Kingston Frontenacs acquired Ethan Miedema from the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Tim Cornett/OHL Images.
When the Kingston Frontenacs traded Shane Wright to the Windsor Spitfires, one of the key pieces with promise coming back to the Fronts was Ethan Miedema. It didn’t turn out as well as expected.
There is no questioning the size. Miedema brings with that size physical play but also has some good hockey smarts, vision and playmaking skills from the wing. And he can chip in with some goals too. He can play up and down the lineup whether with skilled players or to provide a boost with some energy in the lower part of the lineup.
Miedema could certainly benefit by adding some speed to his skating. He moves like you’d expect a 6’4”, 200-punder to move. Despite the size he could also benefit from adding some strength on his feet. He doesn’t get knocked down but you can certainly knock him off balance.
The other concern I have is that he doesn’t always with the pace I’d expect from him. At times it doesn’t look like he’s giving it 100% and there might be some tentativeness in his game while he waits for things to develop or he waits for the play to come to him rather than initiating.
His second half of the season, after the trade, was an opportune time for him to showcase himself given the extra opportunities he wasn’t going to get in Windsor. It didn’t materialize and, in the end, may have hurt his draft stock. Still, what he brings to the table has to be considered intriguing in the middle of the draft.
In what is a common theme with NHL Central Scouting where many OHL players dropped from the mid-term rankings to the final rankings, Miedema only dropped 5 spots among North American skaters.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, March 26, 2023.
Frontenacs’ Ethan Miedema Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
2023 NHL Draft prospect Ethan Miedema of the Kingston Frontenacs is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording six goals, two assists and eight points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-6.
An 18-year-old native of Cobourg, Ont., Miedema has produced nine goals, 12 assists and 21 points in 32 games since joining the Frontenacs in January. In total, Miedema recorded 20 goals, 32 assists and 52 points in 68 games between Windsor and Kingston in 2022-23. The former first round (4th overall) pick by the Spitfires in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection has registered 34 goals, 56 assists and 90 points in 133 career regular season games. Miedema competed in the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in January, and was the 45th-ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Midseason Rankings.
Also considered for the award this week, Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov of the Sarnia Sting produced two goals, seven assists and nine points in four games. Logan Morrison of the Ottawa 67’s contributed two goals and four assists for six points in a pair of victories.
67’s’ Collin MacKenzie Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Collin MacKenzie of the Ottawa 67’s is the OHL Goaltender of the Week for the second time this season, going 3-0 with a 1.35 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage.
Stopping a total of 81 shots last week, MacKenzie turned aside 30 of the 31 attempts that came his way on Thursday as Ottawa defeated the Peterborough Petes 4-1. The 6-foot, 171lb. netminder was back in the crease on Friday, stopping 26 of the 28 shots he faced as the 67’s shut down the Petes on back-to-back nights. MacKenzie closed out the weekend with a 5-1 win over the Barrie Colts, blocking 25 of the 26 shots he faced to earn Ottawa’s fifth consecutive win, establishing a franchise record with 51 wins and 107 points in the standings.
An 18-year-old from Elora, Ont., MacKenzie joined goaltending partner Max Donoso in receiving the Dave Pinkney Trophy presented to the goaltenders of the team that surrenders the fewest goals-against during the regular season. MacKenzie finished the season with a 21-2-3-0 record, a 1.88 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in 30 games. He set an OHL record on Oct. 21st in Sault Ste. Marie when he made 15 consecutive shootout saves in a 2-1 victory over the Greyhounds. MacKenzie was Ottawa’s eighth round (160th overall) pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection from the Waterloo Wolves U16 program.
Also in the running for the award this week, rookie netminder Charlie Robertson of the North Bay Battalion recorded a two-win week with a 2.00 goals-against average, and .947 save percentage. Joey Costanzo of the Windsor Spitfires also played to a 2-0 mark with a 2.00 goals-against average and .941 save percentage.
2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season: Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s) Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Liam Sztuska (Peterborough Petes) 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.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to congratulate 24 OHL players named by Hockey Canada to the Under-17 roster set to participate at the inaugural Capital City Challenge, a four-team tournament featuring three men’s under-17 teams and Canada’s National Women’s Team to take place November 26 to December 1 at TD Place in Ottawa.
The 66 players named to compete in the event will be divided into three teams – Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red and Team Canada White – and will compete against Canada’s National Women’s Team as part of its centralization schedule. The rosters for Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red and Team Canada White will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
The under-17 roster was selected by Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations, Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, and Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), head scout for the U17 program. U17 Program of Excellence management group lead Philippe Boucher (Saint-Apollinaire, Que./Drummondville, QMJHL) and manager of hockey operations Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), as well as regional scouts Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Rob Simpson (Ontario), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario), also provided input with support from Hockey Canada’s 13 Members.
“We are excited to unveil the 66 players that will suit up for our three men’s under-17 teams at the Capital City Challenge and have the unique opportunity to compete against Canada’s National Women’s Team in Ottawa,” said Salmond. “Although this has not been a traditional year for our Program of Excellence and the under-17 group, we are excited to introduce these athletes to an event that replicates short-term, international competition.”
In addition to the 24 OHL players selected, a total of nine OHL hockey operations personnel have been named to the staffs of the three Canadian squads including Team Red director of operations Kyle Raftis (Soo Greyhounds), Team White head coach Rob Wilson (Peterborough Petes), assistant Chad Wiseman (Guelph Storm) and Team Black assistant coach Jordan Smith (Soo Greyhounds).
24 OHL Players Named to 2021 Capital City Challenge:
*player committed to Ontario Hockey League club
Goaltenders (3): Joseph Costanzo (Niagara IceDogs) Nathaniel Day (Flint Firebirds) Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)*
Forwards (15): Denver Barkey (London Knights) Chris Barlas (Ottawa 67’s) Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack) Easton Cowan (London Knights)* Nick Lardis (Peterborough Petes) Luke McNamara (Saginaw Spirit) Ethan Miedema (Windsor Spitfires) Luke Misa (Mississauga Steelheads) Owen Outwater (North Bay Battalion) Alex Pharand (Hamilton Bulldogs) Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s) Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers) Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals) Matthew Soto (Kingston Frontenacs) Carey Terrance (Erie Otters)
Team Staff (Canada Black): Assistant Coach – Jordan Smith (Soo Greyhounds) Athletic Therapist – Marie-Pierre Néron (Ottawa 67’s)
Team Staff (Canada Red): Director of Operations – Kyle Raftis (Soo Greyhounds) Goaltending Coach – Franky Palazzese (Sarnia Sting) Video Coach – Nick Biamonte (Guelph Storm) Equipment Manager – Spencer Stehouwer (Sarnia Sting) Team Physician – Dr. Wanda Millard (London Knights)
Team Staff (Canada White): Head Coach – Rob Wilson (Peterborough Petes) Assistant Coach – Chad Wiseman (Guelph Storm)
The Capital City Challenge opens on Nov. 26 at TD Place Arena, home of the Ottawa 67’s. Canada’s centralization roster will face Team Canada White in the tournament opener at 12 p.m. ET, followed by Team Canada Black taking on Team Canada Red at 7 p.m. ET.
Full-event ticket packages can be purchased for $80 (plus applicable fees) starting Monday, Nov. 8, while single-game tickets will be available starting as low as $5 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.
For more information on Hockey Canada and the Capital City Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and by using #OurGameIsBack.
About the Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.
OHL Writers 