OHL THIS WEEK: JANUARY 16 TO 19, 2020

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL This Week

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020

Toronto, Ont. – It’s a special Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game edition of the OHL This Week. Here’s the scoop on what’s happening Thursday in Hamilton into a full weekend of OHL action with nine games on both Friday and Saturday.

KUBOTA CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME SET FOR THURSDAY IN HAMILTON:
The 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game returns to Ontario on Thursday January 16th in Hamilton as 40 of the Canadian Hockey League’s top draft eligible players bring fans and scouts out to see a best-on-best competition.
READ MORE / PHOTO GALLERY – TOP PROSPECTS ARRIVE IN HAMILTON

THE BOOK ON THE OHL’S TOP PROSPECTS WITH NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING DIRECTOR DAN MARR:
NHL Central Scouting Director Dan Marr provides his insights on four of the OHL’s top prospects ahead of the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He takes a closer look at Sudbury’s Quinton Byfield, Erie’s Jamie Drysdale, Saginaw’s Cole Perfetti and Ottawa’s Marco Rossi.
WATCH

RISING STARS BYFIELD AND DRYSDALE ENJOYING THE RIDE TOGETHER:
NHL Central Scouting’s second and third ranked North American skaters Quinton Byfield and Jamie Drysdale are enjoying the journey to the 2020 NHL Draft together. The two Canadian National Junior Team gold medalists are competing in the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
READ MORE

STING’S PERREAULT DRAWING FROM PRO INFLUENCES:
It’s amazing what kind of wisdom can be drawn from a combined 43 years of National Hockey League experience, just ask Sarnia Sting forward Jacob Perreault, who continues to benefit from a well-travelled trifecta of hockey influencers.
READ MORE

PERFETTI DOING BIG THINGS IN SAGINAW:
Coming off a tremendous rookie campaign, Saginaw Spirit sophomore Cole Perfetti has an opportunity to be the first player in club history to go top-10 at the NHL Draft.
READ MORE

57 OHL PLAYERS INCLUDED ON NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING’S MIDTERM DRAFT RANKINGS:
Sudbury’s Quinton Byfield, Erie’s Jamie Drysdale, Saginaw’s Cole Perfetti and Ottawa’s Marco Rossi account for four of the top five ranked North American skaters on the NHL Central Scouting Midterms.All 20 of the OHL’s member teams feature at least one player included on the list, with the Soo Greyhounds (7), Windsor Spitfires (6), Erie Otters (5) and Guelph Storm (5) leading the way.
FULL RANKINGS

67’s, SPITFIRES AND PETES IN KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS:
The Ottawa 67’s remain the top-ranked team in the CHL this week while the Windsor Spitfires and Peterborough Petes round out the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Kitchener Rangers and Saginaw Spirit remain honourable mentions for a second straight week.
FULL RANKINGS

COSKEY, TOMASINO AND MERKLEY NAMED TO VAUGHN CHL TEAM OF THE WEEK:
Saginaw’s Cole Coskey, Oshawa’s Philip Tomasino and London’s Ryan Merkley have been named to the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week.
READ MORE

GENERALS’ TOMASINO NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Nashville Predators prospect Philip Tomasino of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the week ending January 12th. Tomasino earns the award for the second time this season after making his mark in his first weekend as a General. He put up three consecutive two-goal performances in wins over Windsor, Sarnia and Peterborough.
READ MORE

WAWANESA OHL PLAYS OF THE WEEK – JANUARY 15, 2020:
Without further ado, we present a red hot edition of Wawanesa OHL Plays of the Week, featuring some of the nicest goals scored across the League this season. The newest Oshawa General Philip Tomasino gets things started shorthanded on the back hand before Sudbury Wolves addition Matej Pekar shows off the eyes in the back of his head. Erie’s Jamie Drysdale puts his best moves on display with a nifty centering feed for Austen Swankler and London Knights star Connor McMichael wows us with a between the legs beauty. Flint’s Ty Dellandrea finishes things off with an unassisted, shorthanded overtime game winner.
WATCH

VAUGHN SAVES OF THE WEEK – JANUARY 14, 2020:
It’s that time again. Let’s roll back the tape for Vaughn Saves, featuring the best saves across the Ontario Hockey League. Press play and check out the fine work of Owen Sound’s Mack Guzda, Windsor’s Kari Piiroinen, Ottawa’s Cedrick Andree, Soo’s Bailey Brkin, Hamilton’s Zachary Roy, Oshawa’s Jordan Kooy, Sudbury’s Mitchell Weeks, Mississauga’s Kai Edmonds, Windsor’s Xavier Medina and Niagara’s Andrew MacLean.
WATCH

CHL SHOWDOWN – WEEK ENDING JANUARY 12, 2020:
Flint Firebirds forward Ty Dellandrea is the OHL’s representative in this week’s CHL Showdown featuring one great play from all three leagues.
WATCH & VOTE AT CHLSHOWDOWN.CA

FOUR PLAYERS SCORE FIRST OHL GOALS:
Sudbury’s Adam Samuelsson, Hamilton’s Gavin White, Niagara’s A.J. Cook and Mississauga’s Rylan Bowers all scored first career OHL goals this past week.
WATCH

OHL WEEKEND NOTEBOOK – JANUARY 13, 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.
READ MORE

OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR MINOR MIDGET TOP 10 RANKINGS:
The Quinte Red Devils are on top of the rankings for a sixth consecutive week while the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Toronto Titans, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and Toronto Nationals continue to trail in spots two through five. The Southern Tier Admirals are up one slot to sixth  while the Vaughan Kings continue to trend in the right direction, rising to ninth ahead of the Toronto Marlboros who round out the Top 10.
FULL RANKINGS

#PLAYERSFIRST – OHL SUPPORT AND PLAYER WELFARE:
The OHL takes extreme pride in the player environment and fostering a safe place for young men to develop both as hockey players and as people. Saginaw Spirit graduate Kris Bennett, who now plays U SPORTS Men’s Hockey at the University of New Brunswick, shares how the OHL #TalkToday program positively impacted his time in the League.
FACT OF THE WEEK / ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

5 QUESTIONS WITH OTTAWA 67’s FORWARD MARCO ROSSI:
Ever since joining the Canadian Hockey League last season as the 18th overall pick in the 2018 Import Draft, Austrian forward Marco Rossi has been one to watch for the Ottawa 67’s. He quickly developed into one of the league’s elite offensive playmakers and not only leads the Ontario Hockey League in scoring but has solidified himself as a top prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft.
READ MORE

PETES HONOUR COLIN CAMPBELL WITH BANNER RAISING CEREMONY:
The Peterborough Petes paid tribute to former defenceman, long-time NHL player and executive Colin Campbell on Saturday night prior to a 4-0 shutout win over the Ottawa 67’s. A native of Tillsonburg, Ont., Campbell was a part of Peterborough’s 1972 Robertson Cup championship squad alongside familiar names in Bob Gainey, Stan Jonathan and Doug Jarvis.
WATCH

TOP 2020 NHL DRAFT PROSPECT JAN MYSAK COMMITS TO BULLDOGS:
The Hamilton Bulldogs have received a commitment from top 2020 NHL Draft prospect Jan Mysak, who comes off representing his native Czech Republic at the 2020 World Juniors. The 17-year-old had registered nine points (5-4–9) through 26 games with the HC Litvinov Czech Extraliga squad this season and was the ninth-ranked skater on NHL Central Scouting’s International Midterm Rankings.
READ MORE

NHL DRAFT PROSPECT NICK MALIK COMMITS TO GREYHOUNDS:
The Soo Greyhounds have received a commitment from 17-year-old Czech netminder Nick Malik who they selected in the first round of the 2019 CHL Import Draft. Malik represented the Czech Republic this past Christmas at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship along with fellow Greyhound Jaromir Pytlik. One year ago he was a member of his home country’s entry at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
READ MORE

RYLAN BOWERS COMMITS TO STEELHEADS:
The Mississauga Steelheads have received a commitment from 2018 12th round OHL Priority Selection choice Rylan Bowers. The 17-year-old has appeared in 33 games with the Listowel Cyclones (GOJHL) this season and registered 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists). The Komoka, Ontario native was selected to represent his minor hockey association at the OHL Gold Cup in 2018, where he recorded 1 point (1 goal) over 4 games.
READ MORE

WOLVES ADD BYFIELD TO LEADERSHIP GROUP:
The Sudbury Wolves announced prior to Sunday’s game against Mississauga that Quinton Byfield will serve as an alternate captain with the club. Byfield recently returned from the World Junior Championship where he won gold with Team Canada. The 17-year-old Newmarket, Ont. native leads the Wolves in scoring with 63 points in 32 games this season including 25 goals. The highly ranked NHL prospect has already surpassed his point totals from his rookie season in half the number of games.
READ MORE

SPITFIRES GRAD SLATER DOGGETT NAMED U SPORTS TOP 8 ACADEMIC ALL-CANADIAN:
U SPORTS announced Thursday the student-athletes selected as Top 8 Academic All-Canadians for the 2018-19 season. Among them, Queen’s Gaels men’s hockey star Slater Doggett was recognized with the honour. Doggett played three OHL seasons between the Kingston Frontenacs and Windsor Spitfires from 2012-15.
READ MORE

RANGERS CHIEF OPERATION OFFICER STEVE BIENKOWSKI TO RETIRE IN JUNE 2020:
After 18 years as the Kitchener Rangers Chief Operating Officer & Governor, Steve Bienkowski has announced his plan to retire in June 2020. Bienkowski became the Rangers first Chief Operating Officer in addition to its permanent OHL Governor in 2002 after serving six years on the Rangers Executive Committee. Synonymous with professionalism on and off the ice, he has been essential to the Rangers success for nearly 40 years.
READ MORE

DATES UNVEILED FOR 13TH ANNUAL OHF/OHL U15 PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE CAMPS:
The dates are set for the 13th annual OHF/OHL U15 Program of Excellence Camps. Held in April and May of this year across Ontario, the camps will focus on a variety of on and off-ice sessions, helping to ensure players are provided with the most up-to-date development strategies.  
READ MORE

ROGERS HOMETOWN HOCKEY TOUR COMES TO HAMILTON:
The Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is in Hamilton on Thursday, followed by the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour as hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone share Steeltown’s best hockey stories. OHL grads Shayne Corson and Steve Thomas will be on hand for the weekend.
FULL SCHEDULE AT HOMETOWNHOCKEY.COM

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Quinton Byfield launches Q’s Kids: Top NHL Draft prospect Quinton Byfield has partnered with NEO Kids Foundation for his new Q’s Kids initiative. Ahead of his gold medal performance with the Canada’s National Junior Team, Quinton invited three NEO kids and their families to a Sudbury Wolves game as his special guests, and has plans to host many more families over the course of the second half of the season. As part of the program, Byfield will continue to invite families to games, providing tickets, popcorn, and special shirts for the kids. Byfield will meet with the families, sign autographs, and join them on a tour of the dressing room following the game.
READ MORE AT SUDBURYWOLVES.COM

Firebirds tour Ottawa Senators facility: During their day off on Thursday ahead of Friday’s tilt with the Ottawa 67’s, the Firebirds were welcomed to the Canadian Tire Centre for a behind-the-scenes look at the Ottawa Senators’ digs as former OHL Coach of the Year D.J. Smith provided a tour.
PHOTO GALLERY AT FLINTFIREBIRDS.COM

Knights to honour Patrick Kane with jersey retirement on Friday: The London Knights will retire Patrick Kane’s number 88 prior to puck drop on Friday when they play host to the Sudbury Wolves. Kane, who was named CHL Rookie of the Year following a 145-point season in 2006-07, has gone on to put up nearly 1,000 points over 951 career NHL contests over 13 seasons, hoisting the Stanley Cup three different times.
READ MORE

Toonie Hot Dog Day in Ottawa: Fans coming out to Saturday afternoon’s tilt with the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs at TD Place will be able to purchase hot dogs for a toonie. The 67’s examined five reasons to attend Saturday’s game.
FULL INFO AT OTTAWA67s.COM

Bell Let’s Talk Night, SickKids Night in Peterborough: Saturday’s clash with the Flint Firebirds will be the Peterborough Petes’ Bell Let’s Talk Game, aimed at recognizing the initiative’s tenth anniversary and continuing to encourage meaningful conversation around mental health. The first 2,000 fans will receive toques courtesy of Bell Let’s Talk, and clappers will be available at their booth during the game. The Niagara IceDogs will be visiting the Petes this Sunday in a makeup game for the previously scheduled Dec. 14. matchup. SickKids night will see a pre-game ceremony featuring Oliver, a local boy who has been treated at SickKids for Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. There will also be a chuck-a-puck during the second intermission where proceeds from all pucks purchased will support SickKids. Fans will also be able to attend a post-game skate where Petes players will be signing autographs and have availability for photos.
MORE DETAILS AT GOPETESGO.COM

IceDogs host Blood Drive in honour of Tucker Tynan: On Jan. 28, the Niagara IceDogs will be hosting a Blood Drive at the St. Catharines Blood Donor Clinic with goaltender Tucker Tynan in mind. People are welcome to attend between 3-7 pm, and attendees will receive a $2 voucher to any upcoming IceDogs home game.
READ MORE AT NIAGARAICEDOGS.NET

Rangers join goaltender Jacob Ingham for ’68’ Blood Drive: Join Kitchener Rangers goaltender #68, Jacob Ingham, and support Hockey Gives Blood and Canadian Blood Services by making a donation during the Rangers’ 68 Blood Drive. Starting January 24th and running until March 31st, fans can sign up under the Kitchener Rangers team ID to make a donation on behalf of Ingham.
FULL INFORMATION AT KITCHENERRANGERS.COM

ALUMNI NOTES:

DeBoer takes over as head coach in Vegas: The Vegas Golden Knights hired former two-time OHL Coach of the Year Peter DeBoer as their new head coach on Wednesday, replacing Gerard Gallant behind the bench. DeBoer, who began the season as head coach of the San Jose Sharks, takes over at the helm in Vegas with a Golden Knights club that is currently 24-19-6 for fifth in the Pacific Division. The 51-year-old native of Dunnville, Ont. coached in the OHL from 1993-2008, winning three OHL Championships and a Memorial Cup along the way. He’s worked in the NHL since 2008-09, holding down jobs with Florida, New Jersey, San Jose and now Vegas.

Spezza plays in 1100th NHL contest: OHL graduate Jason Spezza suited up in his 1,100th career NHL game on Tuesday, recording an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New Jersey Devils 7-4. The 36-year-old Spezza has played parts of 17 NHL seasons since he was the second overall pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 2001 NHL Draft. Spezza, who played in the OHL as an underage player, played five seasons between Brampton, Mississauga, Windsor and Belleville from 1998-2002. He’s accumulated 933 points (338-595–933) over his 1,100 game NHL regular season career.

Wilson becomes youngest forward in Caps franchise history to play 500 games: OHL graduate Tom Wilson suited up in his 500th career NHL contest on Monday, becoming the youngest forward in Capitals franchise history to do so. The 25-year-old Toronto, Ont. native had an assist as the Caps defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0. Wilson was Washington’s first round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. The big power winger played three OHL seasons with the Plymouth Whalers from 2010-13, recording 91 points (35-56–91) over 125 regular season games. Wilson has 31 points (13-18–31) over 46 games in Washington this season.

Bunnaman scores first NHL goal: Former Kitchener Rangers captain Connor Bunnaman scored his first career NHL goal with the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. The 21-year-old from Guelph, Ont. has appeared in six games with the Flyers this season after registering five points (4-1–5) through 21 games with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Bunnaman, who was Philadelphia’s fourth round pick in 2016, played four seasons in Kitchener from 2014-18.

Smith scores first NHL goal: Kitchener Rangers graduate Givani Smith scored his first career NHL goal on Tuesday. The Detroit Red Wings forward found the back of the net in a loss to the New York Islanders. Smith has played in 11 games and recorded a pair of points in the process. The former second round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft spent last season and the beginning of this season with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. He played four OHL seasons between the Barrie Colts, Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers from 2014-18.

Griffith taking his best shots in AHL: London Knights graduate Seth Griffith got some good advice from his dad Brian over the offseason, getting to work on improving his shot. The 27-year-old Wallaceburg, Ont. native has racked up 32 points, including 18 goals over 39 games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose this season, affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Griffith, who won back-to-back OHL Championships in London in 2012 and 2013, has now spent seven seasons in the pro ranks, appearing in 79 NHL contests along the way. He was originally a fifth round pick of the Boston Bruins in 2012 in the midst of a four-year career in London. The Winnipeg Free Press’ Mike Sawatzky has more.
READ MORE AT WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM

 

KEY MATCHUPS:

Sudbury Wolves at London Knights
Friday, January 17th

The Central Division leaders are heading to London on Friday, with Sudbury hungry for what could be their first win over the London Knights in five years.

Newest member of the Wolves, Matej Pekar, has proven to be a strong addition. His welcome party last weekend included seven points in three games, notably five assists in Friday’s 8-2 blowout of the North Bay Battalion.

Since rejoining the lineup following his gold medal performance at the World Juniors, newly appointed alternate captain Quinton Byfield put up six points of his own last weekend, and also put forth a five-point showing in front of the Troops that saw two goals and three assists, earning him OHL first star honours on the night.

With regards to the guys in green, Connor McMichael will look to follow up on last weekend’s flashy performance. His seven point total over the course of a three-in-three included a hat trick in Saturday’s tilt against Saginaw, as well as a flashy between-the-legs display in one of two goals he put past the Soo Greyhounds as part of a 7-1 victory. Columbus Blue Jackets draftee Liam Foudy and San Jose Sharks first rounder Ryan Merkley both put up six points.

The Knights, who tie the Kitchener Rangers at 54 points and just one point back of the Western Conference leading Windsor Spitfires, hold a 9-0-0-0 record over the course of the last five seasons against the Wolves. This will be the second and final meetup of the two clubs this season.

Saginaw Spirit at Windsor Spitfires
Sunday, January 19th

It’s a tilt we’re familiar with. The battle of the top of the West Division will see the visiting Saginaw Spirit face off against the conference-leading Windsor Spitfires Sunday afternoon.

The Spits took lead of the conference once again following their overtime win over the Kitchener Rangers, who trail just one point back of first in the Midwest. Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Tyler Angle continues to lead all Windsor skaters with 46 points (21-25-46) to his name, and Nashville Predators pick Egor Afanasyev, last Sunday’s overtime hero, sits directly behind with 45 points (18-27-45).

Over on Saginaw’s side, New York Islanders prospect Cole Coskey will be skating in off a five-goal weekend, and top NHL Draft prospect Cole Perfetti will look to see his point streak reach a 12th game.

The sixth of eight matchups on the season, both clubs are no stranger to the depth on either side. The Spits will, however, see a new opponent in Carolina Hurricanes prospect Ryan Suzuki, who joined the Spirit last week and registered three assists in two games.

The Spirit currently hold a 3-2-0-0 tally against the Spits. Last season’s eight-game regular season series between the two proved to be an even one, with a 4-4-0-0 record on Windsor’s side and a 4-3-1-0 record in favour of Saginaw.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday January 16th:
Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, Hamilton, Ont. – 7:00pm on Sportsnet and NHL Network

Friday January 17th:
Hamilton at Kingston – 7:00pm
Barrie at Niagara – 7:00pm
Flint at Ottawa – 7:00pm
Erie at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Saginaw at Soo – 7:07pm
Owen Sound at Guelph – 7:30pm
North Bay at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Sudbury at London – 7:30pm
Mississauga at Oshawa – 7:35pm

Saturday January 18th:
Hamilton at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Sudbury at Sarnia – 4:05pm
Kitchener at Guelph – 7:00pm
North Bay at Niagara – 7:00pm
Flint at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Soo at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Erie at Windsor – 7:05pm
Mississauga at Barrie – 7:30pm
Oshawa at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday January 19th:
Flint at Kingston – 2:00pm
Guelph at Kitchener – 2:00pm
Erie at London – 2:00pm
Saginaw at Windsor – 2:05pm
Niagara at Peterborough – 2:05pm
Ottawa at Oshawa – 6:05pm

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
CHL Top 10

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week seventeen 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 17

Rank: Team: Last Week Ranked: Total Weeks Ranked:
1 Ottawa 67’s (31-7-0-0) 1 15
2 Sherbrooke Phoenix (32-6-3-1) 2 17
3 Portland Winterhawks (30-6-2-3) 3 7
4 Chicoutimi Sagueneens (30-7-4-0) 4 17
5 Edmonton Oil Kings (29-7-5-3) 5 14
6 Moncton Wildcats (28-12-0-0) 6 11
7 Kamloops Blazers (27-11-2-1) – 2
8 Everett Silvertips (26-11-2-1) 7 11
9 Windsor Spitfires (25-9-5-0) 8 7
10 Peterborough Petes (26-13-2-1) 10 9
Honourable Mention:
Kitchener Rangers (24-11-4-2) – 0
Saginaw Spirit (25-12-2-2) – 2
Medicine Hat Tigers (28-12-1-1) – 5

Vaughn CHL Team of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The Canadian Hockey League today announced the 16th edition of the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for the 2019-20 season based on individual performances from Jan. 6-12.

Leading the forward ranks is Oshawa Generals centre and Nashville Predators first-round pick Philip Tomasino who tallied 10 points counting six goals and four assists over three contests. Tomasino made the most of his debut with the Generals, putting up two goals and three assists for five points in Thursday’s 6-3 road victory over the Windsor Spitfires that saw him recognized as the game’s first star. For his effort, Tomasino was honoured as the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week.

Also up front is Portland Winterhawks centre and 2020 NHL Draft hopeful Seth Jarvis who tallied 10 points counting two goals and eight assists across three appearances. Against the Victoria Royals on Saturday, Jarvis impressed with a career-best five-point performance that saw him notch one goal with four assists en route to 6-5 overtime victory. The successful showing helped Jarvis earn recognition as the WHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week.

Rounding out the forward ranks is Saginaw Spirit right-wing and New York Islanders draft pick Cole Coskey who shined with six goals and one assist for seven points over a trio of contests. Currently riding a five-game point streak, that stretch included his second career hat-trick in a 6-5 win versus the London Knights in which he claimed first-star recognition.

On the blue line, London Knights rearguard and San Jose Sharks first rounder Ryan Merkley led the way with six points counting three goals and three assists over a trio of games. Against the Barrie Colts on Friday, Merkley matched a season high with three points as he put up a pair of goals plus one assist en route to a 5-2 victory that earned him first-star honours.

Also on the back end is Spokane Chiefs defenceman and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Filip Kral who wrapped up the week with five points counting one goal and four assists over three contests. Registering at least one point in each of his last four showings, that stretch included a one-goal, one-assist performance versus the Vancouver Giants on Saturday to help guide his squad to a 6-3 road win.

Between the pipes, Gatineau Olympiques netminder and 2020 NHL Draft prospect Remi Poirier was unbeatable across two showings as he combined for 70 saves and back-to-back shutouts versus the Victoriaville Tigres and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Poirier’s top performance came in his most recent contest as he turned aside 37 shots Sunday versus the Armada en route to a 4-0 victory and first-star honours. For his efforts, Poirier was recognized as the Ultramar QMJHL Player of the Week.

Brandon Coe – North Bay Battalion – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 190 Pounds

Date of birth: December 1st, 2001

Hometown: Ajax, Ontario

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 3rd overall, 2017 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
B Prospect B Prospect 47 N.A. 35 N.A.

 

North Bay Battalion winger Brandon Coe played his Minor Midget AAA hockey with the Toronto Nationals during the 2016-2017 season. In 31 games, he tallied 17 goals and 16 assists. He would also appear in 8 games for the Nationals at the OHL Cup amassing 3 goals and 3 helpers.

Brandon Coe of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Brandon Coe of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

With a late 2001 birthdate, Coe finds himself in his third Ontario Hockey League Season before being eligible for the National Hockey League Draft, so he comes with plenty of experience. NHL Central Scouting had him ranked as a B Prospect (2nd or 3rd round) on both their preseason and November players to watch list and 47th among North American Skaters on their mid-term rankings. Here at OHL Writers, we had him ranked as a B Prospect on our preseason list.

During his OHL Draft year, this was OHL Central Scouting’s scouting report:

Brandon is a big power forward with very high-end skill. When he is playing a physical style, there is no one in the age group that compares. He has a nice long powerful stride that allows him to reach top speed quickly. Brandon is more of a pass-first type of player and has the ability to make passes that you don’t expect him to make. He possesses a good, heavy shot that he gets off extremely fast. Brandon has a high hockey I.Q. and always seems to be in the right spot at the right time.

Coe broke onto the OHL scene as a 15-year-old during the 2017-2018 season. While appearing in all but 5 games for the Battalion, Coe scored 10 goals and 13 assists, and added another marker in 3 playoff games. He saw his production increase during his sophomore season to 17 goals and 20 assists in 65 contests. And he’s taken his offence to another level this season scoring 15 goals and 21 helpers through 38 games, while leading his squad in assists and points.

At 6’4” Coe has very good size and is not slight at 190 pounds. He will add more meat to those bones. He’s an excellent skater with very good speed and uses that skating ability and size to drive directly to the opposition net with or without the puck. Coe has definitely put in the work to be the best skater he can possibly be and in speaking with those around him, it is something he continually works at.

Even though skating and size may just be Coe’s greatest assets, the toolbox is full of other tools. He gets in on the forecheck quickly, and with his size he wins more battles then not. He has the strength, skating and the long reach to be a puck possession beast. He can score the dirty, greasy goals by gaining position in front of the goal and planting himself, or he can beat defenders wide and drive to the net to score the pretty goals. He finds open areas of the ice and has pretty good vision and playmaking abilities.

It is also evident that Coe has put in the work defensively. His awareness and recognizing his responsibilities appear to have improved over a year ago. He is also aware that it is an area he has to continue to work on and improve.

Coe has also shown some excellent leadership qualities, and playing on such a young team that frankly is not going anywhere this season, it is excellent to see. He keeps his body language and frustrations in check.

If there is an area that has shown me some concern about Coe it’s that he had trouble finding consistency. Even his old coach Stan Butler saw it as an issue saying “The biggest issue is not his abilities; it’s bringing a more consistent game to the rink on a nightly basis.”

But something happened on December 10, 2019 that seems to have changed things. Out was Butler as coach in a “re-structuring” and in was Ryan Oulahen. Since then, Coe has 7 goals and 9 assists in 12 games, or 1.3 points per game. That’s a major improvement over his .84 points per game prior to the change.

If Coe can continue to maintain that consistency, there’s no where else to go but up.

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 seventh 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 7

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

The Quinte Red Devils are on top of the rankings for a sixth consecutive week while the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Toronto Titans, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and Toronto Nationals continue to trail in spots two through five. The Southern Tier Admirals are up one slot to sixth  while the Vaughan Kings continue to trend in the right direction, rising to ninth ahead of the Toronto Marlboros who round out the Top 10.

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.

57 OHL PLAYERS INCLUDED ON NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING’S MIDTERM DRAFT RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
Draft

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that 57 OHL players have been included on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings for the 2020 NHL Draft that takes place June 26-27 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC.

The list includes 34 OHL forwards, 16 defencemen and seven goaltenders.

Four of the top five of the list’s North American skaters come out of the OHL including second and third ranked Canadian National Junior Team gold medalists Quinton Byfield (Sudbury W0lves) and Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters). Saginaw Spirit sophomore Cole Perfetti comes in as the fourth-ranked North American skater followed by Ottawa 67’s centreman Marco Rossi.

An additional seven OHL skaters are included inside the top 40 including Rossi’s Ottawa 67’s teammate Jack Quinn (9th), Sarnia Sting winger Jacob Perreault (17th), Windsor Spitfires teammates Jean-Luc Foudy (20th) and Will Cuylle (21st), Soo Greyhounds teammates Ryan O’Rourke (32nd) and Jaromir Pytlik (38th) as well as London Knights flank Antonio Stranges (39th).

Canadian World Junior gold medalist Nico Daws of the Guelph Storm is North America’s top-ranked goaltender, one of seven OHL netminders included on the list.

The rankings also include three recent OHL commits listed in the International section of the edition including ninth-ranked Hamilton Bulldogs forward Jan Mysak, 35th-ranked Kingston Frontenacs forward Martin Chromiak and fifth-ranked Soo Greyhounds netminder Nick Malik.

All 20 of the OHL’s member teams feature at least one player included on the list, with the Soo Greyhounds (7), Windsor Spitfires (6), Erie Otters (5) and Guelph Storm (5) leading the way.

A total of 17 OHL players included in the rankings will compete in Thursday’s 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Hamilton, Ont, a game that can be seen coast-to-coast on Sportsnet and NHL Network.

2020 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Draft Rankings

^- indicates player that will compete in 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
^^-indicates injured player unable to compete in 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
*- indicates player recently committed to OHL included on NHL’s International Rankings

SKATERS:

RANK PLAYER TEAM POSITION
2 Quinton Byfield^ Sudbury Wolves C
3 Jamie Drysdale^ Erie Otters D
4 Cole Perfetti^ Saginaw Spirit C
5 Marco Rossi^ Ottawa 67’s C
9 Jack Quinn^ Ottawa 67’s RW
17 Jacob Perreault^ Sarnia Sting RW
20 Jean-Luc Foudy^ Windsor Spitfires C
21 Will Cuylle^ Windsor Spitfires LW
32 Ryan O’Rourke^ Soo Greyhounds D
38 Jaromir Pytlik^ Soo Greyhounds C
39 Antonio Stranges^ London Knights LW
41 Tyson Foerster^ Barrie Colts RW
45 Oliver Suni^^ Oshawa Generals RW
47 Brandon Coe^ North Bay Battalion RW
54 Tyler Tullio Oshawa Generals RW
55 Tanner Dickinson Soo Greyhounds C
58 Luke Evangelista^ London Knights RW
59 Donovan Sebrango^ Kitchener Rangers D
66 Hayden Fowler Erie Otters LW
67 Jack Thompson^ Sudbury Wolves D
69 Kirill Steklov London Knights D
71 Ville Ottavainen Kitchener Rangers D
72 Ruben Rafkin Windsor Spitfires D
74 Rory Kerins Soo Greyhounds C
76 Isaak Phillips Sudbury Wolves D
79 Evgeniy Oksentyuk Flint Firebirds LW
90 Zayde Wisdom Kingston Frontenacs RW
100 Cameron Butler Niagara IceDogs RW
104 Ethan Cardwell Barrie Colts RW
105 Pavel Gogolev Guelph Storm LW
119 Ilya Solovyov Saginaw Spirit D
123 Reid Valade Kitchener Rangers RW
137 Robert Calisti Soo Greyhounds D
138 Dylan Robinson Windsor Spitfires D
140 Ole Bjorgvik-Holm Mississauga Steelheads D
155 Jake Murray Kingston Frontenacs D
156 Igor Chibrikov Owen Sound Attack D
173 Tye Kartye Soo Greyhounds LW
184 Logan Morrison Hamilton Bulldogs C
185 Luka Profaca Guelph Storm D
199 Anthony Tabak Barrie Colts C
200 Austen Swankler Erie Otters C
201 Louka Henault Windsor Spitfires D
202 Jake Uberti Niagara IceDogs C
203 Andrei Bakanov Guelph Storm LW
213 James Hardie Mississauga Steelheads LW
216 Kyle McDonald Windsor Spitfires RW
217 Brendan Hoffmann Erie Otters RW
 —
9 Jan Mysak* Hamilton Bulldogs C
35 Martin Chromiak* Kingston Frontenacs RW

 

GOALTENDERS:

RANK PLAYER TEAM POSITION
1 Nico Daws^ Guelph Storm G
13 Owen Bennett Guelph Storm G
16 Will Cranley Ottawa 67’s G
21 Tye Austin Peterborough Petes G
28 Aidan Campbell Erie Otters G
30 Zachary Paputsakis Oshawa Generals G
 —
5 Nick Malik* Soo Greyhounds G

 

For the complete list, visit nhl.com.

GENERALS’ PHILIP TOMASINO NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Tomasino

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Nashville Predators prospect Philip Tomasino of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with a league-leading 10 points including six goals and four assists over three games.

Tomasino earns the award for the second time this season after making his mark in his first weekend as a General. He put up three consecutive two-goal performances in wins over Windsor, Sarnia and Peterborough. The third-year centreman earned first star honours in his Generals debut on Thursday in Windsor, helping Oshawa defeat the CHL’s eighth-ranked Spitfires 6-3 with two goals, three assists and five points. He picked up where he left off on Friday in Sarnia, scoring twice to earn first star honours as the Generals defeated the Sting 4-3. Tomasino and the Generals returned home on Sunday night to wrap-up a perfect weekend as he scored twice and added an assist in a 6-4 win over the rival Peterborough Petes, claiming second star recognition. Tomasino extended his current point streak to 10 games as the Generals defeated the Petes for the first time this season.

An 18-year-old native of Mississauga, Ont., Tomasino is Oshawa’s leading scorer with 67 points (28-39–67) over 39 games this season. The 6-foot, 180Ib. pivot has amassed 163 points (67-96–163) over 167 career regular season games after being selected by the Niagara IceDogs with the fifth overall pick of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection. Tomasino, who has represented Canada internationally at both the IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship as well as the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, was the first OHL forward selected at the 2019 NHL Draft, going 24th overall to the Nashville Predators.

Also considered for the award this week were New York Islanders prospect Cole Coskey of the Saginaw Spirit who had six goals and seven points over three contests as well as Washington Capitals first round pick Connor McMichael of the London Knights who scored five times and had seven points over three games.

HIGHLIGHTS: Tomasino’s five-point night in Windsor
HIGHLIGHTS: Tomasino scores twice in win over Sarnia
HIGHLIGHTS: Tomasino pots a pair in win over Peterborough

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Jan. 8 – Jan. 12: Philip Tomasino (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 30 – Jan. 5: Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
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)

Ryan O’Rourke – Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’1

Weight: 169 Pounds

Date of birth: May 16, 2002

Hometown: Pickering, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 20th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
B Prospect B Prospect 32 N.A. 27 N.A.

 

It’s no secret that Jamie Drysdale of the Erie Otters sits alone at the top of the blueliners class and not only will he be the top defender from the Ontario Hockey League selected at the 2020 National Hockey League Entry Draft, but likely the top defender selected overall.

But what about the next class? We start here with Soo Greyhounds defenceman Ryan O’Rourke.

Prior to the 2018 OHL Priority Selection, this is what OHL Central Scouting had to say about O’Rourke:

Ryan is a tough to play against two-way defenceman. He has good mobility and is a powerful skater which allows him to close gaps and take away time and space. He has a good skill set that allows him to move the puck out of his zone. He can rush the puck when the opportunity is there and he is good on the offensive blue line at getting pucks on net or distributing it. Ryan is hard to beat defensively. He takes the body well and he has a good understanding of his position and what he has to do.

O’Rourke was coming off a 2017-2018 season playing Minor Midget AAA hockey with the Vaughan Kings in which he tallied 12 goals and 32 helpers in 55 games. He would add a goal and an assist in 7 games for Vaughn at the OHL Cup. He would also appear in 4 games for Team Red at the OHL Gold Cup scoring once and adding a helper and capturing a silver medal.

Last season O’Rourke broke onto the Greyhounds roster and played in 62 games. He scored 8 goals and 14 assists and finished with a plus-8 while piling up 64 minutes in penalties. He would add 2 helpers in 11 playoff contests. He was named to the OHL’s Second All-Rookie squad at the end of the regular season.

Ryan O'Rourke of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Ryan O’Rourke of the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images

During the 2018-2019 season, O’Rourke would also represent Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 scoring 3 goals and adding 3 assists for Team Black. He was named to the tournaments All-Star team and led all defencemen in scoring.

During the offseason, O’Rourke would represent Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup scoring a goal in 5 games and helping Canada capture silver.

O’Rourke has been off to a very good start this season for a Soo team that has at times this season, a difficult time trying to maintain some consistency. Through the end of December, as you will see on our prospect watch, O’Rourke was tied with Jack Thompson of the Sudbury Wolves and Alec Belanger of the Ottawa 67’s among draft eligible defenceman with 20 points (while playing in fewer games), trailing only Drysdale (31).

O’Rourke will take part in the 2020 CHL/NHL Top Prospects game with Team White on January 16 in Hamilton, Ontario.

One of the more interesting qualities in O’Rourke is his leadership. He’s just 17 years of age and one of the younger defenders in this draft class, but the Greyhounds saw enough of his leadership qualities to name him Captain of the team. That’s something rarely seen in the OHL.

At 6’1”, O’Rourke has some good size but will really need to add some bulk to his 169-pound frame. But that doesn’t prevent him from the physical part of the game. He can be described as an “old school” defender who plays the man at every opportunity. He’s hard to beat because he’s always in the oppositions face. And he possesses incredible strength that is difficult to beat on the walls or the battle area in front of his goaltender.

O’Rourke’s skating has appeared to improve from a season ago. He has very good mobility with a decent amount of speed. He trusts himself to carry the puck more and that may also be in part due to experience. He has a booming shot from the point that he gets through to the target. Yet he still has the vision to make a good pass in the offensive zone to find teammates. His hockey IQ is extremely high, rarely making a wrong decision.

While O’Rourke has some interesting offensive upside, it’s hard to tell just how high that upside is. Coming into the season, the Greyhounds were going to need plenty of offence from their top blueline. But the early season acquisitions by the Greyhounds of Billy Constantinou from the Kingston Frontenacs has lessoned the burden on O’Rourke.

O’Rourke doesn’t possess some of the elite skills that Drysdale does. But the overall package is intriguing. The Top Prospects game could catapult him into the first round of the draft where some of the independent scouting services already have him ranked.

Tyson Foerster – Barrie Colts – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’1

Weight: 193 pounds

Date of birth: January 18, 2002

Hometown: Alliston, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 3, 55th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 41 N.A. 21 N.A.

Tyson Foerster played his Minor Midget AAA hockey during the 2017-2018 season with the Barrie Colts where in 34 games he compiled 20 goals and 41 assists. He would add 5 more tallies to go along with 9 helpers in 8 playoff games and 5 goals and 4 assists in 5 OHL Cup contests, solidifying himself as a point producer.

Foerster made his Ontario Hockey League debut with the Colts a season ago and appeared in 64 games scoring 10 goals while assisting on 13. He’s taken his offence to another level this season. Through 32 games Foerster has 19 goals and 23 assists and leading his team in goals, assists, points, powerplay goals and is second in powerplay assists.

Tyson Foerster of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Tyson Foerster of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images

Clearly, there were questions about Foerster coming into the season. NHL Central Scouting had him pegged as a C prospect (4th, 5th or 6th rounder) while we had him pegged as a 4th or 5th rounder. But by the time November lists had been released, Foerster found himself as a B Prospect (2nd or 3rd round).

The only real question coming into his draft year was whether Foerster would be able to take the next step offensively and he has answered that and then some. Now the question surrounding him is whether he can maintain the consistency from start to finish.

Going into December, Foerster sat fourth in points among draft eligible players and second in goals, averaging 1.52 points per game and .70 goals per game. But heading into the New Year’s Eve matchup at home to the Guelph Storm, Foerster’s production has taken a dip in the month of December with .77 points per game and .33 goals per game, both more then being a considerable drop off from what he showed the first two months. If Foerster wants to keep drawing attention from NHL Scouts, then he needs to be close to the production he displayed earlier in the year. Once the calendar flipped to January, so far, he is at a better pace then the first two months.

Foerster’s hockey IQ is solid. He has a good understanding of positioning both offensively and defensively. He eludes traffic and gets into the open areas offensively to release a very good shot and defensively as an option to transition. He’s a good skater with good straight away speed and has shown an ability to separate himself from opponents trying to defend.

Foerster can also play the wing or down the middle, which is becoming more and more of an asset at the next level. However, I think his game is best suited on the wing. With his ability to find space, willingness to drive the net and a shot with deadly accuracy, wing may be the spot he finds the most success at the next level.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
CHL Top 10

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week sixteen 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 16

Rank: Team: Last Week Ranked: Total Weeks Ranked:
1 Ottawa 67’s (29-6-0-0) 2 14
2 Sherbrooke Phoenix (29-6-3-1) 1 16
3 Portland Winterhawks (28-6-1-3) 3 6
4 Chicoutimi Sagueneens (27-7-4-0) 5 16
5 Edmonton Oil Kings (27-7-5-2) 8 13
6 Moncton Wildcats (27-11-0-0) 6 10
7 Everett Silvertips (26-9-2-1) 4 10
8 Windsor Spitfires (24-8-4-0) – 6
9 Guelph Storm (22-10-1-4) 9 5
10 Peterborough Petes (25-11-2-1) 7 8
Honourable Mention:
Kitchener Rangers (22-11-3-2) – 0
Kamloops Blazers (24-11-2-1) – 1
Saginaw Spirit (23-11-2-2) – 2