WINTERTON AND DIVINCENTIIS NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for playoff games ending Sunday, May 7th, 2023.



Knights’ Ryan Winterton Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Seattle Kraken prospect Ryan Winterton of the London Knights is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, posting five goals, one assist and six points in four games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-5.

Helping London skate to a 4-2 series win over the Sarnia Sting to capture the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as Western Conference champions last week, Winterton started things with a goal in a 5-2 road loss on Tuesday night. He went on to record another goal the following night as the Knights fell 6-3. Helping London rebound back at home on Friday, the 6-foot-2, 190lb. forward recorded a pair of goals in the 5-2 victory. Winterton closed out the series with a goal and an assist on Sunday, stretching his current point streak to eight games as the Knights punched their ticket to the OHL Championship Series with a 5-1 win over the Sting.

A 19-year-old from Whitby, Ont., Winterton recorded 12 goals, 24 assists and 36 points in 34 games this season. He’s produced 105 points (44-61–105) over 124 career OHL regular season games between London and Hamilton since being selected by the Bulldogs with the eighth overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. He’s currently produced 10 points (6-4–10) over 12 games in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. Winterton was selected in the third round (67th overall) by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week, Knights teammate and 2023 NHL Draft eligible Denver Barkey was productive, recording three goals and three assists in four games, while Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov of the Sarnia Sting had eight points (2-6–8) in four outings.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
May 1 – May 7: Ryan Winterton (London Knights)
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Denver Barkey (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit)

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Ethan Miedema (Kingston Frontenacs)
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts)
Mar. 6– Mar. 12: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Christian Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Braeden Bowman (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Nolan Burke (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Sean McGurn (London Knights)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Bryce McConnell-Barker (Soo Greyhounds)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Ryan Gagnier (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Brody Crane (London Knights)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Matvey Petrov (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Deni Goure (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)



Battalion’s Dom DiVincentiis Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, playing to a 2-2 record including a goals-against average of 2.75 and a save percentage of .927.

DiVincentiis helped the Battalion play to a 2-2 mark against the Peterborough Petes in the Eastern Conference Championship Series last week, beginning with a 40-save performance in a 3-2 road loss on Tuesday. DiVincentiis stopped 37 of the 39 shots he faced in Wednesday’s Game 4, defeating the Petes 5-2. He returned home to block 22 of the 24 shots that came his way in a 6-2 win on Saturday, before the 6-foot-2, 190lb. netminder would close out the week in Peterborough, stopping 40 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss in Sunday’s Game 6.

A 19-year-old native of Bolton, Ont., DiVincentiis played to a 36-9-2-0 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 48 games this past season to earn the Jim Rutherford Trophy as the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year. He was the recipient of the OHL’s F.W. ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy in 2021-22, posting a league-low 2.59 goals-against average among rookies to go with a 14-8-0-1 record and .907 save percentage. DiVincentiis was selected in the seventh round (207th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 NHL Draft.  He’s a former sixth round (116th overall) pick by the Battalion in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
May 1 – May 7: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Liam Sztuska (Peterborough Petes)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Zach Bowen (London Knights)
Jan 30 – Feb. 5: Nate Krawchuk (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan 23 – Jan. 29: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Jan 16 – Jan. 22: Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan 9 – Jan. 15: Matteo Drobac (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Owen Flores (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Joe Ranger (Sudbury Wolves)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ivan Zhigalov (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Alessio Beglieri (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

SPIRIT’S MISA CLAIMS EMMS FAMILY AWARD AS OHL’S TOP FIRST-YEAR PLAYER

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa is the 2022-23 recipient of the Emms Family Award, presented annually to the OHL’s Top First-Year Player as voted by the league’s General Managers.

Misa led the league’s newcomers with 56 points, including 22 goals and 34 assists in 45 games. He did so after becoming the sixth player to be granted exceptional player status to play in the OHL by Hockey Canada, competing as the league’s lone 2007-born player during the 2022-23 season. Misa’s 1.24 points-per-game are the highest rate of any of the OHL’s six exceptional status talents during their first season, surpassing the benchmark of 1.18 previously held by John Tavares of the 2005-06 Oshawa Generals.

“Receiving this award is a tremendous honour and I couldn’t have done it without all the help from my teammates and coaching staff supporting me throughout my first year,” said Misa. “I’m super excited for what’s ahead with this group and I can’t wait to get started next year.”

A 5-foot-11, 160Ib. left-winger from Oakville, Ont., Misa was chosen first overall by the Spirit in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection and wasted little time finding the scoresheet in the OHL, picking-up where he left off to end the 2021-22 season with a record-setting performance as his Mississauga Senators won an OHL Cup title. Misa scored twice in his first career OHL contest on Oct. 1st against the Guelph Storm and registered points in each of his first three games. He went on to be named the league’s Rookie of the Month for October.

Misa’s first OHL campaign was headlined by 19 different multi-point outings including a four-point performance (1-3–4) on Oct. 14th in Guelph along with a trio of three-point efforts.

“As an organization we are extremely proud of Michael for winning this award,” said Spirit General Manager Dave Drinkill. “Since the day we drafted Michael he has done everything we have asked of him and more, both on and off the ice. It is not easy to succeed in this league as a first-year player, especially one that was granted entry to the OHL a year early, but Michael’s skill and drive to be the best allowed him to adapt quickly. He is an outstanding, humble young man that is very deserving of this recognition and we could not be happier for him.”

Misa, who turned 16 on February 16th, becomes the first player in Spirit franchise history to win the Emms Family Award and follows present-day NHL players in Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie 2018), Alex DeBrincat (Erie 2015), Travis Konecny (Ottawa 2014), Connor McDavid (2013) and Aaron Ekblad (Barrie 2012) in receiving the honour. Guelph Storm defenceman Cam Allen was the 2021-22 award-winner.

The Emms Family Award was donated by Leighton “Hap” Emms, former owner of the Barrie, Niagara Falls, and St. Catharines OHL franchises.  The award is selected by all 20 member club General Managers.  Teams were asked to submit only one nominee from their own club for consideration on the ballot and were not permitted to vote for the player from their own hockey club.

Finalists in this year’s voting included forwards Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires and Porter Martone of the Mississauga Steelheads, who each tied for second-place.

Misa is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. He will be formally presented with the Emms Family Award at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

LOCKHART AND BROCHU NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of playoff games ending Sunday, April 30, 2023.



Petes’ Connor Lockhart Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Vancouver Canucks prospect Connor Lockhart of the Peterborough Petes is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, posting four goals, one assist and five points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-1.

Lockhart pushed the Petes to the Eastern Conference Championship Series, scoring a hat trick as Peterborough defeated the Ottawa 67’s 5-4 in Game 6 of their second round series on Monday night. The 5-foot-9, 164lb. forward continued his scoring ways against North Bay on Friday, recording a goal and an assist as the Petes defeated the Battalion 3-2 in Game 1. Lockhart continues to excel on a line alongside Owen Beck and Chase Stillman as the Petes enter Tuesday’s Game 3 of their Conference Final series tied at one with the North Bay Battalion.

A 20-year-old from Kanata, Ont., Lockhart recorded 29 goals, 50 assists and 79 points in 66 games this season. He’s produced 154 points (61-93–154) over 187 career OHL regular season games between Peterborough and Erie since being selected by the Otters with the third overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. He’s currently produced 10 points (6-4–10) over 12 games in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. Lockhart was selected in the sixth round (178th overall) by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week, Petes teammate and Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck was productive, recording one goal and four assists in three games, while Seattle Kraken prospect Ryan Winterton of the London Knights had five points (2-3–5) in two victories.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Denver Barkey (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit)

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Ethan Miedema (Kingston Frontenacs)
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts)
Mar. 6– Mar. 12: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Christian Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Braeden Bowman (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Nolan Burke (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Sean McGurn (London Knights)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Bryce McConnell-Barker (Soo Greyhounds)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Ryan Gagnier (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Brody Crane (London Knights)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Matvey Petrov (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Deni Goure (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)




Knights’ Brett Brochu Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Brett Brochu of the London Knights is the OHL Goaltender of the Week for the third time in the past four weeks, going 1-0 with a 0.62 goals-against average and .980 save percentage.

Brochu helped the Knights take a 2-0 series lead over the Sarnia Sting in the Western Conference Championship Series last week, turning aside 32 of the 33 shots he faced in a 4-1 win to earn first star honours on Friday. The 6-foot, 176lb. netminder stopped all 18 shots he faced in Sunday’s Game 2, leaving the game in the second period with an injury as the Knights went on to win by a score of 3-1.

A 20-year-old from Belle River, Ont., Brochu played to a 28-17-2-0 record with a 2.82 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 47 games this past season. He’ll graduate with 89 regular season career victories, the second-most in London Knights franchise history. He posted a 2.67 goals-against average and .910 save percentage over 132 career regular season games, and also set a new OHL record for wins by a rookie goaltender with 32 in 2019-20. The overage netminder is currently 9-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average and .943 save percentage with four shutouts over 11 games in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. Brochu was London’s sixth round (114th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. He attended training camp with the Vancouver Canucks last October.

Also considered for the award this week, Michael Simpson of the Peterborough Petes went 2-1 with a 2.68 goals-against average and .928 save percentage, making 103 saves over three games played last week. Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion went 2-2 with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Liam Sztuska (Peterborough Petes)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Zach Bowen (London Knights)
Jan 30 – Feb. 5: Nate Krawchuk (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan 23 – Jan. 29: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Jan 16 – Jan. 22: Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan 9 – Jan. 15: Matteo Drobac (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Owen Flores (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Joe Ranger (Sudbury Wolves)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ivan Zhigalov (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Alessio Beglieri (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

BATTALION’S DIVINCENTIIS AWARDED JIM RUTHERFORD TROPHY AS OHL’S GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY REAL CANADIAN SUPERSTORE

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Winnipeg Jets prospect Domenic DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the 2022-23 recipient of the Jim Rutherford Trophy, awarded annually to the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year presented by Real Canadian Superstore.

DiVincentiis put together the best statistical season by a goaltender in North Bay Battalion franchise history, leading the OHL with 36 wins, a 2.33 goals-against average and .919 save percentage. His five shutouts were tied for the league-lead, and he did not lose consecutive games throughout the entire season.

“I am truly honoured and humbled to be receiving the Jim Rutherford Trophy today as the top goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League,” said DiVincentiis. “To share this recognition with some of the best goaltenders in our league’s history is extremely exciting. This award, in my opinion, is a recognition and acknowledgment to the incredible support and encouragement I have received from my teammates, coaches, support staff, and fans with the North Bay Battalion.

“Finally, I would like to share this award with my family, billet family and support network that has been with me every step of the way. Your love and support has been my greatest source of strength and motivation, and I am grateful for every moment we have shared together through my career to date on and off the ice.”

DiVincentiis’ season was highlighted by being named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Month for both January and March. He had a tremendous finish to the season, recording four of his five shutouts after Feb. 24th while winning his final six outings of the campaign.

“This is another very proud day for our organization,” said Battalion General Manager Adam Dennis, who won the award as a member of the London Knights in 2006. “Dom has given us a chance to win all season with not just his play but also his leadership. Since the day he came into our program he has been a tireless worker who is incredibly dedicated to his craft; this award is well earned. We look forward watching Dom’s continued growth on the ice as his legacy in the North Bay community continues to grow.”

A 19-year-old from Bolton, Ont. DiVincentiis is the first goaltender in Battalion franchise history to win the award, becoming the first North Bay-based goaltender to do so in the league’s history. The 6-foot-2, 190Ib. netminder has played to a career OHL mark of 50-17-2-1 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .915 save percentage over 75 regular season games. He’s currently 9-4-2-0 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .928 save percentage through 15 games for the Battalion in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. The Troops selected DiVincentiis in the sixth round (116th overall) of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. He was chosen by the Winnipeg Jets last summer, being taken in the seventh round (207th overall).

Announced in August 2019, the Jim Rutherford Trophy is presented by the League in honour of former OHL goaltender, General Manager, Chairman of the Board and two-time Executive of the Year Jim Rutherford. The current President of Hockey Operations of the Vancouver Canucks, Rutherford played 13 seasons as an NHL netminder and was the architect behind Stanley Cup championships for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2019.

The OHL’s Goaltender of the Year Award was first presented in 1988 to Rick Tabaracci (Cornwall), with other notable winners including Manny Legace (Niagara Falls 1993), Andrew Raycroft (Kingston 2000), Craig Anderson (Guelph 2001), the League’s only back-to-back winner Mike Murphy (Belleville 2008 & 2009), along with current NHL goaltenders Jordan Binnington (Owen Sound 2013), Alex Nedeljkovic (Plymouth 2014) and Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie 2016).

Finalists in this year’s voting included 2022 recipient Brett Brochu of the London Knights, along with New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit, who finished in a tie for second.

DiVincentiis is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. He will be formally presented with the Jim Rutherford Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

ATTACK’S BARLOW AWARDED BOBBY SMITH TROPHY AS OHL SCHOLASTIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY DAIRY FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that draft eligible forward Colby Barlow of the Owen Sound Attack is the 2022-23 recipient of the Bobby Smith Trophy, which is awarded to the OHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year presented by MilkUP, youth lifestyle brand of Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO).

Barlow becomes the first player in Owen Sound Attack history to win the prestigious award, excelling with an overall average of 93 percent across Grade 12 University-level courses: Challenge and Change in Society (97 percent), Families in Canada (96 percent), Organizational Business (95 percent), Business Leadership (95 percent), International Business (90 percent), and English (85 percent) at Owen Sound District Secondary School.

On the ice, Barlow enters the 2023 NHL Draft as the OHL’s highest-ranked skater, coming in at 12th on NHL Central Scouting’s final list of North American players eligible for the annual selection that takes place in Nashville, Tenn. on June 28-29. He led the Attack in 2022-23 producing 79 points including 46 goals, 33 assists and a league-leading 12 game-winning tallies in 59 games.

“I’m truly honoured to be awarded the Bobby Smith Trophy,” said Barlow. “Playing hockey at an elite level and excelling at academics are really two sides of the same coin. It would be inconsistent for someone with the dedication it requires to perform at an elite level in sports, not to apply that same dedication to their academic studies. To excel in hockey it requires talent, but more importantly it requires discipline. The skillsets in athletics and academics are interrelated and I appreciate everyone with the Owen Sound Attack who has helped me as I continue to try and excel in both of those areas.”

Fresh-off setting an Attack rookie record for goals as a 16-year-old with 30 in 2021-22, Barlow became the youngest captain in Owen Sound Attack franchise history at 17-years-old, and emerged as one of five OHL players with at least 46 goals in his sophomore season.

“Colby has found an incredible way to balance both on-ice brilliance and excellence in the classroom,” said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray. “He also did a tremendous job serving as captain of our team in just his second season, and has amazed many at the Bayshore, scoring some outstanding goals and demonstrating what it truly means to be a leader both on and off the ice.”

Hailing from Orillia, Ont., Barlow is currently representing Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship in Switzerland, and also wore the maple leaf, winning gold for Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Alberta last summer. Barlow competed in the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game this past January in Langley, BC. Originally selected by the Attack with their first round (8th overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, Barlow went on to be voted to the league’s first all-rookie team in 2021-22.

“Colby has a very positive attitude that is evident in everything he does,” commented Attack Academic Advisor Sarah Rowe. “He leads by example and preaches accountability both in school and in the dressing room. Colby is an honour roll student and a star on the ice who continues to do Owen Sound proud.”

Each year the Bobby Smith Trophy is presented to the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence. The trophy is in honour of Bobby Smith, a former Ottawa 67s star who exhibited a standard of excellence in both of these areas. Past recipients since the award was first presented in 1980 include three-time winner Dustin Brown (Guelph 2001-03), Steven Stamkos (Sarnia 2007), Ryan Ellis (Windsor 2008), Matt Duchene (Brampton 2009), Erik Gudbranson (Kingston 2010), Dougie Hamilton (Niagara 2011), Adam Pelech (Erie 2012), Darnell Nurse (Sault Ste. Marie 2013), back-to-back winner Connor McDavid (Erie 2014, ’15), Sasha Chmelevski (Ottawa 2017), Barrett Hayton (Sault Ste. Marie 2018), Thomas Harley (Mississauga 2019), Cole Perfetti (Saginaw 2020) and Owen Beck (Mississauga 2022).

Next in line for the award were a pair of other NHL Draft eligibles in Erie Otters forward Carey Terrance and London Knights blueliner Oliver Bonk. Ottawa 67s draft-eligible forward Luca Pinelli placed third in the process.

Barlow will be the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Scholastic Player of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. Barlow will be formally presented with the Bobby Smith Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

All 20 of the OHL’s member clubs provide nominees for the Bobby Smith Trophy, with nominees representing the 2022-23 OHL Scholastic Team:

2022-23 OHL Scholastic Team Nominees:
Barrie Colts – Grayson Tiller
Erie Otters – Carey Terrance
Flint Firebirds – Daks Klinkhammer
Guelph Storm – Matthew Poitras
Hamilton Bulldogs – Nick Lardis
Kingston Frontenacs – Alec Belanger
Kitchener Rangers – Matthew Andonovski
London Knights – Oliver Bonk
Mississauga Steelehads – Luke Misa
Niagara IceDogs – Bronson Ride
North Bay Battalion – Wyatt Kennedy
Oshawa Generals – Ben Danford
Ottawa 67’s – Luca Pinelli
Owen Sound Attack – Colby Barlow
Peterborough Petes – Chase Lefebvre
Saginaw Spirit – Joey Willis
Sarnia Sting – Easton Wainwright
Soo Greyhounds – Andrew Gibson
Sudbury Wolves – Alex Pharand
Windsor Spitfires – Joey Costanzo


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

COLTS’ VIERLING AWARDED WILLIAM HANLEY TROPHY AS OHL’S MOST SPORTSMANLIKE PLAYER

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Barrie Colts forward Evan Vierling is the 2022-23 recipient of the William Hanley Trophy awarded to the League’s Most Sportsmanlike Player as voted by OHL General Managers.

The 20-year-old overage forward from Aurora, Ont. led the Colts with 95 points including 35 goals and 60 assists over 60 regular season games, taking just 12 penalty minutes in the process. He becomes the ninth player in Colts franchise history to record 60 assists in a season, and the first to ever claim the William Hanley Trophy.

“It truly is an honour to be recognized with the William Hanley Trophy,” said Vierling. “When looking back at the past winners, it’s a great group to join and a nice way to finish off my OHL career. My success this year is a reflection of all the help I got from my teammates, coaches, and family.”

Vierling was a consistent offensive producer for the Colts, recording at least three points in a game 15 different times over the course of the season. His campaign was highlighted by five-point efforts on Dec. 13th in a 7-5 win over the Sudbury Wolves (1-4–5) and Mar. 5th in a 6-3 road win over the Owen Sound Attack (3-2–5), one of his two hat tricks on the season.

“Anytime you can have a player that wins a league award it’s always great news for the franchise,” said Colts Head Coach and General Manager Marty Williamson. “Evan was a key contributor to our team this season and he took his play to the next level. It’s a reflection of his game by finishing with 95 points and only 12 minutes in penalties. The entire Colts organization is proud of him.”

Vierling recorded 13 points (1-12–13) in seven playoff outings for the Colts this spring before being sidelined by an injury in Game 2 of Barrie’s second round series against the North Bay Battalion.

Entering the League as the second overall pick of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection by the Flint Firebirds, Vierling turned in a productive four-year career that yielded 213 points (75-138–213) over 218 regular season games between the Colts and Firebirds. He was selected by the New York Rangers in the fifth round (127th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, and attended training camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets last October.

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.

Owen Sound Attack forward Cedrick Guindon finished as a runner-up in award voting, followed by Oshawa Generals forward Calum Ritchie who placed third.

Vierling follows a number of current NHL players to have previously won the award, including 2022 recipient Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires) of the Dallas Stars, as well as Nick Robertson (Peterborough 2020), three-time winner Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound/Guelph 2017, ’18, ’19), Mike Amadio (North Bay 2016), Dylan Strome (Erie 2015), Connor McDavid (Erie 2014), Brandon Saad (Saginaw 2012) and Jeff Carter (Sault Ste. Marie 2005).

Vierling will be the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Sportsman of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. Vierling will be formally presented with the William Hanley Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete history of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

ELEVEN OHL PLAYERS REPRESENTING CANADA AT 2023 IIHF WORLD UNDER-18 HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to congratulate 11 players on being named to Canada’s roster for the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship set to take place from April 20-30 in Basel and Porrentruy, Switzerland.

Hockey Canada announced its 22-player National Men’s Under-18 Team roster Saturday morning. Soo Greyhounds Head Coach John Dean will serve as an Assistant alongside Canadian Head Coach Jeff Truitt (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL).

OHL PLAYERS NAMED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL MEN’S UNDER-18 TEAM ROSTER:

Goaltenders:
Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires)

Defencemen:
Cam Allen (Guelph Storm)
Tristan Bertucci (Flint Firebirds)
Quinton Burns (Kingston Frontenacs)
Andrew Gibson (Soo Greyhounds)

Forwards:
Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
Nick Lardis (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Angus MacDonell (Mississauga Steelheads)
Porter Martone (Mississauga Steelheads)
Alex Pharand (Sudbury Wolves)
Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)

“We are excited to unveil the 22 players who will wear the Maple Leaf at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship, as we believe this group brings a lot of talent and experience from the Canadian Hockey League and international competition,” said Alan Millar, Director of Player Personnel for Hockey Canada. “We know this group is excited for the opportunity to compete for a gold medal and will represent Canada with pride in Switzerland.”

Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack) scored the overtime winner with eight seconds remaining in Sunday’s 6-5 pre-tournament victory over Finland. Nick Lardis (Hamilton Bulldogs) scored a pair of goals while defenceman Quinton Burns (Kingston Frontenacs) also found the back of the net.

Canada opens the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship against Sweden on April 20 at 8:30 a.m. ET / 5:30 a.m. PT. It will also take on Germany on April 21, Slovakia on April 23, and Czechia on April 24 to round out the preliminary round before the tournament wraps up with the bronze and gold medal games on April 30. TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast select tournament games, including all Team Canada games.

Since 2002, Canada has won four gold medals at the IIHF U18 World Championship (2003, 2008, 2013, 2021), in addition to one silver (2005) and three bronze (2012, 2014, 2015).

For more information on the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship, please visit the official tournament website at 2023.U18worlds.hockey.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

VIERLING AND GAUDREAU NAMEDOHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of playoff games ending Sunday, April 16th.



Colts’ Evan Vierling Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Barrie Colts forward Evan Vierling is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording seven assists in three games.

Vierling played a big part in Barrie’s Game 6 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Monday night, recording four assists in the 5-4 road win. He picked up a primary assist on Ethan Cardwell’s series-clincher, a goal that came with just 10 seconds remaining in the third period, marking the final OHL game at Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre for at least three seasons. Vierling was back producing to open Barrie’s second round matchup against the North Bay Battalion on Friday, picking up two assists in a 3-2 overtime win. He had the primary assist on Josh Kavanagh’s deciding goal. Vierling left Sunday’s Game 2 against North Bay with an injury, but managed to pick-up an assist in the 5-2 loss.

A 20-year-old overage forward from Aurora, Ont., Vierling led the Colts with 95 points including 35 goals and 60 assists over 60 games this past season. He finished tied for the team lead with 10 power play goals, had a plus-18 rating and seven game-winners in his fourth OHL season, wrapping-up his career with 213 points (75-138–213) over 218 regular season games. Vierling has 13 points (1-12–13) through seven playoff outings. A former first round (2nd overall) pick of the Flint Firebirds in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection, Vierling attended training camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets last October.

Also considered for the award this week, Barrie Colts teammate Ethan Cardwell, a recent signing by the San Jose Sharks, recording three goals, three assists and six points in three games last week. London Knights centreman Sean McGurn was also productive with six points (2-4–6) in three games.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit)

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Ethan Miedema (Kingston Frontenacs)
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts)
Mar. 6– Mar. 12: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Christian Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Braeden Bowman (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Nolan Burke (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Sean McGurn (London Knights)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Bryce McConnell-Barker (Soo Greyhounds)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Ryan Gagnier (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Brody Crane (London Knights)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Matvey Petrov (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Deni Goure (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
 



Sting’s Ben Gaudreau Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

San Jose Sharks prospect Ben Gaudreau of the Sarnia Sting is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, playing to a mark of 2-0 with a 0.47 goals-against average, .983 save percentage and one shutout.

Gaudreau helped the Sting take a 2-0 series lead over the Saginaw Spirit in their Western Conference Semi-Final series. Gaudreau’s week started with a 26-save shutout against Saginaw in Game 1, earning first star honours as the Sting prevailed by a score of 3-0 on home ice. The shutout set a new Sting franchise mark, making him the first Sarnia netminder to ever record two playoff shutouts. Gaudreau turned-in another first star showing in Game 2 on Sunday, turning aside 33 shots as the Sting outlasted the Spirit 2-1 in overtime.

A 20-year-old native of Corbeil, Ont., Gaudreau went 24-12-3-3 with a 3.07 goals-against average and .889 save percentage over 44 games in his third OHL season. The 6-foot-2, 172Ib. puck stopper owns a career mark of 53-43-8-5 with a 3.60 goals-against average, .890 save percentage and three shutouts over 116 regular season games since being selected in the first round (7th overall) by the Sting in 2019. So far in these playoffs, Gaudreau is 6-1 with a 2.24 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. Gaudreau, who won gold with Canada’s National Junior Team this past January, was selected by San Jose in the third round (81st overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week, Michael Simpson of the Peterborough Petes went 1-1 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .934 save percentage as the Petes drew even with the Ottawa 67’s in their second round series. Gaudreau’s series counterpart Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit was also solid, going 1-2 with a 2.26 goals-against average and .925 save percentage over three games.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Liam Sztuska (Peterborough Petes)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Zach Bowen (London Knights)
Jan 30 – Feb. 5: Nate Krawchuk (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan 23 – Jan. 29: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Jan 16 – Jan. 22: Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan 9 – Jan. 15: Matteo Drobac (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Owen Flores (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Joe Ranger (Sudbury Wolves)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ivan Zhigalov (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Alessio Beglieri (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

TORONTO JR. CANADIENS CROWNED CHAMPIONS OF 2023 U14 OHL CUP PRESENTED BY DAIRY FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Oakville, Ont. – The Toronto Jr. Canadiens have twin OHL Cup titles in 2023. After the U16 squad hoisted the OHL Cup on Apr. 3rd at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, the U14 Jr. Canadiens bested the Barrie Jr. Colts on Sunday at Joshua’s Creek Arena, being crowned champions of the 2nd annual event presented by Dairy Farmers of Ontario and hosted by the Ontario Minor Hockey Association.

The Jr. Canadiens climbed out to a 2-0 lead before Barrie battled back to tie things at two. Lucas Quain scored the deciding goal on the power play with 5:40 to go in the middle frame, giving the Jr. Canadiens enough to be crowned champions in 2023.

“All the hard work paid off and it feels great,” said Quain after the final buzzer. “We’ve worked hard since training camp and I’m glad to see this group improve as the season went on.”

“At the beginning of the year we all set goals,” said Jr. Canadiens head coach Matt Viola. “Every kid on the team wrote it down on a piece of paper. I am happy for all these boys to have accomplished something they’ll remember forever.”

Noah Laus and Connor Adam also scored for the Jr. Canadiens while Keaton Ardagh picked up two assists, including one on Quain’s game-winner.

For Barrie’s part, the Jr. Colts had goals from Kaden Rolling and Benjamin Marling, who finished as the top-scoring defenceman in the showcase with eight points (6-2–8) in five games.

Goaltenders received Player of the Game honours for their respective teams as Jr. Canadiens netminder Ethan Maniaci and Barrie’s Malcolm Rose were both excellent in the Championship Final.

Jr. Canadiens teammates Jax Pereira (6-4–10) and Keaton Ardagh (2-6–8) finished atop the tournament scoring list.

“We always talk about ups and downs, peaks and valleys during the year and you know, this tournament is a prime example of that,” Viola added. “Right now, I’m just super happy the boys came together at the right time, and now we get the hoist the trophy.”

The Jr. Canadiens started the showcase with a 5-0 blanking of the OMHA champion Halton Hurricanes on Friday morning before defeating the NOHA’s North Bay Trappers 5-1 on Friday afternoon. JRC skated to a 4-3 double-overtime win over the Sun County Panthers in Saturday’s Quarterfinal as Jax Pereira emerged as the hero to push his team into the semis. The Jr. Canadiens, who came into the showcase as the GTHL’s third entry, defeated the GTHL champion Don Mills Flyers 5-3 on Sunday morning to advance to the Championship Final.

The U14 OHL Cup trophy was presented to the Jr. Canadiens by OHL Director of Recruitment and Player Services Brodie Barrick alongside the OMHA’s Director of Business Development and Marketing Derek Polowyk.

Tournament action was streamed live via GameOnStream, with archived action available at u14ohlcup.gameonstream.com.

For full results and statistics from the 2023 U14 OHL Cup presented by Dairy Farmers of Ontario, visit u14ohlcup.ca.


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

TEAM STAMKOS REIGNS SUPREME AT 2023 OHL DEVELOPMENT COMBINE PRESENTED BY DAIRY FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Oshawa, Ont. – The 2023 OHL Development Combine presented by Dairy Farmers of Ontario wrapped up on Sunday at the Tribute Communities Centre, with Team Stamkos coming away as champions of the annual event.

76 draft eligible prospects had the opportunity to showcase their on-ice skills in a series of games played before scouts and general managers to assist in their evaluation prior to the OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore to be held on Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22.

The games brought an end to the two-day event that also included on and off-ice skills testing on Saturday. (Top finishers below)

Saturday’s events included on and off-ice testing. Off-ice drills conducted by Elite Training Systems consisted of vertical and horizontal jumps, pro-agility sprints, grip strength and pull-ups. The on-ice portion included skills testing on both players and goaltenders performed by Game Ready Testing.

Team Stamkos won the OHL Combine championship as a result of finishing with the most points accumulated between Saturday’s testing results and Sunday’s game outcomes.

All four teams were joined behind the bench by special guest coaches that included OHL personnel in Jeff Kyrzakos (Asst. GM & Asst. Coach, Mississauga Steelheads) and Rico Phillips (OHL Director, Cultural Diversity & Inclusion) for Team Stamkos, Ryan Kuwabara (Head Coach, Niagara IceDogs) and Tom Watson (Scout, Flint Firebirds) for Team Lindros, Brandon Shaw (Assistant Coach, Niagara IceDogs) and Greg Hammell (Head Scout, Saginaw Spirit) for Team Subban along with Chris Longo (Assistant Coach, Kingston Frontenacs) and Kevin Hess (USA Scout, OHL & NHL Central Scouting) for Team Ekblad.

Final Team Standings:
Team Stamkos (Blue) = 774 Testing + 90 Games = 864 points
Team Lindros (Red) = 779 Testing + 10 Games = 789 points
Team Subban (White) = 661 Testing + 70 Games = 731 points
Team Ekblad (Gold) = 700 Testing + 0 Games = 700 points

Standings are based on a point system where individual player testing results contributed to the team’s total score.  Players are ranked by position and scored according to rank (1-36 for forwards, 1-24 for defencemen, 1-16 for goalies). During Sunday’s games teams scored 10 points per half win, 25 points per game win, and 50 points per half shutouts.

Sunday’s OHL Combine Game Results:

Game 4 – Team Stamkos 9, Team Ekblad 4
Team Stamkos earns 45 points as a result of the victory

Team Stamkos scoring:
Dylan Tsherna (Don Mills Flyers) – 2G, 1A
Chase Del Colombo (Toronto Nationals) – 2G, 1A
Adam Smeeton (Don Mills Flyers) – 1G, 2A
Gabriel Smith (Toronto Marlboros) – 1G, 1A
Aiden Young (London Jr. Knights) – 1G, 1A
Peter Legostaev (Smiths Falls Bears) – 1G
Mason Goodfellow (Kingston Jr. Gaels) – 1G
Tyler Vorstadt (Whitby Wildcats) – 1A
Jack Nesbitt (Lambton Jr. Sting) – 1A
Lucas Moore (Peterborough Petes) – 1A
Casey Bridgewater (Halton Hurricanes) – 1A

Team Ekblad scoring:
Luca Moreno (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) – 2G
Shamar Moses (Don Mills Flyers) – 1G, 1A
Cooper Bordeaux (Detroit Little Caesars) – 1G
John Lumsden (Peterborough Petes) – 1A
Jayden Connors (Mississauga Senators) – 1A
Lucas Prud’homme (Renfrew Wolves) – 1A

Game 3 – Team Subban 6, Team Lindros 5
Team Subban earns 35 points and Team Lindros earns 10 points

Team Subban scoring:
Ethan Czata (Mississauga Rebels) – 2G, 2A
Ethan Brassard (Mississauga Senators) – 3A
Andrew Mondoux (Toronto Titans) – 1G, 1A
Ryan Brown (York-Simcoe Express) – 1G
Dryden Allen (Southern Tier Admirals – 1G
Jake Crawford (York-Simcoe Express) – 1G
Shawn Costello (Mississauga Senators) – 1A
P.J. Fagan (Don Mills Flyers) – 1A
Vasily Serov (Vaughan Kings) – 1A
Harry Nansi (Nepean Raiders) – 1A

Team Lindros scoring:
Joseph Cadorin (Toronto Marlboros) – 2G, 1A
Carson Harmer (Huron-Perth Lakers) – 1G, 1A
Jordan Charron (Cambridge Hawks) – 1G, 1A
Cristian Giancola (Halton Hurricanes) – 1G
Jeremy Martin (Toronto Marlboros) – 1A
Ben Radley (Peterborough Petes) – 1A

Game 2 – Team Subban 6, Team Ekblad 3
Team Subban earns 35 points as a result of the victory

Team Subban scoring:
Ethan Brassard (Mississauga Senators) – 2G
Shawn Costello (Mississauga Senators) – 2G
P.J. Fagan (Don Mills Flyers) – 1G, 1A
Vasily Serov (Vaughan Kings) – 1G
Harry Nansi (Nepean Raiders) – 2A
Ethan Czata (Mississauga Rebels) – 2A
Zach Houben (Huron-Perth Lakers) -1A
Justin Handsor (York-Simcoe Express) – 1A

Team Ekblad scoring:
Cayden Smith (York-Simcoe Express) – 1G, 1A
Jimmy Lombardi (Don Mills Flyers) – 2A
Shamar Moses (Don Mills Flyers) – 1G
Lucas Prud’homme (Renfrew Wolves) – 1G
Jayden Connors (Mississauga Senators) – 1A
Josh Avery (Peterborough Petes) – 1A

Game 1 – Team Stamkos 8, Team Lindros 3
Team Stamkos earns 45 points as a result of the victory

Team Stamkos scoring:
Tanner Lam (Halton Hurricanes) – 2G, 1A
Dylan Tsherna (Don Mills Flyers) – 1G, 3A
Jaiden Newton (Whitby Wildcats) – 1G, 1A
Tyler Vorstadt (Whitby Wildcats) -1G, 1A
Casey Bridgewater (Halton Hurricanes) – 1G
Gabriel Smith (Toronto Marlboros) – 1G
Aiden Young (London Jr. Knights) – 1G
Jack Nesbitt (Lambton Jr. Sting) – 1A

Team Lindros scoring:
Joseph Cadorin (Toronto Marlboros) – 1G, 1A
Carson Harmer (Huron-Perth Lakers) – 1G
Artem Frolov (Vaughan Kings) – 1G (Penalty Shot)
 

Saturday’s OHL Combine Testing Results:

Off-Ice Testing Top Performers:

Players with at least three first-place finishes in different testing categories for their respective teams:
1. Casey Bridgewater (Team Stamkos/Halton Hurricanes) – 6
2. Carson Harmer (Team Lindros/Huron-Perth Lakers) – 5
3. Tristan Boudreau (Team Lindros/Renfrew Wolves) – 4
T-4. Lucas Prud’homme (Team Ekblad/Renfrew Wolves) – 3
T-4. Wesley Royston (Team Lindros/York-Simcoe Express) – 3
T-4. P.J. Fagan (Team Subban/Don Mills Flyers) – 3

Team Lindros’ Owen Edwards (Whitby Wildcats) led all goaltenders at the Combine with five first place finishes in off-ice testing.

On-Ice Testing Top Performers:

Top 5 Forwards:
1. Will McFadden (Team Subban/Peterborough Petes)
2. Jeremy Martin (Team Lindros/Toronto Marlboros)
3. Chase Del Colombo (Team Stamkos/Toronto Nationals)
4. Wesley Royston (Team Lindros/York-Simcoe Express)
5. Jaiden Newton (Team Stamkos/Whitby Wildcats)

Top 5 Defencemen:
1. Casey Bridgewater (Team Stamkos/Halton Hurricanes)
2. Isaac Oldenhoff (Team Stamkos/York-Simcoe Express)
3. James Barr (Team Ekblad/Burlington Eagles)
4. P.J. Fagan (Team Subban/Don Mills Flyers)
5. Jayden Connors (Team Ekblad/Mississauga Senators)

Top 5 Goaltenders:
1. Aleksei Medvedev (Team Stamkos/Vaughan Kings)
2. Reece Herman (Team Ekblad/Quinte Red Devils)
3. Kayden Newton (Team Lindros/Halton Hurricanes)
4. Erik Maki (Team Lindros/Peterborough Petes)
T-5. Owen Edwards (Team Lindros/Whitby Wildcats)
T-5. Jaeden Nelson (Team Lindros/Toronto Marlboros)

Be sure to tune into the 2023 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore this coming Friday, April 21st at 7:00pm as Rounds 1-3 air live across the province on Your TV, Rogers tv, Eastlink, Cable 14 and Shaw Spotlight community stations as well as the Rogers Super Sports Pak. Day 2 gets underway on Saturday, April 22nd, with coverage of Rounds 4-15 beginning at 9:00am. The Priority Selection will be streaming for free in its entirety on OHL Live.


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.