Vaughn CHL Team of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The Canadian Hockey League today announced the 21st edition of the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for the 2019-20 season based on individual performances from Feb. 10-16.

Headlining the group is Rimouski Oceanic captain and 2020 NHL Draft favourite Alexis Lafreniere who amassed 10 points counting two goals and eight assists across a pair of appearances. Against the Quebec Remparts on Sunday, Lafreniere pushed his point streak to five games as he put up a dominant, career-best performance of seven points including one goal and six assists en route to an 11-2 victory and first-star honours. For his efforts, Lafreniere was recognized as the Ultramar QMJHL Player of the Week.

Also up front is fellow 2020 NHL Draft hopeful Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit who wrapped up the week with 10 points counting four goals and six assists over a trio of contests. Registering at least one point in 10 of his past 11 appearances, Perfetti matched a season high of five points – all coming as helpers – in Wednesday’s 7-5 road win over the Soo Greyhounds, helping him earn recognition as the game’s first star in addition to OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week honours.

Rounding out the forward ranks is another top NHL Draft prospect in Portland Winterhawks centre Seth Jarvis whose week counted three goals and six assists for nine points over three games. A projected early selection come June, Jarvis put his offensive skills on display in Sunday’s 11-2 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors in which he finished with one goal and four assists for five points to match a season high and wrap up the night with second-star recognition. The successful showing also helped Jarvis garner WHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week honours.

On the blue line, Spirit veteran rearguard D.J. Busdeker continues to build on an incredible season as he tallied six points counting two goals and four assists through three appearances. Facing the Soo Greyhounds on Wednesday, Busdeker put up a pair of tallies plus an assist to match a season high of three points en route to a 7-5 victory.

Also on the back end is San Jose Sharks first-round pick Ryan Merkley of the London Knights who earns a spot on the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for the fourth time this season after collecting six assists through three contests. Riding a nine-game point streak, the stretch saw Merkley register a season high of four points in Friday’s 6-3 win over the rival Kitchener Rangers in which he took home first-star honours.

Between the pipes, top-ranked North American netminder Nico Daws of the Guelph Storm continued his dominant play in coming away with a pair of victories in which he combined for 77 saves to finish with a 0.50 goals-against average and .987 save percentage. Versus the Owen Sound Attack on Friday, Daws turned aside 40 shots to help guide his club to a 2-0 win that saw him record his fifth shutout of the season.

 

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

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Cup Top 10

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the 12th 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 12

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens GTHL 2 12
2 Toronto Titans GTHL 1 12
3 Toronto Nationals GTHL 4 12
4 Quinte Red Devils OMHA 3 12
5 Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs ALLIANCE 5 12
6 Toronto Marlboros GTHL 6 12
7 Vaughan Kings GTHL 8 8
8 Hamilton Huskies ALLIANCE 7 10
9 Southern Tier Admirals OMHA 9 12
10 Whitby Wildcats OMHA – 1
Honourable Mention:
Ajax-Pickering Raiders OMHA – –
Mississauga Reps GTHL – 1
Waterloo Wolves ALLIANCE 10 6

The Toronto Jr. Canadiens are the new number one team in the OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Minor Midget Top-10, returning to where they began back in late November. The Jr. Canadiens swept the Markham Majors in the first round of the GTHL Playoffs and have taken a 2-0 (pts.) second round series lead over the Toronto Marlboros. The Toronto Titans fall one spot to number two on the list as they find themselves deadlocked in a 4-4 (pts.) first round series with the seventh-ranked Vaughan Kings. The Toronto Nationals also climbed one spot to sit third, advancing to the second round following a 6-0 (pts.) series sweep of the Mississauga Reps. The Whitby Wildcats are making their first appearance on the list coming in at 10th after advancing to the OMHA ETA semi-finals with a 7-1 (pts.) series triumph over the Kingston Jr. Gaels. Also semi-finalists, the Ajax-Pickering Raiders earned an honourable mention for the first time this season.

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/Arizona Coyotes), 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.

Antonio Stranges – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 178 pounds

Date of birth: February 5, 2002

Hometown: Plymouth, Michigan

Position: Left Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 21st overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final

A Prospect

A Prospect

39 NA

56 N.A.

 

Antonio Stranges played for both Little Caesars Under-16 and Under-18 squads during the 2017-2018 season and there was a lot of promise heading into the 2018 Ontario Hockey League Priority selection where the London Knights selected him with the first pick in the second round of the draft.

The promise that was tagged to Stranges was so high, that OHL Central Scouting had this to say about him prior to the draft:

Antonio is one of the most skilled players in this year’s Priority Selection. He is a player that has the ability to take over a game and he did this on numerous occasions this season. He is an electric skater with breakaway speed. His skill set and his ability to read the play allow him to create scoring chances almost at will. He is a natural playmaker that makes everyone around him better. He sees the play developing well before others and he is very creative with the puck on his stick.

Stranges broke into the OHL a season ago and appeared in 66 games scoring 13 goals and adding 21 assists. He would add 2 helpers in the Knights 11 playoff contests.

Antonio Stranges of the London Knights. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Iimages.

To date this season, Stranges has appeared in 51 games scoring 18 goals and 20 assists. And despite being a second-year player and truly an offensively gifted player, he doesn’t get the prime minutes with the Knights because of the depth they have. And that is almost always the motto of a Dale Hunter coached team: learn the 200-foot game.

The first thing you notice about Stranges is his skating. While OHL Central Scouting called it electric, I call it elite. He has superb edgework, and uncanny ability to slow down and speed up and has top level speed and first steps. However, if there is one knock I have on his skating, it’s that he uses the 10-2 that we seen the likes of Ryan Spooner and others use way too often. While he can get away with using it as often as he does at this level, he’s going to have to pick his spots at the next level.

The next thing you notice is his puck handling skills. It’s almost as though he has the puck on a string and he can work magic with it. Once he’s in possession, it is difficult to separate him from the puck. But I do have a small knock on him there as well. He too often plays the game on the outside, looking to make plays from the outside rather then going into the high scoring areas. He’s capable of it, but I think to be successful at the next level, he has to be near elite to do so, and he’s not quite there. He’ll need to find a balance and maybe the confidence to drive to danger areas will come once he adds to his 5’10”, 178-pound frame.

Stranges has very good vision and playmaking abilities, and he can play patiently. He has the ability to slow things down, draw people to him and use his patience to allow a play to develop and dish the puck with accuracy.

Playing a 200ft game is something Stranges is going to have to develop. Too often I find the lack of effort to backcheck and defend frustrating. And may be a reason Coach Hunter doesn’t give him prime minutes. It’s not something to be overly concerned about as many a player has shown to find that part of their game as they mature. But it is something that will make your draft stock drop in the meantime.

The last issue is consistency. I haven’t seen it enough to date, but if he can find it through the end of the season and through the playoffs, it could go a long way in maintaining his draft position.

SPIRIT’S COLE PERFETTI NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Perfetti

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that draft eligible Saginaw Spirit forward Cole Perfetti is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with 10 points in three games including four goals and six assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-6.

Perfetti becomes the first Spirit player to claim the honour this season, stringing together three straight first star performances as the Spirit maintained their standing atop the West Division with a pair of victories. His five assists in Sault Ste. Marie on Wednesday equal a past single game mark recorded by Vincent Trocheck (March 2012) and Marcus Crawford (January 2017) as the Spirit defeated the Greyhounds 7-5. Perfetti followed up on his career high-matching five point effort with his first hat-trick of the season on Friday as the Spirit were edged by the visiting Flint Firebirds 5-4. He rounded out the weekend with a goal and an assist on Saturday as Saginaw bounced back to defeat the Kitchener Rangers 8-2 on home ice. Perfetti became the fastest player in Spirit history to reach the 100 career assist mark in the weekend finale, bringing him to within three points of the century mark in his sophomore season.

An 18-year-old native of Whitby, Ont., Perfetti sits one point back of Ottawa’s Marco Rossi for the OHL scoring lead, boasting 97 points (34-63–97) over 53 games this season. The sharpshooting winger has collected four consecutive multi-point efforts and sits tied with teammate Damien Giroux for the team lead with 34 goals. The fourth-ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Draft Rankings, Perfetti recently competed in the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Hamilton, Ont. He was a key member of Canada’s silver medal-winning National Under-18 Team at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer, recording 12 points (8-4–12) over five contests. He was Saginaw’s first round (5th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection from the Vaughan Kings Minor Midgets.

A pair of goaltenders were also considered for the award this week including Guelph Storm netminder Nico Daws who stopped 77 of the 78 shots he faced, posting a 0.50 goals-against average, .987 save percentage and one shutout in wins over London and Owen Sound. North Bay Battalion rookie Joe Vrbetic was also outstanding, stopping 79 of the 81 shots that came his way to post a 2-0 record with a 0.96 goals-against average, .975 save percentage and one shutout to defeat Barrie and Mississauga.

• HIGHLIGHTS: Perfetti’s five assists in the Soo
• HIGHLIGHTS: Perfetti records hat-trick against Flint
• HIGHLIGHTS: Perfetti’s goal and assist against Kitchener

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Feb. 10 – Feb. 16: Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 3 – Feb. 9: Evgeniy Oksentyuk (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 27 – Feb. 2: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Jan. 20 – Jan. 26: Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 13 – Jan. 19: Mitchell Hoelscher (Ottawa 67’s)
Jan. 6 – Jan. 12: Philip Tomasino (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 30 – Jan. 5: Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 16 – Dec. 29: Joseph Garreffa (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 9 – Dec. 15: Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 2 – Dec. 8: Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 25 – Dec. 1: Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
Nov. 18 – Nov. 24: Riley McCourt (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 11 – Nov. 17: Jan Jenik (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 4 – Nov. 10: Cam Hillis (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 28 – Nov. 3: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Oct. 21 – Oct. 27: Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 7 – Oct. 13: Mack Guzda (Owen Sound Attack)
Sept. 24 – Oct. 6: Philip Tomasino (Niagara IceDogs)
Sept. 23 – 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 10

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the 11th 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 11

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Toronto Titans GTHL 2 11
2 Toronto Jr. Canadiens GTHL 3 11
3 Quinte Red Devils OMHA 1 11
4 Toronto Nationals GTHL 4 11
5 Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs ALLIANCE 5 11
6 Toronto Marlboros GTHL 8 11
7 Hamilton Huskies ALLIANCE 9 9
8 Vaughan Kings GTHL 6 7
9 Southern Tier Admirals OMHA 7 11
10 Waterloo Wolves ALLIANCE 10 6
Honourable Mention:
Mississauga Senators GTHL – 6
Mississauga Reps GTHL – 1
Whitby Wildcats OMHA – –

The 11th edition of the weekly Top-10 Rankings got interesting as the Toronto Titans became the top-ranked team for the first time this season, unseating the Quinte Red Devils after nine consecutive weeks in the lead. The Titans lead the eighth-ranked Vaughan Kings 2-0 (pts.) in their first round GTHL Playoff series while the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, who climb one spot up to second, lead the Markham Majors by a similar tally. The formerly first-ranked Red Devils sunk down to number three on the list. The Toronto Marlboros are back up into sixth as they’re off to a winning start in their playoff series against the Mississauga Senators. The Hamilton Huskies rose two spots from ninth to seventh after taking a 4-0 (pts.) series lead over the 10th ranked Waterloo Wolves in their ALLIANCE semi-final clash.

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/Arizona Coyotes), 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.

Vaughn CHL Team of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The Canadian Hockey League today announced the 20th edition of the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for the 2019-20 season based on individual performances from Feb. 3-9.

Leading the way is the WHL’s top point producer in Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Beckman of the Spokane Chiefs who continues to build on a spectacular season following a week in which he tallied four goals and five assists for nine points across a trio of contests helping the Chiefs extend their winning-streak to five. Registering at least one point in 24 of his last 25 appearances, that stretch includes Tuesday’s 7-6 overtime thriller versus the Portland Winterhawks in which Beckman finished with two goals and two assists to earn third-star recognition.

Also up front is Vancouver Giants right-wing Tyler Preziuso who wrapped up the week with eight points counting five goals and three assists in the most recent three wins during the club’s six-game streak. Added from the Medicine Hat Tigers in early December, Preziuso is producing just shy of a point-per-game pace since joining his new club, with recent performances including Sunday’s 7-3 win over the Kamloops Blazers where he recorded two goals and two assists to finish with a season high of four points in addition to first-star honours.

Rounding out the forward ranks is Flint Firebirds left-wing and 2020 NHL Draft hopeful Evgeniy Oksentyuk whose week counted two goals and six assists for eight points over three games as the Firebirds record win-streak reaches 10. Against the Oshawa Generals on Sunday, Oksentyuk matched a season high of four points as he came away with two goals and two assists to help guide his squad to a 5-3 road victory that saw him recognized as the game’s third star. For his efforts, Oksentyuk was also honoured as the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week.

On the blue line, Florida Panthers prospect Johnny Ludvig of the WHL leading Portland Winterhawks impressed with nine points counting two goals and seven assists over three contests. Facing the Spokane Chiefs on Tuesday, Ludvig was among the top performers as he finished with one goal and a trio of assists for a season high of four points in a 7-6 overtime decision that saw him earn second-star honours and the club clinch a post-season berth despite the loss. In all, Ludvig’s successful showing also saw him recognized as the WHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week.

Partnering on the back end is Everett Silvertips veteran rearguard Jake Christiansen who finished with five goals and three assists for eight points over a trio of appearances. Against the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday, Christiansen shined with a season high of four points including two goals and two assists that counted a helper on the eventual game-winning goal in the 5-2 road victory that kept the Tips hot with eight wins in their last 10 games.

Between the pipes, Red Deer Rebels netminder Ethan Anders impressed over two appearances as he came away with a 1-1-0-0 showing coupled with a .974 save percentage and 1.00 goals-against average. In all, Anders wrapped up the week with a combined 76 saves, a stretch that included Saturday’s 3-0 win over the Calgary Hitmen in which he turned aside 41 shots to record his first shutout of the season. For his efforts, Anders was recognized as the WHL Eli Wilson Goaltending Goaltender of the Week.

FIREBIRDS’ EVGENIY OKSENTYUK NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Oksentyuk

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Flint Firebirds forward Evgeniy Oksentyuk is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with eight points including two goals and six assists in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-3.

This marks the fourth different time a Firebirds player has received the award this season as Oksentyuk helped the club extend it’s franchise-best winning streak to 10 games with road wins in Erie, Hamilton and Oshawa. Oksentyuk recorded an assist in Friday’s 5-4 overtime win over the Otters before collecting three helpers in a 7-3 win over the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. The 5-foot-7, 157Ib. winger wrapped up the weekend by matching a season-high with four points including two goals and two assists in a 5-3 win over the Generals, pushing his current point streak to eight games. The Firebirds wrapped up the weekend as winners of a club record seven consecutive road contests, matching their season-high mark of 32 victories set in 2016-17.

An 18-year-old native of Brest, Belarus, Oksentyuk sits second in Flint scoring with 62 points (25-37–62) over 46 games. He set a Firebirds club record earlier this season when he strung together a 17-game point streak from Nov. 15 to Jan. 17. The left-winger represented his native Belarus at the 2020 IIHF U20 Division 1A World Championship in December, recording seven points (1-6–7) over five contests. Oksentyuk was chosen by the Firebirds with the fifth overall pick of the 2019 CHL Import Draft. He attended rookie camp with the Arizona Coyotes last September.

Also considered for the award this week were Ottawa 67’s winger Jack Quinn who boosted his goal-scoring total to a league-leading 44 with eight points (3-5–8) over three contests. Peterborough Petes winger Nick Robertson was considered after pushing his goal-scoring streak to 14 games as part of an eight point (4-4–8) week.

HIGHLIGHTS: Oksentyuk’s four point night in Oshawa
HIGHLIGHTS: Oksentyuk picks up three helpers in Hamilton
HIGHLIGHTS: Oksentyuk’s assist helps Firebirds beat Otters

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Feb. 3 – Feb. 9: Evgeniy Oksentyuk (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 27 – Feb. 2: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Jan. 20 – Jan. 26: Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 13 – Jan. 19: Mitchell Hoelscher (Ottawa 67’s)
Jan. 6 – Jan. 12: Philip Tomasino (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 30 – Jan. 5: Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 16 – Dec. 29: Joseph Garreffa (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 9 – Dec. 15: Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 2 – Dec. 8: Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 25 – Dec. 1: Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
Nov. 18 – Nov. 24: Riley McCourt (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 11 – Nov. 17: Jan Jenik (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 4 – Nov. 10: Cam Hillis (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 28 – Nov. 3: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Oct. 21 – Oct. 27: Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 7 – Oct. 13: Mack Guzda (Owen Sound Attack)
Sept. 24 – Oct. 6: Philip Tomasino (Niagara IceDogs)
Sept. 23 – Sept. 29: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 22: Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Peterborough Petes)

OHL THIS WEEK: FEBRUARY 6 TO 9, 2020

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

OHL This Week

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

Toronto, Ont. – We’re into February and there’s lots happening in rinks across the League this weekend. We’ll also tell you about the CMHA Talk Today Online 50-50 Raffle raising funds for mental health awareness as well as a number of records and milestones from the past week of action.

OHL THIS WEEK PODCAST WITH OSHAWA’S PHILIP TOMASINO:
Nashville Predators first round pick and OHL Player of the Month for January Philip Tomasino joins the show this week, shedding some light on his incredible 34-point performance over 13 games. Tomasino expresses his thanks to the Niagara IceDogs organization and looks ahead to an exciting stretch run with the Oshawa Generals. He details his draft day experience when he was selected 24th overall by the Nashville Predators last summer.
LISTEN

OHL, CMHA ONTARIO PARTNER TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, SUICIDE PREVENTION:
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario Division have teamed up this month for a 50-50 raffle to raise funds that will go toward mental health awareness and suicide prevention training for athletes in Ontario. Running now through Feb. 29, tickets for the raffle cost $10 for five, $20 for 30 and $50 for 100 and can be purchased at www.talktoday5050.com All proceeds will support the OHL and CMHA Ontario’s Talk Today program. The winning ticket will be drawn March 2.
READ MORE

KNIGHTS’ MCMICHAEL AND MERKLEY NAMED TO VAUGHN CHL TEAM OF THE WEEK:
London Knights teammates Connor McMichael and Ryan Merkley have been named to the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for Jan. 27 to Feb. 2. McMichael racked up seven points (4-3–7) over two games while Merkley finished with six points (1-5–6) in that span.
READ MORE

KNIGHTS’ MCMICHAEL NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Washington Capitals prospect Connor McMichael of the Washington Capitals is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the week ending February 2nd. McMichael claims the honour for the third time this season, helping the Knights stretch their current winning streak to eight with multi-point efforts in a pair of victories.
READ MORE

67’s AND KNIGHTS IN KIA CHL TOP 10:
The Ottawa 67’s remain atop the weekly rankings for the fifth straight week as they continue to roll on a nine-game winning streak. Ottawa has won 26 of the past 27 as 2020 NHL Draft prospect Marco Rossi leads the OHL in scoring with 88 points (30-58–88). A nine-game winning streak has carried the London Knights back into the Kia CHL Top 10 as they sit atop the Midwest Division with a 33-13-1-1 record.
FULL RANKINGS

67’s BECOME OHL’S FIRST TEAM TO CLINCH A PLAYOFF BERTH:
The defending Eastern Conference champion Ottawa 67’s are playoff bound once again. The 67’s defeated the Soo Greyhounds 5-2 on Sunday and in doing so, punched their ticket to the 2020 OHL Playoffs. They sit atop the OHL standings with a 39-7-0-0 record.

OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY:
The OHL on Monday announced Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in January 2020, including Oshawa Generals forward Philip Tomasino, Ottawa 67’s defenceman Noel Hoefenmayer and London Knights goaltender Brett Brochu.
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OHL WEEKEND NOTEBOOK – FEB. 3, 2020:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Here are 10 of the leading stories from this past weekend.
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WAWANESA OHL PLAYS OF THE WEEK – FEB. 5, 2020:
We’ve got forwards, defencemen and goaltenders all contributing to the latest edition of the Wawanesa OHL Plays of the Week. Flint Firebirds defenceman Riley McCourt starts us off, finishing off his first hat-trick in overtime on a record-setting night in Flint. Windsor Spitfires netminder Xavier Medina flashes the leather for some post-to-post larceny. London’s Ryan Merkley makes a save at the blue line before Connor McMichael does what he does best. Saginaw’s Cole Coskey goes coast-to-coast and Oshawa’s Jordan Kooy stretches out for a Superman save.
WATCH

VAUGHN SAVES OF THE WEEK – FEB. 4, 2020:
It’s all acrobatics and entertainment in the latest instalment of Vaughn Saves, highlighting the best stops across the OHL this week. Get a look at these saves from Kingston’s Christian Propp, Saginaw’s Tristan Lennox, Soo’s Nick Malik, Kingston’s Ryan Dugas, Oshawa’s Jordan Kooy, Flint’s Anthony Popovich, Ottawa’s Cedrick Andree, Kitchener’s Jacob Ingham, Sudbury’s Mitchell Weeks and Windsor’s Xavier Medina.
WATCH

SEVEN PLAYERS SCORE FIRST GOALS FOR OHL MILESTONE MOMENTS:
A total of seven players scored their first career OHL goal this past week including Peterborough’s Curtis Trolley, Kingston’s Ethan Ritchie, Guelph’s Jacob Maillet, Owen Sound’s Logan LeSage, Niagara’s Isaac Enright, Hamilton’s Mark Duarte and North Bay’s David Campbell.
WATCH

OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR MINOR MIDGET TOP-10 RANKINGS:
The OMHA’s Quinte Red Devils are the top-ranked team in the OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Top-10 Rankings for a ninth consecutive week while three GTHL clubs in the Toronto Titans, Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Toronto Nationals occupy the following three slots. The Vaughan Kings are up one spot to number six on the this week’s list while the Toronto Marlboros climb to eighth and the ALLIANCE’s Waterloo Wolves are back in the Top-10 for the first time since Week 4. The Wolves join two other ALLIANCE teams in the fifth-ranked Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and ninth-ranked Hamilton Huskies in embarking on semi-final play this coming weekend.
FULL RANKINGS

67’s’ KEATING LOGS 300TH CAREER OHL POINT:
Ottawa 67’s forward Austen Keating recorded the 300th point of his OHL career on Sunday, becoming the 13th player in franchise history to do so. Keating had a goal and an assist to help the 67’s become the League’s first team to clinch a playoff spot, winning their ninth straight game in a 5-2 decision over visiting Sault Ste. Marie.
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BULLDOGS’ KALIYEV BECOMES CLUB’S CAREER GOAL-SCORING LEADER:
It was another day at the office for Arthur Kaliyev, who scored twice and added two assists in a 9-4 Hamilton Bulldogs win over the visiting Niagara IceDogs on Saturday. With his 33rd and 34th goals of the season, Kaliyev surpassed Matthew Strome as Hamilton’s all-time goal-scoring leader with 116 to his name over the course of 177 regular season games.
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CHASE COSTANTINO COMMITS TO FRONTENACS:
The Kingston Frontenacs have received a commitment from 2019 seventh round selection Chase Costantino. The 6-foot-2, 165Ib. defenceman from Burlington, Ont. has 28 points (6-22–28) over 53 games with Compuware U16 of the HPHL this season.
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GREYHOUNDS TO SUBMIT BID TO HOST 2021 MEMORIAL CUP PRESENTED BY KIA:
The Soo Greyhounds announced Thursday that the club will be submitting an expression of interest to host the 2021 Memorial Cup Presented by Kia.
DETAILS

ROGERS HOMETOWN HOCKEY TOUR COMES TO OTTAWA:
The Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour stops in the nation’s capital this weekend as hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone tell the top stories from Ottawa, Ontario! Be sure to hear about the 67’s and their impact on Ottawa’s hockey community throughout the weekend.
FOR MORE VISIT HOMETOWNHOCKEY.COM

BEYOND THE BOARDS:

Canadian Mental Health Month Underway with slew of #TalkToday Games this week: In partnership with CMHA and Teachers Life, the OHL and its member clubs continue to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL CMHA AND OHL GAME NIGHT SCHEDULE

Petes raise over $88,000 in 11th Annual Pink in the Rink Game: The eleventh annual Pink in the Rink game took place at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Saturday night. The Peterborough Petes, in association with the Canadian Cancer Society, are pleased to announce that the campaign raised $88,194.72, bringing the eleven-year total to nearly $790,000 with more donations expected in the coming days. The Petes ended a five-game skid with a 4-1 victory over the rival Oshawa Generals in front of 3,816 fans.
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Let’s Make Hockey For Everyone Night in Peterborough: The Petes are hosting their first ever Let’s Make Hockey For Everyone Night in partnership with local charity Heads Up For Inclusion. Let’s Make Hockey For Everyone is aimed at encouraging inclusiveness in hockey regardless of race, colour, religion, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, or socioeconomic status. Also involved in tonight’s game are the Kawartha Komets, a charitable organization that provides people of all ages with physical, emotional, and/or neurodevelopmental challenges an opportunity to play hockey, as well as the Electric City Maroon and White Special Needs Hockey Team. And lastly, the team will be recognizing the achievements of local immigration consultant Carmela Valles.
FIND OUT MORE AT GOPETESGO.COM

Goodwill Collection Night in Erie: The Erie Otters are inviting fans to bring new or gently used goods to donate at Goodwill’s collection point outside the Erie Insurance Arena on Friday when they play host to the Flint Firebirds. Fans who donate will be entered to win an autographed Otters jersey.

Country Night in Hamilton: The Bulldogs are celebrating Country Night as Presented by Budweiser this Friday when the Ottawa 67’s come to town. Cowboy hats and plaid shirts are welcome. There will be an acoustic performance, country-themed giveaways, and more.
FULL DETAILS AT HAMILTONBULLDOGS.COM

Ingham encourages fans to join him in giving blood: Kitchener Rangers goaltender Jacob Ingham is encouraging members of the community to join him for a blood donation on Wednesday February 12th from 6-7pm at the Canadian Blood Services branch in Waterloo. He’ll be meeting with supporters to highlight his initatives Hockey Gives Blood and Canadian Blood Services. Earlier this week, the Jake’s Saves Campaign reached $10,000.
MORE INFO AT KITCHENERRANGERS.COM

Hockey Fights Cancer in Sault Ste. Marie: The Soo Greyhounds are hosting their 10th annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night this Saturday, with the Niagara IceDogs visiting for an evening tilt. Funds will be donated to the Sault Area Hospital Foundation Pharmacy  IV Room Upgrade and the Elks Oncology Van. Game worn jerseys are available for auction both in the arena and online. Hockey Fights Cancer T-shirts are also now available for purchase, with $5 from each purchase going toward fundraising.
VISIT SOOGREYHOUNDS.COM FOR MORE

Lodnia honours Kobe and Gianna Bryant with special giveaway: The sports world was shaken by the death of Kobe Bryant and 13-year-old daughter Gianna, along with the seven others who lost their lives that day. Niagara IceDogs overager Ivan Lodnia is a native of California who grew up admiring Kobe and, like the rest of us, was devastated by the tragic news. In honour of both Kobe and Gianna, Lodnia is giving away a pair of tickets to all remaining Niagara IceDogs home games to father and daughter pairs throughout the rest of the season. Please visit the IceDogs’ social media channels for more info on how to enter.
READ MORE ON THE NIAGARA ICEDOGS’ FACEBOOK PAGE

ALUMNI NOTES:

Thornton records 1,500th career NHL point: Soo Greyhounds graduate Joe Thornton recorded his 1,500th career NHL point on Wednesday. The 40-year-old long-time NHL veteran had a pair of assists in a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames to reach the impressive milestone. Thornton is a veteran of 1,620 career regular season contests and got his start with the Boston Bruins after being the first overall pick of the 1997 NHL Draft. The St. Thomas, Ont. native played two seasons with the Greyhounds from 1995-97, earning OHL Rookie of the Year honours in 1996 before winning World Junior gold as a member of Team Canada a year later. Thornton is currently playing in his 22nd NHL season.

Campbell, Clifford dealt to Maple Leafs: A pair of OHL grads in Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford are on their way to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a trade with the Los Angeles Kings announced on Wednesday. Campbell, a former Soo Greyhounds and Windsor Spitfires netminder, had appeared in 20 games with the Kings this season and played to an 8-10-2 record with a 2.85 goals-against average and .900 save percentage. Clifford, who skated with the Barrie Colts from 2007-09 and hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Kings on 2012 and 2014.

Tippett named AHL Rookie of the Month: Saginaw Spirit graduate Owen Tippett has been named the AHL Rookie of the Month for January. The Florida Panthers prospect had 15 points (7-8–15) over 10 January contests as a member of the Springfield Thunderbirds, contributing to an overall total of 40 points (19-21–40) over 46 games in his first pro campaign. Tippett played four seasons in the OHL between Mississauga and Saginaw from 2015-19, recording 244 points (128-116–244) over 213 career regular season games. He was selected by Florida with the 10th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft.

Studnicka named AHL Player of the Week: Niagara IceDogs graduate and long-time Oshawa Generals forward Jack Studnicka is the AHL Player of the Week. The 20-year-old from Tecumseh, Ont. had five points (3-2–5) over two games with the Providence Bruins, AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Boston Bruins. Studnicka, who made his NHL debut with Boston, recording an assist earlier this season, played four OHL seasons between Oshawa and Niagara from 2015-19, recording 233 points (80-153–233) over 252 regular season games along the way. He was Boston’s second round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.

Headrick named AUS Male Athlete of the Week: Erie Otters graduate Owen Headrick of the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers has been named the AUS Male Athlete of the Week. Headrick, who won an OHL Championship with Erie in 2017, scored four goals in three games last week as the Panthers clinched the final AUS playoff spot. The Garden River, Ont. native has 32 points (13-19–32) over 29 games as an AUS sophomore this season. Headrick played two OHL seasons in Erie from 2016-18, recording 54 points (17-37–54) over 90 regular season games.

KEY MATCHUPS:

Mississauga Steelheads at Kitchener Rangers
Friday, February 5th

The Mississauga Steelheads’ (23-23-2-1) explosive performance of late coupled with the Kitchener Rangers’ (30-12-5-2) ongoing hot streak makes Friday’s tilt, the second and final meetup of both clubs, one to look forward to.

The two met for the first time this season on Jan. 26 in a game the Rangers would likely prefer to forget. You’ll recall the Steelheads crawling back from a 4-1 deficit to come out victorious 5-4 in overtime, largely on account of Cole Schwindt’s late natural hat-trick that concluded with the OT winner. You’ll also recall that the Fish are one of only a handful of teams to defeat the Rangers since their turn of season in late November.

Kitchener’s 16-game point streak ended in a 5-3 loss to Flint last weekend, helping them drop below the unstoppable-as-of-late London Knights and into second in the Midwest Division. Forward Mike Petizian has put up points in his last 12 straight games, and the veteran trio of Riley Damiani, Jonathan Yantsis, Greg Meireles, and Liam Hawel continue to be an offensive threat.

The Fish, who will first hope to jump above .500 tonight against the Barrie Colts, are on a hot streak of their own, having claimed victory in their last four matchups and eight of their last 10. They put on a vigorous 10-3 display against the Sudbury Wolves last Sunday to pull within two points of them as they continue to lead the Central Division. Nods to St. Louis Blues pick Keean Washkurak for a career-high six points (2-4—6) as well as overager Calvin Martin for a career-first hat-trick in a four-point afternoon. A seven-game point streak from Schwindt, a Florida Panthers pick, has seen multi-point showings in his last five games, including four assists in Saturday’s 6-2 win over the North Bay Battalion and that natural hat-trick in his team’s aforementioned comeback win over the Rangers. NHL Draft eligible James Hardie rides an eight-game point streak heading into Friday’s tilt, half of which have been three-point games. Kai Edmonds, who owns the highest amount of ice time among all OHL goaltenders, holds a 2.92 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in a league-leading 43 starts.

Saginaw Spirit at London Knights
Friday, February 5th

The London Knights (33-13-1-1) and Saginaw Spirit (31-14-2-2) will square off for the fourth and final time this season on Friday, both looking to keep up their winning ways.

The Western Conference-leading Knights will be looking for their 10th straight win. Washington Capitals prospect Connor McMichael boasts a third-best 83 points in just 38 games with three hat-tricks in his last 10 games, contributing to a league-leading six hat-tricks this season. He’s also coming off 12-game point streak that was halted in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Niagara IceDogs. Teammate Ryan Merkley, a San Jose Sharks draftee, has put up nine points in his last three games, while Ottawa Senators pick Jonathan Gruden is coming off a career-high four-point night in his eighth straight game on the scoresheet.

Between the pipes sits a hot commodity in rookie Brett Brochu, standing tall on a 12-game winning streak.

The Spirit boast an 8-2-0-0 tally in their last 10 games and sit at the top of the West Division with a five-point margin beneath them, where the Windsor Spitfires sit second. Cole Perfetti continues to lead the way, owning 13 points (5-8—13) in his last six games.

UPCOMING GAMES:

Thursday February 6th:
Owen Sound at Niagara – 7:00pm
North Bay at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Hamilton at Windsor – 7:05pm
Mississauga at Barrie – 7:30pm

Friday February 7th:
Flint at Erie – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Hamilton – 7:00pm
North Bay at Kingston – 7:00pm
Windsor at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Guelph at Soo – 7:07pm
Mississauga at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Saginaw at London – 7:30pm
Sudbury at Oshawa – 7:35pm

Saturday February 8th:
Flint at Hamilton – 4:00pm
Owen Sound at Erie – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Guelph at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Windsor – 7:05pm
Niagara at Soo – 7:07pm
Sudbury at Barrie – 7:30pm

Sunday February 9th:
Mississauga at Kingston – 2:00pm
North Bay at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Kitchener at Sarnia – 4:05pm
Flint at Oshawa – 6:05pm
Niagara at Sudbury – 7:05pm

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week twenty 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 20

Rank: Team: Last Week Ranked: Total Weeks Ranked:
1 Ottawa 67’s (39-7-0-0) 1 18
2 Sherbrooke Phoenix (38-8-3-1) 3 20
3 Portland Winterhawks (35-7-3-4) 2 10
4 Chicoutimi Sagueneens (34-9-4-1) 4 20
5 Edmonton Oil Kings (34-8-6-3) 5 17
6 Moncton Wildcats (34-12-1-0) 6 14
7 Everett Silvertips (32-11-3-1) 7 14
8 London Knights (33-13-1-1) – 6
9 Cape Breton Eagles (31-14-2-1) – 6
10 Kamloops Blazers (32-13-3-1) 8 5
Honourable Mention:
Kitchener Rangers (29-12-5-2) 10 2
Lethbridge Hurricanes (30-12-2-5) – 0
Rimouski Oceanic (30-14-3-4) – 1

OHL, CMHA ONTARIO PARTNER TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario Division have teamed up this month for a 50-50 raffle to raise funds that will go toward mental health awareness and suicide prevention training for athletes in Ontario.

Running now through Feb. 29, tickets for the raffle cost $10 for five, $20 for 30 and $50 for 100 and can be purchased at www.talktoday5050.com. All proceeds will support the OHL and CMHA Ontario’s Talk Today program. The winning ticket will be drawn March 2.

“Since 2014, the OHL has been a proud partner of CMHA Ontario and local CMHA branches to bring mental health awareness and suicide prevention training to nearly 1,200 players and more than 500 coaches, team staff, billets and families,” said OHL commissioner David Branch. “It’s important for our league and our teams to lead mental health conversations in our communities and dressing rooms as a way to reduce stigma and encourage individuals to find support when they need it.”

As part of the Talk Today program, all OHL teams will host a mental health awareness game this month. Game day experiences often have several features to promote the importance of mental health, including a CMHA-run kiosk on the concourse where fans can learn more about mental health and local community-based services, a ceremonial puck drop with the local CMHA branch, in-arena announcements and videos promoting mental health awareness and local programs, and more.

“The Ontario Hockey League was the catalyst to Talk Today’s growth into Canada’s largest mental health awareness initiative for athletes, which now spans from coast-to-coast across the Canadian Hockey League, and has developed partnerships with several other sports organizations, secondary schools, colleges and universities nationally,” said CMHA Ontario CEO Camille Quenneville. “Talk Today simply wouldn’t be where it is today without the support and leadership of the OHL, and this fundraiser is just another example of the league going the extra mile in the name of mental health.”

“Teachers Life is proud of our sponsorship of the OHL’s Talk Today program,” said Mark Cummings, President and CEO of Teachers Life. “We know that mental health is a real challenge facing today’s youth. When these athletes share their personal experiences, they become role models by demonstrating that it’s okay — and important — to talk about personal mental health. Talk Today is a great program as it embodies the principles of awareness, dialogue and a community-based approach to dealing with this important issue together.”

 

About the Ontario Hockey League:
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. Last season, more than nine million fans attended CHL games in the regular season, playoffs and at the Mastercard Memorial Cup. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U Sports than any other league.  For more information, visit www.ontariohockeyleague.com. 

About Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario 
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario is a not-for-profit, charitable organization funded by the provincial Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. We work to improve the lives of all Ontarians through leadership, collaboration and continual pursuit of excellence in community-based mental health and addictions services. Our vision is a society that embraces and invests in the mental health of all people. We are a trusted advisor to government, contributing to health systems development through policy formulation and recommendations that promote positive mental health. Our 29 local CMHA branches, together with community-based mental health and addictions service providers across the province, serve approximately 500,000 Ontarians each year.

About Teachers Life:
Teachers Life is a not-for-profit federally regulated life-insurance company and North America’s largest educator-owned fraternal insurer. Founded in 1939, Teachers Life offers a full suite of personal insurance products to address the unique needs of the whole education community including educators, administrators, support staff and their families.

As part of its commitment to the community, Teachers Life proudly supports a number of mental health initiatives, including TalkToday and Ready for Life, a unique mental health resource for educators.  For more information, please visit  www.readyforlife.ca or www.teacherslife.com.