Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, January 15, 2023.
Attack’s Colby Barlow Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
2023 NHL Draft prospect Colby Barlow of the Owen Sound Attack is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording four goals, three assists and seven points in three victories along with a plus/minus rating of plus-3.
Barlow helped the Attack gain ground in the Western Conference last week as they took wins over Niagara, Erie and Guelph. He found the back of the net as the Attack defeated the Niagara IceDogs 5-1 on Wednesday. Barlow’s scoring ways continued on Thursday as he netted a goal and added two primary assists in a 6-5 overtime win over the Erie Otters. He turned in a first star performance to close out the week on Saturday, scoring his 28th and 29th goals of the season while adding an assist in a 6-4 win over the Guelph Storm. Barlow’s second of the game was the third period game winner as he came away from Saturday’s action with goals in seven straight contests, pushing his current point streak to nine games.
A 17-year-old from Orillia, Ont., Barlow leads the Attack with 55 points (29-26–55) in 36 games this season, sitting tied for second in League goal-scoring with 29 on the campaign. Barlow’s eight game winners lead the League and his 172 shots on goal are currently the third-most in the OHL. His 10-game goal-scoring streak from Nov. 12 to Dec. 4 is the longest in the League this season, setting a new Attack franchise record. Selected in the first round (8th overall) by Owen Sound in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Marlboros U16 program, the 6-foot-1, 187lb. winger scored 30 goals in 2021-22, a new Attack franchise record for a 16 or 17-year-old rookie. Barlow was listed as the OHL’s top-ranked skater on last week’s NHL Central Scouting Midseason Rankings, coming in at 10th in North America for the 2023 NHL Draft.
Also considered for the award this week, Boston Bruins prospect Brett Harrison put up seven points (4-3–7) in three victories for the Windsor Spitfires. North Bay Battalion overage forward Kyle McDonald also had success, recording five goals, one assist and six points for the Troops while also tacking on a shootout game winner.
2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Bryce McConnell-Barker (Soo Greyhounds)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Ryan Gagnier (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Brody Crane (London Knights)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Matvey Petrov (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Deni Goure (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
Bulldogs’ Matteo Drobac Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Matteo Drobac of the Hamilton Bulldogs is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two wins, a goals-against average of 2.00 and a save percentage of .949.
Drobac backstopped the Bulldogs to back-to-back road wins, starting with a 35-save effort on Friday night in Ottawa as the Bulldogs handed the first place 67’s a second home loss in under a month in a 4-3 decision. Drobac was excellent again on Saturday, making 40 saves to earn second star recognition in a 4-1 victory over the Kingston Frontenacs.
A 19-year-old native of Oakville, Ont., Drobac owns a record of 10-12-2-0 on the season with a 3.28 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage. The 6-foot-2, 201lb. netminder helped the Bulldogs win an OHL championship last year, joining Marco Costantini in winning the Dave Pinkney Trophy for fewest team goals-against by going 19-2-1-0 during the regular season with a 2.57 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in 23 games. He was selected in the sixth round (110th overall) by the Bulldogs in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the Halton Hurricanes U16 program.
A pair of other candidates were given consideration for the award as Arizona Coyotes prospect Anson Thornton of the Barrie Colts went 2-0, posting a 1.00 goals-against average and .958 save percentage. Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion also went 2-0, recording a 1.92 goals-against average and .948 save percentage.
2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Jan 9. – Jan. 15: Matteo Drobac (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Owen Flores (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Joe Ranger (Sudbury Wolves)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ivan Zhigalov (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Alessio Beglieri (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
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.
With exceptional mobility and speed, Clarke is almost like a fourth forward when transitioning to offence and jumping up into the play. It should come as no surprise since he models his game after Erik Karlsson. He plays a very poised game, patient with the puck, and rarely turns it over. He has excellent hockey senses and is a superb passer. His defensive game showed marked improvement as the season progressed. He gets back quickly because of his skating, has good gat control and is effective with his stick. And he doesn’t shy away from the physicality and began to be the player who initiated contact rather then the receiver as the season went on. Clarke finished the season with 6 goals and 32 assists in 57 games and was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team. 
The offensively talented McTavish led all 2003 born players in goals and points despite not always getting the best offensive opportunities with the Petes, moving up and down the lineup. He’s a puck possession beast, seemingly having the puck on a string. He’s not shy about going end-to-end, is patient with the puck and is very adept at creating space. He reads the play extremely well and is able to find soft spots undetected. He is willing to drive the net with or without the puck. McTavish is a pure sniper with a pro caliber shot and release already. He’s already physically strong and yet there is still room for more. He’s also a top player in the faceoff circle. McTavish finished the season with 29 goals and 13 assists in 57 games and was named to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team.
At this point, it may not be a reach to say that Pinelli is the best two-way player out of the draft class and that ability coming straight from minor midget earned him the trust of the Rangers coaches. He’s a versatile player who can play both the wing and down the middle. He works hard from shift-to-shift and is not afraid to play a physical game. He has high hockey senses, is positionally sound and creates turnovers almost at will. He’s a strong skater with a unique ability to draw in defenders and make a perfect pass. He has a superb one-timer and can unleash it with accuracy and it is especially dangerous on the pp with space. He finished fourth among rookies with 18 goals and 23 assists in 59 games.
When watching Othmann play, it’s obvious his deadliest asset is his shot. He possesses and excellent one-timer and a snap shot that is deadly accurate with a superb release. Maybe it was a lack of confidence in his abilities, but he just didn’t use that shot enough as he chose to dish off rather then take his shot. That said, he is a very good playmaker as well, so maybe he was reading something else on the ice. One might raise the question if it’s his hockey sense/vision that comes into play. However, I believe it’s just a question of confidence in his ability to beat goaltenders and with a year under his belt, those questions will be answered. Othmann finished the season with 17 goals and 16 assists in 55 games and was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team.
With a late 2002 birth date, Chayka will be in his third OHL season come his draft year and the young Russian has already made a name for himself. He is a smooth skater, plays in all situations and eats up huge minutes. Chayka is a pass first defender but is more then willing to jump into the play on offence. He has a good shot from the point but doesn’t try to overpower goaltenders and shoots with a purpose. Defensively his size and skating make him hard to beat one-on-one. Even at a young age, Chayka has shown excellent leadership qualities. Chayka finished the season with 11 goals and 23 assists in 56 games. He was named to the 2018-2019 OHL Second All-Rookie Team.
While the attention in Sudbury was all on Quinton Byfield, Stillman quietly put up a very good rookie season. The son of former NHL’er Cory Stillman and younger brother of Riley, he comes from a family with hockey blood lines. He is a swift skater he has a high level of hockey smarts. Stillman is a coachable player – not because his father is a coach in Sudbury, he stayed with a billet family, but he took directions well from the older players. Expect Stillman to be one of the go-to guys for offence in Sudbury next season. He finished the year with 13 goals and 21 assists in 58 games. He was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team.
OHL Writers 