OHL ANNOUNCES 2019-20 MINOR MIDGET PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

Midget Players of the Year

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the seven recipients of Minor Midget Player of the Year Awards for players representing the four Ontario Hockey Federation Member Partners including the ALLIANCE, Greater Toronto Hockey League, Northern Ontario Hockey Association, and both the Ontario Minor Hockey Association’s ETA and SCTA regions, along with Hockey Eastern Ontario, and Hockey Northwestern Ontario.

This year’s winners include Bryce McConnell-Barker of the London Jr. Knights (ALLIANCE), Pano Fimis of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL), Cedrick Guindon of the Rockland Nationals (HEO), Brodie McLeod of the Thunder Bay Kings (HNO), Connor Toms of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds (NOHA), Donovan McCoy of the Quinte Red Devils (OMHA ETA) and Sam Alfano of the Southern Tier Admirals (OMHA SCTA).

“Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s awards and thank you to the families, coaches, and teammates for their tremendous support of these remarkable players over the course of the season and throughout their minor hockey careers,” said Kyle Pereira, the OHL’s Director of Player Recruitment.

“The OHL continues to recognize all the hard work, dedication, and extraordinary accomplishments from across Ontario. We thank all players for another great season and wish them the very best of luck in their hockey and academic careers.”

The recipients consist of four forwards and three defencemen. Looking up front, Alfano capped off the regular season second in SCTA scoring with 36 goals and 63 points in 32 appearances with the Admirals, while Guindon totaled 24 goals and 35 assists for 59 points over 41 games with the Nationals. McConnell-Barker tallied 29 goals and 48 points over 33 games with the Jr. Knights for fifth in ALLIANCE scoring and Fimis finished in a tie for first atop the GTHL scoring race with 14 goals and 28 assists for 42 points in 32 games with the league champion Jr. Canadiens.

On defence, McCoy recorded six goals and 29 assists for 35 points in as many games for the OMHA champion Red Devils while McLeod posted seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points in 39 games with the Kings. Toms registered eight goals and 15 assists, good for 23 points over 36 appearances with the Jr. Greyhounds.

The awards are presented annually to honour the minor midget players who best exemplify outstanding ability and the qualities of sportsmanship and leadership as voted by the minor hockey coaches, managers and organizations of each respective league.

Past Award Winners:

ALLIANCE Player of the Year:
2020 – Bryce McConnell-Barker, London Jr. Knights
2019 – Deni Goure, Chatham-Kent Cyclones
2018 – Matthew Maggio, Sun County Panthers
2017 – Ryan Suzuki, London Jr. Knights
2016 – Owen Lalonde, Windsor Jr. Spitfires
2015 – Nick Suzuki, London Jr. Knights
2014 – Anthony Salinitri, Windsor Jr. Spitfires
2013 – Travis Konecny, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs
2012 – Jared McCann, London Jr. Knights Gold
2011 – Bo Horvat, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs

GTHL Player of the Year:
2020 – Pano Fimis, Toronto Jr. Canadiens
2019 – Shane Wright, Don Mills Flyers
2018 – Jamie Drysdale, Toronto Marlboros
2017 – Nick Porco, Vaughan Kings
2016 – Ryan Merkley, Toronto Jr. Canadiens
2015 – Ryan McLeod, Toronto Marlboros
2014 – Adam Mascherin, Vaughan Kings
2013 – Dylan Strome, Toronto Marlboros
2012 – Connor McDavid, Toronto Marlboros
2011 – Nick Ritchie, Toronto Marlboros

HEO Player of the Year:
2020 – Cedrick Guindon, Rockland Nationals
2019 – Mason McTavish, Pembroke Lumber Kings
2018 – Josh Barnes, Cornwall Colts
2017 – Alexandre Hogue, Cumberland Grads U18
2016 – Paul Larabie, Nepean Raiders
2015 – Gabriel Vilardi, CIH Academy
2014 – William Bitten, Ottawa Jr. 67’s
2013 – Andrew Peski, Ottawa Jr. 67’s
2012 – Andrew Abou-Assaly, Ottawa Jr. 67’s
2011 – Nicholas Baptiste, Ottawa Senators

HNO Player of the Year:
2020 – Brodie McLeod, Thunder Bay Kings
2019 – Jack Michaelis, Thunder Bay Kings
2018 – Michael Stubbs, Thunder Bay Kings
2017 – Christian Cicigoi, Thunder Bay Kings
2016 – Quintin Loon-Stewardson, Thunder Bay Kings
2015 – Kyle Auger, Thunder Bay Kings
2014 – Brad Belisle, Thunder Bay Kings
2013 – Zach Grzelewski, Thunder Bay Kings
2012 – Bryce Martyn, Thunder Bay Kings
2011 – Nolan Nicholas, Thunder Bay Kings

NOHA Player of the Year:
2020 – Connor Toms, Soo Jr. Greyhounds
2019 – Chase Stillman, Sudbury Minor Midget Wolves
2018 – Pacey Schlueting, North Bay Trappers
2017 – Camaryn Baber, Soo Midget Greyhounds
2016 – Damien Giroux, Sudbury Minor Midget Wolves
2015 – Cayse Ton, New Liskeard Cubs
2014 – Zach Dorval, Soo Thunder
2013 – Blake Speers, Soo Thunder
2012 – Michael Amadio, Sault Ste. Marie North Stars
2011 – Ryan Kujawinski, Sudbury Minor Midget Wolves

OMHA ETA Player of the Year:
2020 – Donovan McCoy, Quinte Red Devils
2019 – Brenden Sirizzotti, Whitby Wildcats
2018 – Quinton Byfield, York Simcoe Express
2017 – Alex Newhook, York Simcoe Express
2016 – Aidan Dudas, North Central Predators
2015 – Brady Gilmour, Quinte Red Devils
2014 – Chris Paquette, Greater Kingston Jr Frontenacs

OMHA SCTA Player of the Year:
2020 – Sam Alfano, Southern Tier Admirals
2019 – Lawson Sherk, Halton Hurricanes
2018 – Cameron Tolnai, Oakville Rangers
2017 – Matthew Dunsmoor, Guelph Jr. Gryphons
2016 – Adam McMaster, Niagara North Stars
2015 – Liam Stevens, Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs
2014 – Rylee St Onge, Niagara North Stars

*prior to 2014 there was a single OMHA Player of the Year award recipient

Past OMHA Players of the Year:
2013 – Matt Spencer, Oakville Rangers*
2012 – Nik Coric, York Simcoe Express*
2011 – Alex Yuill, Quinte Red Devils*

For more information please visit www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

Brett Brochu– London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 156 Pounds

Date of birth: September 9, 2002

Hometown: Tilbury, Ontario

Catches: Left

OHL Draft: Round 6, 114th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
N.R. N.R. N.R.

29 N.A. Goalies

The first thing some of you may be asking yourselves is why we are discussing a goaltender here that National Hockey League Central Scouting has not had ranked all season? Well, we can answer that with three words: He should be.

While we initially missed the boat here at OHLW in the preseason, it didn’t take long for us to have him as a player to watch. But first, a little Bio.

During the 2018-2019 season, Brochu manned the crease for the Dresden Jr Kings of the Provincial Junior Hockey League where he comfortably led the league in games played (38) and wins (27). He posted a 2.46 goals-against-average and a .915 save-percentage. Brochu was even better through 11 playoff contests posting a 2.10 goals-against-average and .931 save-percentage.

Brett Brochu of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Brett Brochu of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda / OHL Images

Brochu was listed in the Ontario Hockey League’s Draft Guide as 5’ 7.5” and at just 131 pounds for the 2018 Priority Selection, but the Knights saw something there and the rest as they say, is history.

With a September 9, 2002 birthdate, Brochu is one of the youngest players in the 2020 NHL draft class, having made the cut off date by just 6 days. So, just what has Brochu accomplished in a season to garner interest?

The OHL rookie appeared in 42 games for the Knights when the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus and that ranked 7th among netminders and tied for first among rookie netminders with North Bay’s Joe Vrbetic. Brochu led all netminders with a 2.40 goals-against-average and second behind the top ranked Guelph netminder Nico Daws with a .924 save-percentage. He also finished second with wins – 32 in 42 appearances, finishing the season with a 32-6-0-0 record. The 32 victories is an OHL record for rookies that has stood for 39 years.

So, what exactly is the knock on Brochu? The only conclusion we have is that Central Scouting continues to have a bias towards bigger goaltenders. Whether that’s right or wrong is up for NHL scouts to decide come draft day. The Nashville Predators appear to have done okay with the 5’11” Juuse Saros for example.

Sure, one could make the argument that the Knights are a sound defensive team with a lot of offense. But consider this: Brochu was 16-1-0-0 when facing 29 or more shots, and the Knights were outshot in 9 of those contests. Take the Sudbury Wolves as an example. Their offense was just as dynamic as the Knights. Yet Brochu was 2-0-0-0 versus the Wolves stopping 57 of 58 shots and in the game the Knights were outshot, he shut them out. All those numbers mean is that Brochu was just as important to the Knights as any other aspect of their team. For a team that had more questions then answers in the crease when the season began, I’m sure Brochu gave the Knights even more then they expected

Brochu is a netminder that possesses superb agility and movement in the crease. He gets out to the top of the blue paint in a flash to challenge shooters. He also gets into position quickly to make second and even third chance stops. He tracks the puck extremely well and never gives up on a play. In that sense, there are a lot of similarities to former Windsor Spitfires netminder Michael DiPietro. Watch the video below of his first career shutout versus the high-flying Ottawa 67’s to get a sense of his puck tracking abilities and how he recovers for second and third chances.

Brochu is as technically sound as any netminder available in the draft class. He plays the butterfly style to perfection and is able to get on his knees quickly and recovers just as quick. He rarely overplays a situation and lets trusts his positioning and allows the puck to hit him. His quickness and athleticism allow him to pounce on loose pucks in front of the paint. And we think his puck handling abilities are also superb.

All we can add is that we don’t believe NHL teams should pass on this kid because of his size.

OHL Goaltender of the Month for February

OHL Goaltender and Rookie of the Month for January

 

OHL ANNOUNCES CONCLUSION OF 2019-20 REGULAR SEASON

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The League now prepares for the 2020 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore to be conducted live online at ontariohockeyleague.com on Saturday, April 4 at 9:00am

Press Release

Toronto, Ont. – Ontario Hockey League Commissioner David Branch announced today the conclusion of the 2019-20 OHL Regular Season.

Following a meeting with the OHL Board of Governors and consultation with medical professionals, it was determined that the remaining 56 games of the 2019-20 OHL Regular Season schedule will be cancelled and not played.

“In the interest of the safety of our players, officials, staff, fans and the general public, it’s been agreed that the cancellation of the remainder of the 2019-20 regular season is the proper course of action to take at this time,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch.

“We are continuing to monitor ongoing public health developments regarding COVID-19. When it is safe and we may resume play, we will advise on the status of the 2020 OHL Playoffs. We thank OHL players and their families, fans and partners for their continued patience and understanding throughout this challenging situation.”

The League has additionally confirmed that the 2020 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore will be held live online at ontariohockeyleague.com on Saturday, April 4 beginning at 9:00am.

The 2020 OHL Priority Selection Order of Selection will be as follows:

Final OHL regular season standings are based off each OHL team having played an equal number of regular season games (61 games)

NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS:
1. North Bay Battalion – 38 pts.
2. Niagara IceDogs – 42 pts.*
3. Sarnia Sting – 48 pts.
4. Soo Greyhounds – 56 pts.

PLAYOFF TEAMS:
5. Kingston Frontenacs – 42 pts.*
6. Hamilton Bulldogs – 56 pts.
7. Mississauga Steelheads – 59 pts.
8. Erie Otters – 61 pts.
9. Barrie Colts 62 pts.
10. Owen Sound Attack – 68 pts.**
11. Sudbury Wolves – 68 pts.**
12. Guelph Storm – 72 pts.
13. Oshawa Generals – 73 pts.
14. Windsor Spitfires – 76 pts.***
15. Peterborough Petes – 76 pts.***
16. Flint Firebirds – 80 pts.
17. Kitchener Rangers – 83 pts.
18. Saginaw Spirit – 85 pts.
19. London Knights – 90 pts.
20. Ottawa 67’s – 99 pts.

NOTES:
* – Kingston and Niagara are tied for 8th place in the Eastern Conference with 42 points. Based on the League’s tie-breaker procedure (most ROW wins, i.e. wins excluding shootouts), Kingston receives the higher position in the standings.

** – Sudbury and Owen Sound are tied with 68 points. Based on the League’s tie-breaker procedure (most ROW wins, i.e. wins excluding shootouts), Sudbury receives the higher position in the standings.

*** – Peterborough and Windsor are tied with 76 points. Based on the League’s tie-breaker procedure (most ROW wins, i.e. wins excluding shootouts), Peterborough receives the higher position in the standings.

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. For more information visit http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/.

Donovan Sebrango – Kitchener Rangers – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’

Weight: 184 Pounds

Date of birth: January 12, 2002

Hometown: Kingston, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 40th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 59 N.A.

60 N.A.

Kitchener Rangers defender and native of Kingston Ontario Donovan Sebrango, is a graduate of the CIHA White Midget AAA (Canadian International Hockey Academy) squad of 2017-2018. There, Sebrango would appear in 30 games, scoring 5 goals and assisting on 20. He would add 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 playoff contests.

For those unfamiliar with the CIHA, watch this feature on Gabriel Vilardi, the Los Angeles’ Kings 11th overall pick at the 2017 National Hockey League Draft.

Once his CIHA season was over, Sebrango would appear in 4 games for the Ottawa Jr Senators of the CCHL (Junior A). He went pointless in those 4 contests. The Rangers would select Sebrango in the 2nd round, 40th overall at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. Here is what OHL Central Scouting had to say at that time:

Donovan is one of the best skaters in this year’s Priority Selection. He has the ability to skate by anyone in the neutral zone. He can beat forecheckers by using his speed and edge work and he is a threat whenever he is in the offensive zone. He has good puck skills and can handle pucks at high speed and he is a very high risk high reward type of player. He competes hard all over the ice and won’t back down from anyone. Donovan has the skating ability and skill to be a very good player at the next level.

Back in October 2017, Sebrango would commit to Boston University and the NCAA for the 2020-2021 season. But almost 8 months later to the day, Sebrango sign a standard players agreement with the Rangers and thus nullifying his NCAA eligibility. (*Note: Every year I get dragged into the debate of players backing out of commitments, and I don’t want to get dragged into it again).

Donovan Sebrango of the Kitchener Rangers. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Donovan Sebrango of the Kitchener Rangers. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Sebrango would join the Rangers for the 2018-2019 season. He would appear in 62 games, scoring 7 goals and assisting on 19 others. His 26 points were 3rd best among OHL rookie defenders. He would also represent Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 and assisted on 2 goals in 5 games.

Sebrango began this season representing Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup where he and his teammates captured a silver medal. As you know by now, the coronavirus has shortened this OHL season and at the time the OHL closed its doors on the regular season, Sebrango had appeared in 56 games scoring 6 goals and adding 24 helpers.

Sebrango is known as a two-way blue liner. At 6 feet, 184 pounds, he has decent size, but he sometimes plays even bigger. He’s a workhorse in front of his net, below the goal line and in the corners and along the wall. It’s hard to imagine how much more difficult it’ll be to go into battle in those areas with him once he adds more strength.

Sebrango’s skating is also a huge benefit while defending. He is able to maintain his gap control and keep players to the outside because of his agility on his blades. But it is also a benefit to him in transitioning. While he’s shown the ability to transition with his feet, he is sometimes caught forcing a play instead of making the safe play. The hockey IQ is there along with the vision. I think it comes down to gaining experience and learning to utilize his teammates more effectively. At this stage, we can say that about a lot of defenders and ultimately, it comes down to whether one thinks they’ll grow from the experience. We think Sebrango will.

Sebrango has also shown he can quarterback the powerplay effectively. He can control the blueline, keeping pucks in the attacking zone. He walks the line extremely well, allowing lanes to open up and with his vision, set up teammates for opportunities.

Sebrango won’t be a top pairing defenceman at the NHL level. We see him as a quality number 4 defender who can play a shut down role as has been evidenced in two year at the OHL level, and one who can maybe quarterback the second powerplay unit.

 

Oliver Suni – Oshawa Generals – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 188 Pounds

Date of birth: February 13, 2002

Hometown: Kempele, Finland

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 44th overall, 2019 Import Draft

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
B Prospect B Prospect 45 N.A. 53 N.A.

A native of Kempele, Finland, Oliver Suni played his 2018-2019 season in Finland’s Junior B SM-Sarja League for the Karpat Under-18 squad. In 23 games, Suni scored 19 goals and assisted on 17 others. He also gained a lot of international experience while representing Finland at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 (Silver Medal) notching 3 helpers in 6 contests to go along with 6 goals and 10 assists in 20 international contests for the season. The Oshawa Generals would select Suni with the 44th overall pick at the 2019 Canadian Hockey League’s Import Draft.

Suni began this season last August representing his country once again, this time at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. There, Suni would have three helpers in 6 contests.

Oliver Suni of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Oliver Suni of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

The Ontario Hockey League rookie had a fantastic start to his season, scoring 8 goals and assisting on 15 in his first 26 games. But on December 6, Suni went hard into the boards with Kitchener Rangers’ Micheal Vukojevic and suffered a shoulder injury.

The Injury kept Suni out of game action until his return on January 25. While he scored in his return, his production took a dip to 4 goals and 5 assists in 16 games. At the time of his injury, he was second in points per game among rookies, second only to Kingston Frontenacs wonder kid Shane Wright.

First and foremost, you have to love Suni’s size. And he’s not afraid to use it, whether its in on the forecheck, plowing through opposition defenders, driving to the net and even in his own zone to separate the opposition from the puck.

For a bigger player, you have to like Suni’s skating. His first few steps are surprisingly strong and bordering on explosive. Combined with his size, he has the confidence in his skating to drive to the net. Yet, he’s not afraid to keep possession and make things happen. His vision is very good and we think his playmaking skills are underrated.

Some question his shooting ability, but we beg to differ. We think he has an excellent wrist shot, deceptive release and accurate. But more importantly, when a play isn’t there, he’s not afraid to put the puck low and on net with the purpose of creating a second chance opportunity.

Suni is also very adept at the defensive game, and this being his first season in North America, it comes as a bit of a surprise. As already mentioned, he’s not afraid of the physicality to separate opponents from the puck. But he also has an incredibly long reach and gets that stick into lanes to take away passes and disrupt plays.

It’s a tale of two stories with Suni. Early season Suni told us he had second line potential. Latter season Suni tells us he’ll be a third liner who is strong defensively and can put up some points. Unfortunately, the layoff got in the way. But I wouldn’t bet against him topping off as a second liner in the NHL.

Tanner Dickinson – Soo Greyhounds – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 155 Pounds

Date of birth: March 5, 2002

Hometown: Perrysburg, OHIO

Position: Center/Left Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Signed as a free agent in 2019

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 55 N.A.

67 N.A.

Tanner Dickinson spent most of the 2018-2019 season applying his trade with the Belle Tire Under-18 squad in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League. There, Dickinson would appear in 71 games scoring 36 goals and adding 67 helpers to lead the league in points. He would go on to appear in 8 United States Hockey League contests with the Green Bay Gamblers notching a goal and an assist.

Dickinson would go undrafted at the Ontario Hockey League Draft; however, he had previously committed to go the NCAA route with Ohio State University. On may 30, 2019 Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis announced that they had signed and received a commitment from Dickinson, thus voiding his NCAA eligibility.

Tanner Dickinson of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Tanner Dickinson of the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Entering his OHL draft year, there were concerns about his size, measuring in at 5’9 and just 124 pounds. But Dickinson has had a bit of a growth spurt since then weighing in at 155 pounds and measuring 5’11” (although some places list him at 6’). That concern has since been eliminated although he will definitely need to continue adding some bulk to his frame.

There are definitely some mixed reviews about Dickinson, or rather, difference of opinions on what he can become.

We here at OHLW think that Dickinson is a very intelligent player who sees the ice extremely well. He can play in the middle or on the wing, although we think he’ll best be suited at center once his game rounds out because he is so effective and distributing the puck.

Dickinson has superb speed. His edgework is very good and he can change pace as quick as anyone. But if your hands and head aren’t as quick as your feet, then all that speed is useless. However, that’s not the case here. He is such a speedy player; he gets in on defences quickly but his forechecking needs some work. Maybe once he adds that bulk to his frame, he will become more assertive physically on the forecheck. He also drives possession. He has no issues with carrying the puck over the blueline at to speed and assessing the situation and usually making the right play.

While all that speed pays dividends in offensive situations, it is also a weapon when on defence. For Dickinson, finding consistency is key not only from game-to-game, but shift to shift. He has shown the ability to come back hard on the backcheck. He knows where to be defensively and can close in on opponents quickly, and he can lead the breakout.

At the time the OHL paused its season for the Corona Virus threat, Dickinson had appeared in 64 games scoring 9 goals and assisting on 31, 2 and 16 of those respectively have come with the man advantage. His 31 helpers are second among OHL rookies this season and his 40 points rank him fifth. Not bad for a team as deep as the Greyhounds up front.

And for a team with aspirations of hosting a Memorial Cup in 2021, Dickinson could pay some huge dividends.

Luke Evangelista – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11

Weight: 165 Pounds

Date of birth: February 21, 2002

Hometown: Oakville, Ontario

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 14th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 58 N.A.

39 N.A.

 

If Minor Midget AAA is any indication of offensive prowess, then Luke Evangelista of the London Knights has it in spades. During the 2017-2018 season, Evangelista skated for the Oakville Rangers and potted 39 goals and 51 assists in 36 games. The Knights would select him with the 14th overall pick at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League’s Priority Selection.

Here’s what OHL Central Scouting had to say at the time of the draft:

Luke is a dynamic winger that never stops moving his feet and putting pressure on the opposition. He is a very good skater that is quick to jump to open holes and pounce on loose pucks. He is creative offensively and uses his high skill level to produce with the best in his league. He competes hard each and every shift and you always know what you are getting with this player. He shoots the puck well and is extremely accurate. He is used in every situation and thrives on the power play.

Luke Evangelista of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Luke Evangelista of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

If the 2018 preseason was an indication of things to follow, then there should have been a lot of optimism surrounding Evangelista. As has been said multiple times here, playing on a Dale Hunter squad is more about developing a player in all aspects of the game rather then just handing a spot to someone. But the transition to the OHL, at least offensively, wasn’t kind to him as he dressed for 27 games and notched just 2 assists.

What did happen however, is Evangelista learned how important playing a 200-foot game is and there aren’t many better to learn from then Coach Hunter.

Watch Evangelista, along with teammate Antonio Stranges talk about that first year and the process a young player goes through with the Knights here.

It has been quite the second season for Evangelista as he appeared in 62 games when the OHL seasons was paused due to the corona virus. He’s scored 23 goals while adding 38 helpers and is a plus-15 on the season. He sits among the top 10 draft eligible players in assists, points and plus/minus.

There is no “ugly” to Evangelista’s game, but there is some work to be done. First and foremost, he needs to get stronger. While the willingness to battle along the wall and drive to the net is there, he gets overpowered frequently by stronger players. Yet, there is no hesitation in him and as he adds some muscle, he will begin to win his share of those battles.

What we do like about Evangelista is his hockey IQ. He sees the ice extremely well and can anticipate what is going to happen. His positioning is excellent both in the offensive zone and the defensive zone. Combined with his excellent playmaking abilities, he’s able to set up teammates for quality scoring chances. He’s dangerous when he slows down the game and assesses quickly the options available. Making those same plays at top speed however, isn’t something displayed that often. He does get some powerplay time in London and usually sets up shop from the half wall where he can distribute pretty much at will.

Evangelista has also become effective on the penalty kill. As mentioned, his positioning and anticipation are excellent, but his stick positioning is also excellent, using it very effectively to take away lanes and shots. Again, that all comes under the tutelage of Hunter and the coaching staff.

It’s not always easy to gauge the potential of a young London Knights’ player who is in their draft year. For the most part, the Knights are often a deep, talented team and these youngsters play a depth role until their draft plus one year. But if you watch Evangelista often enough, you can see that the tools, and the tool box are there and they are just waiting to burst out when the opportunity arises.

Since the start of this season, we’ve believed Evangelista was worth second round consideration at the 2020 National Hockey League Draft when teams assemble in Montreal. NHL Central Scouting agrees (finally?) as they initially had him ranked as a C Prospect (typically a 4th, 5th or 6th round option) and moved him up to a B Prospect in November (2nd or 3rd round) and finally 58th overall amongst North American skaters on their mid-term rankings. That still puts him in the third round, but someone will give him some real consideration prior to that.

He deserves it.

CHL STATEMENT: 2019-20 SEASON PAUSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

The Canadian Hockey League and its three regional leagues the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League, take the health and safety of our players, fans, volunteers, staff, and general public very seriously. CHL President Dan MacKenzie with Commissioners David Branch, Gilles Courteau, and Ron Robison have been monitoring the situation in regards to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) including what local, provincial, and federal health agencies have recommended. Following consultation with medical professionals and meetings today among the CHL Executive Council, and regional league Board of Governors, the CHL announces that the balance of the 2019-20 season and all hockey activity shall be paused immediately until further notice.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 25

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week twenty-five 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 25

Rank: Team: Last Week Ranked: Total Weeks Ranked:
1 Sherbrooke Phoenix (51-8-3-1) 1 25
2 Ottawa 67’s (50-11-0-1) 2 23
3 Moncton Wildcats (49-13-1-0) 3 19
4 Portland Winterhawks (45-11-3-4) 6 15
5 Everett Silvertips (46-13-3-1) 4 19
6 London Knights (45-15-1-1) 7 11
7 Chicoutimi Sagueneens (44-12-5-1) 8 25
8 Edmonton Oil Kings (42-12-6-4) 5 22
9 Saginaw Spirit (41-16-3-2) 10 4
10 Spokane Chiefs (41-18-4-1) – 1
Honourable Mention:
Kitchener Rangers (39-16-5-2) 9 5
Kamloops Blazers (41-18-3-1) – 5
Cape Breton Eagles (40-19-2-1) – 6

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

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Cup Top 10

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the 15th 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, a game that can be seen live on the Rogers Super Sports Pak as well as streaming on the Ontario Hockey League’s YouTube Channel.

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 15

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Quinte Red Devils* OMHA 2 15
2 Toronto Jr. Canadiens* GTHL 1 15
3 Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs* ALLIANCE 3 15
4 Vaughan Kings* GTHL 4 11
5 Hamilton Huskies* ALLIANCE 5 13
6 Toronto Nationals* GTHL 6 15
7 Toronto Titans GTHL 7 15
8 Southern Tier Admirals* OMHA 8 15
9 Toronto Marlboros* GTHL 10 15
10 Oshawa Generals* OMHA – 1
Honourable Mention:
Ajax-Pickering Raiders OMHA – –
Whitby Wildcats* OMHA 9 3
Waterloo Wolves* ALLIANCE – 6

* – secured a spot at the 2020 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour

The newly crowned OMHA champion Quinte Red Devils are back on top of the OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour weekly Top-10 after wearing the red hats on home ice Sunday afternoon. The ALLIANCE champion Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs hold steady at third on the list while the OMHA finalist Oshawa Generals make their first appearance of the season, coming at 10th. The second-ranked Toronto Jr. Canadiens and fourth-ranked Vaughan Kings continue to play in the GTHL Championship Series. All 15 spots at the annual showcase have been claimed prior to Wild Card Play-In action on Tuesday, March 17th that will determine the final five entries.

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.