OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR MINOR MIDGET TOP-10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Cup

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the fifth edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2020 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

The 2020 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour and hosted by the GTHL is scheduled for March 17-23 and will feature 20 teams from across Ontario and the United States showcasing many of the top players eligible for the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.  All games will be played at Scotiabank Pond in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday, March 23.

The weekly rankings are determined by a panel of OHL Central Scouting staff and represent the top teams that are competing to play in the annual year-end championship tournament.

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2020 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour – Week 5

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Quinte Red Devils OMHA 1 5
2 Toronto Jr. Canadiens GTHL 2 5
3 Toronto Titans GTHL 4 5
4 Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs ALLIANCE 5 5
5 Toronto Nationals GTHL 7 5
6 Southern Tier Admirals OMHA 6 5
7 Toronto Marlboros GTHL 3 5
8 Hamilton Huskies ALLIANCE 9 3
9 Vaughan Kings GTHL – 1
10 Mississauga Senators GTHL 10 2
Honourable Mention:
Waterloo Wolves ALLIANCE 8 4
London Jr. Knights ALLIANCE – 1
Whitby Wildcats OMHA – –

The Quinte Red Devils continue to hold the top spot headed into the new year after making the final four at this past weekend’s Toronto Marlbroros Holiday Classic Tournament. Just as they did at the Whitby International Silver Stick, Detroit Honeybaked came out on top at the annual event while Quinte, the eighth-ranked Hamilton Huskies, ninth-ranked Vaughan Kings and honourable mention Whitby Wildcats all made it into the quarter-finals. Also on the rise this week are the Toronto Titans, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and Toronto Nationals.

History:
Last season the Don Mills Flyers overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Toronto Red Wings 6-5 as Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs) set up Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds) for the overtime winning goal. The Flyers added both OHL Cup and GTHL Championships to their incredible season that saw them lose just once. An exceptional status player who was selected by the Kingston Frontenacs with the first overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, Wright was named Tournament MVP with 18 points over seven contests, one shy of Connor McDavid’s 2012 event record.

The 2019 OHL Priority Selection featured 15 players chosen in the first round who competed for the OHL Cup including Shane Wright (Don Mills Flyers – 1st overall Kingston Frontenacs), Brennan Othmann (Don Mills Flyers – 2nd overall Flint Firebirds), Brandt Clarke (Don Mills Flyers – 4th overall Barrie Colts), Wyatt Johnston (Toronto Marlboros – 6th overall Windsor Spitfires), Benjamin Gaudreau (Team NOHA – 7th overall Sarnia Sting), Ryan Winterton (Whitby Wildcats – 8th overall Hamilton Bulldogs), Liam Arnsby (Don Mills Flyers – 9th overall North Bay Battalion), Ethan Del Mastro (Toronto Marlboros – 12th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Francesco Pinelli (Toronto Red Wings – 13th overall Kitchener Rangers), Danny Zhilkin (Toronto Marlboros -14th overall Guelph Storm), Landon McCallum (Brantford 99’ers – 15th overall Sudbury Wolves), Brett Harrison (London Jr. Knights – 16th overall Oshawa Generals), Jacob Holmes (York-Simcoe Express – 18th overall Soo Greyhounds), Connor Punnett (North Central Predators – 19th overall Saginaw Spirit) and Jack Matier (Team NOHA – 21st overall Ottawa 67’s).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Dylan Strome (Toronto Marlboros/Chicago Blackhawks), Travis Konecny (Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs/Philadelphia Flyers), Mitch Marner (Vaughan Kings/Toronto Maple Leafs), Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros/Edmonton Oilers), Max Domi (Don Mills Flyers/Montreal Canadiens), Sean Monahan (Mississauga Rebels/Calgary Flames), Taylor Hall (Greater Kingston Frontenacs/New Jersey Devils), Tyler Seguin (Toronto Nationals/Dallas Stars), John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros/Toronto Maple Leafs), P.K Subban (Markham Islanders/New Jersey Devils), and Steven Stamkos (Markham Waxers/Tampa Bay Lightning).

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

67’s’ JOSEPH GARREFFA NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Garreffa

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that overage forward Joseph Garreffa of the Ottawa 67’s is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week of games spanning December 18-29 with a goal, nine assists and 10 points over three contests.

Garreffa continued a current 15-game point streak, helping the 67’s stretch their winning streak to 13 and claim first place in the OHL standings. The 5-foot-7, 176Ib. winger racked up three assists in a 5-4 overtime win in Oshawa on Dec. 20th. He returned from the break to score his 18th goal of the season and tack on two assists in a 7-2 win in Kingston Dec. 28th, earning third star honours. Garreffa recorded his sixth multi-point performance in seven games on Sunday, collecting four assists for second star recognition in a 6-1 win over visiting Peterborough. It was Garreffa’s fourth four-point effort of the season.

A 20-year-old from Toronto, Ont., Garreffa has 46 points (18-28–46) over 22 games in his fifth OHL season. He joined the 67’s in mid-October following four seasons with the Kitchener Rangers who drafted him in the third round of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection. The versatile forward has amassed 271 points (90-181–271) over 267 career regular season games. Garreffa attended rookie camp with the Los Angeles Kings in September. This marks the third time in his career that Garreffa has received OHL Player of the Week recognition.

Also considered for the award this week was Florida Panthers prospect Cole Schwindt of the Mississauga Steelheads who had six goals, three assists and nine points over four contests. Oshawa Generals overage forward Brett Neumann was also in the running having recorded five goals, four assists and nine points over four outings.

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Dec. 18 – Dec. 29: Joseph Garreffa (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 15: Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 8: Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 1: Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 24: Riley McCourt (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 17: Jan Jenik (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 10: Cam Hillis (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 3: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 27: Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 13: Mack Guzda (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 6: Philip Tomasino (Niagara IceDogs)
Sept. 26 – Sept. 29: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 22: Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Peterborough Petes)

CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SETS ROSTER

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

22 past and present CHL players to represent Canada at 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship

Hockey Canada

BRNO, Czech Republic – Following six days of pre-tournament training in Vienna, Austria and Brno, Czech Republic, Hockey Canada has finalized Canada’s National Junior Team roster for the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic.

The roster – which includes three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards – will look to build on Hockey Canada’s historical success at the tournament.

Among the athletes on the final roster are five returnees from the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. (Hayton, Lafrenière, McIsaac, Smith, Veleno), two players who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (Byfield, Drysdale) and five players yet to be selected in the NHL draft (Byfield, Daws, Drysdale, Lafrenière, Mercer).

“The management group and coaches have done a terrific job working with the players and finalizing the roster,” said Shawn Bullock, director of men’s national teams with Hockey Canada. “This team has a lot of skill, international experience and, most importantly, is a group of quality young men.”

CHL Past & Present Players on Team Canada:

Goaltenders:
Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
Joel Hofer (Portland Winterhawks)
Olivier Rodrigue (Moncton Wildcats)

Defencemen:
Calen Addison (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Kevin Bahl (Ottawa 67’s)
Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants)
Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)
Jared McIsaac (Halifax Mooseheads)
Ty Smith (Spokane Chiefs)

Forwards:
Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Aidan Dudas (Owen Sound Attack)
Nolan Foote (Kelowna Rockets)
Liam Foudy (London Knights)
Barrett Hayton (Soo Greyhounds / Arizona Coyotes)
Alexis Lafreniere ( Rimouski Oceanic)
Raphael Lavoie (Halifax Mooseheads)
Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Dawson Mercer (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)
Joe Veleno (Drummondville Voltigeurs / Grand Rapids Griffins)

The puck will officially drop on Boxing Day when Canada takes on the United States at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, followed by games against Russia, Germany and the Czech Republic to round out preliminary action.

For more information on Canada’s National Junior Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow social media on Facebook, Twitter and#WorldJuniors.

10 OHL PLAYERS MOVE FORWARD WITH CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

WJC

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to announce that 10 OHL players will be heading to Europe as part of Canada’s National Junior Team following cuts announced on Thursday as Selection Camp came to a close in Oakville, Ont.

OHL players on the 24-man roster include forwards Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves), Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds), Aidan Dudas (Owen Sound Attack), Liam Foudy (London Knights), Barrett Hayton (Arizona Coyotes/Soo Greyhounds), Connor McMichael (London Knights) and Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs), defencemen Kevin Bahl (Ottawa 67’s) and Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters) as well as goaltender Nico Daws (Guelph Storm).

Of the 10 OHL players, Hayton, who has appeared in 14 games with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes this season, is the lone returning name from last year’s World Junior Championship in Vancouver, BC. Top 2020 NHL Draft prospects Byfield and Drysdale won silver together at this past summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup Tournament.

London Knights head coach Dale Hunter will lead Team Canada behind the bench joined by Ottawa 67’s bench boss Andre Tourigny who will serve as an assistant. Owen Sound Attack head coach Alan Letang will serve as a pre-scout coach.

“As with every year, there are difficult decisions to trim down our roster, but ultimately we believe this group will give us our best shot at a gold medal,” said Shawn Bullock, director of men’s national teams with Hockey Canada. “We will continue the process of building our team, and we look forward to an exciting World Juniors.”

Canada’s final 22-player roster does not need to be officially submitted to the International Ice Hockey Federation until Dec. 25.

OHL PLAYERS MOVING FORWARD WITH CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM:

Goaltenders:
Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)

Defencemen:
Kevin Bahl (Ottawa 67’s)
Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)

Forwards:
Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Aidan Dudas (Owen Sound Attack)
Liam Foudy (London Knights)
Barrett Hayton (Arizona Coyotes/Soo Greyhounds)
Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)

The puck will officially drop on Boxing Day when Canada takes on the United States at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, followed by games against Russia, Germany and the Czech Republic to round out preliminary action.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, will once again provide wall-to-wall game coverage and analysis throughout the tournament, including Canada’s two pre-tournament games on Dec. 19 against Switzerland and Dec. 23 against Finland; check local listings for details.

For more information on Canada’s National Junior Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook , Twitter and #WorldJuniors.

Vaughn CHL Team of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The Canadian Hockey League today announced the 12th edition of the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for the 2019-20 season based on individual performances from Dec. 2-8.

Leading the way is Flint Firebirds captain and Dallas Stars first-round pick Ty Dellandrea who collected six goals and five assists for 11 points across three appearances. That stretch counted a pair of four-point efforts including a three-goal, one-assist showing against the Barrie Colts on Thursday in which Dellandrea notched his second hat-trick of the season to power his club to a 5-2 road victory and earn first-star recognition. For his efforts, Dellandrea was named the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week.

Also up front is Rimouski Oceanic captain and 2020 NHL Draft favourite Alexis Lafreniere who capped the week with seven goals and four assists for 11 points in four outings. Against the Val-d’Or Foreurs on Friday, Lafreniere recorded his second five-point night of the season as he finished with his fifth career hat-trick plus two assists en route to a 10-8 road win in addition to first star honours. Lafreniere, who stands atop the CHL with 70 points on the season, wrapped up the week with Ultramar QMJHL Player of the Week recognition.

Rounding out the forward ranks is Sherbrooke Phoenix centre Felix Robert who collected nine points counting two goals and seven assists over a trio of appearances. Currently riding a three-game point streak, that stretch included Friday’s four-point effort against the Moncton Wildcats in which Robert finished with two goals and two assists to help guide his team to a 6-3 victory in addition to earning second-star recognition.

On the back end, Everett Silvertips blue-liner Jake Christiansen, who began the season with the AHL’s Stockton Heat, made a phenomenal return to the lineup in recording eight points counting five goals and three assists over three games. After making an immediate impact with a three-point debut, Christiansen then matched that total in his most recent outing in netting two goals including the eventual game winner plus one assist in a 6-3 road victory versus the Calgary Hitmen that earned him first-star honours and later helped him claim WHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week recognition.

Partnering on the blue line is Drummondville Voltigeurs rookie rearguard Jacob Dion who wrapped up the week with two goals and six assists for eight points in three games. Against the Wildcats on Saturday, Dion finished with a career-high four points – all coming as helpers – en route to a 6-3 victory that saw him recognized as the game’s first star.

Between the pipes, Ottawa 67’s netminder Cedrick Andree was nearly unbeatable across two appearances as he turned aside a combined 53 of 54 shots in the home-and-home Battle of the Ottawa River versus the Gatineau Olympiques to finish the week with a perfect 2-0-0-0 showing. Andree’s top performance came Friday in Gatineau as he stopped all 32 shots to record his sixth career shutout en route to a 4-0 victory and first-star recognition. In all, Andree wrapped up the week with an incredible 0.50 goals-against average and an equally impressive .981 save percentage.

OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR MINOR MIDGET TOP-10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Cup

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the third edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2020 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

The 2020 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour and hosted by the GTHL is scheduled for March 17-23 and will feature 20 teams from across Ontario and the United States showcasing many of the top players eligible for the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.  All games will be played at Scotiabank Pond in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday, March 23.

The weekly rankings are determined by a panel of OHL Central Scouting staff and represent the top teams that are competing to play in the annual year-end championship tournament.

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2020 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour – Week 3

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Quinte Red Devils OMHA 1 3
2 Toronto Jr. Canadiens GTHL 2 3
3 Toronto Marlboros GTHL 3 3
4 Toronto Titans GTHL 4 3
5 Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs ALLIANCE 6 3
6 Southern Tier Admirals OMHA 5 3
7 Waterloo Wolves ALLIANCE 8 3
8 Toronto Nationals GTHL 7 3
9 Hamilton Huskies ALLIANCE – 1
10 York-Simcoe Express OMHA 9 3
Honourable Mention:
Mississauga Senators GTHL – –
Mississauga Reps GTHL – 1
Whitby Wildcats OMHA – –

 

The Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs, Waterloo Wolves and Hamilton Huskies are all on the rise in the third edition of the weekly OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Top 10 Rankings. The 16-0-6 Chiefs remain undefeated in ALLIANCE regular season play, defeating seventh-ranked Waterloo 5-1 on Friday. The Wolves are 17-3-3, sitting one point back of Elgin-Middlesex and holding down third in the ALLIANCE Minor Midget ranks. The ALLIANCE’s first place Hamilton Huskies make their season debut inside the Top 10, currently on a six-game winning streak with wins in nine of their last 10. The Quinte Red Devils hold down the top spot for a second straight week, currently riding a four-game winning streak to improve their regular season record to 19-2-2.

History:
Last season the Don Mills Flyers overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Toronto Red Wings 6-5 as Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs) set up Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds) for the overtime winning goal. The Flyers added both OHL Cup and GTHL Championships to their incredible season that saw them lose just once. An exceptional status player who was selected by the Kingston Frontenacs with the first overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, Wright was named Tournament MVP with 18 points over seven contests, one shy of Connor McDavid’s 2012 event record.

The 2019 OHL Priority Selection featured 15 players chosen in the first round who competed for the OHL Cup including Shane Wright (Don Mills Flyers – 1st overall Kingston Frontenacs), Brennan Othmann (Don Mills Flyers – 2nd overall Flint Firebirds), Brandt Clarke (Don Mills Flyers – 4th overall Barrie Colts), Wyatt Johnston (Toronto Marlboros – 6th overall Windsor Spitfires), Benjamin Gaudreau (Team NOHA – 7th overall Sarnia Sting), Ryan Winterton (Whitby Wildcats – 8th overall Hamilton Bulldogs), Liam Arnsby (Don Mills Flyers – 9th overall North Bay Battalion), Ethan Del Mastro (Toronto Marlboros – 12th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Francesco Pinelli (Toronto Red Wings – 13th overall Kitchener Rangers), Danny Zhilkin (Toronto Marlboros -14th overall Guelph Storm), Landon McCallum (Brantford 99’ers – 15th overall Sudbury Wolves), Brett Harrison (London Jr. Knights – 16th overall Oshawa Generals), Jacob Holmes (York-Simcoe Express – 18th overall Soo Greyhounds), Connor Punnett (North Central Predators – 19th overall Saginaw Spirit) and Jack Matier (Team NOHA – 21st overall Ottawa 67’s).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Dylan Strome (Toronto Marlboros/Chicago Blackhawks), Travis Konecny (Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs/Philadelphia Flyers), Mitch Marner (Vaughan Kings/Toronto Maple Leafs), Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros/Edmonton Oilers), Max Domi (Don Mills Flyers/Montreal Canadiens), Sean Monahan (Mississauga Rebels/Calgary Flames), Taylor Hall (Greater Kingston Frontenacs/New Jersey Devils), Tyler Seguin (Toronto Nationals/Dallas Stars), John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros/Toronto Maple Leafs), P.K Subban (Markham Islanders/New Jersey Devils), and Steven Stamkos (Markham Waxers/Tampa Bay Lightning).

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

FIREBIRDS’ TY DELLANDREA NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Dyllandrea

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Dallas Stars prospect Ty Dellandrea of the Flint Firebirds is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with 11 points including six goals and five assists over three contests.

Dellandrea helped the Firebirds take four of a possible six points on a three game weekend road trip with stops in Barrie, Sudbury and North Bay, recording a pair of four-point performances along with a three-point effort. The fourth-year centreman recorded his second hat-trick of the season, tacking on an assist for four points in Flint’s 5-2 win over the Barrie Colts on Thursday. He chipped in with a goal and two assists, earning third star honours as the Firebirds fell 8-5 to the Sudbury Wolves on Friday, a game that saw him take an incredible 46 faceoffs while winning 29 of them. Dellandrea scored twice and added two assists in Sunday’s 5-3 win over the North Bay Battalion, scoring the game winner 5:50 into the third period. He won 62.7 percent of his faceoffs over the course of the three games, earning star of the game recognition in each.

A 19-year-old from Port Perry, Ont., Dellandrea recently became the all-time leading scorer in Flint Firebirds history. The 6-foot-1, 190Ib. pivot has 37 points (17-20–37) over 27 games this season and will attend Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp this week in Oakville, Ont. Originally a first round (5th overall) pick of the Firebirds in 2016, Dellandrea was selected by the Dallas Stars with the 13th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft. He made his pro debut last spring, recording three points (2-1–3) over 11 games with the AHL’s Texas Stars.

A pair of goaltenders were also considered for the award this week including Cedrick Andree of the Ottawa 67’s who played to a 2-0 record, registering a shutout along with a 0.50 goals-against average and .981 save percentage. Peterborough Petes netminder Hunter Jones was also solid, going 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage.

• HIGHLIGHTS: Dellandrea’s four-point night in Barrie
• HIGHLIGHTS: Dellandrea records three points against Wolves
• HIGHLIGHTS: Dellandrea scores twice, adds two assists in North Bay

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Dec. 4 – Dec. 8: Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 1: Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 24: Riley McCourt (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 17: Jan Jenik (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 10: Cam Hillis (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 3: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 27: Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 13: Mack Guzda (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 6: Philip Tomasino (Niagara IceDogs)
Sept. 26 – Sept. 29: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 22: Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Peterborough Petes)

OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR MINOR MIDGET TOP-10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
OHL Cup
Quinte Red Devils climb into top spot after a strong showing in this past weekend’s Whitby Silver Stick Tournament

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the second edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2020 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

The 2020 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour and hosted by the GTHL is scheduled for March 17-23 and will feature 20 teams from across Ontario and the United States showcasing many of the top players eligible for the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.  All games will be played at Scotiabank Pond in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday, March 23.

The weekly rankings are determined by a panel of OHL Central Scouting staff and represent the top teams that are competing to play in the annual year-end championship tournament.

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2020 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour – Week 2

RK. TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Quinte Red Devils OMHA 2 2
2 Toronto Jr. Canadiens GTHL 1 2
3 Toronto Marlboros GTHL 3 2
4 Toronto Titans GTHL 4 2
5 Southern Tier Admirals OMHA 5 2
6 Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs ALLIANCE 7 2
7 Toronto Nationals GTHL 3 2
8 Waterloo Wolves ALLIANCE 8 2
9 York-Simcoe Express OMHA 9 2
10 London Jr. Knights ALLIANCE – 1
Honourable Mention:
Hamilton Huskies ALLIANCE – –
Mississauga Senators GTHL – –
Mississauga Reps GTHL 10 1

The Quinte Red Devils rise to the top spot in the second edition of the weekly rankings after reaching the semi-final of the Gloria Rints Memorial International Silver Stick Tournament held this past weekend in Whitby, Ont. Quinte was the last Ontario-based team standing in the annual showcase as Detroit Honeybaked went on to win Sunday’s championship final. Also on the rise are the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs who climb one spot to sixth along with the cross-town ALLIANCE rival London Jr. Knights who take the 10th spot after making the quarter-final in Whitby this past weekend.

History:
Last season the Don Mills Flyers overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Toronto Red Wings 6-5 as Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs) set up Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds) for the overtime winning goal. The Flyers added both OHL Cup and GTHL Championships to their incredible season that saw them lose just once. An exceptional status player who was selected by the Kingston Frontenacs with the first overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, Wright was named Tournament MVP with 18 points over seven contests, one shy of Connor McDavid’s 2012 event record.

The 2019 OHL Priority Selection featured 15 players chosen in the first round who competed for the OHL Cup including Shane Wright (Don Mills Flyers – 1st overall Kingston Frontenacs), Brennan Othmann (Don Mills Flyers – 2nd overall Flint Firebirds), Brandt Clarke (Don Mills Flyers – 4th overall Barrie Colts), Wyatt Johnston (Toronto Marlboros – 6th overall Windsor Spitfires), Benjamin Gaudreau (Team NOHA – 7th overall Sarnia Sting), Ryan Winterton (Whitby Wildcats – 8th overall Hamilton Bulldogs), Liam Arnsby (Don Mills Flyers – 9th overall North Bay Battalion), Ethan Del Mastro (Toronto Marlboros – 12th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Francesco Pinelli (Toronto Red Wings – 13th overall Kitchener Rangers), Danny Zhilkin (Toronto Marlboros -14th overall Guelph Storm), Landon McCallum (Brantford 99’ers – 15th overall Sudbury Wolves), Brett Harrison (London Jr. Knights – 16th overall Oshawa Generals), Jacob Holmes (York-Simcoe Express – 18th overall Soo Greyhounds), Connor Punnett (North Central Predators – 19th overall Saginaw Spirit) and Jack Matier (Team NOHA – 21st overall Ottawa 67’s).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Dylan Strome (Toronto Marlboros/Chicago Blackhawks), Travis Konecny (Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs/Philadelphia Flyers), Mitch Marner (Vaughan Kings/Toronto Maple Leafs), Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros/Edmonton Oilers), Max Domi (Don Mills Flyers/Montreal Canadiens), Sean Monahan (Mississauga Rebels/Calgary Flames), Taylor Hall (Greater Kingston Frontenacs/New Jersey Devils), Tyler Seguin (Toronto Nationals/Dallas Stars), John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros/Toronto Maple Leafs), P.K Subban (Markham Islanders/New Jersey Devils), and Steven Stamkos (Markham Waxers/Tampa Bay Lightning).

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

OHL ANNOUNCES ACADEMIC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR NOVEMBER

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Academic players for November

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Lleyton Moore of the Oshawa Generals, Jonah De Simone of the Niagara IceDogs, Michael Vukojevic of the Kitchener Rangers and Ryan Mast of the Sarnia Sting have been named the OHL Academic Players of the Month for November.

East Division: Oshawa Generals sophomore blueliner Lleyton Moore has been named the OHL East Division Academic Player of the Month for November. The grade 12 student holds an impressive 85% average at Maxwell Heights Secondary School where he is taking law and international business classes.

Moore’s teachers describe him as a strong, conscientious student. “He is organized and on task,” said Tom Buchanan, Moore’s academic advisor. “Lleyton is an outstanding role model and a leader amongst his peers both on and off the ice.”

A 17-year-old native of Woodbridge, Ont., Moore has 12 points (1-11–12) over 25 contests with the Generals this season. The 5-foot-8, 170Ib. defenceman was originally selected by the Niagara IceDogs with the 12th overall pick of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.

Central Division: Niagara IceDogs second-year forward Jonah De Simone is the OHL Central Division Academic Player of the Month for November. De Simone holds an 87% average in his grade 12 university prep courses at Governor Simcoe Secondary School.

“Jonah is a fantastic role model for many of the younger high school-aged players,” said IceDogs academic advisor Tim Tope. “His commitment to his studies will undoubtedly serve him well in the future.”

The 17-year-old winger from Richmond Hill, Ont. has recorded seven points (3-4–7) over 27 games with the IceDogs this season after being the club’s fourth round (70th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.

Midwest Division: New Jersey Devils prospect Michael Vukojevic has earned the title of OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for November. Following his first few months studying psychology and sociology at Wilfrid Laurier University, Vukojevic is described as an energetic, thoughtful student and has received praise for his ability to ‘take suggestions and run with them’ in different situations.

“Michael has a strong ability to balance his hockey and educational career with a positive attitude,” said Dave Tennant, the Rangers’ academic advisor. “He excels not only in the classroom but helping to teach and guide in the community by joining the Rangers on various community initiatives.”

An 18-year-old native of Oakville, Ont., Vukojevic has nine points (2-7–9) through 24 games in his third OHL season. The 6-foot-3, 210Ib. defenceman was a third round (82nd overall) pick of the New Jersey Devils this past summer after recording 29 points (3-26–29) over 68 games with the Rangers in 2018-19.

Vukojevic suited up for Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship where he registered two assists in seven games. He was one of four recipients of the Rangers’ Academic Achievement Award at the end of last season.

West Division: Sarnia Sting rookie defenceman Ryan Mast has been named the OHL West Division Academic Player of the Month for November. He maintains an 80% average at Northern Collegiate/Blyth Academy in his grade 11 university english and environmental science classes, as well as his grade 12 university functions class.

“Ryan’s academic achievement is a direct reflection of his work ethic and commitment to being the best student athlete that he can be,” said Sting academic advisor Mark Scott. “Ryan is a leader in the classroom and is a great example for his teammates.”

A 16-year-old native of Bloomfield, Mich., Mast has seven assists through his first 26 games of the season. The 6-foot-4, 200Ib. defenceman was a ninth round (169th overall) pick of the Sting last spring from the Detroit Compuware U16 program.

2019-20 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
November – Lleyton Moore (Oshawa Generals)
October – Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)

Central Division:
November – Jonah De Simone (Niagara IceDogs)
October – Pacey Schlueting (North Bay Battalion)

Midwest Division:
November – Michael Vukojevic (Kitchener Rangers)
October – Zack Terry (Guelph Storm)

West Division:
November – Ryan Mast (Sarnia Sting)
October – Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)

Last season, the OHL Centrally Administered Scholarship Program facilitated scholarships for 340 OHL Alumni at 69 different academic institutions across North America with a total scholarship payment in excess of $3.2 million. Since the 2007-08 season, OHL Scholarship payments have totalled more than $25 million.

Click here for more information about ‘OHL Players First’ programs.

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR NOVEMBER

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

performers of the month for november

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in November 2019, including Hamilton Bulldogs forward Jan Jenik, Windsor Spitfires defenceman Connor Corcoran, Kingston Frontenacs rookie Shane Wright and Guelph Storm goaltender Nico Daws.

OHL Player of the Month – Jan Jenik (Hamilton Bulldogs):
For a second straight month, a Hamilton Bulldogs player has been named OHL Player of the Month. Arizona Coyotes prospect Jan Jenik takes the November honours after leading the league with 31 points including 11 goals, 20 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-6 over 12 games. Jenik continued the OHL’s longest point streak since the 2016-17 season, wrapping up the month on a 25-game trend. Nine of his 12 November outings were multi-point finishes, four of which included multi-goal outputs. His month was highlighted by a four-point effort (1-3–4) on Nov. 10th as the Bulldogs fell to the Niagara IceDogs 5-4. He followed that up with a career-high five-point showing (3-2–5) that included his first hat-trick of the season as the Bulldogs won 5-1 in North Bay on Nov. 14th. Jenik scored twice on Nov. 15th in Sault Ste. Marie and tacked on three consecutive three-point performances from Nov. 17-22. In total, Jenik earned star of the game recognition six times in the month of November, including two first star designations, three second star assignments and one third star distinction.

A 19-year-old native of Nymburk, Czech Rep., Jenik is in the midst of his second OHL season after joining the Bulldogs midway through the 2018-19 campaign. He sits tied for the team lead in scoring alongside Arthur Kaliyev with 54 points (20-34–54) over 25 contests and is in the midst of the longest point streak in the five year OHL history of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Jenik represented his native Czech Republic in last year’s IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and is expected to do so again this December with the annual tournament on home ice. He was a third round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2018 NHL Draft. Jenik was selected by the Flint Firebirds with the sixth overall pick of the 2018 CHL Import Draft.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Connor Corcoran (Windsor Spitfires):
Vegas Golden Knights prospect Connor Corcoran of the Windsor Spitfires is the OHL Defenceman of the Month for November, putting up 15 points including five goals, 10 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-8 over 10 games. Fourth-year veteran Corcoran’s big month helped the Spitfires ascend the West Division standings, playing to a 6-2-2-0 record in the month of November. The 6-foot-3, 194Ib. defender had points in seven of his 10 outings, starting the month with three points (1-2–3) in a lopsided 10-2 road win over the Soo Greyhounds on Nov. 2nd. His biggest showing came Nov. 15th in Erie as he scored the overtime winner and finished with three points (2-1–3) in a 7-6 win. Corcoran registered three assists along with a plus-5 rating in a 6-3 win over the Soo Greyhounds on Nov. 21st. He tacked on back-to-back two-point efforts (1-1–2) on Nov. 24th against Owen Sound and Nov. 29th against London.

A 19-year-old product of Beeton, Ont., Corcoran is in his fourth season with the Spitfires after originally being the club’s second round (21st overall) pick back in 2016. The former Memorial Cup champion has 24 points (8-16–24) over 23 games this season is well on his way to cruising past last year’s career-high of 32 points (10-22–32). He was a fifth round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2018 NHL Draft.

OHL Rookie of the Month – Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs):
The first overall pick of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs has been named OHL Rookie of the Month for November. Wright played a big part in helping the young Frontenacs rebound from a slow start to the season as they played to a respectable 5-5-0-1 record in the month of November thanks to his nine points (6-3–9) over seven contests. Wright missed the first half of the month off representing Team Canada Black at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Medicine Hat, Alta. and Swift Current, Sask. where he recorded seven points (4-3–7) over five games. Upon his return, Wright recorded a goal and an assist in a 3-1 road win over the Owen Sound Attack on Nov. 16th before logging back-to-back two-goal performances. He scored twice in a 5-3 win over visiting Sudbury on Nov. 22nd before potting two more including the third period game winner in a 3-2 victory over visiting Mississauga on Nov. 24th. Wright netted another game winner in his latest outing, scoring with 55 seconds left in the third period of Friday’s 4-3 triumph over visiting North Bay. He ended the month on a six-game point streak.

A 15-year-old native of Burlington, Ont., Wright sits third in OHL rookie scoring with 20 points (11-9–20) over 21 games while sitting tied for the lead among league freshmen with 74 shots on goal. The fifth player to be granted exceptional status in OHL history, Wright was selected first overall by the Frontenacs last spring after an outstanding season with the GTHL’s Don Mills Flyers where he won an OHL Cup title and league championship, earning GTHL Player of the Year honours in the process. He won’t be eligible for the NHL Draft until 2022.

OHL Goaltender of the Month – Nico Daws (Guelph Storm):
Third-year veteran Nico Daws of the Guelph Storm is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for November, playing to a record of 7-0-0-1 with a league-leading 2.09 goals-against average and .929 save percentage with one shutout. The 6-foot-4, 202Ib. netminder earned an opportunity to represent Team OHL in the CIBC Canada Russia Series while helping to backstop the defending OHL champions to a 13-game point streak. Five of Daws’ seven November wins required at least 30 saves, providing those in consecutive victories over Sault Ste. Marie, Kitchener and Owen Sound to start the month. He turned aside 26 of 27, earning first star honours in a 2-1 win over visiting Saginaw on Nov. 16th before turning away 30 shots to claim second star recognition on Nov. 19th in Kitchener. Daws posted his league-leading third shutout of the season with a 17-save showing on Nov. 22nd against Sarnia and closed out November with a 30-save performance as the Storm defeated the Saginaw Spirit 6-2 on Friday.

A 19-year-old native of Burlington, Ont., Daws currently leads the league with a 2.13 goals-against average and .936 save percentage and three shutouts to go with an 11-2-1-3 record over 17 games. He hoisted the Robertson Cup as an OHL champion with the Storm last spring after appearing in 20 regular season games and parts of two playoff contests. Daws was a seventh round pick of the Storm in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection.

2019-20 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
November – Jan Jenik (Hamilton Bulldogs)
October – Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)

Defenceman of the Month:
November – Connor Corcoran (Windsor Spitfires)
October – Noel Hoefenmayer (Ottawa 67’s)

Rookie of the Month:
November – Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)
October – Mason McTavish (Peterborough Petes)

Goaltender of the Month:
November – Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
October – Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)