Tournament field now set for 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow with the opening game scheduled for Friday, May 24

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is excited to announce that the field for the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow is now complete. In addition to the host Saginaw Spirit from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the 104th edition of the Memorial Cup, which is scheduled from May 23 – June 2 in Saginaw, Michigan, will feature the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL), the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). 

The latter three teams punched their ticket to the Memorial Cup by winning their respective league titles in just four games – marking the first time in CHL history that all three championship series from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL ended in sweeps. The first game of the 2024 Memorial Cup is set for next Friday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT between the host Spirit and the WHL champion Moose Jaw Warriors. The complete schedule for the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow can be found below.

The 2024 Memorial Cup will mark the first time the CHL’s championship event has been held in the United States in 26 years and the very first time it has ever occurred in the State of Michigan. Every game of this year’s 2024 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2024 Memorial Cup will be available in the United States on NHL Network, and for subscribers of CHL TV outside of North America.

Host – Saginaw Spirit
(making their first-ever appearance at a Memorial Cup in 2024)

One of four teams in the CHL to win 50 games this season, the Saginaw Spirit are set to participate in their first-ever Memorial Cup after a historic year for the franchise. Thanks to their 50-16-1-1 record in the regular season, the Spirit set a new club record with 102 points in 2023-24 – marking the first time they broke the 100-point plateau in their 22-year history. A big part of their success can be attributed to the performance of many players including 2024 NHL Draft prospect Zayne Parekh, who led all CHL defencemen in scoring with 96 points (33G-66A) during the regular season. Saginaw also enjoyed great production from another one of their blueliners during the postseason, Anaheim Ducks prospect Rodwin Dionicio, who led all OHL defencemen and his team in playoff scoring with 17 points (5G-12A in 17 GP). Saginaw reached the OHL’s Western Conference finals for only the second time in club history, before falling to the OHL Champion London Knights in six games. 

In total, the Spirit feature nine NHL prospects on their roster, including Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck, Vegas Golden Knights prospect Matyas Sapovaliv, and Minnesota Wild prospect Hunter Haight. 2025 NHL Draft prospect Michael Misa was also a key player for the Spirit in 2023-24, registering 75 points (29G-46A) in 67 regular-season games, which stands as the most points in Saginaw history by a player who started the year at age 16. Led by head coach Chris Lazary, the Spirit will aim to be the third Memorial Cup host to lift the trophy in the last 10 years.

WHL Champions – Moose Jaw Warriors
(making their first-ever appearance at a Memorial Cup in 2024)

Having won their first-ever Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions, the Moose Jaw Warriors will write another page in their franchise’s history when they head to Saginaw for their first-ever appearance at a Memorial Cup. Following their 4-0 sweep of the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL Championship Series, the Warriors have now won 26 of their last 33 games, losing only three times in regulation since February 23. Guided by head coach Mark O’Leary, Moose Jaw scored 87 times during the playoffs, averaging a WHL-best 4.35 goals per game. Throughout the postseason, Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus (14G-18A in 20 GP), Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Denton Mateychuk (11G-19A in 20 GP), and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Brayden Yager (11G-16A in 20 GP) have been excellent for Moose Jaw – as all three wrapped up the playoffs ranked first, second and third respectively in WHL scoring this postseason. Specifically, Mateychuk was recognized as the WHL Playoff MVP after leading all CHL defencemen in scoring with 30 points during the playoffs.

The trio of Firkus, Mateychuk, and Yager is also among the seven NHL prospects on the Warriors roster, which also features standout players such as Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie (10G-14A in 20 GP), Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Martin Rysavy (6G-10A in 20 GP), and Minnesota Wild prospect Kalem Parker (2G-7A in 20 GP). As they prepare to make the trip to Michigan, Moose Jaw will not only be in search of their first Memorial Cup title in franchise history, but they will hope to become the first WHL club to win the event since the Edmonton Oil Kings were crowned CHL champions 10 years ago.

OHL Champions – London Knights 
(sixth Memorial Cup appearance – 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 & 2024; two Memorial Cup titles – 2005 & 2016)

Set to make their sixth appearance since 2005, no club in the CHL has participated in more Memorial Cups than the London Knights over the last 20 years. Led by head coach Dale Hunter, the 2023-24 OHL regular-season champions punched their ticket to this year’s tournament by defeating the Oshawa Generals in four games to earn their fifth J. Ross Robertson Cup. The Knights started the 2024 OHL Playoffs by winning their first 10 games, marking one of the best postseason starts in recent memory. London ended up recording 31 goals in four games during the OHL Championship Series, and they averaged a CHL-best 4.89 goals per game throughout the playoffs. With 10 NHL prospects in their lineup, London has been led this postseason by Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan, who recorded a CHL-best 34 points (10G-24A in 18 GP) in the playoffs including three goals and 12 assists in the OHL Championship Series. 

By winning the Wayne Gretzky 99 award as the 2024 OHL Playoffs MVP, Cowan became the first player to win the OHL’s MVP award in both the regular season and playoffs since Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner achieved the feat with the Knights in 2015-16. At the same time, San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Haltunnen (17G-9A on 18 GP) led all OHL skaters with 17 goals this postseason, one shy of the CHL leader Justin Poirier of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The Knights also saw big performances in the playoffs from Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Max McCue (3G-19A on 18 GP) and Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Julien (9G-9A on 18 GP) along with their pair of Philadelphia Flyers prospects Denver Barkey (6G-21A on 18 GP) and Oliver Bonk (7G-9A on 18 GP). In Saginaw, London will aim to be the first OHL club to win the Memorial Cup since the Windsor Spitfires took home the CHL’s championship trophy in 2017.

QMJHL Champions – Drummondville Voltigeurs
(fourth Memorial Cup appearance – 1988, 1991, 2009 & 2024)

On the heels of winning their second-ever QMJHL championship title and their first in 15 years, the Drummondville Voltigeurs are headed to Saginaw in what will be their fourth Memorial Cup appearance in franchise history. Led by head coach Sylvain Favreau, the Voltigeurs were just one of eight teams in the CHL to top the 100-point plateau this season, having achieved the feat for only the fourth time in club history. They were also the highest-scoring team in both the QMJHL’s regular season (4.50 goals per game) and playoffs (4.37 goals per game). Having lost just three times in 19 games during this postseason, Drummondville was paced in scoring by Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Ethan Gauthier (14G-11A in 19 GP), captain Luke Woodworth (7G-17A in 19 GP), and 2023 Memorial Cup Champion Mikael Huchette (4G-16A in 19 GP). As they swept the top-seeded Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the QMJHL final, Drummondville never trailed in that series thanks in part to the play of goaltender Riley Mercer, who posted two shutouts and allowed only five goals to the Drakkar.

The Voltigeurs also received important contributions from Philadelphia Flyers prospect Alexis Gendron (11G-8A in 15 GP) and Buffalo Sabres prospect Vsevolod Komarov (5G-10A in 19 GP), who together represent two of the five NHL prospects on Drummondville’s roster. Along with Huchette and Kassim Gaudet (0G-7A in 19 GP), Komarov is one of three players on the Voltigeurs to have won a Memorial Cup with the Québec Remparts last year. Komarov was awarded the Guy-Lafleur Trophy as the 2024 QMJHL Playoffs MVP for his efforts during Drummondville’s championship run, making him just the sixth defenseman in QMJHL history to win that award. Having never lifted the Memorial Cup trophy in three previous trips, the Voltigeurs will look to change that in Saginaw and become the fifth QMJHL club in a row to win the CHL’s top prize. Heading into this year’s tournament, the QMJHL has won a record four straight Memorial Cup titles, the longest streak of any league in the CHL since the tournament switched over to a round-robin format in 1972.

SCHEDULE

Round-Robin – Game 1 – Friday, May 24 – Moose Jaw vs. Saginaw (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Round-Robin – Game 2 – Saturday, May 25 – London vs. Drummondville (4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT)
Round-Robin – Game 3 – Sunday, May 26 – Saginaw vs. Drummondville (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Round-Robin – Game 4 – Monday, May 27 – London vs. Moose Jaw (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Round-Robin – Game 5 – Tuesday, May 28 – Drummondville vs. Moose Jaw (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Round-Robin – Game 6 – Wednesday, May 29 – Saginaw vs. London (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Tie-Breaker (*if necessary) – Thursday, May 30 (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Semi-Final – Friday, May 31 (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)
Championship Final – Sunday, June 2 (7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT)

OHL ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR 2024 OHL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the schedule of games for the 2024 OHL Championship Series that is set to take place between the Western Conference champion London Knights and the Eastern Conference champion Oshawa Generals.

Oshawa advanced to the OHL Championship Series following a 6-1 win over the North Bay Battalion in a Monday night Game 7 matchup, winning their first Bobby Orr Trophy since 2015, the same year they won a Memorial Cup title. Oshawa has eliminated the Barrie Colts, Ottawa 67’s and North Bay Battalion thus far on their playoff quest.

The Knights come off their second-straight Wayne Gretzky Trophy as Western Conference Champions, eliminating the Saginaw Spirit in six games. The Knights reached last year’s OHL Championship Final before falling in six games to the Peterborough Petes. London eliminated the Flint Firebirds and Kitchener Rangers with consecutive series sweeps before besting Saginaw in the West Final.

The 2024 OHL Championship Series will be broadcast in its entirety on TSN, the official broadcast partner of the Canadian Hockey League. Games can also be seen live online across Canada at ohllive.com.

2024 OHL Championship Series Schedule:
Game 1 – Thursday, May 9th at London, 7:00pm
Game 2 – Saturday, May 11th at London, 7:00pm
Game 3 – Monday, May 13th at Oshawa, 7:00pm
Game 4 – Wednesday, May 15th at Oshawa, 7:00pm
Game 5 – Friday, May 17th at London, 7:00pm*
Game 6 – Sunday, May 19th at Oshawa, Time To Be Confirmed*
Game 7 – Monday, May 20th at London, Time To Be Confirmed*

*if necessary

LONDON KNIGHTS WIN SECOND CONSECUTIVE WAYNE GRETZKY TROPHY AS WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Saginaw, Mich. – Easton Cowan recorded two goals and an assist and Jackson Edward scored the third period game-winner as the London Knights defeated the Saginaw Spirit 4-2 at the Dow Event Center to be crowned Western Conference Champions for the second straight year.
 
Sam O’Reilly also scored for the Knights while Denver Barkey and Max McCue each had a pair of assists. Michael Simpson made 33 saves in the win as London prevailed despite being outshot 35-26.
 
The Knights become the first team to win back-to-back Wayne Gretzky Trophies since the franchise last did so in 2012 and 2013.
 
“We had a total team game going,” said Knights head coach Dale Hunter. “Our big guns came out and played really well and the young guys who came in and filled spots played really well too.”
 
The Knights opened the West Final with back-to-back 3-1 wins on home ice before the Spirit skated to a 6-2 victory in Game 3. The Knights came back strong, defeating Saginaw 7-3 on the road in Game 4 before the Spirit rallied to defeat London 4-2 at Budweiser Gardens in Game 5. The Knights sealed the deal on Sunday afternoon in mid-Michigan, capturing their eighth Wayne Gretzky Trophy in franchise history.
 
“I’m really proud of this team, they stuck with it,” said Easton Cowan. “We had guys in and out of the lineup. Everyone was playing different minutes. We had a really good team effort today and I’m really happy with how I played and how our guys played.”
 
The Knights have eliminated the Flint Firebirds, Kitchener Rangers and Saginaw Spirit and advance to the OHL Championship Series where they’ll face the winner of a Monday night Game 7 between the North Bay Battalion and host Oshawa Generals.
 
The Saginaw Spirit see their OHL playoff run come to an end as they turn their attention toward preparations for the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow that they’ll host starting May 24th.
 
The Spirit come off their most successful season in franchise history, playing to a record of 50-16-0-1 with 102 points. They bested the Owen Sound Attack and Soo Greyhounds before coming up short against London.
 
“I have nothing negative to say about our compete at all,” said Spirit head coach Chris Lazary. “I thought we played our hearts out. We hit a post late and could have tied the game there. We obviously didn’t see it ending today, but it’s not for lack of effort.
 
“It’s heartbreaking for the players, staff, fans, everybody,” Lazary continued. “This isn’t just the game of hockey for us, it’s our life. When you lose a game like that, if you’ve ever had everything put into one basket like that – it rips your heart out.
 
“Right now we’re just trying to catch our breath. The job’s not done. We’ve gotta come back and we’ll reset ourselves and we still have something here on the table to play for and the chance to end with this group as champions.”
 
The Wayne Gretzky Trophy was presented to Knights veterans Max McCue, Isaiah George and Jackson Edward by OHL Vice President Cole Butterworth. The Knights, who come off a fifth straight Midwest Division title this past season, claim the Wayne Gretzky Trophy following previous triumphs in 1999, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2023.

Follow along with the 2024 OHL Playoffs at ontariohockeyleague.com.

– Game Centre & Highlights
– London Knights Post-Game: Dale Hunter & Easton Cowan

CHL Top-10 Rankings: Saskatoon remains No.1, London climbs up to No.2 & Moose Jaw re-enters the Top-10

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today the Week 18 edition of its CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2023-24 season.

For a second week in a row, the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL) remain in first place in the CHL Top-10 Rankings. Having won all three of their games last week, the Blades have suffered only one regulation loss over their last 27 contests, and they improved their record at home to a CHL-best 21-1-1-0. Coming in at No. 2 are the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), who last week extended their point streak to 20 games (18-0-0-2), the longest streak of its kind in the CHL this season. Meanwhile, rounding out the top three is the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), who became the first team in the CHL to top 40 wins this season.

Among some of the other noteworthy changes to this week’s Top-10 include the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL reentering the rankings for the first time since November. The Warriors have won 13 of their last 15 games since December 16. Meanwhile, the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL are up a spot after rallying from a 3-0 deficit on the road to defeat the No.4-ranked Saginaw Spirit 5-3 last Wednesday. 

The next rankings will be released the week of February 12, following the 19th week of regular season action in all three member leagues of the CHL.

CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 18
1. Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
2. London Knights (OHL)
3. Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
4. Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
5. Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
6. Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
7. Prince George Cougars (WHL)
8. Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
9. Everett Silvertips (WHL)
10. Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

For information and details about each club ranked in the CHL’s latest Top-10 Rankings, please visit chl.ca/video/2023-24-chl-top-10-rankings-week-18.

BULLDOGS AND KNIGHTS INCLUDED IN WEEK 19 EDITION OF KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 19 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2021-22 season.

The Hamilton Bulldogs continue to climb, entering another week as the third-ranked team in the CHL as a nine-game winning streak continues. The 34-11-2-2 Bulldogs won a pair of games last week, edging the Central Division-leading Mississauga Steelheads 2-1 on Thursday before defeating the Ottawa 67’s 2-1 in a shootout on TSN Friday night. The Dogs lost star centreman Mason McTavish to injury in the win, but got big saves from OHL Goaltender of the Week Marco Costantini who earned first star recognition. The Bulldogs are back in action with visits to Barrie and Mississauga on Thursday and Friday before hitting the ice outdoors against the Oshawa Generals at Tim Hortons Field on Monday, March 14th.

Despite consecutive losses, the London Knights find themselves in the 10th spot this week, owning a Midwest Division-leading 32-15-2-0 record. The Knights lost the services of starting goaltender Brett Brochu on Tuesday in Kitchener before falling to the Rangers by a score of 4-2. Nashville Predators prospect Luke Evangelista leads the OHL with 43 goals in 45 games. His 82 points place him fourth in the League. The Knights are in Sarnia on Wednesday.

The Flint Firebirds are an honourable mention once again, continuing to lead the Western Conference with a 33-16-1-3 record. After splitting decisions on back-to-back nights in Erie last weekend, the Firebirds came out on top in Guelph Sunday afternoon, defeating the Storm 5-1. New York Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann leads the Firebirds offensively with 37 goals, 38 assists and 75 points in 51 games. Overage netminder Luke Cavallin has also contributed to the team’s success, emerging as the OHL Goaltender of the Month for February. He’s second in OHL wins with 27 this season, posting a 3.16 goals-against average and .910 save percentage through 43 games. The Firebirds are in London on Friday for a big test against the Knights.

For further analysis on the Week 18 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, visit CHL.ca.


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.

BULLDOGS AND KNIGHTS INCLUDED IN WEEK 15 EDITION OF KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 15 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2021-22 season.

The rankings are shuffled up this week as the Mississauga Steelheads and Kingston Frontenacs have dropped down to the honourable mention category, making way for the seventh-ranked Hamilton Bulldogs and ninth-ranked London Knights who ride winning streaks into another week.

The Bulldogs are winners of six straight, continuing their surge up the standings despite the absence of Canadian Olympian Mason McTavish who is ready to hit the ice in Beijing. The Bulldogs rattled off consecutive wins over Mississauga and Peterborough last weekend before besting the Steelheads once again on Tuesday as Jan Mysak had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 triumph. Hamilton had top scorer Logan Morrison back in the lineup on Tuesday, returning from injury to record two assists and increase his point total to 48 (16-32–48) over 32 games this season. The Bulldogs host Barrie on Friday and visit Kingston on Sunday in upcoming action.

The London Knights returned from an idle weekend with three straight wins, coming in as the ninth-ranked team in the CHL. Nashville Predators prospect Luke Evangelista had a monster weekend, racking up 10 points (6-4–10) to earn OHL Player of the Week honours. Evangelista now has 32 goals in 31 games and leads the OHL with 2.06 points-per-game. Dallas Stars prospect Antonio Stranges put up back-to-back three point efforts on Saturday and Sunday, giving him 37 points (11-26–37) through 29 contests. Brett Brochu leads the League with 22 wins on the season, and leads the 24-10-1-0 Knights into Saginaw on Wednesday.

The Kingston Frontenacs defeated Barrie and Sudbury on the road before falling to the North Bay Battalion with a short bench on Sunday. The Fronts sit one point back of first place Hamilton in the East Division and prepare to host the Peterborough Petes on Wednesday.

The OHL’s first place Mississauga Steelheads are also an honourable mention, boasting a 28-10-1-4 record. The Steelheads have lost their last three games, falling to Oshawa before dropping back-to-back decisions against Hamilton.

For further analysis on the Week 15 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, visit CHL.ca.


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.

FRONTENACS, BATTALION AND KNIGHTS INCLUDED IN WEEK 11 EDITION OF KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 11 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2021-22 season.

The WHL’s Winnipeg ICE and Edmonton Oil Kings hold down the top two spots on the list, but the Kingston Frontenacs have surged to third, riding an eight-game winning streak to an OHL-best record of 17-5-3-0. The Frontenacs took six points out of a three-in-three set with wins over Hamilton, Niagara and Mississauga last weekend, doing so without star centreman Shane Wright in the lineup. The overage duo of Lucas Edmonds and Jordan Frasca combined for 21 points, with the former claiming OHL Player of the Week honours while climbing to the top of the OHL scoring race. The red hot Frontenacs have dates with the Barrie Colts on Friday and the Oshawa Generals on Sunday heading into the holiday break.

The North Bay Battalion slide from sixth down to eighth this week, defeating the Soo Greyhounds 5-4 in overtime on Thursday before suffering consecutive one-goal losses to the Barrie Colts. Battalion forward Brandon Coe saw a 14-game point streak come to an end as he was held off the scoresheet in consecutive games for the first time all season. The 16-8-1-2 Troops are back in action with a three-in-three starting Thursday night at home to Niagara. They hit the road for games in Mississauga on Friday and Niagara on Saturday.

The 17-7-1-0 London Knights are still hanging around inside the Top-10, falling to 10th on the list. Without the services of captain Luke Evangelista and star goaltender Brett Brochu at Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp, the Knights fell 4-1 to the Windsor Spitfires at home on Friday before losing to the visiting Guelph Storm by a score of 4-0 on Saturday. Evangelista will return to the lineup this weekend as the Knights are scheduled to host the Owen Sound Attack on Friday before visiting Guelph on Saturday afternoon.

The Mississauga Steelheads are an honourable mention following wins in two of three outings last week. The Trout defeated the Peterborough Petes 2-1 in overtime on Thursday, bludgeoned the Niagara IceDogs by a score of 9-1 at home on Friday and fell to the visiting Kingston Frontenacs 5-3 on Sunday. The Steelheads sit three points back of first place North Bay in the Central Division.

For further analysis on the Week 11 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, visit CHL.ca.


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.

BATTALION, KNIGHTS AND FRONTENACS INCLUDED IN WEEK 10 EDITION OF KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 10 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2021-22 season.

The North Bay Battalion are the top-ranked team in the Ontario Hockey League for the first time this season, taking back-to-back road wins over the Hamilton Bulldogs and Niagara IceDogs last weekend to slot in at sixth. The 15-7-1-1 Battalion lead the Eastern Conference and feature three of the League’s top 10 scorers in newly signed San Jose Sharks prospect Brandon Coe (14-32–46), Edmonton Oilers draftee Matvey Petrov (16-23–39) and November’s OHL Player of the Month, Kyle Jackson (15-22–37). North Bay has been consistent on the special teams front, owning the League’s fifth-ranked power play and penalty kill under head coach Ryan Oulahen. The Troops are at home to the Soo Greyhounds on Thursday before a home-and-home with the Barrie Colts on Saturday and Sunday.

The London Knights remain in the picture for an eighth consecutive week, coming in at number seven on the list. The Knights defeated the Kitchener Rangers 6-2 on Tuesday after mixed results over the weekend. London fell for a third time this season to the Sarnia Sting at home on Saturday, and defeated the Erie Otters by a score of 4-1 on Friday. Knights captain Luke Evangelista joins goaltender Brett Brochu in heading off to Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp in Calgary, Alta. The Nashville Predators prospect is on an eight-game point streak and leads London with 40 points (20-20–40). Rookie winger Colton Smith (12-5–17) leads the club with eight power play goals on the season, powering London’s 28.9 percent second-ranked man advantage. The Knights return to action at home to the Windsor Spitfires on Friday.

The Kingston Frontenacs are back inside the top 10 at number nine following a two week absence thanks to five consecutive wins. The Fronts edged the Peterborough Petes 6-5 on the road Thursday night before outscoring the Oshawa Generals and Ottawa 67’s 10-1 in consecutive victories on Friday and Sunday. Ottawa Senators prospect Leevi Merilainen earned his first career OHL shutout and was named OHL Goaltender of the Week while top NHL Draft prospect Shane Wright was a force, recording eight points (2-6–8) across three games. The Fronts have a big date with the Hamilton Bulldogs on home ice Friday night. Kingston edged Hamilton 5-4 in a shootout in their last meeting on Nov. 27th.

The Mississauga Steelheads received an honourable mention, scoring back-to-back one-goal wins over Ottawa and Oshawa last week. The Steelheads are 13-6-1-1, four points back of first place North Bay in the Central Division.

For further analysis on the Week 10 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, visit CHL.ca.


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.

KNIGHTS, BATTALION AND BULLDOGS INCLUDED IN WEEK 9 EDITION OF KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced on Wednesday the Week 9 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2021-22 season.

The London Knights remain the fifth-ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League, trailing a quartet of WHL clubs in the Winnipeg ICE, Kamloops Blazers, Everett Silvertips and Edmonton Oil Kings. London took four of a possible six points last week with a 5-2 win over the Windsor Spitfires on Wednesday, a 3-2 road loss to the Guelph Storm on Friday and a 5-4 shootout win over the Owen Sound Attack on Saturday. Luke Evangelista continues to produce at a torrid pace with goals in five consecutive games. Goaltender Brett Brochu, who was recently named to Canada’s National Junior Team, leads the OHL with 14 wins this season to go with a 2.59 goals-against average and .918 save percentage through 19 games. London prepares for a weekend at home with a visit from the Erie Otters on Friday before the Sarnia Sting come to town on Saturday.

The Central Division-leading North Bay Battalion rise one spot to eighth on this week’s Top 10. The Troops saw a four-game winning streak snapped by the Peterborough Petes on Thursday as Mason McTavish scored a hat trick in his return to the lineup. The OHL’s Player of the Month for November, Kyle Jackson, recorded his third four-point performance of the season on Friday in Kingston as the Battalion took a 5-2 win. The Troops fell 3-2 in overtime to the Ottawa 67’s on Saturday. In addition to Jackson’s recognition, Montreal Canadiens prospect Joe Vrbetic is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for November. The Battalion are on the road this weekend with stops in Hamilton on Friday and Niagara on Saturday.

The Hamilton Bulldogs are back inside the Top 10 for the second time this season, returning after a five week absence. Collecting five of a possible six points, the East Division-leading Bulldogs took road wins in Niagara and Oshawa last week to land 10th on the rankings. Montreal Canadiens prospect Jan Mysak leads the way on the scoresheet with 28 points (15-13–28) while overage blueliner Nathan Staios was recently named OHL Defenceman of the Month for November. George Diaco carries a nine-game point streak into a Thursday night visit to the Barrie Colts before the Dogs return home on Friday and Sunday to faceoff against North Bay and Erie.

A successful weekend has the Kingston Frontenacs back in as an honourable mention. The Fronts scored back-to-back road wins over tough opponents in Hamilton and Mississauga to stay in the East Division conversation just two points back of the Bulldogs. Dallas Stars prospect Francesco Arcuri was a big part of Kingston’s success last week with six points (3-3–6) over three games.

The Guelph Storm are also an honourable mention as they continue to play solid hockey. The Storm have won four in a row, defeating the London Knights 3-2 on Friday before defeating the Erie Otters on back-to-back nights to improve to 13-6-1-1. The Storm try and stay hot this weekend with visits to Sault Ste. Marie and Saginaw on Friday and Saturday.

For further analysis on the Week 9 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, visit CHL.ca.


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.

KNIGHTS, STEELHEADS AND BATTALION INCLUDED IN WEEK 8 EDITION OF KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 8 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2021-22 season.

It was a big week for the Western Hockey League as WHL clubs occupy the top four spots on the list including the Winnipeg ICE, Everett Silvertips, Kamloops Blazers and Edmonton Oil Kings.

The London Knights are down two spots to fifth on this week’s list after a four-game week that yielded a pair of victories. The Knights suffered consecutive losses to the Sarnia Sting on Tuesday and Friday before rebounding to claim four points in a home-and-home with the Kitchener Rangers. Captain Luke Evangelista strung together back-to-back four-point performances on Saturday and Sunday, giving him the League’s third-highest point-per-game clip of 1.80. The Nashville Predators prospect has 27 points (15-12–27) over 15 games this season and sits second in OHL shots on goal with 87. The Knights also saw the debut of rookie netminder Owen Flores on Sunday in Kitchener as he gave Brett Brochu a rest, making 27 saves for his first OHL win.

The Mississauga Steelheads have forced their way into the Top 10 for the first time this season after another perfect week. The eighth-ranked Trout went 3-0 with wins over Niagara, Barrie and Sudbury, continuing a stretch of eight wins in their last nine games. Draft eligible centre Luca Del Bel Belluz recorded his first OHL hat-trick on Sunday against Sudbury, Chicago Blackhawks prospect and captain Ethan Del Mastro leads the OHL with a plus-20 rating and overage netminder Roman Basran leads the League with a 2.25 goals-against average. The Trout lead the OHL with an average of 38.6 shots-per-game while surrendering a League-low 24.3.

Another hot Central Division squad, the North Bay Battalion also make their season debut in the Top 10, coming in at ninth. Reigning OHL Player of the Week Brandon Coe and the Battalion scored victories over Ottawa, Oshawa and Niagara last week to improve to 12-6-0-1, three points up on second place Mississauga in the Central Division. Coe sits second in OHL scoring with 33 points (9-24–33) and is joined by teammates Kyle Jackson (11-18–29) and Matvey Petrov (15-12–27) among the OHL’s top 10 scorers. Montreal Canadiens prospect Joe Vrbetic recently came off a shutout streak of 203 minutes and four seconds in the North Bay crease. He’s one of two OHL goaltenders with a double-digit win total, owning a record of 10-2-0-1. The Troops defeated the eighth-ranked Steelheads 7-1 in their only meeting so far this season back on Oct. 15th.

The Kingston Frontenacs fell out of the Top 10 for just the second time this season despite grabbing three of a possible four points last week. The honourable mention Fronts defeated the Peterborough Petes 5-3 on Friday before falling 4-3 in a shootout to the Oshawa Generals on Sunday. Overage winger Lucas Edmonds remains hot with 10 points in his last three games.

For further analysis on the Week 8 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, visit CHL.ca.


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. For more information visit http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/.