12 OHL, 27 CHL PLAYERS INVITED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SELECTION CAMP

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

WJC Invites

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to announce that 12 OHL players have been named to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp set to take place December 9-12 at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ont.

Two OHL goaltenders, three defencemen and seven forwards are part of the 31-man camp roster consisting of other players from across the Canadian Hockey League vying for a chance to represent Canada at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic from December 26 to January 5.

The roster was selected by Hockey Canada head scout Brad McEwen (Whitewood, Sask.), Shawn Bullock (Wainwright, Alta.), director of men’s national teams for Hockey Canada, and Mark Hunter (Petrolia, Ont./London Knights), the U20 lead for the Program of Excellence management group. Head coach Dale Hunter (Petrolia, Ont./London Knights) and assistant coaches Mitch Love (Quesnel, B.C./Saskatoon Blades), André Tourigny (Nicolet, Que./Ottawa 67’s) and Alan Letang (Renfrew, Ont./Owen Sound Attack) also provided input, along with coaches and general managers across the Canadian Hockey League.

“After a long evaluation process through summer camp, the early weeks of the CHL season and the Canada-Russia Series, we are nearing the final steps in selecting the roster that will represent Canada at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship,” said McEwen. “We are expecting a highly competitive camp from these 31 players, and we know there will be many difficult decisions when it comes time to select the players who will wear the Maple Leaf in the Czech Republic.”

Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp will be held in Oakville, Ont., and will feature a pair of games against a team of U SPORTS all-stars on Dec. 11-12. Tickets for selection camp are available at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, starting at $15 plus fees.

The 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship begins on Boxing Day when Canada takes on the United States at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will air all 31 games at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, providing wall-to-wall game coverage and analysis throughout the tournament.

Canada has won 31 medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship since 1977, including 17 gold, nine silver and five bronze. Team Canada last took home gold in Buffalo in 2018.

12 OHL PLAYERS NAMED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SELECTION CAMP:

Goaltenders:
Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)*

Defencemen:
Kevin Bahl (Ottawa 67’s)*
Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)
Thomas Harley (Mississauga Steelheads)*

Forwards:
Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Aidan Dudas (Owen Sound Attack)*
Liam Foudy (London Knights)*
Connor McMichael (London Knights)*
Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)
Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)*

*Hockey Canada National Junior Team Summer Development Camp invitee

For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and #WorldJuniors.

CHL Players Invited to Selection Camp:

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

Defencemen:
Calen Addison (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Kevin Bahl (Ottawa 67’s)
Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants)
Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)
Thomas Harley (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jared McIsaac (Halifax Mooseheads)
Braden Schneider (Brandon Wheat Kings)
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)
Benoit-Olivier Groulx (Halifax Mooseheads)
Peyton Krebs (Winnipeg ICE)
Alexis Lafreniere (Rimouski Oceanic)
Raphael Lavoie (Halifax Mooseheads)
Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Dawson Mercer (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Jakob Pelletier (Moncton Wildcats)
Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)
Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)

67’s’ MARCO ROSSI NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Rossi

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that draft eligible Ottawa 67’s centreman Marco Rossi is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with 11 points including six goals and five assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-8 in three games.

Rossi helped the 67’s combine to score 21 goals over three games, extending their winning streak to seven while also becoming the OHL’s first 20 game winner. Rossi played a big part in Wednesday’s 11-6 road win over the Kingston Frontenacs, recording a career-high six points including his first OHL hat-trick. Ottawa’s big line of Rossi, Austen Keating and Joseph Garreffa combined for 17 points in the lopsided victory. Rossi added a goal and an assist in Friday’s 4-3 overtime win over visiting Oshawa before finishing the weekend with two goals and an assist in a first star performance as the 67’s defeated the North Bay Battalion 6-1. Rossi earned star of the game recognition in each of his three contests, rounding out Sunday’s action on a nine-game point streak.

An 18-year-old from Feldkirch, Austria, Rossi sits fifth in OHL scoring with 49 points (16-33–49) over 21 games. He’s tied for the league lead in points-per-game (2.33) with London’s Connor McMichael and has also won 59.1% of his faceoffs. An ‘A’ rated skater on NHL Central Scouting’s November ‘Players to Watch’ List, Rossi burst onto the OHL scene in 2018-19, recording 65 points (29-36–65) over 53 games as a rookie, helping the 67’s reach the Rogers OHL Championship Series. He was Ottawa’s first round (18th overall) pick in the 2018 CHL Import Draft.

Also considered for the award this week was Rossi’s Ottawa 67’s teammate Austen Keating who put up 11 points (4-7–11) over three games, tying a 67’s franchise record with seven points in Wednesday’s win over Kingston. Niagara IceDogs rookie netminder Tucker Tynan was also on the radar after backstopping the IceDogs to back-to-back road wins, posting a 2.00 goals-against average and .943 save percentage.

• HIGHLIGHTS: Rossi’s six-point night
• HIGHLIGHTS: Rossi chips in with a goal and an assist
• HIGHLIGHTS: Rossi’s first star performance

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
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

Top-ranked Toronto Jr. Canadiens lead the way into this weekend’s Whitby Silver Stick Tournament

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the debut 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 1

Rank: Team:
1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL)
2 Quinte Red Devils (OMHA)
3 Toronto Nationals (GTHL)
4 Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)
5 Southern Tier Admirals (OMHA)
6 Toronto Titans (GTHL)
7 Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs (ALLIANCE)
8 Waterloo Wolves (ALLIANCE)
9 York-Simcoe Express (OMHA)
10 Mississauga Reps (GTHL)
Honourable Mention:
Hamilton Huskies (ALLIANCE)
Whitby Wildcats (OMHA)
Vaughan Kings (GTHL)

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.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
Top 10

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week ten edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2019-20 season.  The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 10

Rank: Team: Last Week Ranked: Total Weeks Ranked:
1 Sherbrooke Phoenix (19-2-2-0) 1 10
2 Moncton Wildcats (17-5-0-0) 3 4
3 Everett Silvertips (14-4-1-0) 4 4
4 Chicoutimi Sagueneens (16-4-2-0) 8 10
5 Prince Albert Raiders (14-4-3-1) 5 7
6 Windsor Spitfires (12-3-3-0) 7 3
7 Oshawa Generals (14-5-0-1) 2 8
8 Edmonton Oil Kings (14-4-3-2) 6 10
9 Ottawa 67’s (15-6-0-0) 9 8
10 Peterborough Petes (15-6-1-0) 10 3
Honourable Mention:
Guelph Storm (12-4-1-2) – 0
Rimouski Oceanic (14-5-1-3) – 1
Portland Winterhawks (12-5-1-2) – 1

BULLDOGS’ JAN JENIK NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Jenik

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Arizona Coyotes prospect Jan Jenik of the Hamilton Bulldogs is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with a league-leading 10 points including five goals and five assists over three games.

Jenik extended his current point streak to a league-high 20 games, helping the Bulldogs go 2-1 on a weekend road trip with stops in North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury. Jenik headlined Thursday’s 5-1 road win over the Battalion with a first star performance, racking up a career-high five points including a hat-trick and two assists as he was in on all five Bulldogs goals. Hamilton came up just short on Friday, falling 4-3 in Sault Ste. Marie but Jenik earned second star honours with two goals as he scored in a third straight game. The 6-foot-1 centre picked up three assists and went 15-for-32 in the faceoff circle in Sunday’s 21-goal explosion between Hamilton and Sudbury as the Bulldogs claimed an 11-10 overtime victory.

A 19-year-old native of Nymburk, Czech Republic, Jenik is currently tied for second in OHL scoring with 43 points (17-26–43) over 20 games. The sophomore forward has recorded a point in each game he has played this season and is on a current run of four consecutive multi-point outings. Jenik joined the Bulldogs midway through last season and registered 30 points (13-17–30) over 27 games. Originally Flint’s first round (6th overall) pick in the 2018 CHL Import Draft, Jenik represented the Czech Republic at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Vancouver, recording two assists over three games. He was Arizona’s third round (65th overall) pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week was Ottawa 67’s overage winger Joseph Garreffa who recorded nine points (5-4–9) including back-to-back four-point performances on Ottawa’s three-game weekend road trip. Soo Greyhounds winger Tye Kartye also had a strong week, recording eight points (3-5–8) over three straight wins as the Hounds came back strong from a seven-game slide.

• HIGHLIGHTS: Jenik’s career-high five-point night
• HIGHLIGHTS: Jenik scores twice in road loss
• HIGHLIGHTS: Jenik picks up three assists in 21-goal explosion

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
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)

44 OHL PLAYERS NAMED TO NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING’S NOVEMBER ‘PLAYERS TO WATCH’ LIST

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
players to watch

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that 44 OHL players have been included on NHL Central Scouting’s November ‘Players to Watch’ List for the 2020 NHL Draft that takes place June 26-27 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC.

The list includes 24 OHL forwards, 15 defenceman and five goaltenders.

Nine players were assigned ‘A’ ratings, indicating a potential first round NHL Draft candidate, with Ottawa 67’s forward Jack Quinn climbing from his ‘B’ assignment back in October onto a list that includes eight other OHL players in Ottawa teammate Marco Rossi, the Windsor Spitfires duo of Will Cuylle and Jean-Luc Foudy, Sudbury’s Quinton Byfield, Erie’s Jamie Drysdale, Saginaw’s Cole Perfetti, Sarnia’s Jacob Perreault and London’s Antonio Stranges.

The number of OHL players assigned a ‘B’ rating climbed from six in October to 12 on November’s list, with notable additions in Soo Greyhounds teammates Tanner Dickinson and Rory Kerins, Barrie’s Tyson Foerster, Erie’s Hayden Fowler, Kitchener’s Donovan Sebrango, London’s Kirill Steklov and Oshawa’s Ty Tullio.

The list also includes 18 skaters and five goaltenders assigned ‘C’ ratings, with goaltending additions in the Guelph Storm duo of Owen Bennett and Nico Daws as well as Hamilton’s Marco Costantini.

A total of 18 OHL member teams are represented on the list led by the Soo Greyhounds and Windsor Spitfires with five players each. The Erie Otters, Guelph Storm and London Knights follow close behind with four respectively.

2020 NHL Central Scouting November ‘Players to Watch’ – OHL

SKATERS:

RANK PLAYER TEAM POSITION
A Quinton Byfield Sudbury Wolves C
A Will Cuylle Windsor Spitfires LW
A Jamie Drysdale Erie Otters D
A Jean-Luc Foudy Windsor Spitfires C
A Cole Perfetti Saginaw Spirit C
A Jacob Perreault Sarnia Sting RW
A Jack Quinn Ottawa 67’s RW
A Marco Rossi Ottawa 67’s C
A Antonio Stranges London Knights LW
B Brandon Coe North Bay Battalion RW
B Tanner Dickinson Soo Greyhounds C
B Tyson Foerster Barrie Colts RW
B Hayden Fowler Erie Otters LW
B Rory Kerins Soo Greyhounds C
B Ryan O’Rourke Soo Greyhounds D
B Jaromir Pytlik Soo Greyhounds C
B Donovan Sebrango Kitchener Rangers D
B Kirill Steklov London Knights D
B Oliver Suni Oshawa Generals RW
B Jack Thompson Sudbury Wolves D
B Ty Tullio Oshawa Generals RW
C Andrei Bakanov Guelph Storm LW
C Cameron Butler Peterborough Petes RW
C Igor Chibrikov Owen Sound Attack D
C Luke Evangelista London Knights RW
C Brendan Hoffmann Erie Otters RW
C Gerard Keane London Knights D
C Cole MacKay Soo Greyhounds RW
C Kyle McDonald Windsor Spitfires RW
C Lleyton Moore Oshawa Generals D
C Logan Morrison Hamilton Bulldogs C
C Jake Murray Kingston Frontenacs D
C Ville Ottavainen Kitchener Rangers D
C Isaak Phillips Sudbury Wolves D
C Luka Profaca Guelph Storm D
C Ruben Rafkin Windsor Spitfires D
C Dylan Robinson Windsor Spitfires D
C Ilya Solovyov Saginaw Spirit D
C Evan Vierling Flint Firebirds C

 

GOALTENDERS:

RANK PLAYER TEAM POSITION
C Owen Bennett Guelph Storm G
C Aidan Campbell Erie Otters G
C Marco Costantini Hamilton Bulldogs G
C Will Cranley Ottawa 67’s G
C Nico Daws Guelph Storm G

 

Players have been identified using the following criteria:

• A Rating – Indicates a first round candidate
• B Rating – Indicates a second or third round candidate
• C Rating – Indicates a fourth/fifth/sixth round candidate

For the complete list, visit NHL.com.

6TH ANNUAL BATTLE OF THE BORDER SHOWCASE SET FOR NOVEMBER 8-10

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Battle of the Border

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League, in partnership with the High Performance Hockey League, is set to host the 6th annual ‘Battle of the Border’ Showcase from November 8-10 at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ont.

The event brings together Ontario Hockey League prospects from both sides of the border for a weekend of competition featuring many top players eligible for the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. The showcase features a Minor Midget Under-15 category in addition to a Bantam Under-14 category.

A total of 24 teams will compete in a series of 36 games over the course of the weekend.

Minor midget teams representing Ontario include the Ajax-Pickering Raiders (OMHA – ETA), Southern Tier Admirals (OMHA – SCTA), Sun County Panthers (ALLIANCE), Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL), Toronto Marlboros (GTHL) and Toronto Titans (GTHL).

Bantam teams representing Ontario include the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs (OMHA – SCTA), Mississauga Reps (GTHL), Oakville Rangers (OMHA – SCTA), Sun County Panthers (ALLIANCE), Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL) and Windsor Jr. Spitfires (ALLIANCE).

HPHL teams in both the U14 and U15 divisions include the Chicago Mission, Chicago Young Americans, Detroit Compuware, Detroit Honeybaked, Team Illinois and Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.

In addition to the competition on the ice, players and their families will have the opportunity to watch the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires practice on Saturday morning then play the North Bay Battalion at night.  There will also be an information seminar focusing on areas such as the league’s scholarship program, professional support programs, development opportunities, benefits, player environment, and safety, health and welfare programs.

Five players from last year’s event were chosen in the opening two rounds of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection including eighth overall pick Ryan Winterton of the Hamilton Bulldogs (Whitby Wildcats), 18th overall choice Jacob Holmes of the Soo Greyhounds (York-Simcoe Express), 19th pick Connor Punnett of the Saginaw Spirit (North Central Predators), 26th overall selection Ethan Larmand of the Sudbury Wolves (North Central Predators) and 32nd pick Brenden Sirizzotti of the Ottawa 67’s (Whitby Wildcats).

All games will have three 17-minute periods with a flood occurring midway through the second period.  3-on-3 overtime will ensue should games be tied after regulation time, followed by a three-man shootout if there is no overtime goal.  Total points accumulated by each country will determine the ‘Battle of the Border’ champion.  Teams receive three points for a win, one point for each tie, and one extra point for an overtime or shootout win.

Minor Midget Under-15 Schedule:

Friday, November 8:
3:00pm – Toronto Marlboros vs. Detroit Compuware (Main Bowl)
3:40pm – Toronto Titans vs. Oakland Jr. Grizzlies (Grenon)
5:15pm – Southern Tier Admirals vs. Chicago Mission (Main Bowl)
5:40pm – Sun County Panthers vs. Chicago Young Americans (Grenon)
7:30pm – Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Detroit Honeybaked (Main Bowl)
7:40pm – Ajax-Pickering Raiders vs. Team Illinois (Grenon)

Saturday, November 9:
9:20am – Chicago Mission vs. Sun County Panthers (Greenshield)
11:00am – Detroit Compuware vs. Toronto Titans (AM 800)
11:50am – Detroit Honeybaked vs. Toronto Marlboros (Greenshield)
12:30pm – Oakland Jr. Grizzlies vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens (Main Bowl)
2:20pm – Team Illinois vs. Southern Tier Admirals (Greenshield)
2:30pm – Chicago Young Americans vs. Ajax-Pickering Raiders (AM 800)

Sunday, November 10:
8:00am – Ajax-Pickering Raiders vs. Chicago Mission (Main Bowl)
8:00am – Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Detroit Compuware (Grenon)
11:10am – Southern Tier Admirals vs. Chicago Young Americans (Grenon)
11:20am – Sun County Panthers vs. Team Illinois (Greenshield)
12:00pm – Toronto Titans vs. Detroit Honeybaked (Main Bowl)
1:00pm – Toronto Marlboros vs. Oakland Jr. Grizzlies (Grenon)

Bantam Under-14 Schedule:

Friday, November 8:
3:00pm – Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Detroit Honeybaked (AM 800)
3:20pm – Sun County Panthers vs. Detroit Compuware (Greenshield)
5:30pm – Windsor Jr. Spitfires vs. Chicago Young Americans (AM 800)
5:50pm – Oakville Rangers vs. Team Illinois (Greenshield)
7:50pm – Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs vs. Chicago Mission (Greenshield)
8:00pm – Mississauga Reps vs. Oakland Jr. Grizzlies (AM 800)

Saturday, November 9:
8:00am – Chicago Mission vs. Oakville Rangers (Main Bowl)
8:30am – Detroit Compuware vs. Windsor Jr. Spitfires (AM 800)
10:15am – Detroit Honeybaked vs. Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs (Main Bowl)
11:10am – Team Illinois vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens (Grenon)
1:40pm – Chicago Young Americans vs. Mississauga Reps (Grenon)
2:45pm – Oakland Jr. Grizzlies vs. Sun County Panthers (Main Bowl)

Sunday, November 10:
8:00am – Mississauga Reps vs. Detroit Compuware (AM 800)
8:50am – Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Chicago Mission (Greenshield)
10:00am – Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs vs. Team Illinois (Main Bowl)
10:30am – Oakville Rangers vs. Detroit Honeybaked (AM 800)
12:30pm – Sun County Panthers vs. Chicago Young Americans (AM 800)
12:50pm – Windsor Jr. Spitfires vs. Oakland Jr. Grizzlies (Greenshield)

Admission is free for all ‘Battle of the Border’ games.

Check out the latest OHL #PlayersFirst videos, featuring a Fact of the Week and Alumni Spotlight covering various elements of life in the OHL.

KNIGHTS’ CONNOR MCMICHAEL NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

McMichael

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Washington Capitals prospect Connor McMichael of the London Knights is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with eight points including four goals and four assists over two weekend contests.

• HIGHLIGHTS: McMichael’s career-high six point night
• HIGHLIGHTS: McMichael helps Knights defeat Generals

McMichael earns the award for the second time this season, helping the Knights win back-to-back games to give them victories in five of their past six. The 6-foot, 181Ib. centre registered a career-high six points, scoring the overtime winner in Friday’s 7-6 win over the visiting Erie Otters. With the game tied 4-4, McMichael scored late in the second period before tying things up with 1:05 remaining in regulation. He capped-off his hat-trick with 1:56 remaining in overtime, becoming the first Knights player to record six points in a game since Robert Thomas on October 27, 2017. McMichael continued his strong weekend with a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 5-1 road win over the Oshawa Generals, earning second star honours while extending his run of consecutive multi-point performances to six.

An 18-year-old native of Ajax, Ont., McMichael sits second in OHL scoring with 34 points (17-17–34) over 14 games, with 19 of those points coming over his past six outings. The former 11th overall pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection has split his three-year OHL career between London and Hamilton, recording 61 goals, 61 assists and 122 points over 141 regular season games. He was Washington’s first round (25th overall) pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. McMichael will represent Team OHL in this week’s CIBC Canada Russia Series.

Also considered for the award this week were Hamilton Bulldogs teammates Arthur Kaliyev and Jan Jenik who each posted four goals, four assists and eight points over three games as the Bulldogs played to a 2-1 record.

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
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)

Team Russia Roster Announced for 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with the Russian Ice Hockey Federation today announced the roster for Team Russia that will compete in the 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series which takes place November 4-14.

A team of 24 Russian players including three goaltenders, eight defencemen, and 13 forwards will travel across Canada as part of the 17th annual series with six games against CHL competition in preparation for the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Team Russia includes 21 players born in 2000, three born in 2001, and features a total of three players with NHL affiliations. That group is headlined by Vancouver Canucks prospect Vasili Podkolzin, the tenth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Sixth round Arizona Coyotes pick Danil Savunov and 2018 second round Vegas Golden Knights pick Ivan Morozov will also play in all six games. In addition to the NHL affiliated talent, two of the 2001 born players are top prospects for the 2020 NHL Draft including Rodion Amirov who was given an ‘A’ rating by NHL Central Scouting in their October Players to Watch list, and Maxim Groshev who was given a ‘B’ rating. While all 24 players will be competing in this event for the first time, Podkolzin, Morozov, and goaltender Amir Miftakhov were all members of Russia’s bronze medal entry at the 2019 World Juniors in Vancouver and Victoria.

An additional seven CHL players will join Team Russia throughout the series competing within their regional league. That list includes QMJHL talents like St. Louis Blues prospect Nikita Alexandrov of the Charlottetown Islanders, Minnesota Wild prospect Alexander Khovanov of the Moncton Wildcats, Egor Sokolov of the Cape Breton Eagles, and Calgary Flames prospect Dmitry Zavgorodniy of the Rimouski Oceanic. Nashville Predators prospect Egor Afanasyev of the Windsor Spitfires and New Jersey Devils prospect Nikita Okhotyuk of the Ottawa 67’s will play in OHL games, while Philadelphia Flyers prospect Egor Zamula of the Calgary Hitmen will play in the WHL.

Behind the bench for Team Russia is head coach Valery Bragin who is making his eighth series appearance and sixth straight. His time with the Russian National Junior Team has led to six World Junior medals including 2011 gold in Buffalo, silver in Calgary (2012), Toronto (2015), and Finland (2016), along with bronze in Montreal (2017) and Vancouver (2019).

Team Russia has captured four series victories including 2010, 2012, and 2018, bringing their overall record to 33-60-0-3.

2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series – Team Russia:

Goaltenders:
Amir Miftakhov (Ak Bars Kazan)
Daniil Isayev (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl)
Gleb Nosov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk)

Defencemen:
Gleb Babintsev (Metallurg Magnitogorsk)
Mikhail Gordeyev (HC Sochi, Sochi)
Anton Malyshev (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl)
Stepan Ostrovsky (Admiral Vladivostok)
Daniil Pylenkov (Vityaz Podolsk)
Sergei Telegin (Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk)
Daniil Valitov ( Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg)
Nikita Zorkin (SKA St. Peterburg)

Forwards:
Rodion Amirov (Salavat Yulaev Ufa)
Maxim Groshev (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk )
Lev Komissarov (CSKA Moscow)
Ilya Kruglov (Dynamo Moscow)
Vladislav Mikhailov (Dynamo Moscow)
Ivan Morozov (SKA St. Peterburg)
Vasili Podkolzin (SKA St. Peterburg)
Nikita Rtishchev ( CSKA Moscow)
Pavel Rotenberg (Dynamo St. Peterburg)
Danil Savunov (SKA St. Peterburg)
Zakhar Shablovskii (Spartak Moscow)
Maxim Sorkin (CSKA Moscow)
Yegor Stepanov (Traktor Chelyabinsk)

QMJHL players on Team Russia:
Nikita Alexandrov (Charlottetown Islanders)
Alexander Khovanov (Moncton Wildcats)
Egor Sokolov (Cape Breton Eagles)
Dmitry Zavgorodniy (Rimouski Oceanic)

OHL players on Team Russia:
Egor Afanasyev (Windsor Spitfires) – Game 3 only
Nikita Okhotyuk (Ottawa 67’s)

WHL players on Team Russia:
Egor Zamula (Calgary Hitmen)

Staff:
Head Coach – Valery Bragin
Assistant Coach – Alexander Boikov
Goalie Coach – Vladimir Kulikov
Strength and Conditioning Coach – Philipp Arzamazov
Team Manager – Oleg Shulya
Analyst – Roman Barinov
Analyst – Aleksey Khomchenkov
Physician – Valery Egorov
Massage Therapist – Artem Timofeev
Equipment Manager – Alexander Rezepov
Media Manager – Artur Kovtunenko

The 2019 CIBC Canada Russia series is proudly supported by title partner CIBC, and associate sponsors Kia Canada, Cooper Tires, and Kubota Canada. All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series Schedule:
Game 1 – Monday November 4 at Saint John, NB
Game 2 – Tuesday November 5 at Moncton, NB
Game 3 – Thursday November 7 at Kitchener, ON
Game 4 – Monday November 11 at London, ON
Game 5 – Wednesday November 13 at Saskatoon, SK
Game 6 – Thursday November 14 at Prince Albert, SK

For event information please visit http://chlcanadarussia.ca.

OHL ANNOUNCES ACADEMIC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Academic Players for October

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the OHL Academic Players of the Month for October 2019, including Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs, Pacey Schlueting of the North Bay Battalion, Zack Terry of the Guelph Storm and Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit.

East Division: Kingston Frontenacs rookie and 2019 OHL Priority Selection first overall pick Shane Wright is the OHL East Division Academic Player of the Month for October. The 15-year-old from Burlington, Ont. is off to a great start in his Grade 10 studies at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School, achieving a 95% average in his academic math, business, computer technology and high performance athlete courses.

“Shane’s exceptional work ethic and dedication to his academic studies have been every apparent right from the first week of school,” said Frontenacs academic advisor Kim Hulton. “The staff at Holy Cross are exceptionally impressed with his maturity, commitment to his studies and his ability to act as a role model in his new school.”

On the ice, the exceptional status rookie has 11 points (5-6–11) through his first 14 contests, leading OHL rookies with 48 shots on goal.  He’ll be representing Canada Black at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge starting this weekend in Medicine Hat, Alta. and Swift Current, Sask. He’s a graduate of the Don Mills Flyers Minor Midget program.

Central Division: North Bay Battalion defenceman Pacey Schlueting is the OHL Central Division Academic Player of the Month. The sophomore defenceman owns an 84% average in Grade 12 chemistry, philosophy and functions courses at Chippewa Secondary School. This marks the second time Schlueting has received the honour after doing so in February 2019.

“Pacey is very self-directed and has shown himself to be a very motivated learner,” said Battalion academic advisor Colleen Point.

The 17-year-old hometown product of North Bay, Ont. has three assists over 14 games in his second OHL season after suiting up in 60 regular season contests as a rookie. Schlueting was North Bay’s first round (9th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection from the North Bay Trappers Minor Midgets.

Midwest Division: Guelph Storm defenceman Zack Terry is the OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month. The second-year blueliner and reigning Ivan Tennant Memorial Award winner as the OHL’s top academic secondary school student owns an A+ average in his Grade 12 studies at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, managing a course load that includes english, chemistry and advanced functions. This marks the second time Terry has received the honour after doing so in February 2019.

“Zack is the consummate student-athlete,” said Storm academic advisor Colleen Driscoll. He has continued to excel in the classroom maintaining his high academic standards as evidenced in his A+ average. His teachers describe him as hard working; conscientious; possessing great potential and skills. His strong academic achievement is a direct reflection of his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence.”

The 17-year-old Oakville, Ont. native has two assists through his first 12 games of the season after hoisting the Robertson Cup as an OHL champion with the Storm last spring. The 6-foot-2, 189Ib. defenceman was Guelph’s second round (36th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection from the Oakville Rangers Minor Midgets.

West Division: Saginaw Spirit forward and top 2020 NHL Draft prospect Cole Perfetti is the OHL West Division Academic Player of the Month for October. Perfetti owns an overall average of 95% in his Grade 12 studies at Heritage High School, learning about subjects such as algebra as well as elite athlete and leadership courses. This marks the second time Perfetti has received the honour after doing so in February 2019.

“Cole is an outstanding, conscientious individual with an excellent work ethic,” said Spirit academic advisor Pam Moretuzzo. “He welcomes academic and personal challenges and works diligently which is evident in his high achievements. Cole’s grade 11 average was 93% which included university-level and international baccalaureate courses. He is a very strong student and has assumed the role of peer tutor in numerous study sessions. He is well-liked and respected by his peers and adults alike and has proven himself to be a true leader in and out of school.”

After setting a Spirit franchise record with 37 goals as a rookie in 2018-19, Perfetti has continued his production, leading the team with 27 points (5-22–27) through 16 games this season. He’ll be representing Team OHL in next week’s CIBC Canada Russia Series. Perfetti was Saginaw’s first round (5th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection from the Vaughan Kings Minor Midgets.

2019-20 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
October – Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)

Central Division:
October – Pacey Schlueting (North Bay Battalion)

Midwest Division:
October – Zack Terry (Guelph Storm)

West Division:
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.