OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK FOR SEPT. 18-21, 2025

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO (Monday, September 22, 2025) – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced Top Performers of the Week for regular season games from Thursday, September 18 through Sunday, September 21.


Spitfires’ Cole Davis named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Windsor Spitfires forward Cole Davis is the inaugural 2025-26 recipient of Cogeco OHL Player of the Week honours, recording four goals, two assists and six points over a pair of victories.

Three of Davis’ four goals came shorthanded, putting home a pair on Friday night in Sarnia as he posted a career-high five points (3-2—5) in an 8-1 win over the Sting. His two shorthanded markers tied a Spitfires single game franchise mark, joining such names as Matthew Maggio and Eric Locke in the record book. Davis scored another shorthanded marker in Saturday’s 4-1 win over the visiting London Knights.

A 19-year-old from Sutton, ON, Davis is into his third full OHL season after collecting 45 points (21-24—45) over 57 games in 2024-25. The 5-foot-10, 184Ib. winger saw full-time duty at centre in his first two games of this season. Formerly a fourth round (65th overall) pick by the Spitfires in 2022, Davis has collected 94 points (46-48—94) over his 127 career regular season games.


Rangers’ Jason Schaubel named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Kitchener Rangers netminder Jason Schaubel is the Mary Brown’s Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-0 with a 1.99 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.

Schaubel helped the Rangers rebound from a 3-0 deficit against the Brantford Bulldogs in their home opener, providing 32 saves as Kitchener rallied for four unanswered in a 4-3 overtime win. He returned to the crease Saturday night, making 29 saves as Kitchener beat the Erie Otters 3-1 despite being outshot 30-18. Schaubel earned second star recognition in the win.

A 17-year-old from Barrie, ON, Schaubel is embarking on his second OHL season after going 10-3-1-2 with a 3.40 goals-against average and .878 save percentage in 2024-25. The 6-foot, 185Ib. NHL Draft eligible netminder was Kitchener’s fifth round (97th overall) pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the Barrie Colts U16 AAA program. Schaubel represented Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this past summer, earning a bronze medal.


67’s’ Thomas Vandenberg named OHL Rookie of the Week

Ottawa 67’s forward Thomas Vandenberg is the OHL Rookie of the Week, producing three goals and an assist in his OHL debut Friday night in Kingston.

Vandenberg turned in an unforgettable OHL debut, earning first star honours with a hat-trick and one assist as the 67’s beat the Kingston Frontenacs 6-2. Vandenberg opened the scoring 2:17 into action, scored an unassisted second period goal and capped-off the hat-trick 5:10 into the third frame.

A 17-year-old from Nepean, ON, Vandenberg comes to the OHL having spent last season with the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, producing 18 points (9-9—18) over 55 games. The former fifth round (93rd overall) pick by Ottawa in 2024 is committed to Providence College (NCAA). The NHL Draft eligible Vandenberg is a product of the Ottawa Myers Automotive AAA program where he won an HEO U16 AAA championship in 2024.


Knights prospect Brendan Gerber named inaugural GOJHL Prospect of the Week

London Knights prospect Brendan Gerber of the Elmira Sugar Kings is the inaugural recipient of GOJHL Prospect of the Week honours, producing 11 points (3-8—11) over his first four games of the season.

As part of a new development partnership between the two leagues, the OHL will recognize a top performing prospect from across the GOJHL each week.

Gerber has strung together four straight multi-point outings, helping the Sugar Kings get off to a 3-1 start to the season. He opened the campaign with three assists in a 6-0 road win over the Listowel Cyclones on Sept. 12th, followed-up by two goals in Elmira’s home opener, a 4-1 win over Listowel on Sept. 14th. Gerber comes off a productive weekend that saw him collect three assists in a 6-5 loss to the Komoka Kings on Saturday followed by a goal and two helpers in Sunday’s 9-0 home win over the Strathroy Rockets.

An 18-year-old from New Hamburg, ON, Gerber played in six games with the London Knights last season, scoring his first OHL goal on March 12th in Guelph. The 5-foot-9, 185Ib. forward was selected by the Knights in the sixth round (104th overall) of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection from the Waterloo Wolves U16 AAA program. Gerber has played in 93 career GOJHL contests between the Sugar Kings and Strathroy Rockets, collecting 115 points (58-57—115) along the way.

CHL Top-10 Rankings presented by Delta Hotels by Marriott: Blainville-Boisbriand, Brantford, and Spokane headline CHL’s Preseason Top-10 ahead of 2025-26 campaign

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) today unveiled its preseason edition of the CHL Top-10 Rankings presented by Delta Hotels by Marriott for the 2025-26 season.

Leading the list to open the campaign are the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), followed by the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League (WHL), who round out the top three.

The rankings, set with input from NHL Central Scouting, come just days before the puck drops on the new season this Thursday, September 18. At 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT (on FloHockey), the QMJHL’s newest franchise, the Newfoundland Regiment, will make history with its inaugural game, hosting the defending champion Moncton Wildcats at Mary Brown’s Centre. Later that Thursday evening, the OHL kicks off with two matchups, highlighted by the Oshawa Generals — finalists in each of the past two seasons — visiting the North Bay Battalion at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT (on FloHockey). The action continues Friday with a packed slate of 25 games across the CHL, including eight in the WHL to launch its campaign. Among them is a milestone debut for the league’s newest franchise, the Penticton Vees, who face the Victoria Royals at 10:05 p.m. ET / 7:05 p.m. PT (on Victory+) in their first-ever WHL contest.

For the 2025-26 season, fans won’t miss a moment of CHL action with FloHockey serving as the home of the OHL and QMJHL, while Victory+ will be the streaming destination of the WHL. FloHockey’s coverage will include more than 680 OHL games and all 576 QMJHL regular-season matchups, plus the playoffs and marquee events such as the OHL Top Prospects Game and the QMJHL Prospects Game. Meanwhile, Victory+ will provide free access to over 700 WHL regular-season games, the WHL Playoffs, classic matchups from the archives, and more.

This season, the road to junior hockey’s ultimate prize – the Memorial Cup – will end in Kelowna, B.C., where the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets will host the 106th edition of the tournament from May 21–31, 2026. It will be the first time the event returns to Kelowna since 2004, when the Rockets lifted the CHL championship trophy on home ice.

CHL Top-10 Rankings – Preseason
1. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
2. Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
3. Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
4. Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
5. Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
6. Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
7. Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
8. Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
9. Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
10. Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

For information and details about each club ranked in the CHL’s latest Top-10 Rankings, please visit chl.ca/video/2025-26-chl-top-10-rankings-preseason-edition.

The next rankings will be released the week of September 23, following the first weekend of regular season action in all three member leagues of the CHL.

OHL WELCOMES GOJHL AS OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE TO BEGIN 2025-26 SEASON

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO (Tuesday, September 9, 2025) – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced an exciting new partnership, one that prioritizes the development and growth of young players, better supporting their progress on the pathway to the OHL and beyond.

Effective to begin the 2025-26 season, The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) is becoming the first official development league of the OHL. The 23-team, southern Ontario based circuit has contributed to the development of countless eventual OHL players through the years, providing tremendous opportunities to young players seeking to maximize their potential.

This new initiative is designed to create a cohesive framework that:

  • Supports the growth and development of OHL prospects
  • Provides a unified approach to training, competition and mentorship
  • Elevates the overall standard of development for players
  • Ensures long-term success for athletes while strengthening the GOJHL

“From the outset, our goal has been to establish clearer pathways and abundant development opportunities for OHL prospects following their draft year,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “This new partnership creates a deeper, stronger pipeline for talent both entering the OHL and pursuing their goals beyond our league in an ecosystem where players have a world of possibilities in front of them.”

The GOJHL becomes the first official development league of the OHL. Conversations remain ongoing towards future collaboration with Junior A leagues across Ontario including the OJHL, CCHL, NOJHL and SIJHL moving into the 2025-26 season.

Success stories of prospects developing in the GOJHL on their path to OHL stardom are plentiful as fans need look no further than the 2025 Memorial Cup champion London Knights for examples in Easton Cowan (Komoka Kings, 2021-22) and Oliver Bonk (St. Thomas Stars, 2021-22) among several others. The GOJHL has been a development destination for eventual OHL stars dating back to the 1990’s and early 2000’s as such names as Soo Greyhounds legends Joe Thornton (St. Thomas Stars, 1994-95) and Jeff Carter (Strathroy Rockets, 2000-01) took their game to the next level in many of these communities.

Immediate goals of the partnership for the 2025-26 season include the development of a showcase event to be integrated into festivities surrounding the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game set to take place in Peterborough on January 14, 2026. The OHL will also place a greater emphasis on prospect coverage from across the GOJHL this coming season, with the integration of a new Prospect of the Week feature alongside other collaborative marketing, communications and branding efforts.

Long-term goals include the development of elevated standard operating procedures for all GOJHL teams. The partnership would also seek to work with Hockey Canada to further refine and advance roster rules and regulations while also striving to standardize OHL playing rules across the league.

“The GOJHL has long been a proven pathway for players advancing to the OHL, with consistent success year after year,” said GOJHL Commissioner Craig Spada. “The numbers speak for themselves – more than 15 players from this past season’s Memorial Cup-winning London Knights began their development in our league. With this new OHL Development League partnership, we’re excited to further enhance the player experience and provide even greater opportunities for young athletes to flourish.

“This partnership strengthens the connection between our league and the OHL, creating a development framework that benefits players, teams, and communities across Ontario,” added Spada. “We thank the OHL for their collaboration and commitment, as together we continue to reinforce a system where the growth of the player – on and off the ice – remains the top priority.”

Follow the OHL on X, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates on prospects developing across the GOJHL throughout the 2025-26 season.

The GOJHL quest for the prestigious Sutherland Cup begins Wednesday, September 10th as the London Nationals visit the LaSalle Vipers to open the 2025-26 regular season.

NHL rookie camps and prospect tournaments are getting underway this week and the OHL preseason schedule continues on Friday night. Opening Night in the OHL is set for Thursday, September 18th.

Guelph Storm & Kitchener Rangers named finalists to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce that the Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) have been selected as the two finalist clubs in the bid to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada. The finalists were determined by the 2027 Memorial Cup Site Selection Committee, an independent panel of five individuals with extensive experience across the sports landscape. This committee will also be responsible for selecting the winning bid.

After reviewing submissions from OHL clubs that declared their intent to bid, the committee identified Guelph and Kitchener as the two finalists. In the coming weeks, both organizations will be invited to submit formal written bids, which will be evaluated across four categories: Business Operations, Community Engagement & Atmosphere, Event Logistics, and Hockey Operations. The winning host will then be determined through a comprehensive process that also includes formal presentations and site visits, with a final decision expected between late November and early December 2025.

“The Memorial Cup is the toughest trophy to win in amateur sport, and few markets reflect the history and passion for junior hockey more than Guelph and Kitchener,” said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “Both communities are defined by devoted fan bases and a deep-rooted tradition in our game, and each has played an important role in shaping junior hockey’s history. The Memorial Cup continues to be a celebration of hockey excellence, community spirit, and national pride, and we are confident that either city would provide a fitting and exceptional stage for the 2027 tournament.”

“We’re thrilled to be one of the final two teams in the running to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada,” shared Matt Newby, Vice President of Business Operations for the Guelph Storm. “The opportunity to welcome hockey fans from across North America to Guelph, with the Memorial Cup as the centerpiece of a celebration of hockey and our city’s bicentennial, would be an incredible honour for our community.”

“We could not be more thrilled to be announced as a finalist to host the 2027 Memorial Cup – we believe that Kitchener is the perfect host city,” stated Joe Birch, Chief Operating Officer of the Kitchener Rangers. “Our city has a rich hockey history, outstanding facilities, and a dedicated fan base that would make the 2027 Memorial Cup an unforgettable experience for all participants and visitors. We look forward to completing the next steps in the selection process.”

The Kitchener Rangers and Guelph Storm each boast deep connections to the Memorial Cup. Kitchener has twice been crowned CHL champion, lifting the trophy in 1982 and 2003, and has appeared in the tournament six times (1981, 1982, 1984, 1990, 2003, 2008), advancing to the final on every occasion. The Rangers’ home, the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, has also hosted the tournament four times (1962, 1975, 1984, 2008), making it one of the event’s most frequent venues. Guelph, meanwhile, has competed in six Memorial Cups (1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2019) and proudly served as host in 2002, marking the franchise’s first time staging the tournament. While the Storm have only hosted once, the city of Guelph also played a role as a co-host of the 1962 Memorial Cup alongside Kitchener and Hamilton. And although the Storm have yet to capture the trophy, the Royal City has still celebrated Memorial Cup triumphs thanks to the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters in 1952 and the Guelph Platers in 1986.

The most recent Memorial Cup was held last spring in Rimouski, Québec, where the London Knights defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1 in the final to capture the franchise’s third CHL championship. With the victory, London joined the Cornwall Royals, Kamloops Blazers, and Windsor Spitfires as the only clubs to win three Memorial Cup titles since 1972. The Knights previously lifted the trophy in 2005 and 2016.

Looking ahead, the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada will be hosted by the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and staged in Kelowna, B.C., from May 21 to 31, 2026. The 106th edition of the tournament will mark the championship’s return to Kelowna, which last hosted in 2004.

The Memorial Cup brings together the playoff champions of the WHL, OHL, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), along with a host club, in a four-team round-robin tournament to crown the CHL champion. First awarded in 1919, the Memorial Cup has become one of hockey’s most prestigious trophies, with a legacy that has helped define junior hockey in North America. Originally donated by the Ontario Hockey Association to honour Canadian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the First World War, the trophy was rededicated in 2010 to commemorate all fallen members of the Canadian Armed Forces, further cementing its role as a symbol of remembrance, sacrifice, and national pride.

FLOSPORTS AND ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE ENTER LANDMARK SEVEN-YEAR MEDIA PARTNERSHIP

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

FloHockey to Serve As Global Home for More Than 680 OHL Games and the Most Live Hockey on the Planet

Austin, TX and Toronto, ON – (August 26, 2025) – FloSports has entered into a landmark seven-year media partnership with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of North America’s most storied and competitive junior hockey leagues beginning with the 2025–26 season. The new agreement establishes FloHockey as the global home for live and on-demand streaming coverage of the OHL’s full regular season, postseason, and marquee league events and an essential destination for Canadian hockey. 

The addition of the OHL will bring more than 680 OHL games, including regular season matchups, playoff rounds, Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game, and the OHL Championship Series for the J. Ross Robertson Cup. In addition, FloHockey will produce original content and invest in a broad social media strategy to further elevate the league and its athletes.

This agreement significantly expands FloHockey’s footprint in Canadian junior hockey – a proving ground for the NHL stars of tomorrow –  which scored nine first-round picks in last year’s NHL draft including the number one pick overall by the New York Islanders, Matthew Schaefer. With existing partnerships across seven of the nine CJHL leagues and now two of the three major CHL circuits – the QMJHL and the OHL – FloHockey cements its position as the essential destination for hockey fans with the most live hockey available on the planet featuring more than 20,000 games scheduled this season. 

As part of the deal, the OHL will continue its use of LeagueStat, FloSports’ industry-leading stats and data platform. Fans will enjoy real-time integration across live streams, team websites, and mobile apps—ensuring seamless access to in-game stats and updates no matter where they watch.

The partnership includes an official sponsorship designation for FloHockey with the OHL, aligning both brands in a deeper marketing collaboration and elevating hockey content across platforms. Exclusive storytelling will highlight emerging stars, NHL prospects, and the OHL’s rich legacy of player development.

“The OHL has long been a pillar of junior hockey in North America, and this partnership is a milestone for our coverage,” said Josh Siskin, GM of FloHockey. “Adding the OHL alongside the QMJHL offers fans the most complete junior hockey streaming experience available anywhere. We’re proud to invest in growing the game and supporting the next generation of elite talent.”

“We’re excited about this new partnership and making FloHockey the streaming home of the Ontario Hockey League,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “Providing our fans with a first-rate streaming experience across several different platforms is a top priority. Working with Flo and their creative team also presents tremendous content opportunities across our social and digital channels and we’re looking forward to telling the league’s story together.”

FloHockey streams tens of thousands of games annually from the AHL, ECHL, USHL, SPHL, Swedish Hockey League, and top college and junior leagues. Last season, it reached more than 6 million total viewers and over 21 million video views on social media. 

FloHockey is available via web, mobile apps (iOS and Android), and streaming platforms including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. The FloSports app will be pre-installed on most top-selling Smart TVs in the U.S. and Canada this year, with launches on Samsung, Vizio and LG, making it easier than ever for fans to watch. OHL Season ticket holders will receive a FloHockey subscription discount – more information about the program will be provided in the coming days. 

About FloSports
FloSports is a global sports media company committed to spotlighting the sports and athletes traditional media leaves behind. Founded in 2006, the company has become the digital home for die-hard communities in sports — delivering live and on-demand coverage, award-winning original programming, and advanced data solutions to passionate fans worldwide.

Flo’s portfolio spans more than 25 sports and includes the leading destinations for devoted audiences, including motorsports, hockey, wrestling, cycling, Jiu-Jitsu , track & field, cheer, a range of NCAA sports, and more.

Through strategic partnerships with NASCAR, USA Wrestling, Varsity Spirit, High Limit Racing, the American Hockey League (AHL), Tour de France, Wanda Diamond League, and 18 NCAA conferences, FloSports streams over 50,000 events annually to a global subscriber base. For more information, please visit: flosports.tv.

About the Ontario Hockey League
The  Ontario Hockey League  has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with over 329 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2024-25, resulting in a collective investment of over $42 million by OHL member teams over the past 15 years.

OHL CONCLUDES ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

MUSKOKA LAKES (Friday, August 15, 2025) – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) on Thursday concluded its Annual General Meeting of the Board of Governors at the JW Marriott Resort, with several adopted notices of motion as the league moves into the 2025-26 season.

In the area of league governance, current Chairman of the Board Tim Lukenda, who serves as President and Governor of the Soo Greyhounds, was elected to another two-year term as Chair. He is joined on the League’s Executive Council by representatives Craig Goslin (Saginaw Spirit), Joe Birch (Kitchener Rangers), Dr. Bob Neville (Peterborough Petes) and Dario Zulich (Sudbury Wolves).

This year’s Annual General Meeting saw the Board approve several changes to OHL playing rules, bringing those more in line with the standard of play in the National Hockey League. These rule changes will be outlined in more detail following the OHL’s Leadership Meeting of the General Managers being held next week.

A few notable league updates emerging from this week’s meetings include:

Hockey Operations – Enhanced Video Review Technology:

The OHL has partnered with Spiideo, an easy-to-use, accessible and cloud-based video recording and analysis solution to enhance its video review process in all 20 venues leaguewide. The benefits of this new partnership include:

  • Enhanced video review with seven consistent angles in all buildings
  • Faster incident analysis and decision-making
  • Improved official coaching and development through objective visual feedback
  • Enhanced supplemental discipline process

Phase 1 of the Spiideo integration is near completion as installation continues across the league leading into the upcoming season.

Hockey Operations – Overage Player Registration Eligibility:

Under previous parameters, OHL clubs could only sign and register an overage player if they had spent the previous season on a Hockey Canada or USA Hockey player’s registration certificate. The Board of Governors has amended this ruling to give OHL member teams the ability to also register an overage player who spent the previous 19-year-old season in either the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).

Hockey Operations – Player Safety, Cut-Resistant Material:

The Board of Governors has approved the institution of a policy where cut-resistant materials worn on the throat, groin, wrist and ankle be at the category of A-5 or greater, with the exception of BNQ certified throat protectors.

The OHL Board of Governors also adopted new initiatives in Player Experience and Officiating Development, with more updates in those areas to be rolled out in the weeks to come.

The 2025 OHL Alumni Charity Golf Classic takes place next week at Hockley Valley Resort in Mono, ON, to be followed by the annual OHL Leadership Meetings that involve General Managers from across the league prior to training camps getting underway later this month.

GREYHOUNDS PRESIDENT AND GOVERNOR TIM LUKENDA RECOGNIZED WITH INAUGURAL DAVID BRANCH LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

MUSKOKA LAKES (Friday, August 15, 2025) – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that Soo Greyhounds President and Governor Tim Lukenda is the inaugural recipient of the David Branch Leader of the Year Award, presented at the OHL’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors held at the JW Marriott Resort.

The first representative in Greyhounds history to serve as Chairman of the OHL Board of Governors, Lukenda has been a member of the board since 2017, and has served on the League’s Executive Council since first being elected as Secretary Treasurer in 2019.

“Tim has done a tremendous amount of work and contributed a great deal of his time to not only the Soo Greyhounds, but the Ontario Hockey League as a whole this past year,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “As Chairman of the Board of Governors, he’s been a valuable resource in the transition from David Branch’s leadership throughout my first full season in the role of Commissioner. It is only fitting that he receive this award, named in recognition of David, with the tremendous leadership he has demonstrated.”

The David Branch Leader of the Year Award has been established in recognition of the 45 years of service and dedication to the OHL by former Commissioner David Branch, who retired last summer after first being named to the position back in 1979. The award is a continuation of what was formerly known as the OHL Executive of the Year Award that was last presented to Mike Vellucci of the Plymouth Whalers back in 2012-13. The honour is presented annually to an OHL executive who displays the leadership qualities, hard work, commitment and dedication that David demonstrated in his role, making countless contributions to the OHL, the sport of hockey and to the athletes that make it so special.

“It is a real honour to receive an award named after a person for which I have such great respect and admiration,” said Lukenda. “The Soo Greyhounds are a proud member of the Ontario Hockey League and its an honour for me to be able to represent the Greyhounds on the OHL Board and contribute in any way I can to the bright future of our league.”

Lukenda, whose father Dr. Lou Lukenda acquired majority ownership of the Greyhounds in 2001 and secured the club’s long-term future in Sault Ste. Marie, himself grew up watching the Greyhounds at the old Memorial Gardens. This instilled a lifelong love for both the Hounds and the OHL that continues to result in tremendous contributions to the League today.

Lukenda becomes the second Greyhounds representative to win the OHL’s top executive honour following Sherry Bassin of the 1990-91 Greyhounds who was the second-ever recipient of the award that was established in 1989.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, click here.

Knights defeat Wildcats to punch ticket to 2025 Memorial Cup final vs. Tigers

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Rimouski, QC – MAY 30: Semi-Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Moncton Wildcats and the London Knights on May 30, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — One year after falling short in the 2024 championship, the London Knights have earned a shot at redemption.

With a 5-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats in Friday’s semi-final, the Knights advanced to Sunday’s title game and became just the sixth team in the past 40 years to reach back-to-back Memorial Cup finals — a feat last achieved by the Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and 2010.

London got goals from Landon Sim, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Denver Barkey, Ottawa Senators prospect Blake Montgomery, New York Islanders prospect Jesse Nurmi, and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan. Knights’ goaltender Austin Elliott made 21 saves in the win.

Moncton responded with goals from 2025 NHL Draft prospect Caleb Desnoyers and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Dyllan Gill, while Mathis Rousseau stopped 32 shots in the loss.

“All around, I thought that was our best game of the tournament so far,” Cowan said. “We had a really good first, kind of laid back in the second, but our third was probably our best period of the tournament so far.

“We had everyone scoring today, got lots of depth, and it was a huge win for us.”

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
POST-GAME LONDON
POST-GAME MONCTON
POST-GAME MONCTON – GARDINER MACDOUGALL
POST-GAME MONCTON – CALEB DESNOYERS

Tied 2-2 after two periods, the London Knights pulled away in the third, scoring three unanswered goals to punch their ticket to the final.

Blake Montgomery netted the game-winner at 3:35 — his first of the tournament — after slipping behind Dyllan Gill and burying a cross-ice feed from San Jose Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson, who had jump-started the play off a missed shot by Caleb Desnoyers.

Jesse Nurmi added insurance at 13:11, capitalizing on a heads-up play by Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Julien, who drove forward on a faceoff and fed Nurmi for his first of the tournament. Easton Cowan sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 18:11.

The Knights will now face Medicine Hat in Sunday’s final at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

“I think our experience took over [tonight],” Cowan said. “We’ve got a lot of older guys on team, a lot of guys that have been there to help close it out.”

“We know we had a tough opponent on the other side, national championship semifinal,” shared Gill post-game. “It’s heartbreaking, and I think every guy in our room is going to have a little bit of regret and what if in their head, but ultimately super proud of the group.”

Through 40 minutes, both teams had traded goals in each period.

London opened the scoring just 4:07 in, as Oliver Bonk’s shot missed the net, the puck bounced right to Landon Sim, who circled from behind the net and tucked in his first of the tournament on a wraparound.

Moncton drew level with 1:40 left in the frame when Caleb Desnoyers ripped a power-play snipe from the left faceoff dot for his first of the tournament.

The Knights regained the lead at 5:24 of the second, as Easton Cowan pulled goaltender Mathis Rousseau wide before threading a perfect pass across the crease for captain Denver Barkey to blast home a one-timer — his first of the tournament.

Moncton responded again just over two minutes later, tying it at 2-2 on a power-play marker from Dyllan Gill, who wired home his third of the Memorial Cup with a sharp wrist shot. From there, however, the Wildcats couldn’t break through in the third against a determined Knights squad.

“It means everything,” Sim said. “We were playing for this all year to get back in that game.”

The Knights will now face the Medicine Hat Tigers on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, with the winner set to join the Cornwall Royals, Kamloops Blazers, and Windsor Spitfires as the only CHL clubs to capture a record three Memorial Cup titles since 1972.

Sunday’s championship game will mark the London Knights’ fifth appearance in a Memorial Cup final since 1972, breaking a tie for third-most all-time and placing them behind only the Kitchener Rangers and Peterborough Petes, who each have six. It’s also the second straight year the Knights have reached the Memorial Cup final, after falling in heartbreaking fashion to the Saginaw Spirit in 2024 on a goal surrendered in the final minute of regulation.

Conversely, Sunday will mark the Tigers’ first appearance in a Memorial Cup final in 18 years, after they became the first WHL team to advance directly to the championship game since the Kelowna Rockets did so in 2009 — the last time the tournament was held in Rimouski. Medicine Hat will be aiming to end an 11-year drought for the WHL by becoming the league’s first team to hoist the Memorial Cup since 2014.

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Sunday, June 1 – London Knights vs. Medicine Hat Tigers

OHL ANNOUNCES 2024-25 ALL-STAR AND ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – 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 2024-25 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. Skaters were required to play at least 25 regular season games to be eligible for the voting.

A total of 13 of the league’s 20 member teams are represented on this year’s all-star and all-rookie team selections, with the OHL champion London Knights fielding a league-leading seven for the second straight year. The Eastern Conference champion Oshawa Generals trail with five players included while the Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires each feature four.

2024-25 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 – Michael Misa (Saginaw) (Most Outstanding Player) – voted first all-rookie team in 2022-23
Left Wing – Liam Greentree (Windsor) – voted third all-star team in 2023-24, first all-rookie team in 2022-23
Right Wing – Nick Lardis (Brantford)
Defence – Sam Dickinson (London) (Defenceman of the Year) – voted second all-star team in 2023-24, first all-rookie team in 2022-23
Defence – Zayne Parekh (Saginaw) – voted first all-star team in 2023-24, first all-rookie team in 2022-23
Goaltender – Jackson Parsons (Kitchener) (Goaltender of the Year)
Coach – Jussi Ahokas (Kitchener) (Coach of the Year)

Second All-Star Team:
Centre – Ilya Protas (Windsor)
Left Wing – Denver Barkey (London) – voted second all-star team in 2023-24
Right Wing – Easton Cowan (London) – voted first all-star team in 2023-24, second all-rookie team in 2022-23
Defence – Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie)
Defence – Oliver Bonk (London) – voted first all-star team in 2023-24, second all-rookie team in 2022-23
Goaltender – Carter George (Owen Sound) – voted third all-star team and first all-rookie team in 2023-24
Coach – Dale Hunter (London) – ninth time being voted to an OHL all-star team

Third All-Star Team:
Centre – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa) – voted second all-star team in 2023-24, first all-rookie team in 2021-22
Left Wing – Jacob Battaglia (Kingston)
Right Wing – Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa) – voted second all-rookie team in 2022-23
Defence – Luca Marrelli (Oshawa)
Defence – Ben Danford (Oshawa)
Goaltender – Austin Elliott (London)
Coach – Jay McKee (Brantford) – voted third all-star team in 2021-22

2024-25 OHL All-Rookie Teams:

First All-Rookie Team:
Centre – Lev Katzin (Guelph)
Left Wing – Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound) (Rookie of the Year)
Right Wing – Dimian Zhilkin (Saginaw)
Defence – Chase Reid (Sault Ste. Marie)
Defence – Kohyn Eshkawkogan (Ottawa)
Goaltender – Aleksei Medvedev (London)

Second All-Rookie Team:
Centre – Beckham Edwards (Sarnia)
Left Wing – Ethan Belchetz (Windsor)
Right Wing – Jacob Cloutier (Saginaw)
Defence – Carter Hicks (Windsor)
Defence – Simon Wang (Oshawa)
Goaltender – Colin Ellsworth (Guelph)

Historical results of note:

  • The London Knights match the franchise record of seven players voted to all-star/all-rookie teams established in 2023-24, leading all OHL clubs
  • The Kitchener Rangers have multiple first all-star team members (Parsons, Ahokas) for the first time since 2007-08 (Justin Azevedo, Matt Halischuk)
  • The Saginaw Spirit have multiple first all-star team members (Misa, Parekh) for the first time since 2011-12 (Brandon Saad, Greg Gilbert)
  • Saginaw Spirit defenceman Zayne Parekh is the first blueliner to be voted to back-to-back first all-star teams since 2019 (London’s Evan Bouchard)
  • Windsor Spitfires centreman Ilya Protas is the first Belarusian player voted to an OHL all-star team since 2006-07 (London’s Sergei Kostitsyn)
  • Ottawa 67’s defenceman Kohyn Eshkawkogan is the first 67’s blueliner to be voted to a first all-rookie team since 1998-99 (Luke Sellars)
  • Sarnia Sting centreman Beckham Edwards is the first Sting player voted to an all-rookie team since 2018-19 (Jacob Perreault)
  • London Knights goaltender Aleksei Medvedev gives the Knights a netminder voted to the first all-rookie team in three of the past five seasons (Zach Bowen, 2022-23, Brett Brochu, 2019-20)
  • Guelph Storm netminder Colin Ellsworth is the first Storm goaltender voted to an all-rookie team since 2013-14 (Matthew Mancina)

Wildcats advance to 2025 Memorial Cup semi-final after defeating Océanic

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Rimouski, QC – MAY 28: Round Robin game 6 of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Moncton Wildcats and the Rimouski Océanic on May 28, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/CHL)

RIMOUSKI, QC — The Moncton Wildcats clinched a spot in the 2025 Memorial Cup semi-finals with a commanding 6-2 win over the host Rimouski Océanic on Wednesday night.

Utah Hockey Club prospect Gabe Smith led the way with two goals, while Julius Sumpf, St. Louis Blues prospect Juraj Pekarcik, Calgary Flames prospect Étienne Morin, and Alex Mercier also found the back of the net. Goaltender Mathis Rousseau turned aside 32 shots in the victory. Rimouski responded with goals from Maël St-Denis and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford, with Mathis Langevin making 27 saves.

Holding a narrow 3-2 lead after two periods, the Wildcats pulled away with a dominant third. Morin delivered the key insurance marker just over four minutes in, ripping a low wrister from the top of the left circle to restore a two-goal cushion before Smith and Mercier sealed the win with a pair of empty-netters.

“(MacDougall) gave us a special talk in the room,” said Smith about the first-period intermission, which the Wildcats entered trailing the Océanic 2-1. “We got a little jump in our step after that and started playing our game.

“Coach is a very special motivator, and I think he did a great job of it there. We started playing our hockey after that.”

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
POST-GAME RIMOUSKI
POST-GAME MONCTON – GARDINER MACDOUGALL
POST-GAME MONCTON

The win sets up a semi-final clash against the OHL champion London Knights on Friday at 7 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. AT. The two teams previously met in the round-robin, where London narrowly defeated Moncton 3-2 in overtime.

Moncton opened the scoring at 7:39 of the first period when Julius Sumpf ended the team’s forward scoring drought. The German forward slipped behind the Rimouski defence and buried a crisp feed from Juraj Pekarcik, becoming the first Wildcats forward to score in the tournament.

Rimouski responded with a pair of goals in under four minutes to carry a 2-1 lead into the intermission. Maël St-Denis notched his second of the tournament by finishing a rebound on the backhand at 13:27, and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford struck at 17:11 with a well-timed redirection of Olivier Théberge’s cross-ice pass.

The second period swung in Moncton’s favour. NHL prospects Juraj Pekarcik and Gabe Smith each scored to put the Wildcats back on top. Pekarcik tipped in a point shot from Predators prospect Dylan MacKinnon just 1:27 into the frame, while Smith pounced on a bouncing puck off the end boards at 4:05 following a deflected shot by Preston Lounsbury.

“I had trouble to find words in the room, I just told them, ‘Thank you,”‘ shared Océanic head coach Joël Perrault about what he told his group post-game. “It’s a group that tied together quickly, and I’ll remember them for a long time, I’m disappointed for them tonight, our fans.

“Our fans saw their effort, their resilience, the injuries they fought through.”

When they face the Knights in Friday’s semi-final at 7 p.m. ET, the Wildcats will look to secure just their second trip to the Memorial Cup final and their first since 2006. As the only team in this year’s tournament yet to capture the trophy, Moncton is in pursuit of its first-ever CHL championship title.

Conversely, the London Knights are looking to become just the fifth team in the last 35 years to reach back-to-back Memorial Cup finals, joining an exclusive group last achieved by the Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and 2010. A victory on Friday would also mark London’s 18th all-time Memorial Cup tournament win, giving them sole possession of second place on the all-time wins list. Additionally, it would secure their fifth appearance in a Memorial Cup final since 1972 — moving them into second place all-time behind only the Kitchener Rangers and Peterborough Petes, who each have six.

The Medicine Hat Tigers will face the winner of Friday’s semi-final between the London Knights and Moncton Wildcats in Sunday’s championship game. The Tigers are making their first trip to the Memorial Cup final in 18 years after becoming the first WHL team to advance directly to the title game since the Kelowna Rockets accomplished the feat in 2009 — the last time the tournament was held in Rimouski. On Sunday, Medicine Hat will be looking to become the first WHL team to lift the Memorial Cup in 11 years.

Every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will air in the United States on NHL Network and be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Semi-Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Friday, May 30 – Moncton Wildcats vs. London Knights
Final @ 7 p.m. ET – Saturday, June 1 – TBD vs. Medicine Hat Tigers