OHL Draft Eligible Player of the Month for February: Tyler Parsons

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

London Knights’ goaltender Tyler Parsons has turned it up as we get closer to the playoffs and a battle for top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Tyler Parsons of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Tyler Parsons of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Parsons posted a 7-2-0 record with 1.90 goals against average and an even more sparkling .934 save percentage with one shutout in February. Sure he plays for the high flying Knights, but consider this: his two losses (3-2 to Niagara and 2-1 to Sarnia) he posted save percentages of .912 and .941. A little more goal support and he could have run the table in February. He was named the game’s first star in two of his starts in February.

On the season, Parsons now has a 31-8-2-1 record with 2.43 goals against average and .918 save percentage with 4 shutouts.

Also getting consideration was Parsons’ teammate Matthew Tkachuk who put up a whopping 7 goals and 16 assists in just 10 games. Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters also received some consideration with 7 goals and 10 assists in 12 games for the Otters.

Previous winners

January – Cam Dineen

December – Cam Dineen

November – Matthew Tkachuk

October – Alex DeBrincat

September – Matthew Tkachuk

OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders for January

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

January has come and gone along with the snow (hopefully?) and it’s time to look at the OHL players eligible for the NHL draft and the leaders in a variety of categories. As we’ve done in the past, we only look at players eligible for the first time. However, when it comes to the goaltenders, we look at those previously passed over.

The London Knights’ Matthew Tkachuk leads the way in the point race with 70 points in 38 games. Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters follows just behind with 65 points in 39 games. Climbing fast, and quietly, is Adam Mascherin of the Kitchener Rangers with 59 points in 44 games.

DeBrincat has a solid lead in the goal scoring department with 36 goals in 39 games. Alexander Nylander of the Mississauga Steelheads leads the second tier with 26 goals in 41 games followed by Mascherin with 25 goals in 44 games.

On defence, all eyes are turning to Cam Dineen of the North Bay Battalion who leads with 44 points in 47 games. Mikhail Sergachev of the Windsor Spitfires is next with 37 points in 48 games followed by Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting with 32 points in 44 games.

Points Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 38 16 54 70
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 39 36 29 65
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 44 25 34 59
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 41 26 32 58
Taylor Raddysh Erie Otters 46 18 37 55
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 19 35 54
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 47 22 31 53
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 46 21 27 48
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 40 9 36 45
Nathan Bastian Mississauga Steelheads 46 13 31 44
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player Team GP G GPG
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 39 36 0.92
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 41 26 0.63
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 44 25 0.57
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 47 22 0.47
*Max Jones London Knights 42 21 0.50
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 46 21 0.46
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 19 0.40
Assist Leaders
Player Team GP A APG
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 38 54 1.42
Taylor Raddysh Erie Otters 46 37 0.80
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 40 36 0.90
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 35 0.74
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 44 34 0.77
*Cam Dineen North Bay Battalion 47 33 0.70
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 41 32 0.78
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
*Cam Dineen North Bay Battalion 47 11 33 44
*Mikhail Sergachev Windsor Spitfires 48 13 24 37
Jakob Chychrun Sarnia Sting 44 8 24 32
Victor Mete London Knights 47 6 25 31
Benjamin Gleason Hamilton Bulldogs 46 7 22 29
*Olli Juolevi London Knights 36 5 22 27
*Markus Niemelainen Saginaw Spirit 48 1 23 24
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player Team GP +/-
Victor Mete London Knights 47 +39
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 47 +30
*Olli Juolevi London Knights 36 +29
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 38 +25
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 44 +19
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 40 +18
*Max Jones London Knights 42 +17
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player Team GP PIM M/G
Givani Smith Guelph Storm 45 89 1.98
Logan Stanley Windsor Spitfires 46 88 1.91
*Max Jones London Knights 42 82 1.95
Ben Hawerchuk Barrie Colts 39 66 1.69
*Brock Philips Guelph Storm 30 58 1.93
Keaton Middleton Saginaw Spirit 48 58 1.21
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 55 1.17
Faceoff Leaders (Wins)
Player Team GP FOA FOW %
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 1061 621 58.5
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 40 753 401 53.3
Cliff Pu London Knights 43 616 325 52.8
Hayden Verbeek Soo Greyhounds 42 599 287 47.9
*Domenic Commisso Oshawa Generals 47 547 265 48.4
Brandon Saigeon Hamilton Bulldogs 43 502 259 51.6
Shootout Leaders
Player Team SOG SOA Goals %
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 1 1 1 100.0
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 3 3 2 66.7
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 4 4 2 50.0
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 2 2 1 50.0
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 2 2 1 50.0
Shooting Percentage Leaders
Player Team GP Shots Goals SH%
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 46 100 21 21.00
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 39 173 36 20.81
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 47 106 22 20.75
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 41 139 26 18.71
*Boris Katchouk Soo Greyhounds 44 87 16 18.39
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player Team GP Min GA Avg
***Jeremy Helvig Kingston Frontenacs 16 902 34 2.26
Tyler Parsons London Knights 33 1908 82 2.58
*Stephen Dhillon Niagara Ice Dogs 20 1101 51 2.78
***Jeremy Brodeur Oshawa Generals 37 2131 99 2.79
***Leo Lazarev Ottawa 67’s 33 1898 89 2.81
Evan Cormier Saginaw Spirit 42 2333 134 3.45
Joseph Raaymakers Soo Greyhounds 21 1162 75 3.87
***Connor Hicks Hamilton Bulldogs 18 990 70 4.24
***Zack Bowman Sudbury Wolves 29 1535 111 4.34
Dylan Wells Peterborough Petes 20 1124 85 4.54
Troy Timpano Sudbury Wolves 21 1188 86 4.34
           
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player Team GP SH SVS SV%
***Jeremy Helvig Kingston Frontenacs 16 454 420 0.925
Tyler Parsons London Knights 33 952 870 0.914
*Stephen Dhillon Niagara Ice Dogs 20 545 494 0.906
***Jeremy Brodeur Oshawa Generals 37 1029 930 0.904
***Leo Lazarev Ottawa 67’s 33 913 824 0.903
Evan Cormier Saginaw Spirit 42 1271 1137 0.895
Joseph Raaymakers Soo Greyhounds 21 663 588 0.887
Troy Timpano Sudbury Wolves 21 752 666 0.886
***Zack Bowman Sudbury Wolves 29 953 842 0.884
Dylan Wells Peterborough Petes 20 689 604 0.877
***Connor Hicks Hamilton Bulldogs 18 568 498 0.877
           
*Rookie
**Leads League
*** Was eligible for 2015 draft but not selected and eligible for 2016

Top Prospects Arrive in Vancouver for 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Vancouver, BC – After a full day of travelling for the majority of them, 40 of the CHL’s top draft eligible prospects descended on Vancouver on Tuesday in preparation for the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Thursday night.

Players were introduced to their new teammates and met with the media at Pacific Coliseum, the home of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants.

“I had an early morning flight but it’s great to be here,” said Team Cherry captain Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting. “This is the first time I’ve been to Vancouver and from what I’ve seen so far, it’s beautiful.”

Team Orr captain Matthew Tkachuk of the London Knights was equally enthused about his new surroundings.

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“It’s a privilege to be here in Vancouver,” he said. “Ever since I found out I was coming to this game and learned that I was on Team Orr and playing for somebody who is so well respected around the NHL and in the hockey world, I’ve been extremely excited. Bobby Orr is the greatest defenceman to have ever played the game and to be able to play for him on Thursday is really an honour.”

34 of the top-60 skaters included in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings will compete in Thursday’s game, making for what’s sure to be an interesting matchup on Thursday night between the two sides.

As for the history between them, Chychrun is well aware of the recent outcomes that have resulted in Team Orr winning five straight dating back to 2010.

“Yeah, we really want this one,” he said with a chuckle. “Five years is too long and it’s time to get back on the winning end. It’s always fun playing with such high-end talent. Hopefully our side can form some chemistry early on and win this thing.”

One the other side of the ice, Tkachuk is confident that when skilled players are involved, things will come together smoothly.

“It’s a tough thing that we don’t really have a full practice together,” he noted, “but we can make do with some time together off the ice and a morning skate. Good players can mix well with anybody so it shouldn’t be too big of an issue so long as everyone is willing to work together and play as a team.”

Of the 40 CHL players competing in Thursday’s game, the OHL leads the way with 20 participants while the WHL will feature 12 players competing and the QMJHL will have eight representatives.

The BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is returning to Vancouver for the first time since 2005 when Giants star Gilbert Brule put on a performance for the memory books, scoring the only hat-trick in the history of the event to lead Team Cherry to an 8-4 win over Team Davidson.

With the 21st edition of the BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game right around the corner, the time for the CHL’s brightest young stars to take centre stage has arrived.

Both teams will undergo on and off-ice testing on Wednesday along with interviews with participating media before Thursday’s big game that gets underway at 6:00pm PST/9:00pm EST. The game can be seen live across the country on Sportsnet, TVA Sports and in the United States on NHL Network.

For more information about the BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game please visit www.bmotopprospects.ca or follow the conversation @CHLHockey using #BMOTP.

BMO and the Canadian Hockey League:

BMO Financial Group and the Canadian Hockey League announced BMO as the Official Bank of the Canadian Hockey League in 2011. The sponsorship builds on BMO’s partnership with the CHL of more than 10 years and affirms BMO’s exclusivity as a financial services sponsor of the league in the retail banking category. It also engrains a presence with the 48 teams which currently participate in the BMO CHL Affinity MasterCard program, which enables CHL fans to support their favourite teams through a co-branded credit card.

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Benson and Tkachuk named BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Captains

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with BMO Financial Group today announced the captains and alternate captains for the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game to be played on Thursday January 28 in Vancouver, BC, hosted by the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants.

 The Giants’ Tyler Benson and Matthew Tkachuk of the London Knights have both been named captains for the 21st annual showcase of the CHL’s top-40 NHL Draft eligible players.  Benson will lead Team Cherry along with alternate captains Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting, and Julien Gauthier of the Val-d’Or Foreurs.  Tkachuk will lead Team Orr with alternates Jake Bean of the Calgary Hitmen, and Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

 Benson, a 17-year-old from Edmonton, AB, is also a captain for the host Giants playing in just his second full season after being the first overall pick in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft.  The forward has 26 points in 28 games so far this season including eight goals and 18 assists.  Another former top pick, Chychrun was chosen by the Sting first overall in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.  The 17-year-old defenceman from Boca Raton, Florida, has five goals and 19 assists for 24 points in 36 games.  Gauthier, an 18-year-old from Pointe-aux-Trembles, QC, was a member of Canada’s National Junior Team.  The forward has 37 points in 30 games playing in his third season with the Foreurs and is tied for third in the QMJHL with 29 goals.

 Tkachuk, an 18-year-old from St. Louis, Missouri, is currently tied for third in OHL scoring with 61 points including 15 goals and 46 assists in 30 games so far this season.  The Knights’ first-year forward captured bronze with the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.  Bean currently ranks third in WHL scoring among defencemen with 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 42 games.  The 17-year-old from Calgary, AB, is playing in his second season as a member of his hometown Hitmen.  Dubois ranks eighth in QMJHL scoring with 61 points in 41 games netting 26 goals and 35 assists.  The 17-year-old is from Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, QC, and was a fifth overall pick of the Screaming Eagles in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft.

 Benson and Tkachuk follow in the footsteps of past Giants and Knights to serve as captains in this event, most notably in 2009 when Evander Kane led Team Cherry and John Tavares captained Team Orr in Oshawa.  Former Giant Gilbert Brule also captained Team Cherry in 2005 when the event was last held in Vancouver.  Past Knights to serve as captains include Sam Gagner in 2007 for a team coached by Pat Burns and Michel Bergeron, and Rick Nash who captained a team coached by Kelly Hrudey in 2002.

 Since 2010, Team Cherry captains have included Anthony Beauvillier, Sam Reinhart, Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan Murray, Sean Couturier, and Taylor Hall, while recent Team Orr captains include Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones, Colton Sissons, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Tyler Seguin.

 Click here to see full Team Cherry and Team Orr rosters for the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

 The 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by title partner BMO Bank of Montreal, and CHL associate sponsors Cooper Tire, autoTRADER.ca and Sherwin-Williams.  The game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

 For more information please visit www.bmotopprospects.ca.

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2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Rosters Announced

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

40 top NHL Draft eligible CHL players will compete January 28, 2016, in Vancouver, BC
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Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with the host Vancouver Giants Hockey Club, and title partner BMO Financial Group, today announced the 40 players that will compete in the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver, BC, on Thursday January 28, 2016.

The 40 CHL players competing in the game were chosen by all 30 NHL clubs and divided into teams by NHL Central Scouting.  This season’s event marks the 21st annual showcase of the CHL’s top-40 NHL Draft eligible players featuring talent from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League competing before hundreds of NHL scouts in attendance.

“The BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is one of the highlights of the hockey season,” said CHL President David Branch. “Since 1996 the CHL’s top prospects have showcased their skills in this event providing NHL scouts, General Managers, and fans the opportunity to catch the next wave of NHL talent which in recent years has featured first overall picks Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, Nathan MacKinnon, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. We look forward to January 28 with coaches Don Cherry and Bobby Orr, and 40 of the top CHL players eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft competing before the passionate hockey fans in Vancouver and to CHL fans across Canada watching live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.”

The Giants’ Tyler Benson and Port Moody, BC, native Lucas Johansen of the Kelowna Rockets are among the 20 players to suit up for Team Cherry along with Canadian National Junior Team member Julien Gauthier of the Val-d’Or Foreurs, and OHL top goal scorer Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters who won World Junior bronze with the United States.  Team Orr features World Junior gold medalist Olli Juolevi of the London Knights, fellow Knight and World Junior bronze medalist Matthew Tkachuk, Canadian National Junior Team Selection Camp invite Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, and Alexander Nylander of the Mississauga Steelheads who led Sweden in World Junior scoring.

“We are thrilled for the up-and-coming talent chosen for this year’s BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game,” said Michael Bonner, Senior Vice President, BC and Yukon Division, BMO Bank of Montreal. “As the Official Bank of the CHL, we’re proud to sponsor an event that allows Canadians to watch some of the top young athletes across the country, and we’re excited to bring them to Vancouver later this month.”

25 of the CHL’s 60 member clubs are represented on the rosters.  The 40 competing players include 20 from the OHL, 12 from the WHL, and eight from the QMJHL.  13 CHL Players who competed in the 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in St. Catharines, ON, were selected in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft.  In 20 years, 278 CHL players from this event have been chosen by NHL clubs in the first round of the NHL Draft representing 47% of all players selected.

“The BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game provides a unique opportunity for NHL scouts and General Managers to evaluate top CHL talent for the 2016 NHL Draft in a best-on-best competition,” said NHL Central Scouting Director Dan Marr. “The game is also a unique opportunity for the players to take advantage of the spotlight in what is consistently an exciting and highly competitive showcase.”

Since the event was first introduced in 1996 the game has featured 13 players selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft including Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, Patrick Kane, Marc-Andre Fleury, Rick Nash, Vincent Lecavalier, Joe Thornton, and Chris Phillips.

2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Rosters:

Team Cherry:

Goaltenders:

Evan Fitzpatrick (Sherbrooke Phoenix)

Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Defencemen:

Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia Sting)

Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Sean Day (Mississauga Steelheads)

Samuel Girard (Shawinigan Cataractes)

Lucas Johansen (Kelowna Rockets)

Markus Niemelainen (Saginaw Spirit)

 Forwards:

Vitalii Abramov (Gatineau Olympiques)

Tyler Benson (Vancouver Giants)

Logan Brown (Windsor Spitfires)

Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Dillon Dube (Kelowna Rockets)

Julien Gauthier (Val-d’Or Foreurs)

Tim Gettinger (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Noah Gregor (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Max Jones (London Knights)

Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)

Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)

Sam Steel (Regina Pats)


Team Orr:

Goaltenders:

Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)

Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes)

Defencemen:

Jake Bean (Calgary Hitmen)

Luke Green (Saint John Sea Dogs)

Libor Hajek (Saskatoon Blades)

Olli Juolevi (London Knights)

Mikhail Sergachev (Windsor Spitfires)

Logan Stanley (Windsor Spitfires)

Forwards:

Nathan Bastian (Mississauga Steelheads)

Will Bitten (Flint Firebirds)

Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)

Brett Howden (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Boris Katchouk (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Jack Kopacka (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Pascal Laberge (Victoriaville Tigres)

Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads)

Taylor Raddysh (Erie Otters)

Otto Somppi (Halifax Mooseheads)

Simon Stransky (Prince Albert Raiders)

Matthew Tkachuk (London Knights)


The 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by title partner BMO Bank of Montreal, and CHL associate sponsors Cooper Tire, autoTRADER.ca and Sherwin-Williams.  The game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

For more information please visit www.bmotopprospects.ca.

BMO and the Canadian Hockey League:
BMO Financial Group and the Canadian Hockey League announced BMO as the Official Bank of the Canadian Hockey League in 2011. The sponsorship builds on BMO’s partnership with the CHL of more than 10 years and affirms BMO’s exclusivity as a financial services sponsor of the league in the retail banking category. It also engrains a presence with the 48 teams which currently participate in the BMO CHL Affinity MasterCard program, which enables CHL fans to support their favourite teams through a co-branded credit card.

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OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders: December

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Happy New Year!

The second half of the Ontario Hockey League season is upon us and teams will be looking for help in the upcoming trade deadline. But for a lot of teams, they’ll be looking for their draft eligible players to continue where they left off and for others to pick up the pace.

Matthew Tkachuk of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Matthew Tkachuk of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

We look at the top draft eligible players in a variety of statistical categories. As always, we look only at players eligible for the draft for the first time – except for goaltenders – where those previously past over are included.

Matthew Tkachuk, Alex DeBrincat and Alexander Nylander are away at the World Junior Championships, and although the order has changed are one, two and three in points.

DeBrincat continues to lead the entire league in goals with 33, while Tkachuk leads the entire league in assists. Cam Dineen, my draft eligible player of the month for December, leads all OHL defencemen in points with 31. He’s followed by Windsor’s Mikhail Sergachev with 25.

Tyler Parsons leads the goaltenders in goals against average (2.48) and save percentage (.917). There are three other goaltenders with a sub 3.00 goals against average and over .900 save percentage.

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WJC: USA 4 Denmark 1

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The Americans are guaranteed a second place finish with the victory today and a match against the loser of the Finland vs Czech Republic which is now going on. The Danes will face Russia for the opener of the playoff round.

Now, if you’re like me, you’re hoping for a Czech win and a dream matchup between the Americans and the Finns. Being a draft junkie, that game would feature 4 of the potential top 5 picks in the 2016 NHL Draft. Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk for the USA versus Patrik Lane and Jesse Puljujarvi for the Finns. While it could happen later in the tournament, I don’t want the risk of one being eliminated before then, so bring it on!!

But enough about that…for the next two hours anyway.

At 10:14 of the opening frame, the Danes would get on the board first. American defenceman Louis Belpedio attempted a pass up the middle of the ice from behind his own goal. Denmark’s Mathias Lassen would intercept it at the blue line, take a few strides and fire a wrister past Brandon Halverson on the glove side for the 1-0 lead.

Matthews would even it up at one with 2:56 remaining. Tkachuk would send a pass in front to Matthews who failed on the first attempt. The puck went back to Tkachuk and he sent it back to Matthews who made no mistake the second time.

Sonny Milano would put the Americans up 4:02 into the second period. Milano was serving a bench minor (you guessed it – too many men on the ice) Milano exited the box and headed directly to the Denmark net. Mathias Seldrup would make the initial save on Belpedio, but Milano banged in the rebound standing at the edge of the crease.

With 5:29 gone in the third period, it appeared that the Americans would take a two goal lead. But after video review, it was deemed that Colin White had kicked the puck into the goal.

It took 11 seconds for White to get that back. Matthews fired a high wrister from the right point. White got his stick on it and tipped it in. Once again, it would go to video review and White’s stick was below the crossbar and the goal stood.

Just 2:14 later, Milano sent a pass from the right side in front that was tipped home by Anders Bjork to close out the scoring.

The Americans outshot the Danes 44 – 17. Lasse Knudsen was named player of the game for the Danes while Brandon Carlo received the honors for the Americans.

Mid-season OHL’s Draft Eligible Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The mid way point of the Ontario Hockey League season is upon us and it’s time for my mid-season rankings of players eligible for the 2016 National Hockey League Draft.

Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
1. Jakob Chychrun – Sarnia Sting

 

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 215 pounds

Date of birth: March 31, 1998. Boca Raton, Florida

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 1st overall, 2014 Priority Selection

 

Matthew Tkachuk of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
2. Matthew Tkachuk – London Knights

Height:  6’1”

Weight: 195 pounds

Date of birth: December 11, 1997. St Louis, MO

Position: Left Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 4, 64th overall, 2013 Priority Selection

Nylander, Alexander (1)
3. Alexander Nylander – Mississauga Steelheads

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 172 pounds

Date of birth: March 2, 1998, Södertälje, Sweden

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 12th overall, CHL Import Draft

 

Max Jones of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
4. Max Jones – London Knights

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 200 pounds

Date of birth: February 17, 1998, Orion, MI

Position: Left Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 18th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Mikhail Sergachev of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
5.Mikhail Sergachev – Windsor Spitfires

Height:  6’2”

Weight: 205 pounds

Date of birth: June 25, 1998. Nizhnekamsk, Russia

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 6th overall, 2015 CHL Import Draft

Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
6. Alex DeBrincat – Erie Otters

Height: 5’7”

Weight: 160 pounds

Date of Birth: December 18, 1997 – Detroit, Michigan

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Undrafted, signed as a free agent.

 

Olli Juolevi of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
7. Olli Juolevi – London Knights

Height:  6’2”

Weight: 185 pounds

Date of birth: May 5, 1998. Helsinki, Finland

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft:  Round 1, 45th overall, CHL Import Draft.

McLeod, Michael (2)
8. Michael McLeod – Mississauga Steelheads

Height:  6’2”

Weight: 187 pounds

Date of birth: February 3, 1998. Mississauga, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 5th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Brown, Logan (1).JPG
9. Logan Brown – Windsor Spitfires

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 218 pounds

Date of birth: March 5, 1998, Chesterfield, MO

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 6th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Bastian, Nathan (2).jpg
10. Nathan Bastian – Mississauga Steelheads

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 208 pounds

Date of birth: December 6, 1997. Kitchener, Ontario

Position: Center

Catches: Right

OHL Draft: Round 7, 127th overall, 2013 Priority Selection

All photos courtesy of Terry Wilson/Aaron Bell – OHL Images

WJC: Sweden 1 USA 0

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

This game had a little bit of everything: A superb goaltending performance, powerplay after powerplay, a bad line change being the difference, a too many men penalty with under 2 minutes to go….

It took just 22 seconds for the first penalty of the game to be called and the Americans would hold the early advantage, but could not convert. That would be the story of this contest.

When the period was all said and done, the Americans would have 3 powerplays to the Swedes’ 2.

But the story of the opening frame was Swedish netminder Linus Soderstrom who faced 17 shots and stopped them all. His American counterpart. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped all 8 shots he faced.

Just 2:41 into the second, we had our only goal of the game. Sweden’s Dymytro Timoshov headed towards the American blue line with Alexander Nylander. American defenceman Nick Schmaltz, who was covering Nylander, decided to head for a line change and left the Swedish sniper uncovered.

Nylander broke in all alone on Nedeljkovic and roofed it over the goaltender for what proved to be the game winning goal.

The American’s would once again have three powerplays to the Swede’s two in the period but it was evident that it was going to take a miracle to beat Soderstrom on this day. The Americans would outshoot the Swedes  22-8.

But it was during a 1:12 two man advantage that Soderstrom was at his best. At least two spectacular saves kept the Americans off the scoreboard.

It was more of the same in the third period. The Americans dominated during the first half, but the Swedes came on in the second half.

With the Americans ready to push for the equalizer, Nedeljkovic tried to get the attention of head coach Ron Wilson and headed to the bench. As Sweden gained control in their own zone, Nedeljkovic hesitated and went back towards his goal as the extra attacker had jumped over the boards.

The Americans would be called for too many men on the ice. Any chance of a comeback was put to rest when Matthew Tkachuk took a needless high sticking penalty directly in front of the Swede goal.

Not surprisingly, Soderstrom was named the player of the game. Zach Werenski was player of the game for the USA.

Final 2016 U.S. National Junior Team Announced

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Six OHL players named to final American roster at the World Junior Championships

Goaltenders:
Brandon Halverson, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Alex Nedeljkovic, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

Defencemen:
Louie Belpedio, Miami University (NCHC)
Will Borgen, St. Cloud State University (NCHC)
Brandon Carlo, Ti-City Americans (WHL)
Brandon Fortunato, Boston University (HEA)
Chad Krys, U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
Charlie McAvoy, Boston University (HEA)
Zach Werenski, University of Michigan (Big Ten)

Forwards:
Anders Bjork, University of Notre Dame (HEA)
Brock Boeser, University of North Dakota (NCHC)
Alex DeBrincat, Erie Otters (OHL)
Ryan Donato, Harvard University (ECAC Hockey)
Christian Dvorak, London Knights (OHL)
Scott Eansor, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Ryan Hitchcock, Yale University (ECAC Hockey)
Auston Matthews, ZSC Lions Zurich (SUI)
Ryan MacInnis, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Sonny Milano, Lake Erie Monsters (AHL)
Nick Schmaltz, University of North Dakota (NCHC)
Matthew Tkachuk, London Knights (OHL)
Colin White, Boston College (HEA)