OHL Writers

KUBOTA CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME TO BE HELD MARCH 23 IN KITCHENER

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League in partnership with the Kitchener Rangers and Kubota Canada Ltd. announced today that the rescheduled 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will be held Wednesday, March 23 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium at 8 p.m. Eastern.

“We are very excited to be able to get this game back on the CHL’s 2022 calendar,” said Dan MacKenzie, President, Canadian Hockey League. “It is very important that our top draft-eligible players get the opportunity to showcase their skills in this event for NHL scouts and our passionate fans in Kitchener.”

With a majority of tickets already sold and in anticipation of 100 percent seating capacity, fans are encouraged to get their tickets now online at kwtickets.ca, by telephone at 1-800-265-8977 or 519-578-1570, or at the box offices at the Centre In the Square at 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener (Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. by telephone only, to arrange in person purchases during these hours email boxoffice@centreinthesquare.com), and the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium at 400 East Ave., Kitchener (Game Days, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. or call 519-741-2699 to arrange in-person purchases during business hours on other weekdays).

Digital tickets for the originally scheduled date will automatically update. Printed tickets will be honoured for the rescheduled game.

“Kubota Canada Ltd. is really excited to have the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game rescheduled as it represents a great opportunity for fans to see some exceptional emerging hockey talent,” said Steve Sweetnam, Director, Marketing, Kubota Canada.

The Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game features top NHL Draft eligible talent from across the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League competing before hundreds of NHL scouts in attendance. The 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will also be broadcasted nationally on TSN and RDS.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game,” said Joe Birch, Chief Operating Officer and Governor, Kitchener Rangers. “This will be a great event for the participating players, the Waterloo Region, and our hockey club. We look forward to welcoming all fans from across Ontario to the ‘Aud’ on March 23.”

The 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game marks the 14th time the OHL will serve as host and the first time the event has returned to Kitchener since 2003. In all, 24 Rangers players have competed in the showcase, most recently defenceman Donovan Sebrango in 2020 who was later selected 63rd overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2020 NHL Draft.

The Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game was last held in Hamilton in January 2020 where Team White defeated Team Red 5-3. Tyson Foerster (Team White/Barrie Colts/Philadelphia Flyers) and Jack Quinn (Team Red/Ottawa 67’s/Buffalo Sabres) were named the Players of the Game. In all, 37 players who competed in the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game were later chosen in the 2020 NHL Draft headlined by Lafreniere’s first-overall selection by the New York Rangers.

Since its reintroduction as the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in 1996, the event has featured 15 players who were later selected first overall in the NHL Draft, including Alexis Lafreniere (2020), Nico Hischier (2017), Connor McDavid (2015), Aaron Ekblad (2014), Nathan MacKinnon (2013), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), Taylor Hall (2010), John Tavares (2009), Steven Stamkos (2008), Patrick Kane (2007), Marc-Andre Fleury (2003), Rick Nash (2002), Vincent Lecavalier (1998), Joe Thornton (1997), and Chris Phillips (1996).

More information about the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game including team rosters and coaches will be announced in the coming weeks.

About the Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is the world’s largest development hockey league with 52 Canadian and eight American teams participating in the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

About Kubota Canada Ltd.
Kubota Canada Ltd. (KCL) is an affiliate of Kubota Corporation, a tractor and heavy equipment manufacturer based in Osaka, Japan. KCL markets and distributes Kubota engineered and manufactured equipment, including a complete line of tractors of up to 210HP, performance-matched implements, compact and utility tractors, compact construction, landscaping and public work equipment, residential lawn and garden equipment, commercial turf products and utility vehicles. For product literature or dealer locations, contact Kubota Canada Ltd. at 1155 Kubota Drive, Pickering, Ontario Canada L1X 0H4, by telephone, at 905-294-6535, by visiting KCL’s website kubota.ca.

Bryce McConnell-Barker – Soo Greyhounds – Player Profile

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Bryce McConnell-Barker of the Soo Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images

HT	WT	DOB	POS	SHOOTS	OHL DRAFT	NHLCS	COUNTRY
6’1	188	6-4-04	C	L	4^th 2020	28^th MID	CANADA

SEASON	LEAGUE	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS
2019-20	Alliance U-16	London Jr Knights	33	29	19	48
2020-21	OHL	DID NOT PLAY

The fourth overall pick at the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Bryce McConnell-Barker of the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds, is in the same boat as most players from the OHL: the missed season of 2020-2021 lost them a year of development and puts scouts in the difficult position of not being able to evaluate development from one season to the next.

With that being said, here’s what I see:

McConnell-Barker is an accomplished 3-zone player already. But I do wonder why the offensive part of his game is not where I thought it would be. He has an NHL caliber shot but he’s averaging just two shots per game and that is way down the list of leaders for the Greyhounds.

The eye test sees two things. One, he is not getting into the dangerous areas enough to get that high quality shot at the target. And two, the Greyhounds are such a veteran team, that he’s not always in the best offensive positions. But he is getting powerplay time and to date has 3 goals and 3 assists on the PP which shows he can shoot the puck and also set up.

BMB is a good skater with some good speed, but not a burner. He gets in on the forecheck effectively and will not shy away from taking the body. Combine that with his shot, and I am left wondering whether BMB would be more effective on the wing as opposed to the middle.

But then I look at his defensive game and how far along he is in that department and with the added defensive responsibilities a center has, I believe playing down the middle is where he would be most successful at the next level.

BMB will attack the opposition through the neutral zone and ride them off the puck before they have the chance to enter his zone. If they are in the offensive zone, BMB isn’t shy about attacking the puck either, but he stays within himself and the system and won’t get caught out of position.

There are times when he’s shown he can break out of his zone and transition to offence. He has the ability to gain the zone and lead the attack.

At this point, I think BMB has shown enough that he could be a solid top-9 at the next level who can play a solid defensive role and kill penalties while providing the odd bit of offense. Finding consistency at this level in the second half will go a long way into deciding if he could provide more offensive production.

The tools are there as is the work ethic.

OHL ANNOUNCES ACADEMIC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Jackson Parsons of the Kitchener Rangers, Pano Fimis of the Niagara IceDogs, Luca Marrelli of the Oshawa Generals and Ryder McIntyre of the Sarnia Sting have been named Academic Players of the Month for January.

East Division: Oshawa Generals rookie defender Luca Marrelli is the OHL East Division Academic Player of the Month for January.

Marrelli achieved a 92 percent average in grade 11 university-level English, Math and Accounting plus High Performance at Maxwell Heights Secondary School.

“Luca is a conscientious and personable individual who leads by example demonstrating a strong work ethic,” commented Generals academic advisor Tom Buchanan.

The 16-year-old from Toronto, Ont. has recorded seven points in 34 games (0-7–7) for the Generals. Marrelli was selected in the fifth round (81st overall) by Oshawa in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.

Central Division: Niagara IceDogs forward Pano Fimis is the OHL Central Division Academic Player of the Month for January.

Fimis is currently taking grade 12 university-level English, Advanced Functions and Exercise Science where he is holding an average in the high 80s at Governor Simcoe Secondary School.

“Pano is having an excellent season both on and off the ice,” said IceDogs academic advisor Tim Tope. “He is well respected by both staff and students and is sure to lead the IceDogs for years to come.”

The Richmond Hill, Ont. native has been a big contributor for the IceDogs, recording 23 points in 34 games (6-17–23). The 17-year-old scored his first career goal in his OHL debut against the Barrie Colts on Oct. 7th. Fimis was selected second overall by the IceDogs in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection and was ranked 77th in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft.

Midwest Division: Kitchener Rangers goaltender Jackson Parsons is the OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for January.

Parsons is currently taking a full grade 12 university-level course load, which includes straight-A marks in English, Data Management, World Issues, Functions and Healthy Living at Victus Academy. Jackson’s future academic goals are to attend the University of Waterloo or Wilfrid Laurier University to study Sports Management and Business.

“Over the course of the past year and a half, Jackson has handled the transition from a French high school to an English online school with maturity and focus,” said Rangers academic advisor Dave Tennant. “His teachers describe Jackson as an exceptional student, who is diligent and thoughtful in everything he does, including outside of the classroom where he has taken it upon himself to provide mentorship for another student at the school. Jackson is truly a pleasure to talk to off the ice at the rink as well. He listens to all guidance and approaches every situation with a smile.”

Goaltending coach, Jordan DeKort also has good things to say about Parsons.

“It is challenging to be a 17-year-old goalie, it’s his first year in the league, but he has done exceptionally well to adapt. Jackson has been super consistent for us, and he really puts a lot of effort into everything he does, both on and off the ice.”

The Embrun, Ont. native has made 15 appearances for the Rangers, going 6-8-0-0 with a 4.11 goals-against average and .880 save percentage in his first OHL season. Parsons was selected in the third round (53rd overall) by the Rangers in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

West Division: Sarnia Sting forward Ryder McIntyre is the OHL West Division Academic Player of the Month for January, excelling in his studies with a 95 percent average at Northern Collegiate Vocational Institute.

McIntyre is currently taking grade 12 university-level Functions, Biology and Business Leadership.

“Ryder is an exceptional student athlete who is a role model for others,” said Sting academic advisor Mark Scott. “He is an engaged student with an exceptional work ethic who consistently puts forth his best effort both in the classroom and on the ice.”

The 17-year-old from Stouffville, Ont. has seven points in 27 games for the Sting this season (3-4-7), as he recorded a goal and an assist in his career OHL game on Oct. 7th. McIntyre was selected in the third round (51st overall) by the Sting in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

2021-22 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
January – Luca Marrelli (Oshawa Generals)
December – Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)
November – Cole Brown (Hamilton Bulldogs)
October – Sam Alfano (Peterborough Petes)

Central Division:
January – Pano Fimis (Niagara IceDogs)
December – Owen Van Steensel (North Bay Battalion)
November – Hunter Haight (Barrie Colts)
October – Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)

Midwest Division:
January – Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)
December – Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)
November – Nolan Lalonde (Erie Otters)
October – Cal Uens (Owen Sound Attack)

West Division:
January – Ryder McIntyre (Sarnia Sting)
December – PJ Forgione (Saginaw Spirit)
November – Ethan Hay (Flint Firebirds)
October – Bronson Ride (Windsor Spitfires)

A total of 343 graduates utilized their OHL Scholarship at post-secondary institutions across North America during the 2020-21 academic year, with a total contribution by teams of over $3.1 million. Over the past 10 seasons, OHL Scholarship payments have totalled more than $25 million.

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

STEELHEADS AND FRONTENACS INCLUDED IN WEEK 14 EDITION OF KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 14 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2021-22 season.

The Mississauga Steelheads are the top-ranked team in the OHL this week, climbing two spots to sixth after four straight wins since the last edition. The 28-8-1-3 Steelheads are the first place team in the OHL, having outscored opponents 143-93 this season. Mississauga took back-to-back wins over North Bay and Niagara, tightening their grip on first place in the Central Division. The big line of James Hardie, Luca Del Bel Belluz and Ty Collins continues to impress while captain Ethan Del Mastro leads the OHL with a plus-34 rating. The tandem of Roman Basran and Joe Ranger continues to hold down the fort in goal.

The Kingston Frontenacs dropped four spots to number nine on the list this week after winning two of three. The Fronts defeated the Peterborough Petes 6-3 on Thursday, edged the Oshawa Generals 4-3 on Friday and fell to the Hamilton Bulldogs by a score of 5-2 on Sunday. Kingston sits one point up on Hamilton for first place in the East Division, owning a 22-10-3-0 record. Top 2022 NHL Draft prospect Shane Wright had a productive week, recording a goal and six assists to give him 43 points (15-28–43) over 31 games this season. Overage forward Jordan Frasca leads Kingston with 24 goals.

The Hamilton Bulldogs rose into the honourable mention category after a 3-0 week. The Bulldogs defeated Niagara and Kingston without the services of star centre Mason McTavish, who is off to represent Canada at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.

The Soo Greyhounds hold steady in the honourable mention field, defeating the Saginaw Spirit 5-1 last Wednesday before splitting consecutive overtime outcomes on home ice, losing to Flint before defeating Barrie. The Greyhounds, who feature the OHL’s top scorer in Calgary Flames prospect Rory Kerins (25-42–67), lost key centreman Tanner Dickinson for an extended period to a broken right femur on Saturday. The St. Louis Blues prospect has been productive, recording 47 points (18-29–47) over 35 games this season.

For further analysis on the Week 14 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, visit CHL.ca.

OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders as of January 31

Posted on February 1, 2022February 1, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Robert Lefebvre/OHL Images

It’s February and that means it is time for us to look at the Ontario Hockey League players eligible for the 2022 National Hockey League Entry Draft and see who is leading the way statistically. Because of the missed 2020-2021 OHL season, we are including first and second time draft eligible players just because of the volume of players eligible.

If you’ve been following along since the start of the season, the one name that has been missing from this list is potential first overall pick Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs. And if you’ve been waiting for him to appear, your wait is finally over.

Wright is now third in points behind Luca Del Bel Belluz of the Mississauga Steelheads and Tucker Robertson of the Peterborough Petes. But he has played considerably fewer games as well. He sits second in assists behind Del Bel Belluz and ninth in goals. Robertson has led in the goal department for almost the entire season.

Ty Nelson of the North Bay Battalion continues to lead defencemen in scoring but watch out for Christian Kyrou of the Erie Otters who closed the gap and sit within one point of the leader and in six fewer games.

Here are the leaders in several different statistical categories. While we take great care in compiling stats, always refer to the OHL website for official stats.

Points Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	39	20	31	51
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	37	23	25	48
Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	31	15	28	43
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	33	22	19	41
Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	34	18	22	40
Avery Hayes	Hamilton Bulldogs	35	22	16	38
Deni Goure	Owen Sound Attack	35	17	20	37
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	23	15	22	37
Owen Beck	Mississauga Steelheads	39	15	20	35
David Goyette	Sudbury Wolves	38	14	20	34
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	GPG
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	37	23	0.62
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	33	22	0.67
Avery Hayes	Hamilton Bulldogs	35	22	0.63
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	39	20	0.51
Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	34	18	0.53
Deni Goure	Owen Sound Attack	35	17	0.49
Nolan Dann	Sarnia Sting	31	16	0.52
Ethan Burroughs	Owen Sound Attack	35	16	0.46
Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	31	15	0.48
Owen Beck	Mississauga Steelheads	39	15	0.38
Assist Leaders
Player	Team	GP	A	APG
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	39	31	0.79
Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	31	28	0.90
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	37	25	0.68
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	40	24	0.60
Kirill Kudryavtsev	Soo Greyhounds	39	23	0.59
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	23	22	0.96
Gavin White	Hamilton Bulldogs	33	22	0.67
Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	34	22	0.65
Ryan Humphrey	Hamilton Bulldogs	35	22	0.63
Pavel Mintyukov	Saginaw Spirit	37	21	0.57
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	40	6	24	30
Christian Kyrou	Erie Otters	34	9	20	29
Pavel Mintyukov	Saginaw Spirit	37	8	21	29
Gavin White	Hamilton Bulldogs	33	4	22	26
Kirill Kudryavtsev	Soo Greyhounds	39	3	23	26
Samuel Mayer	Peterborough Petes	37	8	15	23
Michael Buchinger	Guelph Storm	34	2	18	20
Roberto Mancini	Saginaw Spirit	35	8	11	19
Kasper Larsen	Mississauga Steelheads	28	2	15	17
Rodwin Dionicio	Niagara IceDogs	33	2	15	17
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player	Team	GP	+/-
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	39	+31
Ryan Humphrey	Hamilton Bulldogs	35	+22
Isaiah George	London Knights	32	+20
Avery Hayes	Hamilton Bulldogs	35	+19
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	33	+17
Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	34	+15
Dylan Gordon	Mississauga Steelheads	19	+14
Michael Buchinger	Guelph Storm	34	+13
Ethan MacKinnon	London Knights	20	+12
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	23	+12
Faceoff Leaders
Player	Team	GP	FOA	FOW	%
Owen Beck	Mississauga Steelheads	39	803	486	60.5
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	37	916	524	57.2
Landon McCallum	Sudbury Wolves	36	419	233	55.6
Jacob Maillet	Windsor Spitfires	36	354	197	55.6
Danny Zhilkin	Guelph Storm	32	561	310	55.3
Braeden Kressler	Flint Firebirds	23	394	218	55.3
Max Namestnikov	Sarnia Sting	33	380	209	55.0
Cedrick Guindon	Owen Sound Attack	35	418	227	54.3
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	33	338	182	53.8
Amadeus Lombardi	Flint Firebirds	37	424	226	53.3
Minimum 325 faceoffs
Shooting Percentage Leaders
Player	Team	GP	Shots	Goals	SH%
Braeden Bowman	Guelph Storm	26	51	14	27.5
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	33	82	22	26.8
Beau Jelsma	Barrie Colts	34	59	15	25.4
Dean Loukus	Saginaw Spirit	35	40	10	25.0
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	37	96	23	24.0
Gavin Bryant	Owen Sound Attack	30	33	7	21.2
Avery Hayes	Hamilton Bulldogs	35	106	22	20.8
Cooper Matthews	Barrie Colts	34	29	6	20.7
Nolan Dann	Sarnia Sting	31	79	16	20.3
Hunter Haight	Barrie Colts	30	61	12	19.7

Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player	Team	GP	Min	GA	Avg
Brett Brochu	London Knights	27	1604	66	2.47
Dom DiVincentiis	North Bay Battalion	14	751	37	2.96
Patrick Leaver	Oshawa Generals	26	1464	75	3.07
Jacob Oster	Guelph Storm	17	899	48	3.20
Pavel Cajan	Kitchener Rangers	21	1248	70	3.37
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player	Team	GP	SH	SVS	SV%
Max Donoso	Ottawa 67’s	8	194	179	0.923
Brett Brochu	London Knights	27	829	763	0.920
Patrick Leaver	Oshawa Generals	26	857	782	0.912
Pavel Cajan	Kitchener Rangers	21	717	647	0.902
Dom DiVincentiis	North Bay Battalion	14	365	328	0.899

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in January 2022, including Windsor Spitfires forward Wyatt Johnston, Barrie Colts defenceman Brandt Clarke, Barrie Colts goaltender Mack Guzda and Sudbury Wolves forward David Goyette.

OHL Player of the Month – Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires):
For the second straight month, Dallas Stars prospect Wyatt Johnston of the Windsor Spitfires is the OHL Player of the Month. Johnston equalled his December output of 19 points in eight games, recording five goals, 14 assists as the Spitfires played to a 6-2-0-0 record. Johnston strung together four consecutive performances of at least three points to begin the month, finding the scoresheet in seven of his eight outings. He posted eight points across back-to-back games in Sault Ste. Marie on Jan. 8th and 9th before consecutive three-assist efforts on Jan. 14th in Sarnia and Jan. 16th against Flint. Johnston closed out the month by lighting the lamp twice in Windsor’s 3-2 win over the Guelph Storm on Jan. 28th. He earned Three Star honours on four separate occasions, contributing to his League-leading total of 16 for the 2021-22 season. Johnston is the first OHL player to earn back-to-back Player of the Month honours since Sarnia’s Jordan Kyrou last did so in October and November 2017.

An 18-year-old native of Toronto, Ont., Johnston sits third in OHL scoring with 65 points (23-42–65) in 35 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-19. He was a first round (23rd overall) pick of the Dallas Stars in the 2021 NHL Draft, and signed a three-year entry level NHL contract with the club on Sept. 28, 2021. A former World Under-18 Hockey Championship gold medalist with Team Canada, Johnston was Windsor’s first round (6th overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts):
Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke of the Barrie Colts is the OHL Defenceman of the Month for January, leading all blueliners with 17 points including three goals and 14 assists over 11 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-10. Clarke strung together six different multi-point performances for the Colts, who played to a January record of 6-3-2-0. He put up three assists in Barrie’s 7-3 road win over Owen Sound on Jan. 9th before a season-high four point performance (1-3–4) on Jan. 16th as Barrie defeated North Bay 8-2. Clarke ended the month on a five-game point streak, notably scoring the last second game-tying goal in Sault Ste. Marie on Jan. 29th as the Colts earned a point in an overtime loss. He racked up three assists on Sunday in Sudbury, securing OHL Player of the Week honours with nine points (2-7–9) over four contests last week. Clarke is the first Colts defender to earn Defenceman of the Month recognition since Rasmus Andersson in January 2016.

An 18-year-old product of Nepean, Ont., Clarke leads OHL defenders with 42 points including eight goals, 34 assists and a plus-19 rating across 32 games. The 6-foot-2 rearguard leads the Colts in scoring this season and is riding a current five-game point streak. Clarke was a first round (8th overall) pick of the Los Angeles Kings last summer, and signed an entry-level NHL contract with the club in August. Clarke won a gold medal as a member of Canada’s National Under-18 Team in May 2021 and is a former 2019 OHL Cup champion as a member of the Don Mills Flyers. The Colts selected Clarke fourth overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection.

OHL Goaltender of the Month – Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts):
For the second straight month, overage netminder Mack Guzda of the Barrie Colts is the OHL Goaltender of the Month. Guzda played to a 5-1-1-0 record with a 1.86 goals-against average, .939 save percentage and one shutout over seven contests, helping the Colts climb to within two points of North Bay for second place in the Central Division with seven games in hand. His top performances included a 31-save effort on Jan. 18th as the Colts defeated the Sudbury Wolves 4-1. He followed that up with 34 saves on Jan. 22nd as Barrie toppled North Bay 3-2 in overtime. He registered his second shutout of the season on Jan. 27th, making 24 saves as the Colts bested Owen Sound 8-0. Guzda joins London’s Brett Brochu (January & February 2020) as an active netminder to have earned back-to-back OHL Goaltender of the Month honours.

A 21-year-old native of Knoxville, Tenn., Guzda’s .924 save percentage is the second-highest in the OHL as he’s played to an overall record of 16-6-1-1 with a 2.50 goals-against average over 24 games between Barrie and Owen Sound. Now 11-2-1-0 since joining the Colts in mid-November, Guzda was originally Owen Sound’s second round (31st overall) pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection, and has played to career mark of 74-51-11-7.

OHL Rookie of the Month – David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves):
Draft eligible Sudbury Wolves forward David Goyette is the OHL Rookie of the Month for January, registering 16 points including a League-leading 10 goals and six assists over 15 games. Goyette joined rookie linemate Kocha Delic with 16 points in January as the Wolves played to a record of 5-8-1-1 to find themselves in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Goyette recorded points in 10 of his 15 contests, scoring in three consecutive matchups on Jan. 7th against Mississauga, Jan. 8th in Niagara and Jan. 9th in Oshawa. He produced the OHL’s first four-goal performance of the season before a national audience on TSN on Jan. 14th in Kingston as the Wolves won 8-4. Goyette put up three points (1-2–3) on Jan. 23rd in North Bay, going 16-for-21 in the faceoff circle as the Wolves defeated the Battalion 6-4. He’s the first Wolves player to earn OHL Rookie of the Month honours since John McFarland back in October 2008.

A 17-year-old from Hawkesbury, Ont., Goyette sits second in OHL rookie scoring with 34 points including 14 goals and 20 assists over 38 games. The 5-foot-11, 174Ib. centreman was Sudbury’s first round (11th overall) pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. He was listed as the 35th-ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft.

2021-22 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
January – Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires)
December – Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires)
November – Kyle Jackson (North Bay Battalion)
October – Sasha Pastujov (Guelph Storm)

Defenceman of the Month:
January – Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts)
December – Ethan Del Mastro (Mississauga Steelheads)
November – Nathan Staios (Hamilton Bulldogs)
October – Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves)

Rookie of the Month:
January – David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves)
December – Coulson Pitre (Flint Firebirds)
November – Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)
October – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)

Goaltender of the Month:
January – Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
December – Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
November – Joe Vrbetic (North Bay Battalion)
October – Brett Brochu (London Knights)

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. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month for January

Posted on February 1, 2022January 31, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Tim Cornett – OHL Images

Just a reminder that for this season, we are breaking down our Draft Eligible Player of the Month down by position due to the number of draft eligible players this season. In previous seasons we named one player only. So, lets get right to it!

Forward

Up front we’re going with Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires. Maggio played in 8 games scoring 8 goals and adding 7 assists. He had 3 multi-goal games and 5 multi-point games while being held off the score sheet just once. He was named the game’s first star on 4 occasions and second star twice through the month.

Maggio is a late 2002 birthdate which means he is re-entering the draft in 2022. He has 18 goals and 22 assists in 34 games on the season.

Also considered was Nolan Burke of the Sarnia Sting. Burke also appeared in 8 games in January and also scored 8 goals and added 6 helpers. Like Maggio, Burke is a late 2002 birthdate and is re-entering the draft. He has 22 goals and 19 assists in 33 games on the season.

Defenceman

It’s never an easy choice when it comes to OHL blueliners, but for January we give the nod to Christian Kyrou of the Erie Otters. Kyrou is overshadowed a tad in draft circles by teammate Spencer Sova, but Kyrou is having quite the season with 9 goals and 20 helpers in 34 games.

In the month of January, Kyrou posted 4 goals and 5 assists in 8 games and finished a plus-5. He was kept off the scoresheet twice and had 3 multi-point games.

Also considered was Chas Sharpe of the Mississauga Steelheads. Sharpe posted 9 points in 11 games seemingly coming out of nowhere. He had just 2 assists in the previous 24 games heading into January. Kirill Kudryavtsev of the Soo Greyhounds also got some consideration after putting up a goal and 7 helpers in 11 games.

Goaltender

For the second time this season, Patrick Leaver of the Oshawa Generals is our choice. Leaver appeared in 7 games during the month – one of them in relief – and posted a sparkling .930 save-percentage. Unfortunately for Leaver he posted just a 3-3-0 record in his starts. One of those losses came on January 23, he stopped 48 of 49 shots in a 2-0 loss to the Kingston Frontenacs. That earned him first star honors.

Leaver had faced the Frontenacs 5 days earlier and in the contest the Fronts fired 41 shots at his net. He stopped 39 of those and leading his team to a 4-2 victory. His effort that night earned him second star honors.

On January 15 Leaver went up against Oshawa’s rivals the Peterborough Petes. He stopped 36 of 37, many of them of a difficult variety and backstopped his club to a 4-1 victory. He was named the games second star.

Also considered was Max Donoso of the Ottawa 67’s. Donoso appeared in 4 games and posted a save percentage of .939 and a 3-0-0-1 record. In his first appearance in January, he came in in relief and stopped all 12 shots he faced allowing the 67’s to come back and earn a victory in the shootout.

On the season:

FORWARDS

January – Matthew Maggio – Windsor Spitfires

December – Luca DelBelBelluz – Mississauga Steelheads

November – Kyle Jackson – North Bay Battalion

October – Tucker Robertson – Peterborough Petes

DEFENCEMEN

January – Christian Kyrou – Erie Otters

December – Kirill Kudryavtsev – Soo Greyhounds

November – Gavin While – Hamilton Bulldogs

October – Ty Nelson – North Bay Battalion

GOALTENDERS

January – Patrick Leaver – Oshawa Generals

December – Pavel Cajan – Kitchener Rangers

November – Patrick Leaver – Oshawa Generals

October – Brett Brochu – London Knights

CLARKE AND DONOSO NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on January 31, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, January 30, 2022

Colts’ Brandt Clarke Named OHL Player of the Week

Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke of the Barrie Colts is the OHL Player of the Week, recording two goals, seven assists and nine points in four games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-8.

Clarke had at least two points in all four games, helping the Colts score lopsided wins over Sudbury and Owen Sound before road losses in Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury. The right-shot defender kicked off the week with a goal and an assist in Barrie’s 9-1 win in Sudbury on Tuesday, garnering second star recognition. Clarke was back on the scoresheet Thursday night, picking up a pair of assists as the Colts defeated the Owen Sound Attack 8-0. He helped Barrie earn a point in Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday, scoring the game-tying marker with less than a second remaining to force overtime as the Colts would go on to fall 4-3 in the extra frame. Clarke finished things off with three assists on Sunday as Barrie’s comeback effort came up short in Sudbury, resulting in a 6-5 loss. Clarke is the second defenceman to earn the honour this season and becomes the first Colts player to be named OHL Player of the Week since Lucas Chiodo in September 2018.

Hailing from Nepean, Ont., the 18-year-old Clarke leads OHL defenders with 42 points including eight goals, 34 assists and a plus-19 rating across 32 games. The 6-foot-2 rearguard leads the Colts in scoring this season and is riding a current five-game point streak. Clarke was a first round (8th overall) pick of the Los Angeles Kings last summer, and signed an entry-level NHL contract with the club in August. Clarke won a gold medal as a member of Canada’s National Under-18 Team in May 2021 and is a former 2019 OHL Cup champion as a member of the Don Mills Flyers. The Colts selected Clarke fourth overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection.

Also considered for the award this week, Colts teammate Nathan Allensen recorded eight points (2-6–8) across four games while OHL scoring leader Rory Kerins of the Soo Greyhounds put up seven points (3-4–7) in three contests as the Hounds won two of three.

2021-22 OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Jan. 24 – Jan. 30: Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 17 – Jan. 23: Riley Piercey (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 10 – Jan. 16: David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 3 – Jan 9: Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires)
Dec. 27 – Jan. 2: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 13 – Dec. 19: Ty Tullio (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 6 – Dec. 12: Lucas Edmonds (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 29 – Dec. 5: Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires)
Nov. 22 – Nov. 28: Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 15 – Nov. 21: Brandon Coe (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Antonio Stranges (London Knights)
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Rory Kerins (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves)

67’s’ Max Donoso Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Max Donoso of the Ottawa 67’s is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 1-0-0-1 with a 1.44 goals-against average and .947 save percentage.

Donoso stopped 54 of 57 shots directed his way, helping the 67’s collect three points on the road. He turned aside 33 shots on Friday in Sudbury, earning first star honours in his third straight win as Ottawa defeated the Wolves 3-1. Donoso returned to the crease Sunday afternoon in North Bay, making 21 saves as the Barber Poles fell 3-2 in a shootout to the Battalion.

An 18-year-old from Windsor, Ont., Donoso is 3-3-0-0 in his first OHL season with a 2.13 goals-against average and .923 save percentage across eight games. He’s split the season between the 67’s and Hawkesbury Hawks, going 11-2-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in the CCHL. The 6-foot-1, 173Ib. netminder was Ottawa’s fifth round (98th overall) selection in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, and spent the 2019-20 season between the Rochester Coalition U18 program and Salisbury Prep School located in Salisbury, Conn.

Also considered for the award this week, Roman Basran of the Mississauga Steelheads went 3-0-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. Reigning Goaltender of the Week Mack Guzda of the Barrie Colts was 2-0-1-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

2021-22 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Jan. 24 – Jan. 30: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Jan. 17 – Jan. 23: Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 10 – Jan. 16: Mitchell Weeks (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 3 – Jan. 9: Nolan Lalonde (Erie Otters)
Dec. 27 – Jan. 2: Joe Ranger (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 13 – Dec. 19: Owen Bennett (Guelph Storm)
Dec. 6 – Dec. 12: Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
Nov. 29 – Dec. 5: Leevi Merilainen (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 22 – Nov. 28: Tye Austin (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 15 – Nov. 21: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Joe Vrbetic (North Bay Battalion
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Roman Basran (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Jacob Oster (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Tucker Tynan (Niagara IceDogs)

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. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

Owen Beck – Mississauga Steelheads – Player Profile

Posted on January 29, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

HT	WT	DOB	POS	SHOOTS	OHL DRAFT	NHLCS	COUNTRY
6’	190	2-3-04	C	R	29th 2020	19th NA	CANADA

SEASON	LEAGUE	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS
2018-19	ETAHL U15	Quinte Red Devils U16	29	16	18	34
2019-20	ETAHL U16	Quinte Red Devils U16	34	19	20	39
2020-21	OHL	DID NOT PLAY

Owen Beck of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by OHL Images

Production has never been an issue for the 19^th ranked North American Skater in NHL Central Scouting’s mid term rankings – Owen Beck of the Mississauga Steelheads. And he’s providing offense at the Ontario Hockey League level as well with 15 goals and 19 assists through 38 games. It was no surprise he was named the OHL Rookie of the Month in November.

The first thing you’ll notice about Beck is his skating. Flawless mechanics, great top end speed, initial steps great and superb edgework. If he’s not the best technical skater in the OHL Draft class, I don’t know who is. In today’s game that is all about skating and speed, Beck has that covered.

But skating alone doesn’t guarantee anything at the next level. The fact is that Beck thinks the game at such a high level and processes what is happening at great speed that he can make plays while flying at top speed. Combined with his vision and playmaking capabilities, those are dangerous combinations.

But there is more to Beck than that. His work ethic is extremely strong. Beck will never give up pursuit of the puck, battles along the wall or in the slot. But he isn’t reckless. Beck knows when to attack and when to “retreat” to defence. He has incredible hockey senses and IQ.

At the dot, Beck has the third most faceoff attempts in the OHL (790) third most wins (477) and the best faceoff percentage (60.4%) of any pivot that has taken more than 200 draws. With puck possession being as important as it is these days, he gives you a chance more times than not at starting with puck possession.

Beck also possesses an NHL ready shot with the power and accuracy to beat goaltenders. He can fire off one-timers, or use a wrister or snap shot. He has the full arsenal.

Beck’s game isn’t just offence. He is sound defensively, knows and understands positioning, his skating allows him to close in on the opposition, he gets into lanes and uses an active stick. The Mississauga coaching staff uses him to kill penalties and in the last minute to protect a lead, especially when the play is in their zone with a faceoff.

If there is one area I’d like to see improved, it’s adding some bulk and muscle. But you could say that about any player at this level. Once he bulks up and adds that strength, he’ll be tougher on the forecheck and in battles along the walls and in front of the opposition net.

Beck could turn into quite a find in the latter part of the first round for an NHL team.

FRONTENACS AND STEELHEADS INCLUDED IN WEEK 13 EDITION OF KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS

Posted on January 26, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 13 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2021-22 season.

The Kia CHL Top 10 returns for the second half of the season, with the Kingston Frontenacs and Mississauga Steelheads making their way into the Top 10 while the Barrie Colts, London Knights and Soo Greyhounds earn honourable mentions.

The fifth-ranked Frontenacs skate into this week’s rankings off three consecutive wins, holding the top spot in the East Division with a 20-9-3-0 record. The Fronts defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs 5-2 at home on Friday, skated to a 6-2 win over the Niagara IceDogs on Saturday and hit the road to blank the Oshawa Generals 2-0 on Sunday. Jordan Frasca had a weekend to remember with six points in the three wins while 2022 NHL Draft prospect Shane Wright scored a highlight reel goal on Sunday, extending his current point streak to four games.

The Steelheads come in at eighth on the rankings, rebounding from consecutive losses over the weekend with a 4-1 road win over the Peterborough Petes on Tuesday. Sitting at the top of the OHL standings with a 24-8-1-3 record, Mississauga has surrendered just 87 goals in 36 games as the goaltending tandem of Joe Ranger and Roman Basran continues to perform well. The Trout feature a pair of highly touted 2022 NHL Draft prospects in leading scorer Luca Del Bel Belluz (20-27–47) and Owen Beck (14-18–32) while veteran James Hardie leads the club with 26 goals. The Steelheads hit the ice for their next action on Thursday in North Bay, being featured as the CHL TV Game of the Week presented by Kubota Canada.

The Barrie Colts have been one of the League’s hottest teams, sporting a 19-9-3-0 record to earn an honourable mention. Joining them are the Western Conference leading Soo Greyhounds at 21-12-2-1 boasting the OHL’s top power play. The London Knights have allowed a League-low 86 goals in front of netminder Brett Brochu, rounding out a trio of OHL honourable mentions on the list this week.

For further analysis on the Week 13 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, visit CHL.ca.

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