TORONTO, ON — Today, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced the Week 10 edition of its CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2024-25 season.
Riding a CHL-best 18-game winning streak, the longest of any club this season, the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) continue to hold first place. Sitting second is the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), who rank first in the QMJHL thanks to six straight wins. Behind them in third place are the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL, who are one of just four teams in the CHL to have topped 20 wins during the 2024-25 campaign thus far.
Among some of the notable changes to this week’s rankings was the rise of two Western Hockey League (WHL) clubs – the Tri-City Americans and the Saskatoon Blades. Winners in 17 of their last 20 contests, the Americans find themselves in ninth, while the Blades are back in the Top-10 rankings for the first time since October 29 thanks to their current three-game winning streak.
The next rankings will be released the week of December 10, following the 11th week of regular season action in all three member leagues of the CHL.
TORONTO, ON — Today, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced the Week 8 edition of its CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2024-25 season.
Currently riding an 11-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the CHL, the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) moved into the top spot for the first time this season. Slipping down a place into second was the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), who are one of just three teams across the CHL with 16 victories on the year. Meanwhile, speaking of 16-win teams, the reigning QMJHL champion Drummondville Voltigeurs continue to round out the top three in third.
Among the notable changes to this week’s rankings include the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL making their CHL Top-10 debut of the 2024-25 season in ninth. Having gone undefeated over the last seven days, the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL), the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL, and the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL were among the six clubs who climbed up the rankings this week.
The next rankings will be released the week of November 25, following the ninth week of regular season action in all three member leagues of the CHL.
TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today the September/October edition of the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM for the 2024-25 regular season, which considered the small number of games played in September to begin this latest campaign.
No player in the CHL scored more goals during September and October than 2025 NHL Draft prospect Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit. With 17 goals, including five contests with two or more, the 2024 Memorial Cup champion wrapped up the month of October by finding twine in five straight games. Misa impressively only failed to score a goal in two of his first 13 games, and he recorded his first career OHL hat-trick as part of a four-point effort on September 27 against the Soo Greyhounds. The 17-year-old from Oakville, Ont., also began his 2024-25 season by collecting a point in 13 consecutive contests, which included registering eight multi-point outings. Misa’s 26 points were just one point shy of the CHL lead and the most by any prospect in the CHL eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft. In addition to his scoring prowess over the first couple of months, Misa finished the month of October ranked fifth in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for faceoff winning percentage (53.0%) and second in that same league for shots on goal (68). Earlier last month, Misa was also one of 22 players who were named to the CHL’s roster for the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada, which is a new two-game series scheduled to take place from November 26-27 in London and Oshawa, Ontario.
Holding one of the highest point-per-game averages in the CHL, Mathieu Cataford of the No.6-ranked and 2025 Memorial Cup host Rimouski Océanic had an impressive start to his 2024-25 season in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Playing in just 12 games over the last couple of months, Cataford rose up the scoring ranks in the QMJHL and finished October as that league’s co-leading scorer with 25 points. The reigning QMJHL MVP registered nine multi-point outings over those 12 games, including four contests with three points or more. The 19-year-old from Saint-Constant, Que., was held off the scoresheet only once and he failed to score in just five games over September and October. A 2023-24 CHL Third Team All-Star selection, Cataford’s 17 assists ranked second in the QMJHL, trailing only Drummondville’s Luke Woodworth who tallied 20 helpers. Cataford also held a +14 plus/minus rating by the end of October, which was tied for the third-best mark in the QMJHL at that time.
2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna of the Medicine Hat Tigers got his 2024-25 campaign off to a strong start by leading the Western Hockey League (WHL) in scoring with 23 points in 14 games over September and October. The 16-year-old from Whitehorse, Yukon, also co-led the WHL with 16 assists. Over his 14 appearances through the first couple of months, McKenna was held over the scoresheet on just two occasions. He capped off October on a five-game point streak, having accrued 10 points (5G-5A) over that stretch. A 2023-24 CHL Third Team All-Star and All-Rookie Team selection, McKenna registered eight multi-point outings including three games with three points. The Tigers forward also co-led the CHL with 74 shots on goal through his first 14 games of the season.
Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Luca Marrelli of the Oshawa Generals has been one of the most productive defencemen in the CHL to begin the 2024-25 season. The 19-year-old from Toronto, Ont., scored eight goals through September and October, which were tied for the most by any defenceman in the CHL. Meanwhile, Marrelli’s 18 points over the first two months were the most of any blueliner in the OHL and ranked in a tie for second among that same group in the CHL. His 18 points were also good enough to place him among the OHL’s top-10 leading scorers. The Generals defenceman managed the latter by registering six multi-point outings, including three straight to close out the month of October. Marrelli was just one of three defencemen in the OHL to register two game-winning goals through the first two months of the season. Additionally, his +13 plus/minus rating in September and October ranked among the top five in the OHL.
Anaheim Ducks prospect Tarin Smith of the No.4-ranked Everett Silvertips played an important part in the success of the Silvertips, who led the CHL in wins (12) and point percentage (.857) at the end of October. Held off the scoresheet only twice in his first 13 games, the 18-year-old from Porcupine Plain, Sask., led all WHL defencemen with 18 points, which placed him a tie for second among that same group in the CHL. A 2023-24 CHL All-Rookie Team selection, Smith’s 15 assists were also tied for the most of any blueliner in the WHL, while also standing one helper short of the CHL lead among defencemen. Smith began his 2024-25 campaign in the WHL by recording a single-game career-high of four points (1G-3A) against the Portland Winterhawks on September 28. The latter marked one of five multi-point contests that Smith registered over the first two months of the season.
With nine wins in 11 starts, Riley Mercer of the No.3-ranked Drummondville Voltigeurs has been a big part of why Drummondville found themselves on top of the QMJHL standings as the calendar turned over to November. The 2024 QMJHL Champion registered a .945 save percentage, which was the best of any goalie in the CHL. Mercer’s 1.91 goals-against average was the best of any netminder in the QMJHL and ranked third in the CHL through September and October. The 20-year-old from Bay Roberts, Nfld., registered an impressive eight performances with 30-plus saves through his first 11 starts, winning seven of those contests. The latter included Mercer turning aside all 35 shots he faced against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on October 12 for his first shutout of the season. The nine wins that Mercer recorded through September and October were tied for the most of any netminder in the CHL. Over his 11 starts, Mercer also totaled 362 saves, which ranked fourth among netminders across the CHL.
The first full month of the Ontario Hockey League season is behind us and it should come as no surprise that Michael Misa and Porter Martone are ahead of the rest of the players eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft when it comes to Point production. The pair of first round prospects should go neck and neck through the season.
Here’s a look at the statistical leaders among the OHL’s draft eligible players:
TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and its three-member leagues, in partnership with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP), are excited to announce the creation of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota, which is being added to the calendar over the next three years.
Building off of one of hockey’s greatest rivalries between Canada and the United States, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will see the top first-year NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the CHL’s three-member leagues – Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – face off against those from USA Hockey’s NTDP in a two-game series.
During the series, players from both the CHL and NTDP competing in this event will play before hundreds of NHL scouts and thousands of fans in an effort to improve their draft stock ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft. Players for the CHL team will be provided by NHL Central Scouting as selected by the NHL’s 32 clubs, and much like other national events in the CHL, the hosting duties of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will rotate between the CHL’s three-member league markets each year. The first edition of this new event is set to take place in November 2024 with specific details on the date, location, and event format to come at a later date.
Fans interested in learning more about the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge are encouraged to enter their name and contact information at chl.ca/prospectschallenge. Once entered, you will be placed on a list to receive special communications on event information, tickets, and more.
“The Canadian Hockey League is excited to partner with USA Hockey to add this one-of-a-kind event for both our players and fans to enjoy over the coming seasons,” said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “Serving as a best-on-best showcase, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will provide our top draft-eligible players from across the CHL with a great opportunity to demonstrate their elite talent and world-class skill set as they work towards hearing their name called at the NHL Draft.”
“We’re very much looking forward to this creative new event with the Canadian Hockey League,” stated Pat Kelleher, Executive Director of USA Hockey. “It will provide our players with yet another opportunity to compete at a high level on the international stage as an additional part of their overall development.”
“This Prospects Challenge will give NHL Clubs and CHL fans the unique opportunity to see the best Canadian and American NHL draft-eligible prospects compete in a two-game series, and it will provide the only time during the hockey season that some of the top-ranked prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft class will compete in a best-on-best patriotic rivalry,” said Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting. “This event provides an exclusive advance look at these top prospects and is the perfect venue for the CHL and USA Hockey players to showcase their skills and attributes.”
“Kubota Canada is proud to be a sponsor of the new CHL USA Prospects Challenge, and we look forward to continuing to support the CHL in their mission to provide a platform to grow and develop the players of tomorrow,” added Steve Sweetnam, Director of Marketing at Kubota Canada Ltd.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Kitchener Rangers defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz is the inaugural recipient of the Ted Baker Teammate of the Year Award. The annual honour is presented to the player deemed the best teammate based off selfless play, on and off-ice leadership as a mentor and role model to other players, as well as a commitment and dedication to his team.
A 6-foot, 188Ib. right-shot defenceman, Brzustewicz earns the award after persevering through a season where he encountered challenges both on the ice and in life, maintaining a positive, team-first attitude regardless of the circumstances he was faced with. Dealt to the Calgary Flames midseason in a trade that saw the Vancouver Canucks acquire forward Elias Lindholm, Brzustewicz excelled for the Rangers, setting a new single-season franchise mark for defencemen with a league-leading 79 assists. His 92 points tied a 1993-94 mark held by Jason Gladney for points by a Kitchener defenceman. He was recently named to the OHL’s second all-star team for the 2023-24 season, and also recognized by the Canadian Hockey League as a second team all-star for his efforts.
“First of all, I would like to thank the OHL and the Kitchener Rangers for making this possible,” said Brzustewicz of the honour. “I would also like to thank my teammates for making it so easy to come to the rink everyday, to work hard and have fun. All I’ve wanted to do since I’ve been here is give it my all to be the best teammate and player I can be. The coaches gave me the guidance to make all that possible.
“I believe everything happens for a reason,” he continued. “No matter what, always make the best out of the opportunities you get.”
Brzustewicz’s totals included 13 goals, 79 assists and 92 points over 67 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-31 this past season. His performance earned him the Rangers’ Jim Malleck Trophy as the team’s most valuable player, the Bob ‘Snowy’ Schlieman Award as the club’s best offensive blueliner and the Blueline Club Award as the player who best embodies sportsmanship and respect for the game. The 19-year-old from Washington, Mich. has appeared in 135 career regular season games for Kitchener since being acquired from the Barrie Colts in January 2022, amassing an impressive 149 points (19-130–149) along the way.
“We are very proud of Hunter and it is a great honour for a member of our organization to be recognized with this award,” said Rangers General Manager Mike McKenzie. “He had many moments of adversity throughout the season but was always there for our team and was a steadying presence on and off the ice. He is a very deserving recipient and we couldn’t be happier for him and his family.”
A middle child with two older sisters and two younger brothers, one of whom (Henry) currently plays for the division rival London Knights, Brzustewicz was originally a fourth-round (69th overall) pick by the Barrie Colts in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, and joined the Rangers via trade after parts of three seasons with the U.S. National Development Program. He was a third-round (75th overall) choice by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2023 NHL Draft. After being acquired by Calgary, Brzustewicz signed a three-year entry-level NHL contract with the Flames on March 14, 2024.
The Ted Baker Teammate of the Year Award was first announced in August 2023 following the retirement of OHL Vice President Ted Baker, who served 35 years with the Ontario Hockey League. The award celebrates the achievements of a player deemed to have demonstrated the same qualities of teamwork, selflessness and dedication demonstrated by Ted throughout his time with the league.
Brzustewicz will be formally presented with the Ted Baker Teammate of the Year Award at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 12 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the first, second and third all-star team selections, in addition to the first and second all-rookie team designations for the 2023-24 season.
OHL all-star and all-rookie teams were selected by the OHL’s General Managers, with voting conducted in two stages beginning with a Conference ballot followed by a final ballot that integrated the top selections from both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
A total of 15 of the league’s 20 member teams are represented on his year’s all-star and all-rookie team selections, with the OHL champion London Knights leading the way with seven. The Eastern Conference champion Oshawa Generals joined the Central Division champion North Bay Battalion, Kitchener Rangers and Sudbury Wolves in trailing with three players each.
2023-24 OHL All-Star Teams:
Representatives with major positional awards in brackets are default first team members, all other designations are determined by votes cast by OHL General Managers
First All-Star Team Centre – Dalibor Dvorský (Sudbury) Left Wing – Quentin Musty (Sudbury) Right Wing – Easton Cowan (London) (Most Outstanding Player) – voted second all-rookie team in 2022-23 Defence – Zayne Parekh (Saginaw) (Defenceman of the Year) – voted first all-rookie team in 2022-23 Defence – Oliver Bonk (London) – voted second all-rookie team in 2022-23 Goaltender – Jacob Oster (Oshawa) (Goaltender of the Year) Coach – Derek Laxdal (Oshawa) (Coach of the Year)
Second All-Star Team Centre – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa) Left Wing – Denver Barkey (London) Right Wing – Anthony Romani (North Bay) Defence – Hunter Brzustewicz (Kitchener) Defence – Sam Dickinson (London) – voted first all-rookie team in 2022-23 Goaltender – Michael Simpson (London) – voted third all-star in 2022-23 Coach – Dale Hunter (London) – eighth time being voted to an OHL All-Star Team
Third All-Star Team Centre – Owen Beck (Saginaw) – voted third all-star team in 2022-23 Left Wing – Liam Greentree (Windsor) – voted first all-rookie team in 2022-23 Right Wing – David Goyette (Sudbury) Defence – Ty Nelson (North Bay) – voted third all-star team in 2022-23 Defence – Michael Buchinger (Guelph) Goaltender – Carter George (Owen Sound) Coach – Ryan Oulahen (North Bay) – voted third all-star team in 2022-23
The Sudbury Wolves (Dalibor Dvorsky, Quentin Musty) feature two first team all-star members for the first time since 1999-2000 (Norm Milley, Taylor Pyatt)
The Oshawa Generals (Jacob Oster, Derek Laxdal) feature two first team all-star members for the first time since 2013-14 (Scott Laughton, DJ Smith)
The London Knights (Easton Cowan, Oliver Bonk) feature two first team all-star members for the first time since 2015-16 (Christian Dvorak, Mitch Marner, Matthew Tkachuk)
The London Knights feature a franchise record seven players voted to all-star teams, surpassing the prior mark of six set in 2004-05
The Saginaw Spirit (Zayne Parekh) feature a first team all-star member for the first time since 2011-12 (Brandon Saad, Greg Gilbert)
Parekh is the first Spirit defenceman voted to a first all-star team in club history
Owen Sound Attack goaltender Carter George becomes the third OHL goaltender to be voted to both an all-star team and all-rookie team in the same season, following Tom McCollum (Guelph, 2006-07) and David Shantz (Mississauga, 2003-04)
Sudbury Wolves forward Dalibor Dvorský follows Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2018-19) as an import player being voted to a first all-star team in his first season in the OHL
Brantford Bulldogs centre Jake O’Brien is the first player in Bulldogs history voted to a first all-rookie team
Kitchener Rangers defenceman Cameron Reid is the first Rangers blueliner to be voted to a first all-rookie team since 2009-10 (Ryan Murphy)
Peterborough Petes defenceman Carson Cameron is the first Petes defenceman voted to an all-rookie team since 2010-11 (Slater Koekkoek)
Niagara IceDogs left-winger Ryan Roobroeck becomes the club’s first player voted to an all-rookie team since 2016-17 (Akil Thomas)
A trio of former first overall picks are included in this year’s results including Quentin Musty (Sudbury, first all-star team), Ty Nelson (North Bay, third all-star team), Matthew Schaefer (Erie, first all-rookie team)
Former Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA teammates Ty Nelson (North Bay) and Michael Buchinger (Guelph) both voted to third all-star team
Oshawa, Ont. – The Oshawa Generals had their hands full with the North Bay Battalion in the Eastern Conference Championship Series, but managed to avert disappointment with an impressive 6-1 victory in Game 7 on Monday night at the Tribute Communities Centre.
New York Rangers prospect Dylan Roobroeck had two goals and an assist as the Generals halted the Battalion, who entered the seventh and deciding game on the heels of three consecutive wins, looking to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. Sunday’s Game 6 outcome saw the Battalion win by a score of 8-1.
“The kids were incredible tonight, starting with Jacob Oster,” said Generals head coach Derek Laxdal. “He set the tone right off the hop. We got that first goal and I thought our guys did an incredible job of checking and shutting down North Bay tonight.
“You gotta give the kids a lot of credit. They believed that they could win Game 7 at home today. It was a tough game getting beat 8-1, but for them to respond that way today, I’m very proud of them as a coach. In all my years coaching that was one of the best efforts I’ve seen in a Game 7 to shut down the other team.”
Defenceman David Bedkowski opened the scoring with his first career OHL playoff goal coming with 5:53 remaining in the first period. Rasmus Kumpulainen and Connor Lockhart scored in the second to give Oshawa a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes.
Roobroeck scored his first of two 2:08 into the third before North Bay’s Jacob LeBlanc spoiled Oster’s shutout bid just under four minutes later. Roobroeck scored his 10th of the postseason before Ethan Toms hit the empty net in the game’s final minute to seal the 6-1 final.
The Generals win their first Bobby Orr Trophy since 2015, their second since the trophy was first awarded in 1999. They advance to the OHL Championship Series following series victories over the Barrie Colts, Ottawa 67’s and North Bay Battalion.
The Troops see their playoff run come to an end after they eliminated Kingston and Sudbury to reach their third consecutive East Final. It marks the second straight year they’ve fallen in Game 7.
“The entire playoff run with this team, I’m just so impressed with our guys,” said Battalion head coach Ryan Oulahen. “I’m proud of our team and our players. We came up a little bit short once again but we’re going to talk about this team for decades – the way we’ve been able to change the culture and make North Bay a destination for people to want to come and play for the Battalion.”
The Battalion played to a regular season mark of 39-20-7-2, winning a third straight Central Division title. Overage players in captain Liam Arnsby, Paul Christopoulos and Justin Ertel skated in their final OHL contest.
The Oshawa Generals advance to the 2024 OHL Championship Series as they face the London Knights in an encounter that begins on Thursday night in London. The series will be broadcast in its entirety on TSN, the official broadcast partner of the Canadian Hockey League.
Generals captain Stuart Rolofs was presented with the Bobby Orr Trophy by OHL Vice President Cole Butterworth. The Generals won a previous Eastern Conference title in 2015 en route to their 13th OHL championship, the most by any of the league’s 20 teams.
All-time Generals great Eric Lindros was on-hand to conduct the ceremonial faceoff prior to a Game 7 played before a crowd of 5,694 at the Tribute Communities Centre.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan of the London Knights is the 2023-24 recipient of the Red Tilson Trophy, an award presented annually to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player as voted by the writers and broadcasters that cover the league.
“I want to thank all of my teammates, coaches, training staff and of course my family,” said Cowan of the award. “None of this is possible without them. It’s a great honour for me and my family.”
Cowan finished his sophomore season with 34 goals, 62 assists and 96 points in 54 games, registering the league’s second-highest production rate of 1.78 points-per-game. He garnered league-wide attention with his 36-game point streak that spanned from Nov. 25 through the final game of the regular season on Mar. 24, eventually reaching a run of 42 games in the OHL Playoffs. The 36-game mark established a new London Knights franchise record, and is the longest point streak the OHL has seen since 1995.
“It takes special players to win and have great teams and Easton is exceptional,” said Knights Vice President and General Manager Mark Hunter. “He has speed skill and will and of all of those his will to win and be better everyday is a testament to his work ethic and drive to be a National Hockey League player. He had a great season in London and we’re very proud of him.”
Cowan’s season saw him record at least a point in 49 of his 54 outings, with a total of 33 multi-point performances along the way. His seven shorthanded goals were tied with teammate Denver Barkey for the league lead while his 14 shorthanded points finished atop the OHL list. His contributions helped the Knights secure a Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the OHL’s first place team during the regular season, along with a fifth straight Midwest Division title.
An 18-year-old from Mount Brydges, Ont., Cowan has recorded 55 goals, 96 assists and 151 points over 129 career regular season games, registering a plus/minus rating of plus-47. He’s also scored a total of 10 shorthanded goals along with seven goals on the power play. Cowan helped the Knights win the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as Western Conference champions last spring, putting up 21 points (9-12—21) across 20 playoff contests. He was Toronto’s first round (28th overall) pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and signed an entry-level NHL contract with the Leafs on Aug. 10, 2023. The Knights selected Cowan with their second round (25th overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.
Cowan becomes the seventh London Knights player to win the Red Tilson Trophy, joining a list that includes Mitch Marner (2015-16), Michael Houser (2011-12), Corey Perry (2004-05), Jason Allison (1993-94), Dave Simpson (1981-82) and Dennis Maruk (1974-75). Recent winners have included a pair of Windsor Spitfires forwards in Matthew Maggio (2022-23) and Wyatt Johnston (2021-22) along with Ottawa 67’s forward Marco Rossi (2019-20) and Sudbury Wolves goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2018-19).
The Red Tilson Trophy is the most prestigious individual award presented by the Ontario Hockey League. First presented in 1945, the trophy is named in honour of Albert “Red” Tilson, who was killed in action in Europe during World War II. Tilson was the OHA scoring champion for the 1942-43 season after scoring 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 22 games with the Oshawa Generals.
Accredited media were asked to select their top choice from a ballot consisting of 20 team-nominated representatives. Cowan emerged as the front-runner, receiving 41 percent of the vote ahead of Saginaw Spirit defenceman Zayne Parekh who received 18 percent. Sudbury Wolves forward David Goyette placed third with 17 percent of the vote.
The Red Tilson Trophy winner is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony that will be held at the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow from May 24 to June 2 in Saginaw, Michigan. Cowan will be formally presented with the Red Tilson Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 2 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
For a complete history of OHL award winners, click here.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that draft eligible Guelph Storm forward Jett Luchanko is the 2023-24 recipient of the William Hanley Trophy awarded to the League’s Most Sportsmanlike Player as voted by OHL General Managers.
Luchanko led the Storm with 74 points including 20 goals and 54 assists over 68 games. He was also a front-runner in this year’s OHL Coaches Poll, emerging as the lone player to finish in the top-three of four different categories. He accomplished this while taking just 36 minutes in penalties during the regular season.
“I’m grateful to be recognized for demonstrating good sportsmanship as it is a reflection of my commitment to competing at the highest levels of the game,” said Luchanko. “I’m honoured to follow in the footsteps of Guelph Storm graduate Nick Suzuki who won this award three times. He’s someone I’ve looked up to growing up in London and a player who has done great things both in the OHL and today in Montreal.”
The 17-year-old from London, Ont. piled up 30 assists on the power play, a figure that finished tied for second in the OHL this season. Luchanko enters the 2024 NHL Draft as the 20th ranked skater in North America on NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings released last week.
“Jett has had a terrific season and has led our team in all situations,” said Storm General Manager George Burnett. “It is a credit to him that his compete level has been elevated significantly throughout the season while being able to maintain excellent discipline. We are so proud of Jett’s many accomplishments this season.”
Entering the league as Guelph’s first round (12th overall) pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, Luchanko has accrued 88 points (25-63—88) over 114 career regular season contests. He earned a silver medal with Canada Red at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and is currently representing Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship in Finland.
The William Hanley Trophy is awarded each year based on a selection by the 20 General Managers of the Ontario Hockey League. All 20 teams submit a nominee but are not permitted to vote for their own candidate. The trophy is presented by the OHL to commemorate William Hanley, former Secretary-Manager of the Ontario Hockey Association for over 25 years.
Luchanko finished first in this year’s voting for the award, followed by runner-up Dalibor Dvorský of the Sudbury Wolves.
Luchanko follows fellow Londoner and three-time winner Nick Suzuki (2018-19) along with Jeff Williams (1995-96) to become the third Guelph Storm player to win the award. Other recent recipients have included Evan Vierling of the Barrie Colts (2022-23), Wyatt Johnston of the Windsor Spitfires (2021-22) and Nick Robertson of the Peterborough Petes (2019-20).
Luchanko will be the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Sportsman of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony that will be held that the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow from May 24th to June 2nd in Saginaw, Michigan. He’ll be formally presented with the William Hanley Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 12th at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
For a complete list of OHL award winners, click here.
OHL Writers 