16 OHL Players Recognized as Invitees to Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

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Calgary, Atla. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to announce that 16 OHL players have been invited to attend Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp.

The camp roster features two OHL goaltenders, three defencemen and 26 forwards as part of the 41-player roster that will attend the five-day virtual camp taking place July 27-31. The camp will feature various online education sessions with a focus on player development. Hockey Canada announced last month that various programming and training sessions will be held virtually this summer due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We are excited to begin preparations for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship with this group of 41 players and our full staff at our online camp, as we believe we have a good mix of veteran leadership and young talent that are eager to represent Canada during the holiday season,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of national teams for Hockey Canada. “We are also pleased to have Michael and Mitch round out the coaching staff, as their Canadian Hockey League and international experience will compliment André’s leadership while we work towards defending our gold medal on home ice.”

The roster for Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp includes three OHL skaters who helped Canada win gold at the 2020 World Juniors (Byfield, Drysdale, McMichael), six OHL players who were selected at the 2019 NHL Draft (Harley, Clarke, McMichael, Rees, Suzuki, Tomasino), eight OHL players who are eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft (Brochu, Drysdale, O’Rourke, Byfield, Foerster, Perfetti, Perreault, Quinn), one who is eligible in 2021 (Lennox) and one who is eligible in 2022 (Wright).

As announced earlier this year, Ottawa 67’s head coach André Tourigny will return to Canada’s National Junior Team and serve as head coach after helping Canada to a gold medal as an assistant coach at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. He was named head coach of the OHL’s 67’s in 2017 and has helped them claim the Hamilton Spectator Trophy twice as back-to-back regular season champions. Tourigny was recently awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as the OHL’s Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and was named the CHL Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year presented by Janes.

The 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship is set to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer this December.

OHL Players Invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp

Goaltenders:
Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)

Defencemen:
Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)
Thomas Harley (Mississauga Steelheads)
Ryan O’Rourke (Soo Greyhounds)

Forwards:
Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
Graeme Clarke (Ottawa 67’s)
Tyson Foerster (Barrie Colts)
Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)
Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)
Jack Quinn (Ottawa 67’s)
Jamieson Rees (Sarnia Sting)
Ryan Suzuki (Saginaw Spirit)
Philip Tomasino (Oshawa Generals)
Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)

Coaches:
Head Coach – André Tourigny (Ottawa 67’s)

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Twitter.com/HC_Men.

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. Last season, more than nine million fans attended CHL games in the regular season, playoffs and at the Memorial Cup Presented by Kia. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U Sports than any other league.  For more information visit www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

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Jacob Perreault – Sarnia Sting – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 198 Pounds

Date of birth: April 15,2002

Hometown: Hinsdale, Illinois

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 19th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
A Prospect A Prospect 17 N.A.

17 N.A.

Jacob Perreault was selected as the second to last pick of the first round of the 2018 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. The son of former NHL’er Yanic Perreault, he was born on April 15, 2002 in Montreal Quebec while dad was a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

Perreault has two brothers and a sister also involved in hockey. Youngest brother Gabriel (14) just finished this season with the Chicago Mission. Older sister Liliane (20) just completed her second season in the NCAA at Mercyhurst University. The eldest, Jeremy (21) last played for the Chicago Cougars of the USPHL. Dad is still in the game as a Development Coach with the Chicago Blackhawks.

During the 2017-2018 season, Perreault played for the Chicago Mission Under-16 squad and in 20 games scored 14 goals and added 11 helpers leading the HPHL in goals and points.

Perreault burst onto the scene with the Sting a season ago and finished second among rookies in goals with 30 and fourth in points with 55 while playing in 63 games. He was named to the OHL First All-Rookie squad.

Jacob Perreault of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Jacob Perreault of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

This season, Perreault has done nothing short of solidifying his draft position. He finished the shortened year with 39 goals and 31 assists in 57 games.

While Perreault is predominantly a winger, he has at times shown the ability of playing down the middle. His father was a force in the faceoff circle, the best ever since the NHL started keeping faceoff statistics winning 61.1% of his draws. It’s something the younger Perreault has learned from his father. While he only took 104 draws, he won 60 of them, good for 57.7%.

Perreault has an elite level shot, one of the best in the entire OHL let alone the draft class. He gets it off with such a deceptive release, it’s hard and it is deadly accurate. But most importantly, he can beat goaltenders from anywhere inside the offensive zone with it. With an 18.8 shooting percentage, you can see how deadly his shot can be. But he also possesses a superb back hand, and a half-slap one-timer that fools just about everyone.

While there have been some questions raised about Perreault’s skating, any issues should have been put to rest at the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on-ice testing. While Perreault finished second in overall testing to Jean-Luc Foudy, widely considered the best skater in the draft class, it was Perreault that finished atop the rankings in on-ice testing, leading the way in 30-meter forward skating, 30-meter forward skating with the puck, reaction, weave agility with the puck, second in weave agility and third in transition agility with the puck. (See full results here).

At 5’11”, Perreault isn’t exactly big. But he has a lot of muscle in his frame weighing in at 198 pounds. While he doesn’t shy away from physicality, he is at his best when he escapes defenders and gets himself into open situations where he can unleash his shot. How dangerous he can be in space is evidenced when there is open ice on the powerplay. Perreault finished second among draft eligible players in powerplay goals.

That said, his goals to assist ratio suggest Perreault plays with a shoot first mentality. And while he possesses an elite shot and can score in multiple ways, we sometimes feel that Perreault passes up opportunities to shoot or take the puck to the net or carry it with possession, something he’s capable of, he is dishing off to teammates instead.

One of three things can explain that: 1) he lacks confidence, 2) he doesn’t think the game at a high enough level, or 3) Perreault is a raw talented player that just needs to gain more experience. We lean heavily towards number three.

As pointed out earlier, Perreault is a very good skater who is very strong on his edges. But often times he skates off balance and can be prone to being knocked off the puck. Finding consistency is also key for Perrault. At times he has shown he can dominate and take over a game but at times you wonder if he even played.

The tools are there, the hockey sense is there. It’s just a matter of finding some consistency and confidence and putting it all together.

I wouldn’t bet against him!

You can find Perreault among the leaders in a variety of draft eligible statistical leaders.

OHL’ers finish 1 through 5 at the Top Prospects Sport Testing Combine

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
Top Prospects Skills
Top Prospects compete at the Sports Testing Combine prior to the Top Prospects Game. Photo by Brandon Taylor / CHL Images

On-Ice Tests:

30M Forward Skate:
1 – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)
2 – Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)
3 – Thimo Nickl (Drummondville Voltigeurs)

30M Forward Skate with Puck:
1 – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)
2 – Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)
3 – Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)

30M Backward Skate:
1 – Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)
2 – Seth Jarvis (Portland Winterhawks)
3 – Dawson Mercer (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)

30M Backward Skate with Puck:
1 – Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)
2 – Dawson Mercer (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
3 – Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Reaction:
1 – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)
2 – Vasily Ponomarev (Shawinigan Cataractes)
3 – Seth Jarvis (Portland Winterhawks)

Reaction with Puck:
1 – Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)
2 – Jaromir Pytlik (Soo Greyhounds)
3 – Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)

Weave Agility:
1 – Dawson Mercer (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
2 – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)
3 – Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)

Weave Agility with Puck:
1 – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)
2 – Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
3 – Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)

Transition Agility:
1 – Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)
2 – Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
3 – Kaiden Guhle (Prince Albert Raiders)

Transition Agility with Puck:
1 – Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)
2 – Dawson Mercer (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
3 – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)

Off-Ice Tests:

Vertical Jump:
1 – Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)
2 – Jack Quinn (Ottawa 67’s)
3 – Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)

Broad Jump:
1 – Thimo Nickl (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
2 –Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
3 – Jack Quinn (Ottawa 67’s)

Medicine Ball Toss:
1 – Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)
1 – Jack Finley (Spokane Chiefs)
3 – Vasily Ponomarev (Shawinigan Cataractes)

Grip Left:
1 – Samuel Hlavaj (Sherbrooke Phoenix)
2 – Thimo Nickl (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
3 – Brock Gould (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Grip Right:
1 – Jack Finley (Spokane Chiefs)
2 – Will Cuylle (Windsor Spitfires)
3 – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)

Pro-Agility Left:
1 – Antonio Stranges (London Knights)
2 – Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers)
3 – Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Pro-Agility Right:
1 – Antonio Stranges (London Knights)
2 – Jack Finley (Spokane Chiefs)
3 – Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers)

Sport Testing scores provide valuable performance benchmarks to coaches and players at all levels of hockey with data collected at the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game shared with NHL Central Scouting and distributed to all 31 NHL teams.

Read full article here

OHL THIS WEEK: JANUARY 16 TO 19, 2020

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL This Week

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020

Toronto, Ont. – It’s a special Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game edition of the OHL This Week. Here’s the scoop on what’s happening Thursday in Hamilton into a full weekend of OHL action with nine games on both Friday and Saturday.

KUBOTA CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME SET FOR THURSDAY IN HAMILTON:
The 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game returns to Ontario on Thursday January 16th in Hamilton as 40 of the Canadian Hockey League’s top draft eligible players bring fans and scouts out to see a best-on-best competition.
READ MORE / PHOTO GALLERY – TOP PROSPECTS ARRIVE IN HAMILTON

THE BOOK ON THE OHL’S TOP PROSPECTS WITH NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING DIRECTOR DAN MARR:
NHL Central Scouting Director Dan Marr provides his insights on four of the OHL’s top prospects ahead of the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He takes a closer look at Sudbury’s Quinton Byfield, Erie’s Jamie Drysdale, Saginaw’s Cole Perfetti and Ottawa’s Marco Rossi.
WATCH

RISING STARS BYFIELD AND DRYSDALE ENJOYING THE RIDE TOGETHER:
NHL Central Scouting’s second and third ranked North American skaters Quinton Byfield and Jamie Drysdale are enjoying the journey to the 2020 NHL Draft together. The two Canadian National Junior Team gold medalists are competing in the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
READ MORE

STING’S PERREAULT DRAWING FROM PRO INFLUENCES:
It’s amazing what kind of wisdom can be drawn from a combined 43 years of National Hockey League experience, just ask Sarnia Sting forward Jacob Perreault, who continues to benefit from a well-travelled trifecta of hockey influencers.
READ MORE

PERFETTI DOING BIG THINGS IN SAGINAW:
Coming off a tremendous rookie campaign, Saginaw Spirit sophomore Cole Perfetti has an opportunity to be the first player in club history to go top-10 at the NHL Draft.
READ MORE

57 OHL PLAYERS INCLUDED ON NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING’S MIDTERM DRAFT RANKINGS:
Sudbury’s Quinton Byfield, Erie’s Jamie Drysdale, Saginaw’s Cole Perfetti and Ottawa’s Marco Rossi account for four of the top five ranked North American skaters on the NHL Central Scouting Midterms.All 20 of the OHL’s member teams feature at least one player included on the list, with the Soo Greyhounds (7), Windsor Spitfires (6), Erie Otters (5) and Guelph Storm (5) leading the way.
FULL RANKINGS

67’s, SPITFIRES AND PETES IN KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS:
The Ottawa 67’s remain the top-ranked team in the CHL this week while the Windsor Spitfires and Peterborough Petes round out the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Kitchener Rangers and Saginaw Spirit remain honourable mentions for a second straight week.
FULL RANKINGS

COSKEY, TOMASINO AND MERKLEY NAMED TO VAUGHN CHL TEAM OF THE WEEK:
Saginaw’s Cole Coskey, Oshawa’s Philip Tomasino and London’s Ryan Merkley have been named to the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week.
READ MORE

GENERALS’ TOMASINO NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Nashville Predators prospect Philip Tomasino of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the week ending January 12th. Tomasino earns the award for the second time this season after making his mark in his first weekend as a General. He put up three consecutive two-goal performances in wins over Windsor, Sarnia and Peterborough.
READ MORE

WAWANESA OHL PLAYS OF THE WEEK – JANUARY 15, 2020:
Without further ado, we present a red hot edition of Wawanesa OHL Plays of the Week, featuring some of the nicest goals scored across the League this season. The newest Oshawa General Philip Tomasino gets things started shorthanded on the back hand before Sudbury Wolves addition Matej Pekar shows off the eyes in the back of his head. Erie’s Jamie Drysdale puts his best moves on display with a nifty centering feed for Austen Swankler and London Knights star Connor McMichael wows us with a between the legs beauty. Flint’s Ty Dellandrea finishes things off with an unassisted, shorthanded overtime game winner.
WATCH

VAUGHN SAVES OF THE WEEK – JANUARY 14, 2020:
It’s that time again. Let’s roll back the tape for Vaughn Saves, featuring the best saves across the Ontario Hockey League. Press play and check out the fine work of Owen Sound’s Mack Guzda, Windsor’s Kari Piiroinen, Ottawa’s Cedrick Andree, Soo’s Bailey Brkin, Hamilton’s Zachary Roy, Oshawa’s Jordan Kooy, Sudbury’s Mitchell Weeks, Mississauga’s Kai Edmonds, Windsor’s Xavier Medina and Niagara’s Andrew MacLean.
WATCH

CHL SHOWDOWN – WEEK ENDING JANUARY 12, 2020:
Flint Firebirds forward Ty Dellandrea is the OHL’s representative in this week’s CHL Showdown featuring one great play from all three leagues.
WATCH & VOTE AT CHLSHOWDOWN.CA

FOUR PLAYERS SCORE FIRST OHL GOALS:
Sudbury’s Adam Samuelsson, Hamilton’s Gavin White, Niagara’s A.J. Cook and Mississauga’s Rylan Bowers all scored first career OHL goals this past week.
WATCH

OHL WEEKEND NOTEBOOK – JANUARY 13, 2020:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Here are 10 of the leading stories from this past weekend.
READ MORE

OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR MINOR MIDGET TOP 10 RANKINGS:
The Quinte Red Devils are on top of the rankings for a sixth consecutive week while the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Toronto Titans, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and Toronto Nationals continue to trail in spots two through five. The Southern Tier Admirals are up one slot to sixth  while the Vaughan Kings continue to trend in the right direction, rising to ninth ahead of the Toronto Marlboros who round out the Top 10.
FULL RANKINGS

#PLAYERSFIRST – OHL SUPPORT AND PLAYER WELFARE:
The OHL takes extreme pride in the player environment and fostering a safe place for young men to develop both as hockey players and as people. Saginaw Spirit graduate Kris Bennett, who now plays U SPORTS Men’s Hockey at the University of New Brunswick, shares how the OHL #TalkToday program positively impacted his time in the League.
FACT OF THE WEEK / ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

5 QUESTIONS WITH OTTAWA 67’s FORWARD MARCO ROSSI:
Ever since joining the Canadian Hockey League last season as the 18th overall pick in the 2018 Import Draft, Austrian forward Marco Rossi has been one to watch for the Ottawa 67’s. He quickly developed into one of the league’s elite offensive playmakers and not only leads the Ontario Hockey League in scoring but has solidified himself as a top prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft.
READ MORE

PETES HONOUR COLIN CAMPBELL WITH BANNER RAISING CEREMONY:
The Peterborough Petes paid tribute to former defenceman, long-time NHL player and executive Colin Campbell on Saturday night prior to a 4-0 shutout win over the Ottawa 67’s. A native of Tillsonburg, Ont., Campbell was a part of Peterborough’s 1972 Robertson Cup championship squad alongside familiar names in Bob Gainey, Stan Jonathan and Doug Jarvis.
WATCH

TOP 2020 NHL DRAFT PROSPECT JAN MYSAK COMMITS TO BULLDOGS:
The Hamilton Bulldogs have received a commitment from top 2020 NHL Draft prospect Jan Mysak, who comes off representing his native Czech Republic at the 2020 World Juniors. The 17-year-old had registered nine points (5-4–9) through 26 games with the HC Litvinov Czech Extraliga squad this season and was the ninth-ranked skater on NHL Central Scouting’s International Midterm Rankings.
READ MORE

NHL DRAFT PROSPECT NICK MALIK COMMITS TO GREYHOUNDS:
The Soo Greyhounds have received a commitment from 17-year-old Czech netminder Nick Malik who they selected in the first round of the 2019 CHL Import Draft. Malik represented the Czech Republic this past Christmas at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship along with fellow Greyhound Jaromir Pytlik. One year ago he was a member of his home country’s entry at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
READ MORE

RYLAN BOWERS COMMITS TO STEELHEADS:
The Mississauga Steelheads have received a commitment from 2018 12th round OHL Priority Selection choice Rylan Bowers. The 17-year-old has appeared in 33 games with the Listowel Cyclones (GOJHL) this season and registered 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists). The Komoka, Ontario native was selected to represent his minor hockey association at the OHL Gold Cup in 2018, where he recorded 1 point (1 goal) over 4 games.
READ MORE

WOLVES ADD BYFIELD TO LEADERSHIP GROUP:
The Sudbury Wolves announced prior to Sunday’s game against Mississauga that Quinton Byfield will serve as an alternate captain with the club. Byfield recently returned from the World Junior Championship where he won gold with Team Canada. The 17-year-old Newmarket, Ont. native leads the Wolves in scoring with 63 points in 32 games this season including 25 goals. The highly ranked NHL prospect has already surpassed his point totals from his rookie season in half the number of games.
READ MORE

SPITFIRES GRAD SLATER DOGGETT NAMED U SPORTS TOP 8 ACADEMIC ALL-CANADIAN:
U SPORTS announced Thursday the student-athletes selected as Top 8 Academic All-Canadians for the 2018-19 season. Among them, Queen’s Gaels men’s hockey star Slater Doggett was recognized with the honour. Doggett played three OHL seasons between the Kingston Frontenacs and Windsor Spitfires from 2012-15.
READ MORE

RANGERS CHIEF OPERATION OFFICER STEVE BIENKOWSKI TO RETIRE IN JUNE 2020:
After 18 years as the Kitchener Rangers Chief Operating Officer & Governor, Steve Bienkowski has announced his plan to retire in June 2020. Bienkowski became the Rangers first Chief Operating Officer in addition to its permanent OHL Governor in 2002 after serving six years on the Rangers Executive Committee. Synonymous with professionalism on and off the ice, he has been essential to the Rangers success for nearly 40 years.
READ MORE

DATES UNVEILED FOR 13TH ANNUAL OHF/OHL U15 PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE CAMPS:
The dates are set for the 13th annual OHF/OHL U15 Program of Excellence Camps. Held in April and May of this year across Ontario, the camps will focus on a variety of on and off-ice sessions, helping to ensure players are provided with the most up-to-date development strategies.  
READ MORE

ROGERS HOMETOWN HOCKEY TOUR COMES TO HAMILTON:
The Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is in Hamilton on Thursday, followed by the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour as hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone share Steeltown’s best hockey stories. OHL grads Shayne Corson and Steve Thomas will be on hand for the weekend.
FULL SCHEDULE AT HOMETOWNHOCKEY.COM

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Quinton Byfield launches Q’s Kids: Top NHL Draft prospect Quinton Byfield has partnered with NEO Kids Foundation for his new Q’s Kids initiative. Ahead of his gold medal performance with the Canada’s National Junior Team, Quinton invited three NEO kids and their families to a Sudbury Wolves game as his special guests, and has plans to host many more families over the course of the second half of the season. As part of the program, Byfield will continue to invite families to games, providing tickets, popcorn, and special shirts for the kids. Byfield will meet with the families, sign autographs, and join them on a tour of the dressing room following the game.
READ MORE AT SUDBURYWOLVES.COM

Firebirds tour Ottawa Senators facility: During their day off on Thursday ahead of Friday’s tilt with the Ottawa 67’s, the Firebirds were welcomed to the Canadian Tire Centre for a behind-the-scenes look at the Ottawa Senators’ digs as former OHL Coach of the Year D.J. Smith provided a tour.
PHOTO GALLERY AT FLINTFIREBIRDS.COM

Knights to honour Patrick Kane with jersey retirement on Friday: The London Knights will retire Patrick Kane’s number 88 prior to puck drop on Friday when they play host to the Sudbury Wolves. Kane, who was named CHL Rookie of the Year following a 145-point season in 2006-07, has gone on to put up nearly 1,000 points over 951 career NHL contests over 13 seasons, hoisting the Stanley Cup three different times.
READ MORE

Toonie Hot Dog Day in Ottawa: Fans coming out to Saturday afternoon’s tilt with the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs at TD Place will be able to purchase hot dogs for a toonie. The 67’s examined five reasons to attend Saturday’s game.
FULL INFO AT OTTAWA67s.COM

Bell Let’s Talk Night, SickKids Night in Peterborough: Saturday’s clash with the Flint Firebirds will be the Peterborough Petes’ Bell Let’s Talk Game, aimed at recognizing the initiative’s tenth anniversary and continuing to encourage meaningful conversation around mental health. The first 2,000 fans will receive toques courtesy of Bell Let’s Talk, and clappers will be available at their booth during the game. The Niagara IceDogs will be visiting the Petes this Sunday in a makeup game for the previously scheduled Dec. 14. matchup. SickKids night will see a pre-game ceremony featuring Oliver, a local boy who has been treated at SickKids for Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. There will also be a chuck-a-puck during the second intermission where proceeds from all pucks purchased will support SickKids. Fans will also be able to attend a post-game skate where Petes players will be signing autographs and have availability for photos.
MORE DETAILS AT GOPETESGO.COM

IceDogs host Blood Drive in honour of Tucker Tynan: On Jan. 28, the Niagara IceDogs will be hosting a Blood Drive at the St. Catharines Blood Donor Clinic with goaltender Tucker Tynan in mind. People are welcome to attend between 3-7 pm, and attendees will receive a $2 voucher to any upcoming IceDogs home game.
READ MORE AT NIAGARAICEDOGS.NET

Rangers join goaltender Jacob Ingham for ’68’ Blood Drive: Join Kitchener Rangers goaltender #68, Jacob Ingham, and support Hockey Gives Blood and Canadian Blood Services by making a donation during the Rangers’ 68 Blood Drive. Starting January 24th and running until March 31st, fans can sign up under the Kitchener Rangers team ID to make a donation on behalf of Ingham.
FULL INFORMATION AT KITCHENERRANGERS.COM

ALUMNI NOTES:

DeBoer takes over as head coach in Vegas: The Vegas Golden Knights hired former two-time OHL Coach of the Year Peter DeBoer as their new head coach on Wednesday, replacing Gerard Gallant behind the bench. DeBoer, who began the season as head coach of the San Jose Sharks, takes over at the helm in Vegas with a Golden Knights club that is currently 24-19-6 for fifth in the Pacific Division. The 51-year-old native of Dunnville, Ont. coached in the OHL from 1993-2008, winning three OHL Championships and a Memorial Cup along the way. He’s worked in the NHL since 2008-09, holding down jobs with Florida, New Jersey, San Jose and now Vegas.

Spezza plays in 1100th NHL contest: OHL graduate Jason Spezza suited up in his 1,100th career NHL game on Tuesday, recording an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New Jersey Devils 7-4. The 36-year-old Spezza has played parts of 17 NHL seasons since he was the second overall pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 2001 NHL Draft. Spezza, who played in the OHL as an underage player, played five seasons between Brampton, Mississauga, Windsor and Belleville from 1998-2002. He’s accumulated 933 points (338-595–933) over his 1,100 game NHL regular season career.

Wilson becomes youngest forward in Caps franchise history to play 500 games: OHL graduate Tom Wilson suited up in his 500th career NHL contest on Monday, becoming the youngest forward in Capitals franchise history to do so. The 25-year-old Toronto, Ont. native had an assist as the Caps defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0. Wilson was Washington’s first round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. The big power winger played three OHL seasons with the Plymouth Whalers from 2010-13, recording 91 points (35-56–91) over 125 regular season games. Wilson has 31 points (13-18–31) over 46 games in Washington this season.

Bunnaman scores first NHL goal: Former Kitchener Rangers captain Connor Bunnaman scored his first career NHL goal with the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. The 21-year-old from Guelph, Ont. has appeared in six games with the Flyers this season after registering five points (4-1–5) through 21 games with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Bunnaman, who was Philadelphia’s fourth round pick in 2016, played four seasons in Kitchener from 2014-18.

Smith scores first NHL goal: Kitchener Rangers graduate Givani Smith scored his first career NHL goal on Tuesday. The Detroit Red Wings forward found the back of the net in a loss to the New York Islanders. Smith has played in 11 games and recorded a pair of points in the process. The former second round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft spent last season and the beginning of this season with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. He played four OHL seasons between the Barrie Colts, Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers from 2014-18.

Griffith taking his best shots in AHL: London Knights graduate Seth Griffith got some good advice from his dad Brian over the offseason, getting to work on improving his shot. The 27-year-old Wallaceburg, Ont. native has racked up 32 points, including 18 goals over 39 games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose this season, affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Griffith, who won back-to-back OHL Championships in London in 2012 and 2013, has now spent seven seasons in the pro ranks, appearing in 79 NHL contests along the way. He was originally a fifth round pick of the Boston Bruins in 2012 in the midst of a four-year career in London. The Winnipeg Free Press’ Mike Sawatzky has more.
READ MORE AT WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM

 

KEY MATCHUPS:

Sudbury Wolves at London Knights
Friday, January 17th

The Central Division leaders are heading to London on Friday, with Sudbury hungry for what could be their first win over the London Knights in five years.

Newest member of the Wolves, Matej Pekar, has proven to be a strong addition. His welcome party last weekend included seven points in three games, notably five assists in Friday’s 8-2 blowout of the North Bay Battalion.

Since rejoining the lineup following his gold medal performance at the World Juniors, newly appointed alternate captain Quinton Byfield put up six points of his own last weekend, and also put forth a five-point showing in front of the Troops that saw two goals and three assists, earning him OHL first star honours on the night.

With regards to the guys in green, Connor McMichael will look to follow up on last weekend’s flashy performance. His seven point total over the course of a three-in-three included a hat trick in Saturday’s tilt against Saginaw, as well as a flashy between-the-legs display in one of two goals he put past the Soo Greyhounds as part of a 7-1 victory. Columbus Blue Jackets draftee Liam Foudy and San Jose Sharks first rounder Ryan Merkley both put up six points.

The Knights, who tie the Kitchener Rangers at 54 points and just one point back of the Western Conference leading Windsor Spitfires, hold a 9-0-0-0 record over the course of the last five seasons against the Wolves. This will be the second and final meetup of the two clubs this season.

Saginaw Spirit at Windsor Spitfires
Sunday, January 19th

It’s a tilt we’re familiar with. The battle of the top of the West Division will see the visiting Saginaw Spirit face off against the conference-leading Windsor Spitfires Sunday afternoon.

The Spits took lead of the conference once again following their overtime win over the Kitchener Rangers, who trail just one point back of first in the Midwest. Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Tyler Angle continues to lead all Windsor skaters with 46 points (21-25-46) to his name, and Nashville Predators pick Egor Afanasyev, last Sunday’s overtime hero, sits directly behind with 45 points (18-27-45).

Over on Saginaw’s side, New York Islanders prospect Cole Coskey will be skating in off a five-goal weekend, and top NHL Draft prospect Cole Perfetti will look to see his point streak reach a 12th game.

The sixth of eight matchups on the season, both clubs are no stranger to the depth on either side. The Spits will, however, see a new opponent in Carolina Hurricanes prospect Ryan Suzuki, who joined the Spirit last week and registered three assists in two games.

The Spirit currently hold a 3-2-0-0 tally against the Spits. Last season’s eight-game regular season series between the two proved to be an even one, with a 4-4-0-0 record on Windsor’s side and a 4-3-1-0 record in favour of Saginaw.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday January 16th:
Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, Hamilton, Ont. – 7:00pm on Sportsnet and NHL Network

Friday January 17th:
Hamilton at Kingston – 7:00pm
Barrie at Niagara – 7:00pm
Flint at Ottawa – 7:00pm
Erie at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Saginaw at Soo – 7:07pm
Owen Sound at Guelph – 7:30pm
North Bay at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Sudbury at London – 7:30pm
Mississauga at Oshawa – 7:35pm

Saturday January 18th:
Hamilton at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Sudbury at Sarnia – 4:05pm
Kitchener at Guelph – 7:00pm
North Bay at Niagara – 7:00pm
Flint at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Soo at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Erie at Windsor – 7:05pm
Mississauga at Barrie – 7:30pm
Oshawa at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday January 19th:
Flint at Kingston – 2:00pm
Guelph at Kitchener – 2:00pm
Erie at London – 2:00pm
Saginaw at Windsor – 2:05pm
Niagara at Peterborough – 2:05pm
Ottawa at Oshawa – 6:05pm

40 Players Selected for 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

2020 Top Prospects Game

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with National Hockey League Central Scouting announce the 40 players invited to compete in the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.


The 25th annual showcase of top CHL players eligible for the NHL Draft takes place on Thursday January 16, 2020, and is hosted by the Hamilton Bulldogs.  The 40 players selected were chosen by NHL clubs and feature talent from across the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.


“All 31 NHL clubs have a say in the player selection process and take great interest in this best-on-best showcase,” said Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting. “The Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is a great opportunity for scouts and general managers to evaluate talent and we look forward to seeing which players will make their mark in Hamilton.”

Among the players named to the preliminary roster are Canadian National Junior Team members such as CHL top scorer and reigning Player of the Year Alexis Lafreniere of the Rimouski Oceanic, fellow forwards Quinton Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves and Dawson Mercer of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, defenceman Jamie Drysdale of the Erie Otters, and goaltender Nico Daws of the Guelph Storm.  Three more players including Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit, Connor Zary of the Kamloops Blazers, and defenceman Braden Schneider of the Brandon Wheat Kings will also compete after attending Canada’s Selection Camp.

31 of the CHL’s 60 member clubs are represented with a total of 17 OHL players from 13 different teams, 13 WHL players from 10 different teams, and 10 QMJHL players from eight different teams. Nine different teams have two players listed including Brandon, Drummondville, Kamloops, the Ottawa 67’s, Prince Albert Raiders, Shawinigan Cataractes, Soo Greyhounds, Sudbury, and the Windsor Spitfires.


19 of the players selected received ‘A’ ratings as first round candidates determined by NHL Central Scouting in their November Players to Watch list including 13 forwards and six defencemen.  17 players were given ‘B’ ratings including 11 forwards and six defencemen, while all four goaltenders were listed as ‘C’ rated prospects.


2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Roster:

*denotes ‘A’ rated first round candidates


Goaltenders:
Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers)
Brock Gould (Victoria Royals)
Samuel Hlavaj (Sherbrooke Phoenix)

Defencemen:
Justin Barron (Halifax Mooseheads)*
Lukas Cormier (Charlottetown Islanders)
Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters)*
Kaiden Guhle (Prince Albert Raiders)*
Daemon Hunt (Moose Jaw Warriors)*
Thimo Nickl (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Ryan O’Rourke (Soo Greyhounds)
Jeremie Poirier (Saint John Sea Dogs)*
Braden Schneider (Brandon Wheat Kings)*
Donovan Sebrango (Kitchener Rangers)
Christoffer Sedoff (Red Deer Rebels)
Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves)

Forwards:
Mavrik Bourque (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves)*
Brandon Coe (North Bay Battalion)
Will Cuylle (Windsor Spitfires)*
Jack Finley (Spokane Chiefs)
Tyson Foerster (Barrie Colts)
Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor Spitfires)*
Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Seth Jarvis (Portland Winterhawks)
Alexis Lafreniere (Rimouski Oceanic)*
Hendrix Lapierre (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)*
Dawson Mercer (Drummondville Voltigeurs)*
Jake Neighbours (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)*
Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)*
Vasiliy Ponomarev (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Jaromir Pytlik (Soo Greyhounds)
Jack Quinn (Ottawa 67’s)*
Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)*
Justin Sourdif (Vancouver Giants)*
Antonio Stranges (London Knights)*
Oliver Suni (Oshawa Generals)
Ozzy Wiesblatt (Prince Albert Raiders)
Connor Zary (Kamloops Blazers)*

The 40 players will be divided into teams by NHL Central Scouting and announced along with coaching staffs in January.

12 CHL players from last year’s game in Red Deer were chosen in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft led by Saskatoon Blades forward Kirby Dach picked third overall and currently competing as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. In 24 years, a total of 329 CHL players from this event have been chosen by NHL clubs in the first round of the NHL Draft representing close to 45% of all players selected. Since the event was first introduced in 1996 the game has featured 14 players selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft including Nico Hischier (2017), Connor McDavid (2015), Aaron Ekblad (2014), Nathan MacKinnon (2013), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), Taylor Hall (2010), John Tavares (2009), Steven Stamkos (2008), Patrick Kane (2007), Marc-Andre Fleury (2003), Rick Nash (2002), Vincent Lecavalier (1998), Joe Thornton (1997), and Chris Phillips (1996).


The 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by new title partner Kubota Canada, and CHL associate partners CIBC, Kia Canada, and Cooper Tires.  The game will be broadcast live across Canada on Sportsnet and TVA Sports, and in the United States on NHL Network.


Tickets are on sale for the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at ticketmaster.ca or call 855-985-4357.  For group and promotional inquiries, please contact the Hamilton Bulldogs at 905-529-8500.

For more information please visit http://kubotatopprospects.ca.

About Kubota Canada
Kubota Canada Ltd. (KCL) is a subsidiary of Kubota Corporation, a tractor and heavy equipment manufacturer based in Osaka, Japan. KCL markets and distributes Kubota-engineered and manufactured equipment, which includes a complete line of tractors (up to 210-horsepower), performance-matched implements, compact and utility tractors, compact construction, landscaping and public work equipment, residential lawn and garden equipment, commercial turf products and utility vehicles. For product literature or dealer locations, visit: kubota.ca. 

Wolves’ Quinton Byfield named OHL Rookie of the Year

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Announces First and Second All-Rookie Teams

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Quinton Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves is the 2018-19 recipient of the Emms Family Award presented to the OHL’s Rookie of the Year.

Byfield joined the league as the first overall pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection and finished third in rookie scoring with 61 points in 64 games including 29 goals and 32 assists helping the Wolves win more than 40 games for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

“It’s super humbling,” Byfield said. “There’s a lot of good rookies this year that could have won it. I think a lot of them deserved it as well. I couldn’t have done it by myself and owe a lot to my coaches who put trust in me, gave me every opportunity to succeed, and put me in every situation. And my teammates, our off-ice chemistry was unbelievable. We had a very special group, we’re super tight, and that helped us on the ice and really helped me too.

“My billet family, since day one, welcomed me into their family and they supported me along the way,” added Byfield. “To my Mom, Dad, Sister, Oma, they all believed in me, supported me, and sacrificed everything for me just so I could go play hockey. This is just really special for me and I’m really honoured.”

The Newmarket, Ont., native, and graduate from the OMHA champion York-Simcoe Express, scored in his Wolves debut on September 21, part of a two-point performance, the first of 16 multi-point games this season.  The 2020 NHL Draft prospect also represented Canada as an alternate captain at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in November.  He finished second overall in Wolves scoring and lit the lamp more than any other 16-year-old rookie to play for ‘the Pack’ in the last 20 years following Norm Milley’s 30 goals in 1996-97.

“For Quinton coming in, being the number one pick after really wanting to be first overall, he’s done everything for us since the start of the season,” said Wolves head coach Cory Stillman, who won OHL Rookie of the Year honours himself as a member of the Windsor Spitfires in 1990-91. “He’s an extremely talented player and is a treat to come to the rink and watch every night.

Byfield, Quinton (1)
Quinton Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves. Photo by OHL Images

“What makes Quinton special, to me, is how hard he plays in all areas of the game,” Stillman added. “He plays on the power play and on the penalty kill. He plays in the last minute if we’re up a goal or if we’re down a goal. I think the biggest thing with Quinton is that he’s only going to get better.”

Byfield is just the third Wolves player to win Rookie of the Year honours following Benoit Pouliot in 2004-05, and Pat Verbeek in 1981-82.  He is also the ninth player to win after also earning the Jack Ferguson Award as the league’s first overall pick following Jeff O’Neill (Guelph 1992-93), Patrick O’Sullivan (Mississauga 2001-02), Rob Schremp (Mississauga 2002-03), John Tavares (Oshawa 2005-06), Aaron Ekblad (Barrie 2011-12), Connor McDavid (Erie 2012-13), Travis Konecny (Ottawa 2013-14), and Ryan Merkley (Guelph 2016-17).  Andrei Svechnikov of the Barrie Colts was last season’s recipient.

The Emms Family Award was donated by Leighton “Hap” Emms, former owner of the Barrie, Niagara Falls, and St. Catharines OHL franchises.  The award is selected by all 20 member club General Managers.  Teams were asked to submit only one nominee from their own club for consideration on the ballot and were not permitted to vote for the player from their own hockey club.  Voting was conducted in two stages beginning with a Conference only vote followed by a Final ballot that included the top three candidates from the initial Conference phase.  Players received five points for a first vote, three points for a second place vote, and one point for a third place vote.

Byfield earned 61 points in a very close voting process just one point ahead of Cole Perfetti of the Saginaw Spirit who finished with 60 voting points.  Defenceman Jamie Drysdale of the Erie Otters finished in third place with 32 voting points.

All three players were also named to the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team with Byfield at centre, Perfetti at left wing, and Jacob Perreault of the Sarnia Sting at right wing.  Drysdale was voted on defence alongside NHL Draft prospect Vladislav Kolyachonok of the Flint Firebirds.  Jet Greaves of the Barrie Colts was voted in goal.  Second All-Rookie Team honours were awarded to forwards Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67’s, Will Cuylle of the Windsor Spitfires, and Tyler Tullio of the Oshawa Generals.  Ryan O’Rourke of the Soo Greyhounds and Daniil Chayka of the Guelph Storm were voted on defence, and Zachary Roy of the Hamilton Bulldogs was chosen in goal.

The OHL All-Rookie Teams were also selected by the OHL’s General Managers.  Players were voted on initially by position within their conference receiving five points for a first place vote, three for a second place vote, and one for a third.  Top vote getters in each position made up the final ballot that was then circulated to all 20 teams.

The Emms Family Award will be formally presented to Byfield at the OHL’s annual Awards Ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Wednesday June 5.  He will be the OHL’s nominee for CHL Rookie of the Year to be announced at the Memorial Cup presented by Kia on Saturday May 25.

2018-19 OHL All-Rookie Teams (voting points in brackets):
First Team:
Centre – Quinton Byfield, Sudbury Wolves (87)
Left Wing – Cole Perfetti, Saginaw Spirit (91)
Right Wing – Jacob Perreault, Sarnia Sting (89)
Defence – Jamie Drysdale, Erie Otters (95)
Defence – Vladislav Kolyachonok, Flint Firebirds (69)
Goaltender – Jet Greaves, Barrie Colts (58)
Second Team:
Centre – Marco Rossi, Ottawa 67’s (52)
Left Wing – Will Cuylle, Windsor Spitfires (52)
Right Wing – Tyler Tullio, Oshawa Generals (35)
Defence – Ryan O’Rourke, Soo Greyhounds (53)
Defence – Daniil Chayka, Guelph Storm (38)
Goaltender – Zachary Roy, Hamilton Bulldogs (39)

OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for December

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in December 2018, including Ottawa 67’s forward Tye Felhaber, Saginaw Spirit defenceman Bode Wilde, Sudbury Wolves goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Sarnia Sting rookie Jacob Perreault.

OHL Player of the Month – Tye Felhaber (Ottawa 67’s):
Ottawa 67’s overage winger Tye Felhaber is the OHL Player of the Month for December after leading the league with 16 goals and 20 points over 10 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-10. The fifth-year forward had points in all 10 of his December contests, recording three different hat-tricks while earning Three Star recognition on five separate occasions. Felhaber got his month started with a bang on Dec. 2nd, scoring three times in a 6-3 win over the North Bay Battalion. He recorded another hat-trick a week later, powering the 67’s past the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques 5-1 on home ice before following-up that effort with two goals and an assist on Dec. 9th as the 67’s defeated the Peterborough Petes 4-2. Felhaber rounded out the 2018 calendar year with a New Year’s Eve third period hat-trick as the Barber Poles fell 6-5 in Niagara. The hat-trick was the sixth of Felhaber’s OHL career, bringing his goal-scoring total to a league-leading 42 on the campaign.

A 20-year-old product of Pembroke, Ont., Felhaber sits second in OHL scoring with 63 points (42-21–63) over 38 games. His plus-33 plus/minus rating leads the OHL and he’s currently in the midst of a 12-game point streak that dates back to Nov. 24th. A former first round pick by the Saginaw Spirit in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection, Felhaber has racked up 239 points (128-111–239) over his 281 career regular season contests between Saginaw and Ottawa. His 42 goals this season are the most by a 67’s player since Tyler Toffoli (52) and Shane Prince (43) surpassed the mark back in 2011-12.


OHL Defenceman of the Month – Bode Wilde (Saginaw Spirit):
New York Islanders prospect Bode Wilde of the Saginaw Spirit is the OHL Defenceman of the Month for December, leading all blueliners with 16 points including four goals and 12 assists over 10 games. Wilde recorded at least a point in nine of his 10 December contests, registering a career-high four points with a goal and three assists in a 7-3 Spirit victory over visiting Sarnia on Dec. 15th. Wilde put up five different multi-point efforts as the Spirit pulled to within three points of first place in the West Division with a 7-2-1-0 record in December. He wrapped up 2018 on a six-game point streak, recording at least one in 10 of his last 11 games.

An 18-year-old native of Plymouth, Mich., Wilde sits third among OHL defencemen with 37 points (9-28–37) over 30 games in this, his first OHL season. Saginaw’s second round pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, Wilde joined the Spirit following two seasons with the U.S. National Development Program. He has represented the United States at both the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2017 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship and was New York’s second round (41st overall) pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.


OHL Rookie of the Month – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting):
Sixteen-year-old Sarnia Sting forward Jacob Perreault is the OHL’s Rookie of the Month for December after recording 17 points including nine goals and eight assists over 10 games. Perreault had points in nine of his 10 outings including five multi-point performances as the high-scoring Sting remained in the thick of things in the West Division. Perreault put together three straight two-point showings on Dec. 6th, 7th and 8th, starting the weekend with two goals in a 5-4 overtime road win over Windsor. He put up three points on Dec. 14th with two goals and an assist as Sarnia trounced visiting Erie 10-4. Perreault registered a season-high four points with two goals and two assists in a first star showing as part of a 7-3 win over visiting Owen Sound on Dec. 28th. He earned Three Star recognition five different times over the course of the month.

A 16-year-old product of Hinsdale, Ill., Perreault leads OHL rookies with 19 goals and 35 points over 33 games this season. The son of former NHL centreman Yanic Perreault has points in 10 of his last 11 games and currently leads the Sting with a plus/minus rating of plus-10 this season. The 19th overall pick of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection from the Chicago Mission U16 program, Perreault will be eligible for the NHL Draft in 2020.

 

cid:image002.jpg@01D36D30.7995E200


Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves):
Buffalo Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen of the Sudbury Wolves is the Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month for December after playing to a perfect 5-0 record with a 1.97 goals-against average, .937 save percentage and one shutout. The 6-foot-5, 214Ib Luukkonen extended his winning streak to eight games before departing to British Columbia where he’s representing his native Finland at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. He started the month of December with his second shutout of the season, making 28 saves in a 7-0 blanking of the Mississauga Steelheads on Dec. 2nd. He turned in another 28-save performance on Dec. 7th as the Wolves defeated the visiting Barrie Colts 5-1. Luukkonen closed out his December with a 27-save effort as the Wolves defeated the visiting Kitchener Rangers 5-2 on Dec. 14th.

A 19-year-old native of Espoo, Finland, Luukkonen owns a 19-5-1-1 record with a 2.49 goals-against average and .923 save percentage over 26 games in this, his first OHL season. The third overall pick of the 2018 CHL Import Draft has also stopped 13 of the 16 shootout opponents he has faced this season and helped the Wolves rise to as high as first in the Central Division in recent weeks. Luukkonen was Buffalo’s second round (54th overall) pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. He’s currently representing Finland at the World Juniors for the second straight year.


2018-19 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
December – Tye Felhaber (Ottawa 67’s)
November – Jason Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
October – Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)


Defenceman of the Month:
December – Bode Wilde (Saginaw Spirit)
November – Noel Hoefenmayer (Ottawa 67’s)
October – Mac Hollowell (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)


Rookie of the Month:
December – Jacob Perreault (Sarnia Sting)
November – Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
October – Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)


Vaughn Goaltender of the Month:
December – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves)
November – Joseph Raaymakers (London Knights)
October – Cedrick Andree (Ottawa 67’s)

OHL completes 2018 Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today conducted the 2018 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore for North American players born in 2002.

A total of 300 players were selected in the 15-round process from 98 different teams across Ontario and parts of the United States.  The selected players included 175 forwards, 92 defencemen, and 33 goaltenders.  While 292 of the players chosen were 2002-born athletes, also eligible for selection were non-overage players not carded with an Ontario based Midget AAA team from protected OHL territories.  Five players born in 2001, and three players born in 2000 were chosen under this criteria.

2018 OHL Draft Logo

“Congratulations to all 300 players chosen in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection and for the hard work that got you to this point,” said Darrell Woodley, Director of OHL Central Scouting.  “Being selected by an OHL team is an accomplishment to celebrate and share with family, friends, coaches, and teammates that helped provide support and encouragement along the way.  It’s also just the beginning of your next challenge where it doesn’t matter what number you were picked it’s what you do on the ice that really counts.  This motivation also applies to players not selected today who can still find opportunities for success in hockey with the right attitude and work ethic.  Best of luck to all players in your hockey and academic goals.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL RESULTS OF THE 2018 OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association led the way with 82 players selected from 19 different organizations including 47 picks across 11 ETA teams and 35 picks by eight SCTA teams.  The Oakville Rangers led the OMHA and the entire draft with 14 players selected, followed by the ETA’s Peterborough Petes with 10, the Barrie Jr. Colts with eight, both the SCTA’s Guelph Gryphons and Niagara North Stars with seven, and the league champion York-Simcoe Express with six.  The Greater Toronto Hockey League was represented by 76 players from 12 different teams.  Three clubs developed 13 players in this year’s draft including the league champion Toronto Marlboros, the Mississauga Reps, and the Vaughan Kings.  The OHL Cup champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens had 11 players chosen followed by the Don Mills Flyers with nine.  The ALLIANCE had a total of 37 players selected from 11 different teams led by the Cambridge Hawks with seven and the Sun County Panthers with six.  Hockey Eastern Ontario produced 25 players from 12 different Midget AAA teams led by the champion Rockland Nationals with six.  The Northern Ontario Hockey Association had 10 players chosen from three different teams including five members of the North Bay Trappers, while three players from Hockey Northwestern Ontario were picked including a pair of Thunder Bay Kings.  An additional five players were chosen from various Canadian programs with the remaining 62 players representing 34 different teams from the United States including seven players from Detroit Honeybaked 16U.

This season marked the 18th straight year the Priority Selection was conducted by way of the internet, and eleventh straight year with a live draft show of the first three rounds.

2018 OHL Priority Selection First Round Results:

Reports from OHL Central Scouting (click select names for video profiles).

1. Sudbury Wolves – Quinton Byfield (York Simcoe Express) 6.03.5 202Ib. LC “Quinton is the type of player that doesn’t come around very often. At nearly 6’4” and over 200lbs, he is an intimidating presence on the ice. He has an exceptionally high skill level and can do things with a puck that not many players his age or size can do. He is very creative with the puck on his stick and isn’t afraid to try and beat any defender. He is a very hard to handle in open ice as he is agile on his skates and uses his edges effectively. Quinton has a cannon for a shot and can shoot in mid-stride.”

2. Flint Firebirds – Evan Vierling (York Simcoe Express) 5.11.5 148Ib. LC “Evan is a smooth-skating center that has very good offensive instincts. He is one of the nicest skaters in the draft, plays a good 10-foot game, has a long, powerful stride and is very agile on his skates. He has a great skill set and can make plays at full speed. He is a smart player that understands the situations of a game and makes very few mistakes. He plays a simple but effective game. Evan was a big part of the success his team had in the second half.”

3. Peterborough Petes – Will Cuylle (Toronto Marlboros) 6.02 193Ib. LW “Will is your prototypical power forward that combines size, skill and skating. He is a powerful skater that gets to top speed quickly and has deceiving speed as most defenders don’t expect such a big forward to move as effortlessly as he does. His puck skills are elite and he has turned nothing into something on numerous occasions this season. He shoots the puck better than most junior players already. He has a lightning quick release with a very accurate shot.”

4. Erie Otters – Jamie Drysdale (Toronto Marlboros) 5.10.25 158Ib. RD “Jamie is one of the elite defencemen in this year’s Priority Selection. He is an elite skater that moves effortlessly around the ice and looks like he could skate all day long. He has excellent edge work, an explosive 10-foot game and has game changing speed. He is an offensive minded defender that has great puck skills and can do everything at full speed. Jamie is very dynamic on the offensive blue line and is hard to handle because of his mobility, puck skills and decision making.”

5. Saginaw Spirit – Cole Perfetti (Vaughan Kings) 5.09.25 170Ib. LC “Philip is a hard working, skilled centre that never gives up on a play. He has explosive speed with the ability to change gears in mid-stride and is always moving his feet and putting pressure on the opposition. He has very good one-on-one skills and is dangerous whenever he has the puck. Philip has a good shot with a quick release that catches some goalies by surprise. He plays a complete game and is reliable in every situation.”

6. Ottawa 67’s – Cameron Tolnai (Oakville Rangers) 6.00 167Ib. LC “Cameron is a gifted playmaking center that makes the game look easy. He makes everyone around him better as he is so good at putting pucks in areas where his teammates will get good scoring chances. He has incredible vision and makes both the simple and very creative pass. He is a very good skater and jumps in and out of holes well to receive passes. Cameron is a pass first type of player, but possesses a good shot with a quick release. He is one of the smartest players in this age group.” 7. 

Guelph Storm – Daniil Chayka (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) 6.02.25 173Ib. LD “Daniil is a big stud of a defenceman that does everything very well. He is a powerful skater that reaches top speed quickly. He has good mobility and is hard to beat off the rush because of his excellent feet. He is not afraid to jump into the rush or lead it if the opportunity is there. He is one of the best in the age group on the offensive blueline and has a knack for getting his cannon of a shot through traffic and on net. He is a strong penalty killer that gets his stick in the passing lanes.”

8. Mississauga Steelheads – James Hardie (Barrie Jr. Colts) 5.10.5 158Ib. LW “James is a goal scorer that loves to shoot the puck. He has a junior-level shot already. It has pace, accuracy and he can pull the trigger quickly. He does a good job of finding open ice or those little quiet pockets in the offensive zone. He isn’t afraid to try and beat a defender in open ice when the chance is there. He plays for a well structured team that does all the little things well and he knows his responsibilities in his own end. James was a big reason why his team had success in the playoffs and at the OHL Cup powered by Under Armour.”

9. North Bay Battalion – Pacey Schlueting (North Bay Trappers) 6.00.5 170Ib. LD “Pacey is a smooth skating defenceman that is fun to watch when he is at the top of his game. He has a very nice long stride that makes it look effortless for him when he is skating. He makes good breakout passes and when given the opportunity he is very effective at rushing the puck and creating offense off the rush. He is hard to beat due to his excellent mobility and reach. Pacey plays on the right side of the puck in his own end. He has the potential to be a very good player in the OHL.”

10. Windsor Spitfires – Jean-Luc Foudy (Toronto Titans) 5.10 153Ib. RC “Jean-Luc is a skilled, playmaking type of centre that makes everyone around him better. He has elusive speed that catches defenders off guard at times. He is quick to jump into holes for loose pucks and wins the majority of races to pucks. He is crafty with the puck and can stickhandle in very tight areas. Jean-Luc is one of the smarter players in the age group. He is always in the right spot at the right time and the puck seems to follow him around the ice.”

11. Oshawa Generals – Tyler Tullio (Vaughan Kings) 5.08.5 150Ib. RC “Tyler is a competitive player that would do almost anything to score a goal or win a hockey game. He is a good skater that can beat defenders wide and win loose puck battles all over the ice. He possesses a junior level shot already. It’s hard, accurate and he gets it on net very quickly. Tyler competes very hard each shift and isn’t shy to battle against the bigger defender and usually come out with the puck. He is a ‘gamer’ and the type of player you win with.”

12. Niagara IceDogs – Lleyton Moore (Toronto Marlboros) 5.07.25 160Ib. LD “Lleyton is a mobile defenceman that loves to have the puck on his stick and isn’t afraid to lead a rush. He is a strong skater in every direction, is explosive and has a very high top speed. His puck skills are elite as it seems like the puck is on a string at times. He sees the ice well and is very creative. Lleyton’s biggest attribute is his skating ability. It helps him defend, recover when he is up in the rush and create offence from the back end. He is one of his teams go-to players and plays in every situation.”

13. Kingston Frontenacs – Jake Murray (Oakville Rangers) 6.02.5 190Ib. RD “Jake is a versatile two-way defenceman that you notice every time he is on the ice. He is a big presence and moves extremely well. He has great edge work and is a beautiful skater in open ice. He has the ability to join or lead a rush and then still recover and defend his position. He has good puck skills and is composed when he has the puck on his stick. He has a hard shot from the point and finds the shooting lanes well. Jake uses his mobility and long reach to his advantage.”

14. London Knights – Luke Evangelista (Oakville Rangers) 5.10 146Ib. RW “Luke is a dynamic winger that never stops moving his feet and putting pressure on the opposition. He is a very good skater that is quick to jump to open holes and pounce on loose pucks. He is creative offensively and uses his high skill level to produce with the best in his league. He competes hard each and every shift and you always know what you are getting with this player. He shoots the puck well and is extremely accurate. He is used in every situation and thrives on the power play.

15. Owen Sound Attack – Nolan Seed (Smiths Falls Bears U18) 5.11.5 152Ib. LD “Nolan is an offensive-minded defenceman that is always looking to join the rush and help contribute on offence. He is one of the smoothest skating defencemen in this age group and considering he hasn’t played defence for long he has great mobility which makes him hard to beat off the rush. He loves to have the puck on his stick and makes good distribution decisions as he isn’t always trying to go end-to-end with it. He sees the ice very well and runs the power play very efficiently.”

16. Barrie Colts – Riley Piercey (Toronto Marlboros) 6.02.5 186Ib. RW “Riley is a big power forward that is very hard to play against as he is constantly moving and takes the body every chance that he can. He is a powerful skater that, when at full speed, is very quick. He is a player that makes the simple, effective play the majority of the time. He has a good shot which he gets off quickly. Riley plays hard in all three zones and rarely takes any short cuts. He is the type of player that coaches like to have on the bench because he can play up and down a lineup.”

17. Kitchener Rangers – Reid Valade (Toronto Marlboros) 5.10 160Ib. RW “Reid is a speedy winger that is constantly moving and putting pressure on the other team. He has electric speed and is always challenging defencemen wide or jumping quickly in and out of holes for scoring chances. He has a good skill set which allows him to beat players one-on-one as well as finish off scoring chances when they arrive. He shoots the puck well and has a quick release. Reid is a smart player that can play any type of game or role on his team.”

18. Hamilton Bulldogs – Logan Morrison (Guelph Gryphons) 5.09.5 142Ib. RC “Logan is one of the smartest offensive players in this year’s Priority Selection. He has a great understanding of the game and each situation. He is creative offensively but also makes the simple safe play which is usually the right one. He is a good skater and once he is in full stride he is deceivingly quick. He has great vision with the puck and scored numerous big goals for his team this season. Logan is one of those players that makes players around him better and he should continue to do so in the OHL.”

19. Sarnia Sting – Jacob Perreault (Chicago Mission 16U) 5.10 195Ib. RC “The son of former NHL forward Yanic Perreault, Jacob hails from Hinsdale, Ill. and plays the game with intelligence and poise. A dynamic offensive talent, he led the HPHL’s 16U circuit in scoring this past season with 25 points over 20 games coming against players a year older than him. He is a player that makes a difference when he is on the ice and comes with the pro pedigree to further develop as he continues to grow.”

20. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – Ryan O’Rourke (Vaughan Kings) 6.00 175Ib. LD “Ryan is a tough to play against two-way defenceman. He has good mobility and is a powerful skater which allows him to close gaps and take away time and space. He has a good skill set that allows him to move the puck out of his zone. He can rush the puck when the opportunity is there and he is good on the offensive blue line at getting pucks on net or distributing it. Ryan is hard to beat defensively. He takes the body well and he has a good understanding of his position and what he has to do.