Each Ontario Hockey League season, we make our selections for forward of the month, defenceman of the month and goaltender of the month among the league’s players eligible for the NHL Entry Draft. Now that the month of October is behind us, let’s take a look at our choices.
Forward of the Month – Michael Misa – Saginaw Spirit
Misa appeared in 10 games for the Spirit in October and scored 10 goals while adding 8 assists in those games. Only one of those goals came with the man advantage while another came while down a man. He never managed less than 3 SOG and had a high of 9 SOG on October 26 against the London Knights. Misa was named the OHL’s player of the month for October.
Also considered was Porter Martone of the Brampton Steelheads. Martone appeared in 9 games and scored 11 goals and added 8 assists. He was only held off the scoresheet once on October 12 against the Barrie Colts. Martone was runner up to Misa for the OHL’s player of the month.
Defenceman of the Month – Cameron Reid – Kitchener Rangers
Reid appeared in 12 games in October and scored 3 goals and adding 10 assists to lead all draft eligible defencemen. Five of his games were multi point games and he was a minus player in just 3 games in October.
Also considered were Jack Brauti of the Niagara IceDogs with 1 goal and 7 assists in 11 games and MitchYoung of the Sarnia Sting with 2 goals and 6 assists in 13 games.
Goaltender of the Month – Joey Costanzo – Windsor Spitfires
Costanzo appeared in 8 games and went 7-1-0-0 in those games while stopping 190 of 201 shots he faced for a save percentage of .945 and a goals-against average of 1.63. He was named the OHL’s goaltender of the month for October.
Also considered was Noah Erliden of the Erie Otters who played in 7 games with a 4-1-1-9 record. He stopped 239 of 256 shots he faced for a .934 save percentage.
The first full month of the Ontario Hockey League season is behind us and it should come as no surprise that Michael Misa and Porter Martone are ahead of the rest of the players eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft when it comes to Point production. The pair of first round prospects should go neck and neck through the season.
Here’s a look at the statistical leaders among the OHL’s draft eligible players:
The OHL’s top NHL Draft eligibles go head-to-head in an East vs. West showcase in the Telephone City
Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League’s top NHL Draft eligible prospects will hit the ice on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 7:00pm at the Civic Centre in Brantford as the Eastern Conference battles the Western Conference in the all-new Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game presented by Enbridge Gas.
“The OHL produced 39 players selected in the 2024 NHL Draft, the most by any league in the world,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “We’ve produced more than 2,500 NHL Draft selections over the past 55 years, and this event, named after one of the league’s distinguished alumni and one of the best players to ever play the game, will only serve to build on that great tradition of development.”
The OHL’s top NHL Draft prospects will represent their respective conferences before NHL scouts and an enthusiastic Brantford crowd that has supported the hometown Bulldogs consistently since their arrival in the Telephone City at the start of last season.
“We are honoured to host the Top Prospects Game and welcome the next generation of hockey stars to the City of Brantford,” said Mayor Kevin Davis, who has held office in Brantford since 2018. “This event is a fantastic chance to highlight our community’s passion for hockey and the Brantford Bulldogs, bringing fans together for an unforgettable showcase of talent.”
Enbridge Gas, proud sponsors of the Ontario Hockey League, will serve as the presenting sponsor of the annual showcase that gives rising stars a platform to make their mark against other top draft eligibles from across the league.
One of the game’s marquee talents, Connor McDavid’s OHL legacy during his time with the Erie Otters is commemorated in the title of the annual showcase. McDavid, whose #97 will be retired by the Otters on January 10, 2025, is a former Most Outstanding Player, Rookie of the Year, Playoff MVP and two-time Academic Player of the Year in the OHL and today serves as captain of the Edmonton Oilers where he’s amassed nearly 1,000 points over parts of 10 NHL seasons. McDavid is a former first overall NHL Draft pick, three-time recipient of the Hart Trophy presented to the NHL’s Most Valuable Player, and has led the NHL in scoring on five different occasions.
Players selected as MVP for their respective teams in the annual showcase will be recognized with the Connor McDavid 97 Award as a result of their performance.
Following a pre-sale to Bulldogs season ticket members, tickets for the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game will go on sale at a date soon to be announced, with rosters selected by NHL Member Teams and NHL Central Scouting to be announced in mid to late November.
Follow along for more updates at ontariohockeyleague.com and by following along on social media with the hashtag #OHLTopProspects.
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TORONTO, ON — Today, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced the Week 5 edition of its CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2024-25 season.
With nine victories over their last 10 games, the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) rank first for a third straight week. Holding the best point percentage in the CHL at .875, the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) are up to their highest ranking of the season at No. 2. Meanwhile, the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL moved up to third as they remain one of only three teams in the CHL with at least 11 wins this season.
Among some of the other biggest movers and shakers was the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and London Knights of the OHL, who both climbed up the rankings to No. 4 and No. 5 respectively after going undefeated last week. Additionally, as one of only four teams in the CHL with a point percentage greater than .800, the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL are making their Top-10 debut of the 2024-25 season in ninth.
The next rankings will be released the week of November 4, following the sixth week of regular season action in all three member leagues of the CHL.
Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Academic Players of the Month for October, proudly presented by Hockley Valley Resort.
East Division – Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs) Kingston Frontenacs goaltender Mason Vaccari is the East Division Academic Player of the Month for October. The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. is currently studying at Nipissing University, maintaining a 93 percent average in his Bachelor of Commerce distance program. Vaccari has excelled in Organizational Human Resources and Accounting courses.
“Mason continues to be a role model for his teammates and young fans,” said Frontenacs academic advisor Kristi LeSarge. “We couldn’t be prouder to work with him.”
On the ice, Vaccari owns a record of 2-2-1-0 with a 3.64 goals-against average and .878 save percentage through seven games this season. Last year’s OHL and CHL Humanitarian of the Year Award recipient owns a career mark of 40-43-4-0 with a 3.55 goals-against average and .886 save percentage through 95 regular season games since being Kingston’s fourth-round pick in 2021.
Central Division – Kent Greer (North Bay Battalion) North Bay Battalion first-year blueliner Kent Greer is the Central Division Academic Player of the Month for October. Greer has achieved high standing in Grade 11 studies at Chippewa Secondary School, engaged in Mathematics, Healthy, Active Living, International Business and Co-operative Education courses.
“Kent is the type of student whose teachers all took the time during the first, very hectic week of school to seek me out and let me know how much they enjoy having him in their class,” said Stephanie Silverthorn, academic advisor for the Battalion. He is a diligent, motivated student whose positive attitude and strong work ethic enable him to be a natural leader in the class.”
North Bay’s second-round pick last spring, Greer has four points (2-2–4) through his first 14 career OHL contests. The 16-year-old from Renfrew, Ont. spent the 2023-24 season with the Barrie Colts U16 AAA program where he contributed to an OMHA championship.
“Kent has seamlessly joined our program and has been a leader on and off the ice,” said Battalion GM John Winstanley. “He does an excellent job at balancing his academic and athletic commitments.”
Midwest Division – Jimmy Sutherland (Guelph Storm) Guelph Storm forward Jimmy Sutherland is the Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for October. Sutherland has maintained a 93 percent average in Grade 12 university-level studies at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, excelling in Data Management, Economics and International Business.
“Jimmy is conscientious and self-motivated,” said Storm academic advisor Coleen Driscoll. “He takes initiative in his learning and collaborates well with his peers. His teachers describe him as an excellent student with a positive work ethic.”
A 17-year-old left-winger from Komoka, Ont., Sutherland has appeared in nine games with the Storm this season along with an additional two with the GOJHL’s Elmira Sugar Kings. The former 13th-round pick in 2023 had a strong season with the GOJHL’s Strathroy Rockets in 2023-24, producing 31 points (16-15–31) over 50 regular season games. He’s a graduate of the Bishop Kearney Selects program.
West Division – Kaden Sienko (Saginaw Spirit) Saginaw Spirit first-year defender Kaden Sienko is the West Division Academic Player of the Month. The 16-year-old from Binghamton, NY is achieving a 95 percent average across five Grade 11 courses at Heritage High School, learning English, Biology, Pre-Calculus, US History and engaged in a Co-op.
“Kaden is gifted and very dedicated to his studies,” said Spirit academic advisor Pamela Moretuzzo. “He embodies the ideal balance between academic excellence and athletic achievement. His commitment to his studies is evident in both the quality of his work and his well-organized approach to managing his time between demanding academic and athletic schedules.”
Saginaw’s 13th-round pick last spring, Sienko has recorded two assists across his first 10 OHL contests. The Spirit selected Sienko from the South Kent School AAA program, where he wore the ‘C’ last season.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that 62 OHL players have been included on NHL Central Scouting’s October ‘Players to Watch’ List for the 2025 NHL Draft scheduled to take place next summer.
The 62 OHL players are part of an overall total of 155 players from across the Canadian Hockey League included on the list.
Kashawn Aitcheson of the Barrie Colts, Brady Martin of the Soo Greyhounds, Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit, Porter Martone of the Brampton Steelheads, Jake O’Brien of the Brantford Bulldogs, along with Matthew Schaefer and Malcolm Spence of the Erie Otters received ‘A’ ratings, indicating a potential first round selection.
An additional six players were assigned ‘B’ ratings indicating a potential second or third round selection, and 16 received ‘C’ designations indicating a potential fourth or fifth round candidate, while 33 received ‘W’ ratings indicating potential sixth or seventh round picks.
All 20 OHL member teams are represented on the list led by the Brampton Steelheads, Brantford Bulldogs, Soo Greyhounds and Owen Sound Attack with six players included, followed by the Saginaw Spirit, Guelph Storm and North Bay Battalion with five.
The list includes 38 OHL forwards, 15 defencemen and nine goaltenders.
2025 NHL Central Scouting October Players to Watch List – OHL
Players have been identified using the following criteria:
• A Rating – Indicates a first round candidate • B Rating – Indicates a second or third round candidate • C Rating – Indicates a fourth/fifth round candidate • W Rating – Indicates a sixth/seventh round candidate
TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce the roster for Team CHL ahead of the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada (see complete roster below). The latter is a new event that will see the top first-year 2025 NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the CHL’s Member Leagues – the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – face off against USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP) Under-18 Team in a two-game series on November 26 in London, Ont., and November 27 in Oshawa, Ont. (Game 1 – London; Game 2 – Oshawa).
The 22 players on Team CHL were selected from a list of the top 2025 NHL Draft prospects as generated by a survey conducted with all 32 NHL clubs. Using that list of players produced by surveying NHL teams, the CHL coaching staff comprised of head coach Kris Mallette (Kelowna Rockets / WHL), assistant coaches Gordie Dwyer (Acadie-Bathurst Titan / QMJHL) and Ryan Oulahen (North Bay Battalion / OHL) along with general manager Dave Brown (Erie Otters / OHL) worked together to identify the final 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders chosen to be on the team.
Among the forwards set to be on Team CHL are Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads / OHL), Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals / WHL), Cameron Schmidt (Vancouver Giants / WHL), Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL), and Justin Carbonneau (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL). Misa (14G-7A in 10 GP), currently riding a 10-game point streak, leads the CHL with 14 goals so far through the 2024-25 campaign. Martone (10G-10A in 9 GP) ranks second in the OHL with 10 goals, while Reschny (2G-11A in 9 GP) has registered points in seven of nine games in the WHL this season. Additionally, with a CHL-best 11-game point streak to start the 2024-25 campaign, Schmidt (12G-7A in 11 GP) leads the WHL with 12 goals and sits atop the scoring leaders of that league with 19 points. Finally, averaging just over 1.4 points per game, both Desnoyers (3G-7A in 7 GP) and Carbonneau (7G-9A in 11 GP) have enjoyed strong starts to their years in the QMJHL.
On the backend, the Team CHL blueline is set to feature five defencemen who helped Canada win gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer: Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL), Jackson Smith (Tri-City Americans / WHL), Reese Hamilton (Calgary Hitmen / WHL), Quinn Beauchesne (Guelph Storm / OHL), and Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers / OHL). At that same tournament, Blake Fiddler (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL), the lone American on Team CHL, captained Team USA to a fourth-place finish. Meanwhile, Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts / OHL) was part of Team Canada’s gold-medal-winning squad at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship last spring.
In net, Team CHL will be backstopped by goaltenders Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads / OHL) and Joshua Ravensbergen (Prince George Cougars / WHL). Ivankovic (4-0-0-0 record, 1.71 GAA, .936 SV%, 1 SO in 5 GP) leads all OHL netminders with a 1.71 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. At the same time, through 10 starts, Ravensbergen (6-1-2-1 record, 3.14 GAA, .898 SV% in 10 GP) leads the WHL with six wins and he only has one regulation loss to his name to start the year.
In total, 19 CHL clubs will be represented at the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada, led by the Erie Otters, Calgary Hitmen, and Brampton Steelheads who each feature a pair of players. Among the 22 players on Team CHL, 18 of them have previously won a gold medal representing their country on the international stage, including 13 who helped Canada reach the top of the podium at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton, Alta.
Building off of one of hockey’s greatest rivalries between Canada and the United States, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge will see players from the CHL and NTDP’s U18 team compete before hundreds of NHL scouts and thousands of fans in an effort to improve their draft stock ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft.
The first game will take place on Tuesday, November 26 at Canada Life Place in London, Ont., while the second contest will be held the following night on Wednesday, November 27 at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ont. Fans interested in buying tickets for either game can do so in person at the box office or online:
As a reminder, the CHL is now accepting applications for media and photo accreditation to the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge. The deadline to apply for a media and/or photo credential for either game is Monday, November 4, 2024. Media and photographers interested in applying for accreditation can do so below:
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, October 20, 2024.
Spitfires’ Liam Greentree Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
Los Angeles Kings prospect Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, registering four goals, seven assists and 11 points over three contests.
An 18-year-old left-winger from Oshawa, Ont., Greentree leads all OHL players in points this season with six goals, 17 assists, and 23 points (6-17-23) in nine games. Drafted 26th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2024 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-3, 216lb. forward has tallied 158 points (67-91-158) in 134 regular season games for Windsor. He was selected by the Spitfires in the second round, 34th overall, of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection.
Also given consideration for the award this week, Spitfires teammate and Washington Capitals prospect Ilya Protas played a big role in Windsor’s six-point week, registering three goals, four assists and seven points. Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit was also a standout, with seven points (3-4—7) over three games played.
2024-25 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season: Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires) Oct. 7 – Oct. 13: Calvin Crombie (Brantford Bulldogs) Sept. 30 – Oct. 6: Kevin He (Niagara IceDogs) Sep. 25 – Sept. 29: Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit)
Spitfires’ Joey Costanzo Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Joey Costanzo of the Windsor Spitfires is the OHL Goaltender of the Week for the second time this season, going 3-0 along with a 1.33 goals-against average and .947 save percentage.
Stopping 71 of the 75 shots he faced last week, Costanzo turned aside 15 of the 17 shots that came his way in a 5-2 win over the Oshawa Generals on Monday. The 6-foot-1, 174lb. netminder was back in the crease on Friday, stopping 32 of the 33 shots he faced as the Spitfires defeated the Guelph Storm 4-1. Costanzo closed out a perfect weekend with a 4-1 win over the Owen Sound Attack on Saturday, turning aside 24-of-25 shots. The Spitfires currently lead the OHL standings with an 8-1-1-0 record this season.
A 19-year-old from Toronto, Ont., Costanzo ranks second among all OHL goaltenders with a .932 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average this season with a league-leading eight wins. Originally drafted by the Niagara IceDogs in the second round (23rd overall) of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, Costanzo has played to a 49-39-2-3 record including two shutouts over 104 regular season games split between the IceDogs and the Spitfires, with a career save percentage of .881 and a 4.02 goals-against average.
Also considered or the award this week, Charlie Schenkel of the Soo Greyhounds went 1-1-0-0, making 70 saves last week. Noah Erliden of the Erie Otters was also a standout, going 1-1-0-0 with 62 saves.
A 16-year-old centreman from Vaughan, Ont., Di Iorio ranks seventh among all rookie point-getters, tallying seven points (2-5—7) through his first 11 OHL contests. The Sting selected Di Iorio second overall in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the Vaughan Kings U16 AAA program.
Also considered for the award this week were Ottawa 67’s teammates Filip Ekberg (1-4-5) and Kohyn Eshkawkogan (1-2-3), despite the team falling short in three games over the weekend.
TORONTO, ON — Today, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced the Week 4 edition of its CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2024-25 season.
With seven wins over their last 10 games, the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) remained in the top spot for a second week in a row. Riding the longest winning streak in the CHL this season at seven straight victories, the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL climbed up to second place, while the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) slipped down a spot for a second straight week, this time to No. 3.
Among some of this week’s biggest risers were the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL and the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL, who came in at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively this week. The Voltigeurs are one of only two nine-win teams in the CHL so far during the 2024-25 campaign, while the Spitfires continue to hold the best point percentage of any club in the CHL at .850.
The next rankings will be released the week of October 28, following the fifth week of regular season action in all three member leagues of the CHL.
CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 4 1. Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) 2. Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL) 3. Brampton Steelheads (OHL) 4. Prince George Cougars (WHL) 5. Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) 6. Windsor Spitfires (OHL) 7. Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 8. London Knights (OHL) 9. Niagara IceDogs (OHL) 10. Everett Silvertips (WHL)
OHL Writers 