who have either earned – or are in the process of earning – a spot on the roster.

The question is, how many rookies is too many, and how young does this team want to be?

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67’s Rule No. 1: We’re going for it, Jeff Brown says

Jake Middleton was on his lunch break at his summer job doing some hard labour with a masonry firm in his hometown of Stratford a few weeks back when he took a call from Ottawa 67’s head coach Jeff Brown.

“Brownie just wanted to know how my summer was going . . . then he said, ‘You better be ready . . . cause we’re going for it’,” said Middleton, the 67’s leader along the blueline. “Then he added that if we’re not top two in the East, then we’re not doing what we’re supposed to do.”

And that’s the quintessential Brown, who begins Year Two behind the 67’s bench with the added responsibility of the general manager’s duties.

As if there was ever any doubt, this will truly be Brown’s team and he doesn’t want to be just average every year. He wants to win an Ontario Hockey League championship and a Memorial Cup and the 2015-16 season is as good a year as any to go all in, which is Brown’s philosophy.

There’s optimism around the renovated rink on Bank Street the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the fall of 2011 with a team that included future NHL stars Sean Monahan, Cody Ceci, Tyler Toffoli and Petr Mrazek in goal on their way to a berth in the Conference finals. The 2015-16 team doesn’t quite match the star power of that the 2011-12 team but it may make up for it in depth through the roster.

Optimism happens when a team makes a 29-point jump in the standings, wins 15 more games than the season previous, shaves 88 goals-against off its season total and returns 20 veterans.

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Barrie ships Tortara to Kitchener for conditional picks

The Barrie Colts have traded first-round pick Jacob Tortara to the Kitchener Rangers.

In return for the winger, who didn’t report to training camp, the Colts receive a 15th-round pick from the Rangers in 2016.

The deal also involves conditional draft choices based on several conditions:

• If Tortara plays his first OHL game in the 2015-16, 2016-17 or 2017-18 season, the Colts receive Kitchener’s second-round picks in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

• If Tortara plays his first OHL game in the 2018-19 season, the Colts receive Kitchener’s second-round picks in 2021 and 2022.

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Steelheads owner believes team has championship potential

Elliott Kerr has never been more exciting heading into hockey season.

Granted, a fresh new season always calls for optimism, but the level of excitement is heightened this year for the Mississauga Steelheads owner considering his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) club has undergone a revitalization heading into his fourth season of ownership.

“I don’t want to put the cart before the horse here but when you look at us, even in the context of the next NHL Draft, we could have three or possibly four players who could go in the first round,” Kerr said, referring to 2016 draft eligible players Nathan Bastian, Sean Day, Mikey McLeod and Alex Nylander.

“I know the NHL draft isn’t the be-all, end-all, but it does put a focus on our player development, not just local players but skilled players, character people that at the end of the day can give us a shot at winning the Memorial Cup, which is where we want to go here.”

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IceDogs ranked third in poll

The Niagara IceDogs have yet to play a regular season game this season but are already turning heads.

The IceDogs are ranked third in the Canadian Hockey League pre-season edition of the Canadian Hockey League 10 rankings for the 2015-16 season. The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts. The IceDogs are ranked behind the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League and the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Major Junior League and are the top-ranked OHL team. The London Knights are ranked fifth and Erie Otters ninth.

“It’s exiting. People see there’s potential with this hockey team and that we’re a deep team and that’s why you get ranked like that,” IceDogs coach/general manager Marty Williamson said. “You lose the first game of the season and you’ll be out of the top 10 rankings because they go by wins and losses so it’s one of those things.

“I think it should give our guys some swagger. We’re a good hockey team and we should win hockey games.”

Rearguard added

Free agent defenceman William Lochead has committed to the IceDogs, entering into a standard player agreement.

Lochead was a free agent invitee to training camp, where he quickly impressed.

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Bulldogs’ Mizzi makes the most of second chance

Joseph Mizzi’s first run at the OHL didn’t go as planned. Actually, it didn’t go period.

“I had mono,” he said. “They found out I had it on the first day of training camp, so I had to go straight to the hospital.”

Mononucleosis — mono, for short — isn’t unusual in teens. Caused by a virus, it can lead to some pretty unpleasant symptoms: Extreme fatigue, fever, swollen glands, and, in particularly bad cases, an enlarged spleen.

That’s what Mizzi was dealing with.

“With my spleen being too big, I couldn’t have any kind of contact, so I just decided to go home and play junior.”

Fast-forward one year. Now 17 and healthy, the Markham native is back at camp and making exactly the impression he had hoped to the first time around.

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