OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month: November

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

FORWARD OF THE MONTH: ALEX KOSTOV – FLINT FIREBIRDS

Draft re-entry candidate for 2026, Kostov delivered a statement month in November, piling up 9 goals and 9 assists across 10 games while recording at least one point in every outing. His signature performance came on November 7, when he lit up the North Bay Battalion with four goals. Remarkably, he followed that effort the very next night with a three-goal showing against the Guelph Storm, cementing one of the most memorable back-to-back performances of the season.

Beyond the scoring touch, Kostov was reliable in the faceoff circle, winning 77 of 145 draws for a 53.1% success rate. His efficiency stood out as well—he generated 36 shots on goal and converted at a sharp 25.0% clip.

Other standouts in November included Owen Sound’s Pierce Mbuyi, who posted 6 goals and 11 assists in 13 games, and Ottawa’s Jasper Kuhta, who chipped in 5 goals and 10 assists over 12 contests.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH: CHASE REID – SOO GREYHOUNDS

Reid continues to generate buzz in draft circles, and November only strengthened his case. The dynamic defenseman produced 7 goals and 5 assists in just 10 games, showcasing his ability to drive offense from the back end. His impact was felt in key moments—two of his tallies came on the power play, while another stood as the game-winner.

Reid’s shot volume was equally impressive, firing 44 pucks on net throughout the month. His most dominant outing came on November 7 against the Guelph Storm, where he peppered the opposition with 8 shots.

Also in the mix was Windsor’s Carson Woodall, our reigning Defenseman of the Month for September and October. Woodall remained steady with 5 goals and 7 assists across 12 games for the Spitfires.

Chase Reid of the Soo Greyhounds. Photo by OHL Images.

GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH: BEN HREBIK – BARRIE COLTS

The OHL Goaltender of the Week (Nov. 10–16) was a clear choice for us here. Hrebik delivered a dominant stretch, going 6-0-1-1 in eight appearances while turning aside 282 of 298 shots for a stellar .946 save percentage. He rose to the occasion under heavy fire, facing 40-plus shots three times and posting a 2-0-0-1 record in those outings. On two other nights, he stopped 39 shots en route to a perfect 2-0-0-0 mark. His consistency was underscored by a sharp 1.96 goals-against average across the month.

Also in the conversation was Peterborough’s Easton Rye, who put together an impressive run of his own. Rye went 8-2-0-0 in 10 games, stopping 326 of 351 shots for a .929 save percentage.

Previous Months

Forward

Caleb Malhotra – Brantford Bulldogs – September

Tristan Delisle – Owen Sound Attack – October

Defenseman

Carson Woodall – Windsor Spitfires – September

Carson Woodall – Windsor Spitfires – October

Chase Reid – Soo Greyhounds – November

Goaltender

Michael Newlove – Windsor Spitfires – September

Vladislav Yermolenko – Niagara IceDogs – October

Ben Hrebik – Barrie Colts – November

OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month: October

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
Carson Woodall of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by OHL Images.

FORWARD OF THE MONTH: Tristan Delisle – Owen Sound Attack

Delisle has been a model of consistency to start the season, registering at least one point in every game to date. October was particularly productive, as the forward racked up 19 points—7 goals and 12 assists—across the month, including six multi-point outings. His standout performance came on October 29, when he netted a hat trick against the Sarnia Sting. The OHL took notice, naming him a finalist for Player of the Month honors.

Also considered was his teammate Pierce Mbuyi who had 7 goals and 9 assists and Nikita Klepov of the Saginaw Spirit with 6 goals and 9 assists in 11 games.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH: Carson Woodall – Windsor Spitfires

Carson Woodall has earned back-to-back honors as our Draft-Eligible Defenseman of the Month, continuing his standout campaign with another impressive stretch in October. Over 11 games, the blueliner tallied two goals and 13 assists, leading all draft-eligible defensemen in scoring for the month. That brings his season totals to 3 goals and 20 assists through 17 games—an early statement from a rising prospect.

Woodall recorded four multi-assist performances and registering points in all but one outing—October 4 against the Brantford Bulldogs. His consistent production and playmaking prowess earned him OHL Defenseman of the Month honors, further cementing his status as one of the league’s top draft-eligible blueliners.

Also earning consideration was Soo Greyhounds blueliner Chase Reid, who quietly put together a strong October. Over 12 games, Reid notched two goals and added 12 assists, anchoring the Greyhounds’ transition game with steady production from the back end.

GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH: Vladislav Yermolenko – Niagara IceDogs

Named a runner-up for OHL Goaltender of the Month, Yermolenko earns our nod as the Draft-Eligible Goaltender of the Month after a standout October. The netminder posted a 5-1-0-1 record across seven appearances, closing the month on a five-game winning streak. He faced a heavy workload—234 shots in total—and turned aside 215 of them. While others may boast flashier numbers, few matched Yermolenko’s volume or consistency between the pipes.

Also earning recognition were North Bay’s Jack Lisson and Ottawa’s Jaeden Nelson, both of whom turned in strong October performances. Lisson posted a stellar .942 save percentage, stopping 81 of 86 shots across three outings for the Battalion. Nelson, meanwhile, faced a heavier workload with five appearances for the 67’s, turning aside 173 of 189 shots to keep his club competitive.

Previous Months

Forward

Caleb Malhotra – Brantford Bulldogs – September

Tristan Delisle – Owen Sound Attack – October

Defenseman

Carson Woodall – Windsor Spitfires – September

Carson Woodall – Windsor Spitfires – October

Goaltender

Michael Newlove – Windsor Spitfires – September

Vladislav Yermolenko – Niagara IceDogs – October

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO (Saturday, November 1, 2025) – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced Top Performers of the Month for October, with additional totals from September’s opening weeks of the regular season also recognized.

Player of the Month – Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs) – 12 GP, 7G, 19A, 26 PTS., +15
Seattle Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien of the Brantford Bulldogs is the OHL Player of the Month for October, starting his season with a league-leading 26 points (7-19–26) through just 12 games. O’Brien’s start featured seven different multi-point outings highlighted by five points (3-2–5) on Oct. 12th in an 8-5 win over the Ottawa 67’s. He tallied four points (1-3–4) in a game on Oct. 26th as the Bulldogs defeated the host Oshawa Generals 4-1. Behind O’Brien’s leadership, Brantford remains the lone OHL team that is undefeated in regulation (11-0-2-1) entering the month of November.

Named Bulldogs captain to start the season, the 18-year-old O’Brien leads the OHL with 26 points in his third OHL season. The former OHL Rookie of the Year in 2023-24 has 188 career points (52-136–188) over 139 regular season games as a Bulldog. Brantford selected O’Brien with the eighth overall pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. He was Seattle’s first round (8th overall) pick last summer, signing an entry-level NHL contract with the Kraken on July 3, 2025.

Also considered for the award this month, Owen Sound Attack forward Tristan Delisle rides a 16-game point streak, producing 24 points (9-15–24) in that span. Bulldogs teammate Adam Benak, a Minnesota Wild prospect, was also productive with 24 points (7-17–24) over 12 games.

Defenceman of the Month – Carson Woodall (Windsor Spitfires) – 16 GP, 2G, 20A, 22 PTS., +4
Windsor Spitfires blueliner Carson Woodall is the OHL Defenceman of the Month for October, leading OHL rearguards with 22 points (2-20–22) over 16 contests. The third year veteran has recorded a point in all but two of his outings this season, scoring his two goals in a 2-0 win over the Ottawa 67’s on Oct. 23rd. Woodall’s offensive productivity has helped the Spitfires put together the league’s third-ranked power play at 32.8 percent, with him leading all OHL players in power play points with 14 (1-13–14).

A 19-year-old from nearby Belle River, ON, Woodall is a former 10th round (202nd overall) pick by the Spitfires in 2022 who has developed into a reliable contributor on the blueline. The 5-foot-11, 183Ib. defenceman has accrued 89 points (11-78–89) over his 142 career regular season games with the Spitfires.

Also considered for the award this month, New York Islanders prospect Kashawn Aitcheson of the Barrie Colts leads OHL defencemen with nine goals, including a pair of recent overtime winners. The 18-year-old Aitcheson has 15 points (9-6–15) in as many games.

Goaltender of the Month – Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires) – 11 GP, 9-1-0-0, 1.66 GAA, .923 SV%, 2 SO
Joey Costanzo of the Windsor Spitfires is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for October, compiling an impressive record of 9-1 with a 1.66 goals-against average and .923 save percentage over 11 contests. Costanzo’s success featured a pair of shutouts, with the first in a 4-0 win over the Sudbury Wolves on Sept. 25th followed by another in a 6-0 triumph over the Niagara IceDogs on Oct. 2nd.

A 20-year-old from Toronto, Costanzo owns a career OHL record of 84-50-5-4 with a 3.61 goals-against average and .884 save percentage with seven shutouts over 158 regular season games between Windsor and Niagara. He was originally. Niagara’s second round (23rd overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.

Also considered for the award this week, Mason Vaccari of the Flint Firebirds was very good in October, going 7-2-1-0 with a 2.66 goals-against average and .923 save percentage and two shutouts over 10 games. Niagara IceDogs newcomer Vladislav Yermolenko also made a strong impression, going 6-1-0-1 with a 2.63 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and one shutout over nine games. Additionally, San Jose Sharks prospect Christian Kirsch of the Kitchener Rangers played to an 8-2-0-0 mark with a 1.99 goals-against average, .920 save percentage and one shutout.

Rookie of the Month – Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit) – 15 GP, 10G, 13A, 23 PTS., +2
First-year Saginaw Spirit forward Nikita Klepov is the OHL Rookie of the Month for October, pacing OHL newcomers with 23 points (10-13–23) over 15 games. Klepov’s introduction to the OHL has been headlined by a five-point effort (2-3–5) on Oct. 4th as the Spirit skated to a 7-5 road win over the Owen Sound Attack. He’s proceeded to post a goal and an assist on Oct. 18th at Flint and Oct. 24th vs. Erie. Klepov currently leads all OHL skaters with 71 shots on goal.

A 17-year-old from Deerfield Beach, Florida, Klepov comes to the OHL from the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers where he posted 31 points (12-19–31) over 59 games in 2024-25. Selected 35th overall by the Spirit in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, Klepov is an A-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary players to watch list, indicating a potential first round NHL Draft pick. The 6-foot, 180Ib. right-wing won gold with the United States at this past summer’s Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. Klepov is committed to Michigan State (NCAA).

Also considered for the award this week, fellow NHL Draft prospect Caleb Malhotra of the Brantford Bulldogs piled up 19 points (6-13–19) over 14 games. Spirit teammate Levi Harper was a productive force on the blueline, recording 15 points (5-10–15) over 15 contests. In the crease, Ryder Fetterolf of the Ottawa 67’s went 5-2-1-0 with a 2.10 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.

OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month: September

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

With the opening month of the 2025–26 Ontario Hockey League season now behind us, OHL Writers are set to unveil their picks for the top forward, defenseman, and goaltender eligible for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft for the month of September.

FORWARD OF THE MONTH: Caleb Malhotra, Brantford Bulldogs

It was quite the September for Malhotra as he scored 3 goals and added 5 assists and was a plus-8 in just three games. He had points in each of his games and had a 5-point night on 2 goals and 3 assists on September 27 in a 7-2 win over the Sudbury Wolves. Two of his goals were game winning goals.

Egor Barabanov of the Saginaw Spirit also earned consideration. Over four games, he tallied three goals and six assists with a plus-1 rating. Each outing was a multi-point effort, with his lone goalless performance coming on September 26 against the Niagara IceDogs. Barabanov is a draft re-entry.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH: Carson Woodall, Windsor Spitfires

Woodall is a draft re-entry defenseman now in his third full season with the Spitfires. He appeared in 5 games and had 7 assists – going without a point just once on September 29 against the Barrie Colts. On September 19 he had three assists in an 8-1 win over the Sarnia Sting and followed that up with two assists against the London Knights the next night in a 4-1 win.

Also considered was Kingston Frontenacs defenseman Vann Williamson, also a draft re-entry. Williamson posted 5 assists in 4 games that including 2 assists on opening night against the Ottawa 67’s.

GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH: Michael Newlove, Windsor Spitfires

Newlove was flawless in his two September starts, earning wins in both outings while boasting a stingy 1.00 goals-against average and an outstanding .966 save percentage. He kicked off the month on September 19 by turning aside 21 of 22 shots in a commanding 8–1 win over Sarnia, then backed it up with a 35-save performance on September 28, guiding his team to a 4–1 victory against the Oshawa Generals.

Newlove enters the 2026 draft as a re-entry after going undrafted in 2025. He saw limited action last season with the Spitfires, appearing in three games and posting a 2-0-0-0 record, along with a 2.89 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.

Also considered was another draft re-entry candidate, Ben Hrebik of the Barrie Colts. Hrebik went 0-1-0-1 and had 1.95 goals against average and a .950 save percentage. He stopped 50 of 51 shots he faced on September 25 yet lost 2-1 in a shootout. Two nights later he stopped 26 of 29 shots in a 3-1 loss to Windsor.