WILLIS, GEORGE AND EDWARDS NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, November 17, 2024.



Spirit’s Joey Willis Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Nashville Predators prospect Joey Willis of the Saginaw is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, registering nine goals, two assists and 11 points over three games played.

Willis opened the week with a Spirit single game record-setting five-goal performance on Wednesday, netting five straight markers to lead the Spirit to a 7-5 comeback win over the Flint Firebirds. He added a goal and an assist on Friday in a 7-5 loss to the Erie Otters. Willis capped off the week with a hat-trick and an assist on Saturday, claiming first star honours in a dominant 9-3 victory over the Sarnia Sting.

A 19-year-old from Elmhurst, IL., Willis has recorded 23 points (12-11-23) over 18 games played this season. Selected by Saginaw in the fourth round (79th overall) of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, the 5-foot-11, 185Ib. centreman has recorded 117 points (41-76–117) over 152 career regular season contests. He put up 11 points (4-7–11) over 17 games in last year’s playoffs before the 2024 host Spirit were crowned Memorial Cup champions. Willis was selected by the Nashville Predators in the fourth round, 111th overall of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Also given consideration for the award this week, San Jose Sharks prospect Quentin Musty registered nine points (3-6-9) in two games played. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis of the Brantford Bulldogs was also a standout, tallying six goals, three assists and nine points in three contests, delivering back-to-back hat-tricks.

2024-25 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 11 – Nov. 17: Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit)
Nov. 4 – Nov. 10: Sam Dickinson (London Knights)
Oct. 28 – Nov. 3: Marco Mignosa (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 21 – Oct. 27: Sam Dickinson (London Knights)
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)
 



Attack’s Carter George Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Los Angeles Kings prospect Carter George of the Owen Sound Attack is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, scoring a goal while going 1-1-0-0 with a 2.46 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.

Turning aside an impressive 81 shots last week, George stopped 36 of the 37 shots that came his way on Thursday in a 4-1 victory over the Peterborough Petes. George made history in the matchup, scoring an empty-net goal to become the 11th netminder in OHL history to find the back of the net and the first to do so for the Owen Sound Attack. He provided relief on Friday, stopping 25 shots in a 7-1 loss to the Kingston Frontenacs. The 6-foot-1, 190lb. netminder returned between the pipes on Sunday, making 20 saves on 24 shots in a hard-fought 4-3 loss to the Ottawa 67’s.

An 18-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont, George holds a 4-8-2-2 record this season with a 3.25 goals-against average and .907 save percentage over 17 games. Drafted in the third round (53rd overall) by Owen Sound in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, George is in his third OHL season, with a career record of 34-32-8-5, a 3.19 goals-against average, .909 save percentage, and four shutouts in 83 regular season games played. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (57th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, George earned recognition as the OHL’s Top Academic High School Player and Scholastic Player of the Year in 2023-24. He was also voted to the League’s Third All-Star Team and the First All-Rookie Team. On the international stage, he claimed gold with Team Canada at both the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the Under-18 World Championship last season.

Also considered for the award this week, Kitchener Rangers netminder Jackson Parsons continued to shine, playing to a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout, along with a 0.50 goals-against average and .977 save percentage.

2024-25 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 11 – Nov. 17: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Nov. 4 – Nov. 10: Andrew Oke (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 28 – Nov. 3: Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 21 – Oct. 27: Nathan Day (Flint Firebirds)
Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 7 – Oct. 13: Finn Marshall (Sudbury Wolves)
Sept. 30 – Oct. 6: Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires)
Sept. 25 – Sept. 29: Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads)
 



Sting’s Beckham Edwards Named OHL Rookie of the Week

Sarnia Sting forward Beckham Edwards is the OHL Rookie of the Week for the second time this season, recording three goals over three contests.

Edwards kicked off the week with a goal in Friday’s 5-3 loss to the London Knights. The 6-foot-1, 170lb. centreman added two more on Saturday in a 9-3 defeat to the Saginaw Spirit, giving him a league-leading total among rookies of nine goals.

Selected in the third round (46th overall) by the Sting in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the Detroit Little Caesars U15 AAA program, Edwards sits tied for first among all OHL rookies in points this season, registering 14 (9-5-14) in 17 games played.

Also considered for the award this week, Niagara IceDogs forward Braidy Wassilyn contributed four assists in two contests, while Rowan Henderson of the Sudbury Wolves tallied a pair of goals and a helper in two games played.

2024-25 OHL Rookies of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 11 – Nov. 17: Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting)
Nov. 4 – Nov. 10: Carter Stevens (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 28 – Nov. 3: Aleksei Medvedev (London Knights)
Oct. 21 – Oct. 27: Cole Zurawski (Flint Firebirds)
Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 7 – Oct. 13: Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack)
Sept. 30 – Oct. 6: Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting)
Sept. 25 – Sept. 29: Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires)

OHL Writers Draft Eligible Player of the Month for March

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

It wasn’t exactly a barn burner of a March for the skaters when it comes to the players eligible for the National Hockey League Entry Draft. But it was probably the best month of the season for the goaltenders. Here’s our choices for draft eligible forward, defenceman and goaltender of the month.

Draft Eligible Forward of the Month – Max Namestnikov – Guelph Storm

We all know about the explosion of offence Namestnikov had once he was traded from the Sarnia Sting to the Guelph Storm. Max had just two assists in the month of March but tallied 12 goals in 11 games that raised his season total to 39. And 35 of those goals came after the trade, in just 47 games. He had goals in all but 3 of those 11 games and included 4 multi point games.

Also considered were Coulson Pitre of the Flint Firebirds with 4 goals and 7 assists in 9 games, Joey Willis of the Saginaw Spirit had 5 goals and 8 assists in 11 games and Brady Stonehouse of the Ottawa 67’s who had 7 goals and 4 assists in 10 games.

Draft Eligible Defenceman of the Month – Matthew Mania – Sudbury Wolves

Mania quietly put together a solid season for the Sudbury Wolves and the month of March was a very good one for him. He appeared in 12 games scoring 3 goals and adding 6 assists and a plus-7 to finish the season with 10 goals and 28 assists and a plus-21 while playing in 67 games.

Also considered was Hunter Brzustewicz who had 8 assists in 12 games for the Rangers.

Draft Eligible Goaltender of the Month – Charlie Robertson – North Bay Battalion

Robertson had a great start to the month of March posting consecutive shutouts beginning with a 20 save blanking of the Niagara IceDogs on March and 5 days later blanking the Oshawa Generals with a 28 save performance. Robertson went 5-0-0-0 in the month of March stopping 145 of 154 shots for a save-percentage of .942.

Also considered was Liam Sztuska of the Peterborough Petes who went 4-0-0-0 in 5 appearances and stopped 128 of 134 shots for a save-percentage of .955 and 1 shutout. Collin MacKenzie of the Ottawa 67’s was also considered as he posted a 7-0-0-0 record in 8 appearances with a .930 save-percentage.

We have to give a special shout out to Owen Flores of the Niagara IceDogs. He appeared in 10 games with two of those being in relief. Here are the shots he faced in his 8 full games: 66, 44, 46, 45, 48, 50, 58 and 36. In total, he stopped 399 of 440 shots he faced for a .907 save-percentage.

Forwards

Max Namestnikov – Guelph Storm – March

Nick Lardis – Hamilton Bulldogs – February

Colby Barlow – Owen Sound Attack – January

Quentin Musty – Sudbury Wolves – December

Quentin Musty – Sudbury Wolves – November

Ryan Abraham – Windsor Spitfires – October

Defencemen

Matthew Mania – Sudbury Wolves – March

Rodwin Dionicio – Windsor Spitfires – February

Rodwin Dionicio – Windsor Spitfires – January

Beau Akey – Sudbury Wolves – December

Brody Crane – London Knights – November

Hunter Brzustewicz – Kitchener Rangers – October

Goaltenders

Charlie Robertson – North Bay Battalion – March

Tristan Malboeuf – Hamilton Bulldogs – February

Jacob Oster – Oshawa Generals – January

Joey Costanzo – Windsor Spitfires – December

Andrew Oke – Saginaw Spirit – November

Collin MacKenzie – Ottawa 67’s – October

OHL ANNOUNCES ACADEMIC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Academic Players of the Month for January including Jett Luchanko of the Guelph Storm, Mason Vaccari of the Kingston Frontenacs, Joey Willis of the Saginaw Spirit and Wyatt Kennedy of the North Bay Battalion.

East Division: Kingston Frontenacs rookie netminder Mason Vaccari is the OHL East Division Academic Player of the Month for January.

Vaccari is achieving an overall average of 94 percent across three university-level courses, with a 92 percent average in Financial Accounting and a 95 percent average in both Canadian Law and Advanced Functions at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School.

“Mason is as laser focused a student as he is a goalie,” said Frontenacs academic advisor Kristi LeSarge. His math teacher, Joanne Van Nest shared that “Mason has maintained his 95% in her Advanced Functions course, which is amazing considering his demanding schedule and the challenging nature of the Advanced Functions material. He is a conscientious, dedicated, mature student and an all-around nice, humble person.”

The 17-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. has played 17 games this season, recording a 3.08 goals-against-average and .908 save percentage for the Fronts. In the 2021-2022 season, Vaccari played 16 games for the OJHL’s Coburg Cougars, accumulating nine wins. The 5-foot-9, 178lb. goaltender was Kingston’s fourth round (61st overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.

Central Division: North Bay Battalion defenceman Wyatt Kennedy is the OHL Central Division Academic Player of the Month for January.

Kennedy is currently achieving academic excellence in grade 12 level courses, including high grades in Equity and Social Justice, Business Leadership and Careers at Chippewa Secondary School.

“Wyatt is described by his teachers as a kind, polite and courteous leader, who is an equally strong student,” said Battalion academic advisor Stephanie Silverthorn. “He is respected by staff, students, and his teammates. Wyatt’s approach to learning is positive and his work habits are strong. He regularly shows initiative, is conscientious and displays a principled and open-minded approach within the classroom while managing his time between the ice and school.”

The 17-year-old from Vars, Ont. has played 46 games this season, recording two goals, four assists and six points for the Battalion. The 6-foot-5, 186Ib. blueliner was selected in the third round (50th overall) by North Bay in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.

Midwest Division: Guelph Storm rookie forward Jett Luchanko is the OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for January.

Luchanko is achieving an 85 percent average in grade 11 university-level Physics, Mathematics and English at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School.

“Jett’s ability to effectively balance the demands of his academic course load with his on-ice commitments is a direct reflection of his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence,” said Storm academic advisor Coleen Driscoll. “He is to be commended for his conscientious and dedicated approach to his studies.”

The 16-year-old from London, Ont. has played 33 games this season, recording three goals, six assists  and nine points for the Storm. The 5-foot-10, 165Ib. right-winger was selected in the first round (12th overall) by Guelph in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection from the London Jr. Knights U16 program.

West Division: Saginaw Spirit rookie forward Joey Willis is the OHL West Division Academic Player of the Month for January.

Willis is achieving an overall first semester average of 87 percent, with an 88 percent average in grade 12 English, 83 percent average in Advanced Placement Environmental Science, 88 percent average in Marketing, 81 percent average in Advanced Placement Statistics and a 93 percent average in Work Based Learning at Heritage High School.

“Joey is a very hard working student with an outstanding work ethic,” said Saginaw’s academic advisor Pamela Moretuzzo. “He is scholastically gifted and very dedicated to his studies. Joey is a strong-willed and driven individual. He commits a great deal of time in and out of school to be successful in his academics, as he is currently taking two Advanced Placements courses and often attends additional study sessions outside of his class hours to improve his understanding of the course material.  He is a well-rounded, conscientious individual.”

“Joey is also committed to improving his hockey skills as a member of the Saginaw Spirit team. As a rookie, he is currently second in scoring for first year players,” Moretuzzo continued. “Joey welcomes hockey, academic, and personal challenges and works diligently to accomplish his goals. He has outstanding sportsmanship and a positive attitude both on and off of the ice.”

The 17-year-old from Elmhurst, Ill. has played 45 games this season, recording nine goals, 17 assists and 26 points for the Spirit. The 5-foot-10, 170Ib. centreman was selected in the fourth round (79th overall) by Saginaw in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.

2022-23 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
January – Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
December – Callum Cheynowski (Hamilton Bulldogs)
November – James Guo (Peterborough Petes)
October – Brad Gardiner (Ottawa 67’s)

Central Division:
January – Wyatt Kennedy (North Bay Battalion)
December – Grayson Tiller (Barrie Colts)
November – Finn Harding (Mississauga Steelheads)
October – Kieron Walton (Sudbury Wolves)

Midwest Division:
January – Jett Luchanko (Guelph Storm)
December – Nathan Sauder (Erie Otters)
November – Braedyn Rogers (Owen Sound Attack)
October – Denver Barkey (London Knights)

West Division:
January – Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit)
December – Tristan Bertucci (Flint Firebirds)
November – Bronson Ride (Windsor Spitfires)
October – Alex Kostov (Soo Greyhounds)

The OHL continues to produce student-athletes that move on to both professional and U SPORTS men’s hockey endeavors.

A total of 349 graduates utilized their OHL Scholarship at post-secondary institutions across North America during the 2021-22 academic year, with a total contribution by teams of over $3.5 million. Over the past 10 seasons, OHL Scholarship payments have totaled more than $25 million.

A total of 217 OHL Alumni were included on U SPORTS men’s hockey rosters to open the 2022-23 season.

Click here for more information about ‘OHL Players First’ programs.


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.