PANWAR AND DIVINCENTIIS NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on 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, March 12, 2023.



Bulldogs’ Sahil Panwar Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

For the second time this season, Sahil Panwar of the Hamilton Bulldogs is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording three goals, four assists and seven points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-4.

Helping guide the Bulldogs to a 3-0 showing last week, the overage forward got things started with an assist in a 4-3 road win over the Niagara IceDogs on Thursday. The Bulldogs returned home to host the IceDogs on Friday as Panwar recorded a goal and a pair of helpers in the 6-2 victory. The 6-foot, 185 lb. centreman closed out the weekend with two goals and an assist to earn first star honours as the Bulldogs defeated the Ottawa 67’s 6-3 on Sunday.

A 21-year-old native of Mississauga, Ont., Panwar currently has points in 12 of his last 13 games. He’s produced 18 goals, 28 assists and 46 points in 29 games since joining the Bulldogs in January. In total, Panwar has recorded 28 goals, 35 assists and 63 points over 63 games between Hamilton and Peterborough in 2022-23. The former second round (23rd overall) pick by the London Knights in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection has registered 51 goals, 67 assists and 118 points in 194 career regular season games split between the Knights, Flint Firebirds, Peterborough Petes and Hamilton Bulldogs. Panwar attended rookie camp with the Florida Panthers as a free agent invite in September.

Also considered for the award this week, Nashville Predators prospect Nolan Burke of the Sarnia Sting produced four goals, two assists and six points in two victories last week. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Gavin Hayes of the Flint Firebirds contributed five goals and an assist for six points in three wins.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 6– Mar. 12: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Christian Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Braeden Bowman (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Nolan Burke (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Sean McGurn (London Knights)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
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)
 



Battalion’s Domenic DiVincentiis Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

For the second-straight week and third time this season, Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two wins including a shutout, a goals-against average of 0.50 and a save percentage of .984.

Stopping 63 of the 64 shots he faced, DiVincentiis defended the crease in back-to-back victories for the Battalion last week. He turned aside 36 of the 37 shots that came his way on Wednesday as North Bay defeated the Owen Sound Attack 4-1. The 6-foot-2, 190lb. netminder was back in the crease on Sunday, stopping all 27 shots he faced to earn his fourth shutout of the season as the Battalion blanked the London Knights 4-0. Together with goaltending partner Charlie Robertson, DiVincentiis has helped the Battalion put together a run of one goal allowed over their past five games.

A 19-year-old native of Bolton, Ont., DiVincentiis owns a record of 34-9-2-0 on the season with a league-best 2.36 goals-against average along with a .918 save percentage. He was the recipient of the OHL’s F.W. ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy in 2021-22, posting a league-low 2.59 goals-against average among rookies to go with a 14-8-0-1 record and .907 save percentage. DiVincentiis was selected in the seventh round (207th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 NHL Draft.  He’s a former sixth round (116th overall) pick by the Battalion in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

Also in the running for the award this week, New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit recorded a two-win week with a 1.00 goals-against average, and .962 save percentage. Arizona Coyotes prospect Anson Thornton of the Barrie Colts also played to a 2-0 mark with a 2.00 goals-against average and .930 save percentage.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Zach Bowen (London Knights)
Jan 30 – Feb. 5: Nate Krawchuk (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan 23 – Jan. 29: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Jan 16 – Jan. 22: Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
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.

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KYROU AND DIVINCENTIIS NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on 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, March 5, 2023.



Sting’s Christian Kyrou Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Dallas Stars prospect Christian Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording two goals, five assists and seven points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-6.

Kyrou started his week off strong on Wednesday, recording an assist along with the shootout game winner as the Sting defeated the Soo Greyhounds 4-3 to clinch a spot in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. He found the scoresheet again on Friday, also recording three helpers as the Sting defeated the visiting London Knights 6-1. Kyrou helped the Sting close out a perfect weekend on Sunday, scoring the game winner late in the third period to finish with two goals, an assist and first star honours in a 9-6 win over the Windsor Spitfires.

A 19-year-old native of Komoka, Ont., Kyrou has recorded 67 points (18-49-67) in 56 games between Sarnia and Erie this season. He was a second round (50th overall) pick of the Dallas Stars last summer following 18 goals, 42 assists and 60 points in 68 games with the Erie Otters last season. The 5-foot-11, 182lb. defenceman was originally Erie’s fifth round (84th overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection.

Also considered for the award this week, Barrie Colts overage forward Evan Vierling produced three goals, six assists and nine points in three contests last week. Detroit Red Wings prospect Amadeus Lombardi of the Flint Firebirds contributed three goals and three assists for six points in two victories.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Christian Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Braeden Bowman (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Nolan Burke (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Sean McGurn (London Knights)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
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)



Battalion’s Dom DiVincentiis Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two wins including a shutout, a goals-against average of 1.00 and a save percentage of .972.

DiVincentiis backstopped the Battalion in back-to-back victories last week, starting with a 23-save effort in Thursday’s 5-2 win over the visiting Sudbury Wolves. The win was DiVincentiis’ 31st of the season, pushing him ahead of Jake Smith’s previously established single season franchise wins record from 2015-16.  DiVincentiis was back in the crease on Friday in Mississauga, stopping all 46 shots he faced to earn his third career OHL shutout as the Battalion defeated the Steelheads 3-0.

An 18-year-old native of Bolton, Ont., DiVincentiis owns a record of 32-9-2-0 on the season with a league-best 2.45 goals-against average along with a .915 save percentage. He was the recipient of the OHL’s F.W. ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy in 2021-22, posting a league-low 2.59 goals-against average among rookies to go with a 14-8-0-1 record and .907 save percentage. DiVincentiis was selected in the seventh round (207th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 NHL Draft.  He’s a former sixth round (116th overall) pick by the Battalion in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

Also in the running for the award this week, New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit turned aside 88 shots, including a 59-save shutout in Peterborough on Thursday to end the week with a 1.44 goals-against average, and .967 save percentage. Marco Costantini of the Kitchener Rangers played to a 2-0 mark with a 2.00 goals-against average, .944 save percentage and one shutout.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Zach Bowen (London Knights)
Jan 30 – Feb. 5: Nate Krawchuk (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan 23 – Jan. 29: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Jan 16 – Jan. 22: Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
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.

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Posted on 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 2023 including Owen Sound Attack forward Colby Barlow, Barrie Colts blueliner Brandt Clarke, Windsor Spitfires rookie Liam Greentree and North Bay Battalion netminder Domenic DiVincentiis.

OHL Player of the Month – Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack):
2023 NHL Draft prospect Colby Barlow of the Owen Sound Attack is the OHL Player of the Month for January, producing 14 goals, six assists and 20 points in 12 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-6. The Attack captain guided his team to a January mark of 8-3-1-0, registering points in 11 of his 12 outings, seven of those yielding multiple points. The 6-foot-1, 187 Ib. forward logged a goal and two helpers on Jan. 12th as the Attack defeated the Erie Otters 6-5 in overtime. Barlow’s scoring ways continued on Jan. 14th with another three-point showing, recording an assist and a pair of goals including the game winner in a 6-4 win over the Guelph Storm. He posted another two-goal night on Jan. 21st as the Attack defeated the Peterborough Petes 7-4 before closing out the month with another game-winning goal (2-0–2) in a 4-3 win over the Sudbury Wolves on Jan. 28th. Barlow becomes the first Attack player to earn OHL Player of the Month honours since Petrus Palmu, who was recognized in March 2017.

A 17-year-old from Orillia, Ont., Barlow leads the OHL with 36 goals on the season, including a League-leading 10 game winners. Listed as the OHL’s top-ranked skater on NHL’s Central Scouting Midseason Rankings, Barlow currently leads the Attack with 63 points (36-27–63) in 42 games. Now in his second season with Owen Sound, the left-winger has produced career totals that include 66 goals, 44 assists and 110 points in 101 regular season games. He was voted to the League’s first all-rookie team last season, setting an Attack franchise record for goals by a 16-year-old forward with 30. Barlow was Owen Sound’s first round (8th overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Marlboros U16 program. He returns to the Bayshore after captaining Team White to a 4-2 victory in the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects game held in Langley, BC last week.

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, recording 20 points including 10 goals and 10 assists in nine games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-12 since returning from the Kings on Jan. 12th. Clarke’s offensive dominance on the blue line helped the Colts play to a January record of 6-3-0-0 upon his return, finishing the month with consecutive victories. His month included points in eight of his nine contests, including six multi-point showings. Clarke recorded a pair of goals and assists (2-2-4) on Jan. 15th to earn first star honours as the Colts defeated the Mississauga Steelheads 6-2. The 6-foot-2, 188lb. blueliner went on to register two goals and an assist on Jan. 17th against Owen Sound, assisting on the overtime winner as the Colts defeated the Attack 6-5. Continuing to lead the Colts to victory, Clarke recorded another three points on Jan. 28th with a pair of goals and a helper as Barrie defeated the Flint Firebirds 6-4. He rounded-out January with his first career OHL hat trick the following night, tacking on an assist as the Colts took a 4-1 win over the Saginaw Spirit. This mark’s Clarke’s second career OHL Defenceman of the Month honour after he was previously recognized in January 2022.

A 19-year-old from Nepean, Ont., Clarke has produced career totals that include 27 goals, 90 assists and 117 points in 121 regular season games. Now in his third season with the Colts, Clarke was voted to the League’s second all-star team in 2021-22, recording 59 points (11-48–59) in 55 games. The blueliner was Barrie’s first round (4th overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the Don Mills Flyers U16 program. He was a first round (8th overall) pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2021 NHL Draft, and signed a three-year entry level NHL contract with the club on Aug. 10, 2021. Clarke returned to the Colts after winning a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship last month. He played in nine games with Los Angeles earlier this season, recording two assists in the process.

OHL Goaltender of the Month – Domenic DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion):
Winnipeg Jets prospect Domenic DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for January, playing to a 7-0-0-1 record with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. DiVincentiis made 216 saves last month, winning seven of his eight outings for the Central Division-leading Battalion. He stopped 26 of the 27 shots that came his way on top of four shootout attempts on Jan. 11th as the Battalion defeated the Sudbury Wolves 2-1. He turned aside 47 of the 50 shots he faced the following week at home as the Battalion defeated the Flint Firebirds by a score of 7-3 on Jan. 15th. He closed out January blocking 30 of the 32 shots he faced on Jan. 28th as the Battalion defeated the Niagara IceDogs 8-2.

An 18-year-old Bolton, Ont. native, DiVincentiis leads the OHL with 25 wins to go with a 2.51 goals-against average and .911 save percentage through 32 games in his second OHL season. Helping backstop the Battalion to the Eastern Conference Championship Series last season, the 6-foot-2, 190lb. goaltender has played to a career mark of 39-14-1-1 with a 2.54 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 59 regular season games with North Bay. He was the OHL’s F.W. ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy winner in 2021-22, posting a 2.59 goals-against average while also being voted to the League’s second all-rookie team. DiVincentiis was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the seventh round (207th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. He was originally North Bay’s sixth round (116th overall) pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection from the Vaughan Kings U16 program.

OHL Rookie of the Month – Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires):
Windsor Spitfires forward Liam Greentree is the OHL Rookie of the Month for January, recording 16 points including 10 goals and six assists in 12 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-6. Greentree recorded points in nine of his 12 January contests, finishing the month with points in four consecutive showings. He had a two-point night on Jan. 14th, recording a goal and a game-winning assist to earn first star honours as the Spitfires defeated the Saginaw Spirit 5-3. He continued his scoring ways with a hat trick on Jan. 22nd, including a pair of goals less than a minute apart as the Spitfires fell to the Oshawa Generals in a high-scoring 9-5 contest. Greentree finished the month with another pair of goals on Jan. 29th as the Spitfires took a 9-4 win over the Soo Greyhounds. Greentree is the first Spitfires player to earn OHL Rookie of the Month honours since Logan Brown, who was recognized in February 2015.

A 2006-born right-winger from Oshawa, Ont., the 6-foot-2, 198lb. Greentree recently joined Will Cuylle as just the second Spitfires 16-year-old rookie in the past 10 years to reach the 20-goal mark. Greentree was Windsor’s second round (34th overall) pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection from the Markham Majors U16 program. He wont be eligible for the NHL Draft until 2024.

2022-23 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
January – Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
December – Francesco Pinelli (Kitchener Rangers)
November – Sean McGurn (London Knights)
October – Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds)

Defenceman of the Month:
January – Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts)
December – Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
November – Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
October – Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)

Goaltender of the Month:
January – Domenic DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
December – Anson Thornton (Barrie Colts)
November – Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
October – Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)

Rookie of the Month:
January – Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires)
December – Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit)
November – Oliver Bonk (London Knights)
October – Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit)


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.

BARLOW AND DROBAC NAMEDOHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on 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 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.

DIVINCENTIIS AND MUSTY NAMEDOHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on 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, December 4, 2022.



Wolves’ Quentin Musty Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

2023 NHL Draft prospect Quentin Musty of the Sudbury Wolves is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording two goals, seven assists and nine points in two games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-4.

Musty returned to the Wolves lineup with a goal and an assist in Friday’s 3-2 loss to the visiting Owen Sound Attack. He took centre stage on Sunday afternoon, extending his point streak to 12 games with a franchise record-tying seven points (1-6–7) in a lopsided 13-2 win over the visiting Niagara IceDogs. Musty’s seven points are the most in a single game by a Wolves player since Mike Fisher and Norm Milley both posted seven on Dec. 18, 1998 against Barrie. Hector Marini (Oct. 8, 1976 vs. Ottawa) and Ron Duguay (Mar. 13, 1977 at Toronto) also share the record with Musty, who helped the Wolves score the most goals by an OHL club since the Guelph Storm netted 13 on Mar. 14, 2014.

A 17-year-old from Hamburg, NY., Musty leads the Wolves with 34 points (9-25–34) in 22 games this season. Selected first overall by Sudbury in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection from the North Jersey Avalanche U16 program, the 6-foot-2, 197Ib. Musty recorded 12 goals, 19 assists and 31 points in his rookie campaign last season. He was recently upgraded to an ‘A’ rating by NHL Central Scouting for the 2023 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week, Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov put up nine points (4-5–9) in three games for the Sarnia Sting. Windsor Spitfires forward Oliver Peer also had success, recording two goals, five assists and seven points as the Spits went 3-0 last week.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
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)
 



Battalion’s Dom DiVincentiis Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two wins, a goals-against average of 1.00 and a save percentage of .967.

Defending the crease in back-to-back road wins, DiVincentiis turned aside 20 of the 22 shots he faced as the Battalion defeated the Kingston Frontenacs 4-2 on Friday. DiVincentiis was back between the pipes on Saturday, backstopping the Battalion to a 3-0 win over the Peterborough Petes where he made 38 saves to earn his first career OHL shutout and first star honours.

An 18-year-old native of Bolton, Ont., DiVincentiis owns a record of 13-4-0-0 on the season with a league-best 2.49 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. He was the recipient of the OHL’s F.W. ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy in 2021-22, posting a league-low 2.59 goals-against average among rookies to go with a 14-8-0-1 record and .907 save percentage. DiVincentiis was selected in the seventh round (207th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 NHL Draft.  He’s a former sixth round (116th overall) pick by the Battalion in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

A pair of other candidates were given consideration for the award as London Knights netminder Brett Brochu went 2-0, recording a 1.50 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in wins over Guelph and Niagara. Windsor Spitfires goaltender Mathias Onuska also went 2-0, posting a 2.00 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
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.

CRANE AND RANGER NAMEDOHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on 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, November 13th.



Knights’ Brody Crane Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Brody Crane of the London Knights is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording four goals, three assists and seven points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-3.

Helping the Knights to a perfect 3-0 showing, Crane opened up the weekend with a pair of goals on Friday as London defeated visiting Barrie in a thrilling 5-4 overtime win. He registered a career-high four points on Saturday, scoring twice while adding two assists as the Knights defeated the Windsor Spitfires 6-1. The 5-foot-11, 185lb. forward contributed another assist on Sunday as the Knights closed out the weekend with a 4-2 win over the Soo Greyhounds.

An 18-year-old native of Union, Ont., Crane has produced six goals, eight assists and 14 points in 16 games this season. The former fourth round (62nd overall) pick by the Knights in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection has registered 14 goals, 15 assists and 29 points in 72 career regular season games. The son of former Knights, Ottawa 67’s and Windsor Spitfires forward Derrick Crane (1990-93), Brody attended rookie camp with the New Jersey Devils this past fall.

Also given consideration for the award this week were recent award recipient Deni Goure of the Owen Sound Attack, who recorded three goals, five assists and eight points (3-5-8) in four games. Logan Morrison of the Hamilton Bulldogs was also a standout, recording one goal and six helpers (1-6-7) over three outings.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
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)



Wolves’ Joe Ranger Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Joe Ranger of the Sudbury Wolves is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two wins, a goals-against average of 2.00 and a save percentage of .931.

Defending the crease in back-to-back victories, Ranger turned aside 32 of the 35 shots that came his way as Sudbury opened up the weekend with a 6-3 victory over the Guelph Storm on Friday. The 6-foot, 191lb. netminder returned to the crease on Saturday, stopping 22 of the 23 shots he faced as the Wolves dominated the Kitchener Rangers in a 6-1 win at home.

A 20-year-old from Carp, Ont., Ranger owns a 6-6-2-0 record with a 3.37 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 14 games this season. The former fourth round (63rd overall) pick by the Mississauga Steelheads in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection currently holds a 28-25-7-0 record in 69 regular season OHL appearances between Sudbury and Mississauga.

A pair of other candidates were given consideration for the award as North Bay Battalion netminder Dom DiVincentiis went 2-0 on the weekend, recording a 2.00 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in wins over Barrie and Guelph. Kitchener Rangers goaltender Marco Costantini went 2-1-0-0, posting a 2.36 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
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.

BEGLIERI AND MINTYUKOV NAMEDOHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on 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, October 9, 2022.



Spirit’s Pavel Mintyukov Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Anaheim Ducks prospect Pavel Mintyukov of the Saginaw Spirit is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording four goals along with three assists for seven points over three games.

Mintyukov led the Spirit, recording one goal and one assist in a 7-4 win against the Sarnia Sting on Friday, continuing his efforts in a two-point night on Saturday against the Windsor Spitfires. The six-foot-three, 195 lb. blueliner closed out the weekend with two goals and an assist on Sunday to help Saginaw defeat the Sudbury Wolves 5-2 at home as he now leads all OHL players with 12 points (5-7-12) on the season.

An 18-year-old rearguard, Mintyukov was selected in the first round (10th overall) by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2022 NHL Draft. The former first round (52nd overall) pick by the Spirit in the 2020 CHL Import Draft recorded 17 goals, 45 assists and 62 points last season, becoming the first defenceman to ever lead the Spirit in regular season scoring.

Also given consideration for the award this week were Spirit teammate and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Matyas Sapovaliv, who recorded seven points, scoring four goals and three assists. Sudbury Wolves sophomore forward Quentin Musty was also a standout, recording seven points (3-4–7) in a three-game weekend for the Wolves.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit) 
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)



Steelheads’ Alessio Beglieri Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Alessio Beglieri of the Mississauga Steelheads is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two victories, a 0.96 goals-against average, .961 save percentage and one shutout.

Beglieri stopped 35 of the 37 shots that came his way on top of two shootout attempts as the Steelheads won 3-2 over the Erie Otters despite being outshot 37-26 on Friday. The 5-foot-11, 170Ib. goaltender returned to the crease on Saturday, stopping 14 shots for his first career OHL shutout in a 4-0 triumph over the Owen Sound Attack.

An 18-year-old from Nidau, Switzerland, Beglieri was selected by the Steelheads in the first round (33rd overall) of the 2022 CHL Import Draft and remains undefeated in three appearances for Mississauga this season.

A pair of other candidates were given consideration for the award as North Bay Battalion netminder and Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis posted 47 saves in a pair of outings, recording a 1.44 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. Peterborough Petes goaltender Michael Simpson blocked 26 shots for the shutout on Saturday, posting a 1.52 goals-against average and .949 save percentage in two appearances.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
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.

Domenic DiVincentiis – North Bay Battalion – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
HTWTDOBPOSCATCHESOHL DRAFTNHLCSCOUNTRY
6’2”1813-4-04GL116th 202024th NACANADA
Domenic DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by Robert Lefebvre/OHL Images

I will admit that I am baffled at NHL Central Scouting’s ranking of North Bay Battalion Goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis. I am even more baffled that they dropped him eleven spots from their mid term ranking to their final ranking among North American Goaltenders. That change dropped him from fourth among OHL goaltenders to seventh. The fact is, there are plenty of OHL people that believe he is the top OHL goaltender for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Among draft eligible netminders, DiVincentiis finished with the best goals-against-average (winning the Dinty Moore Trophy as the rookie goaltender with the lowest GAA) and third best save-percentage, surpassed only by two draft re-entry or “overagers”. The Battalion coaching staff had enough confidence in him to start half their playoff games over the older and much more experienced teammate Joe Vrbetic.

At 6’2” DiVincentiis has good size. There are aspects of his game that are further ahead in development. He’s an athletic goaltender who is excellent on his skates and enables him to go post-to-post or dart out to the top of the paint quickly. His technique is also very good. He is square to shooters, stays tall in his net and I like how he gives opponents little to no room when in the reverse-VH. While he is no Mike Smith, he handles the puck pretty well.

Like any goaltender at this level, DiVincentiis doesn’t come without some warts – or more fairly, things to work on. His rebound control needs work as does his ability to fight through traffic to see how the play is developing. In tight with traffic, he also needs some work at staying focused and tracking the puck. These are all fixable through coaching as long as he is willing to put in the work and the effort. There is nothing to suggest he won’t.

DiVincentiis was part of Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence last summer, so they too saw something in the young netminder. I’ve said it before, but I don’t believe this year’s draft class to be a great class among OHL goaltenders. We may not see one selected until late in the third round, maybe early fourth. But DiVincentiis should get some consideration to be the first one selected.

A Look at NHL Central Scouting’s Final Draft Ranking

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

So, I am not going to break down NHL Central Scouting’s rankings in its entirety, just those Ontario Hockey League players ranked (or not ranked). After all, this sight is all about the OHL, right?

Let’s begin in the blue paint. One name that we have been pushing on OHL Writers for most of the season is Patrick Leaver of the Oshawa Generals. We selected Leaver as our Draft Eligible Goaltender of the Year at the end of the regular season. Central scouting showed him a lot of love on their final list as Leaver had the highest jump among ranked OHL netminders climbing 13 spots from 29 on the midterm rankings to 16 on the final rankings.

Leaver wasn’t the only netminder with a massive jump. Niagara IceDogs Josh Rosenzweig went from unranked on the midterm list to 22 on the final list.

Of course, when you have risers, they must be accompanied by fallers and the OHL had their share. Brett Brochu of the London Knights dropped 15 spots from 16 to 31. Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion dropped 10 spots from 14 to 24.  

When it comes to skaters, we have been big fans of Christian Kyrou of the Erie Otters since about the drop of the puck this season. We gave him serious consideration as our Draft Eligible Defenceman of the Year. In the annual OHL Coach’s Poll he was voted the most improved player in the Western Conference and the Most Underrated Player in the Western Conference as well as the second-best Offensive Defenceman in the Western Conference. Among draft eligible defencemen, he finished first in goals, second in points and third in assists. Central Scouting (finally) moved him up a whopping 131 spots from 179 to 48.

But that wasn’t the biggest jump. Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires jumped 149 spots from being not ranked (there were 251 players ranked on the midterm rankings so we used 252 as Maggio was not ranked) all the way up to 103 on the final rankings. Among draft eligible players, Maggio finished second in goals, assists and points. He was our runner up to Draft Eligible Forward of the Year. In the Coach’s Poll, he finished just ahead of Kyrou as the most improved player in the Western Conference and tied for third as the Hardest Worker in the Western Conference.

But the highest jump belonged to Amadeus Lombardi of the Flint Firebirds who moved up from not being ranked all the way to 94 on the final rankings. I can’t understand how he was not ranked on their midterm ranking, but they got this right.

Another player that deserves mentioning is David Goyette of the Sudbury Wolves who moved up 22 spots from 35 to 13. It’s a massive jump in its own right as that puts Goyette in the bottom third of the first round instead of middle second. And that’s a much-deserved spot for him. He deserves first round consideration.

Two of the biggest fallers are Ruslan Gazizov and Colton Smith, both of the London Knights who dropped from 62 to 149 and 129 to being not ranked respectively. For Comparison’s sake, Bob McKenzie had Gazizov at 15 and Smith as an honorable mention on his midterm rankings (only 80 players were ranked).

I do think that Central Scouting got a couple of Guelph Storm prospects correctly. For most of the season, Matthew Poitras was ranked ahead of Danny Zhilkin on a lot of lists. Poitras was ranked 23 on the midterm rankings and drops to 45 while Zhilkin was ranked 27 and drops to 35. We’re not saying we agree with the overall ranking, but that Zhilkin is rightfully ranked ahead of Poitras and we’ve been saying that for some time.

Vsevolod Gaidamak of the Ottawa 67’s was the highest ranked player on Central Scouting’s midterm rankings to fall off the chart on their final ranking. He went from 121 to being not ranked.

Nice to see a little love for James Hardie of the Mississauga Steelheads who moved up 56 spots from 204 to 148. But we are also surprised to see Tucker Robertson drop 53 spots from 109 to 162.

If you are looking for our final list, it usually comes out after the Memorial Cup. Until then, here is NHL Central Scouting’s rankings with their midterm and final ranking shown:

PLAYERTEAMNHL MIDNHL FIN
Shane WrightKingston11
Pavel MintyukovSaginaw56
Luca Del Bel BelluzMississauga118
Owen BeckMississauga1910
David GoyetteSudbury3513
Matyas SapovalivSaginaw1323
Michael BuchingerGuelph3630
Ty NelsonNorth Bay2532
Bryce McConnell-BarkerSoo2834
Danny ZhilkinGuelph2735
Vinzenz RohrerOttawa4642
Hunter HaightBarrie4744
Matthew PoitrasGuelph2345
Christian KyrouErie17948
Paul LudwinskiKingston2949
Gavin HayesFlint6851
Isiah GeorgeLondon4253
Servac PetrovskyOwen Sound5258
Cedrick GuindonOwen Sound7659
Jake KarabelaGuelph6162
Pano FimisNiagara7775
Spencer SovaErie2880
Jorian DonovanHamilton3981
Evan KonyenSudbury8885
Beau JelsmaBarrie13788
Amadeus LombardiFlint25294
Matthew MaggioWindsor252103
Lucas EdmondsKingston107104
Kiriil KudryavtsevSoo103108
Liam ArnsbyNorth Bay66115
Rodwin DionicioNiagara132118
Kocha DelicSudbury200122
Jackson EdwardLondon75123
Tnias MathurinNorth Bay152126
Zakary LavoieMississauga124134
Samuel MayerPeterborough120139
James HardieMississauga204148
Ruslan GazizovLondon62149
Aidan CastleOwen Sound155151
Brady StonehouseOttawa138152
Nolan CollinsSudbury252153
Kyle JacksonNorth Bay182158
Tucker RobertsonPeterborough109162
Gavin BryantOwen Sound160179
Bryce CookNiagara163183
Braeden BowmanGuelph217194
Kai SchwindtMississauga252196
Sam AlfanoPeterborough190207
Max NamestnikovSarnia219211
Landon SimLondon213215
Kasper LarsenMississauga252220
Kirill SteklovLondon196221
Roberto ManciniSaginaw195222
Caeden CarlisleSoo252223
Vsevolod GaidamakOttawa121225
Colton SmithLondon129225
Stuart RolofsOshawa142225
Bryce CookNiagara163225
Tyler SavardSoo183225
Brody CraneLondon188225
Ryan AbrahamWindsor210225
Nolan DannSarnia225225
Simon SlavicekFlintLV225
GOALIESNHL MIDNHL  FIN
Andrew OkeSaginaw89
Nolan LalondeErie1014
Patrick LeaverOshawa2916
Charlie SchenkelSoo1217
Jacob OsterGuelph1518
Josh RosenzweigNiagara3322
Domenic DiVincentiisNorth Bay1424
Marco CostantiniHamilton3329

OHL Writers Draft Eligible Player of the Year

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

You’ll have to trust me when I say “this was no easy decision” especially since for this year only, we are including players re-entering the draft for the second time (thanks to the lost COVID Season). But we also expanded it so that instead of picking one player, we are picking one forward, one defenceman and one goaltender. So, here we go!

FORWARD

It took some time for consensus number 1 pick Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs to reach the top of the lists in statistical categories, but he got there. At the turn of the calendar year, Wright was fifth among draft eligible players in points and assists and ninth in goals. But by the time the season had ended, he led in points, assists and fifth in goals.

There was a point in the season where some pundits were wondering out loud if there was anyone who could challenge Wright as the first overall pick and he did nothing but silence that crowd in the second half of the season.

Consideration was also given to our draft eligible player of the month in January and March (separated only by Wright in February): Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires. Not ranked by NHL Central Scouting on their mid-term rankings, the draft re-entry finished second in goals, assists, points and powerplay goals among draft eligible players. Maggio will certainly draw some interest from NHL scouts with the only thing left to be determined is whether that interest will come in the form of a draft pick or a development camp invite.  

DEFENCEMAN

I can’t recall a decision that was as difficult to make as this one. It came down to two defenders: 1) In our opinion the top ranked defenceman out of the OHL and 2) a defenceman that wasn’t even on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings. They are: Pavel Mintyukov of the Saginaw Spirit and Christian Kyrou of the Erie Otters and we decided that is the order they would finish.

What Mintyukov did on the second last place Saginaw squad was just simply amazing. He led all draft eligible defencemen in points and was second in goals and assists. He finished third among all defencemen in the OHL just 4 points off the leader and led the Spirit in scoring. To put it simply, the offence ran through him. He was named the OHL defenceman of the month for March.

Kyrou finished first among draft eligible defencemen in goals, second in points and third in assists. He was fourth among all OHL defencemen in scoring. Kyrou’s Otters also missed the playoffs (9 points better then Saginaw) and Kyrou finished third on the Otters in scoring. Here’s to hoping Kyrou opened some eyes and he should be one of the biggest risers in draft rankings.

GOALTENDER

In the crease we gave the nod to Patrick Leaver of the Oshawa Generals. Leaver was named our draft eligible goaltender of the month in November, January and February and was our only repeat winner among goaltenders.

Among draft eligible goaltenders, Leaver finished fifth in goals-against-average, second in save-percentage, third in wins, second in minutes played, and second in shutouts. He was named the OHL’s goaltender of the week on three occasions and the runner up twice. You could regularly find Leaver in the OHL’s Save of the Week highlights throughout the season.

Leaver was not listed on NHL Central Scouting’s players to watch list at the start of the season. He did crack Central Scouting’s mid-term list as the 29th ranked goaltender among North Americans.

Consideration was also given to Michael Simpson of the Peterborough Petes. While his numbers on the season won’t blow your socks off, on many nights Simpson was the Petes best player. It’s hard to imagine where the Petes would have been without him and he saved the best for last as he was named the OHL’s goaltender of the month for April and helping the Petes secure a playoff spot.

Statistically speaking, the nod probably should have gone to Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion. But we felt his 27 games played didn’t match up to Leaver’s 49 games played or Simpson’s 45 games played.

Our monthly choices throughout the season were as follows:

FORWARDS

March – Matthew Maggio – Windsor Spitfires

February – Shane Wright – Kingston Frontenacs

January – Matthew Maggio – Windsor Spitfires

December – Luca DelBelBelluz – Mississauga Steelheads

November – Kyle Jackson – North Bay Battalion

October – Tucker Robertson – Peterborough Petes

DEFENCEMEN

March – Pavel Mintyukov – Saginaw Spirit

February – Michael Buchinger – Guelph Storm

January – Christian Kyrou – Erie Otters

December – Kirill Kudryavtsev – Soo Greyhounds

November – Gavin While – Hamilton Bulldogs

October – Ty Nelson – North Bay Battalion

GOALTENDERS

March – Dom DiVincentiis – North Bay Battalion

February – Patrick Leaver – Oshawa Generals

January – Patrick Leaver – Oshawa Generals

December – Pavel Cajan – Kitchener Rangers

November – Patrick Leaver – Oshawa Generals

October – Brett Brochu – London Knights