MISA, IVANKOVIC AND BELCHETZ 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, September 29, 2024.



Spirit’s Michael Misa Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording seven goals along with an assist for eight points over three games played.

Misa led the 2024 Memorial Cup champions to a five point weekend, launching the 2024-25 season on a high note. Misa recorded a pair of goals on Wednesday’s Opening Night in Saginaw, falling 5-4 to the Windsor Spitfires in overtime. The 6-foot-1, 185lb. forward found the scoresheet again in a 6-4 win over the Soo Greyhounds on Friday, registering a natural hat trick and an assist to earn first star honours. The hat trick by #77 was the 77th in Saginaw Spirit history. Misa was productive once again with a two-goal night on Saturday, earning first star honours in a 6-1 victory over the Sarnia Sting. His seven goals places him atop the OHL’s list of goal-scoring-leaders entering the second week of the season. He becomes the first player in Saginaw Spirit history to score seven goals over his first three games of a season.

The sixth player to ever be granted exceptional status into the OHL as a 15-year-old skater, the 17-year-old from Oakville, Ont. was selected first overall by the Spirit in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. The 2025 NHL Draft-eligible prospect and former OHL Rookie of the Year has recorded 58 goals, 81 assists and 139 points over 115 OHL regular season career games.

Also considered for the award this week, 2024 OHL Priority Selection first overall pick Ethan Belchetz of the Windsor Spitfires made a strong impression in his weekend debut, totaling eight points (4-4-8) in three games played. Calgary Flames prospect Jacob Battaglia was a standout for the Kingston Frontenacs, registering three goals, four assists and seven points in three contests.
 



Steelheads’ Jack Ivankovic Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Jack Ivankovic of the Brampton Steelheads is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-0 with a shutout, along with a 1.00 goals-against average and .964 save percentage.

Stopping 54 of the 56 shots he faced last week, Ivankovic put on a show for the CAA Centre in the Steelheads’ Friday night season opener, blocking all 21 shots that came his way to earn second star honours in a 7-0 victory over the Brantford Bulldogs. The 5-foot-11, 178lb. netminder was back in the crease on Saturday, turning aside 33 of the 35 shots he faced to earn first star honours as the Steelheads closed out Opening Week with a 5-2 road win over the Erie Otters.

A 17-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., Ivankovic was the Steelheads’ first round (seventh overall) pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. He won a gold medal as a member of Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team this past summer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Ivankovic, who claimed the OHL’s F.W. Dinty Moore Trophy last season with a goals-against average of 2.72, is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.

Also considered or the award this week, Owen Flores of the Niagara IceDogs went 2-0, stopping 83 of the 87 shots he faced. Mike McIvor of the North Bay Battalion was also a standout, turning aside all 36 shots he faced in a 4-0 win over the Peterborough Petes.
 



Spitfires’ Ethan Belchetz Named OHL Rookie of the Week

Ethan Belchetz of the Windsor Spitfires is the OHL Rookie of the Week following an outstanding debut weekend, recording four goals, four assists, and eight points in three games played.

Belchetz came out hot in Wednesday’s Opening Night, tallying a pair of assists in his OHL debut to help Windsor clinch a 5-4 overtime win over the 2024 Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit. Following a 5-4 overtime loss to the Sarnia Sting on Friday, the 6-foot-5, 226lb. forward found the scoresheet again on Saturday, registering four goals and two assists to earn first star honours in a dominating 12-2 victory over the Kitchener Rangers. Belchetz’s four goals are the most by a Spitfires 16-year-old rookie since Taylor Hall on Mar. 6, 2008. His six points were the most in a single game by an OHL 16-year-old newcomer since Matt Puempel on Mar. 13, 2010.

Selected first overall by the Windsor Spitfires in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the Oakville Rangers U16 AAA program, the 2024 OHL Cup champion and MVP’s impressive eight-point weekend ties him for first among all OHL point-getters as week two action approaches.

Also considered for the award this week, Spitfires teammate Jean-Christoph Lemieux scored twice and added three assists over three games played. Carson Harmer of the Saginaw Spirit was also productive, contributing a total of four points (1-3-4) to a five-point weekend.


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with over 330 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2023-24, resulting in a collective investment of over $3.9 million by OHL member teams.

ATTACK’S GEORGE WINS BOBBY SMITH TROPHY AND IVAN TENNANT MEMORIAL AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that draft eligible Owen Sound Attack goaltender Carter George is the 2023-24 recipient of the Bobby Smith Trophy, awarded annually to the OHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year. The 17-year-old netminder also comes away as this year’s recipient of the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award presented to the League’s top academic high-school student.

After never winning the award until 2023, the Attack franchise has back-to-back Bobby Smith Trophy recipients as George follows teammate Colby Barlow with excellence in the classroom, putting together a 93.8 percent average across six Grade 12 university-level courses at Owen Sound District Secondary School. George’s transcript was headlined by a 99 percent grade in Business Co-Op, a 97 percent in Organizational Business and 95 percent finishes in both English and International Business.

“It’s truly an honour to receive these awards,” said George. “I believe that to be an elite athlete your habits, character and mindset apply to all aspects of your life, not just hockey. That is why I feel it is just as important for me to strive for a high level of success in my academics. Balancing hockey with my academics has helped me to become more disciplined, resilient and has taught me time management. I’d like to recognize and thank the Attack organization, especially Sarah Rowe, for helping me grow on and off the ice.”

George was the OHL’s busiest netminder this past season, stopping a league-high 1,744 shots, the most by an Owen Sound goaltender since 2000-01 (Cory Roberts, 1,792). He played to a record of 23-21-6-3 with a 3.30 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and four shutouts, a figure tied for the League-lead. He was also the OHL’s Rookie of the Month for October.

George becomes the OHL’s first dual winner of the Bobby Smith and Ivan Tennant awards since Erie Otters defenceman Adam Pelech last earned both honours in 2011-12.

“Being able to say that you are both the Bobby Smith and Ivan Tennant award winner in the same year says a lot about the individual who could win that,” said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray. “Carter George is one of those young men capable of just about anything he puts his mind to. I don’t think anyone in the organization is surprised that he has achieved this feat. Carter has proven to be a leader both on and off the ice since completing his first game with us two years ago. Congratulations to Carter on this incredible accomplishment.”

George joins four other former Attack players as the latest to claim the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award, following Cal Uens (2022), Logan LeSage (2020), Mack Guzda (2019, ’18) and Andrew Shorkey (2007).

George’s 23 wins are the most by a rookie goaltender in Attack franchise history. The former third-round (53rd overall) pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection from Thunder Bay, Ont. is also North America’s second-ranked goaltender eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft as listed by NHL Central Scouting. George recently backstopped Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team to a gold medal finish in Espoo, Finland earlier this month.

“Carter is an extremely hard-working individual who has always put forth his best effort, on and off the ice,” said Sarah Rowe, the Attack’s Academic Advisor. “In fact, he is always interested to find out whether his save percentage or academic average is higher!  It is fitting he is being recognized with both the Bobby Smith and Ivan Tennant awards.  His teachers describe him as a conscientious student and a leader who is the first to step in and assist his teammates in the classroom.  His personal desire to not only succeed on the ice but in the classroom as well has resulted in his exceptional academic results. Congratulations Carter!”

Each year the Bobby Smith Trophy is presented to the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence. The trophy is in honour of Bobby Smith, a former Ottawa 67’s star who exhibited a standard of excellence in both of these areas. Past recipients since the award was first presented in 1980 include three-time winner Dustin Brown (Guelph 2001-03), back-to-back winner Connor McDavid (Erie, 2014, ’15) and other standouts in Steven Stamkos (Sarnia 2007), Ryan Ellis (Windsor 2008), Matt Duchene (Brampton 2009), Dougie Hamilton (Niagara 2011) and Cole Perfetti (Saginaw 2020).

Next in line for the Bobby Smith Trophy was Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa who finished as the runner-up followed by 2024 NHL Draft prospect Jett Luchanko of the Guelph Storm, who placed third in the process.

George will be the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Scholastic Player of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony that will be held at the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow from May 24 to June 2 in Saginaw, Michigan. George will be formally presented with both the Bobby Smith Trophy and the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 2 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete history of OHL award winners, click here.

2023-24 OHL Scholastic Team Nominees:
Barrie Colts – Jaiden Newton
Brantford Bulldogs – Jake O’Brien
Erie Otters – Matthew Schaefer
Flint Firebirds – Jimmy Lombardi
Guelph Storm – Jett Luchanko
Kingston Frontenacs – Mason Vaccari
Kitchener Rangers – Cameron Reid
London Knights – Sam Dickinson
Mississauga Steelheads – Lucas Karmiris
Niagara IceDogs – Kevin He
North Bay Battalion – Nolan Laird
Oshawa Generals – Ben Danford
Ottawa 67’s – Frankie Marrelli
Owen Sound Attack – Carter George
Peterborough Petes – Ryder McIntyre
Saginaw Spirit – Michael Misa
Sarnia Sting – Nick Surzycia
Soo Greyhounds – Landon Miller
Sudbury Wolves – Nathan Villeneuve
Windsor Spitfires – Liam Greentree

13 OHL PLAYERS SELECTED TO REPRESENT CANADA AT 2023 HLINKA GRETZKY CUP

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to congratulate 13 OHL players on being selected to represent Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup to be held from July 31st through August 5th in Trencin, Slovakia and Breclav, Czechia.

The 13 OHL players are part of a Canadian roster consisting of 24 names that was assembled by Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, and Cam Russell (Halifax Mooseheads), the U18 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of hockey operations, Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), senior manager of hockey operations, and Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), manager of hockey operations and U17 head scout. Head coach Alan Letang (Sarnia Sting) and assistant coaches Kris Mallette (Kelowna Rockets) and Sylvain Favreau (Drummondville Voltigeurs) also provided input.

OHL Rookie of the Year Michael Misa headlines the 13 OHL players named to the roster, being joined by Saginaw Spirit teammate Zayne Parekh on the blue line. Misa and Parekh are accompanied by fellow OHL first all-rookie team members Sam Dickinson of the London Knights and Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires while second team voting recipient Anthony Cristoforo of the Windsor Spitfires is also included.

The Ottawa 67’s feature a pair of teammates on the blueline in Henry Mews and Frankie Marrelli while the Mississauga Steelheads joined the 67’s, Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires in also producing two players named to the squad in forward Porter Martone and goaltender Ryerson Leenders.

OHL Players Named to Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team:

Goaltender:
Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads)

Defencemen:
Anthony Cristoforo (Windsor Spitfires)
Ben Danford (Oshawa Generals)
Sam Dickinson (London Knights)
Frankie Marrelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Henry Mews (Ottawa 67’s)
Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit)

Forwards:
Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts)
Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires)
Porter Martone (Mississauga Steelheads)
Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit)
Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters)

Prior to the start of the tournament, the team will practice at the Ice Palace in Budapest, Hungary from July 23-27, and will face off against Hungary’s national under-20 team on July 27 at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT. It will also take on Czechia on July 29 at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT at Fosfa Arena in Breclav as a part of its pre-tournament schedule.

Canada will open the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Finland on July 31 at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT. It will also face co-host Slovakia and Switzerland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on Aug. 5.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast all Team Canada games and select elimination and medal games; please check local listings for more details.

Canada has won 23 gold medals in 31 years of summer under-18 competition, along with three silver medals and one bronze.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.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.

SPIRIT’S MISA CLAIMS EMMS FAMILY AWARD AS OHL’S TOP FIRST-YEAR PLAYER

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa is the 2022-23 recipient of the Emms Family Award, presented annually to the OHL’s Top First-Year Player as voted by the league’s General Managers.

Misa led the league’s newcomers with 56 points, including 22 goals and 34 assists in 45 games. He did so after becoming the sixth player to be granted exceptional player status to play in the OHL by Hockey Canada, competing as the league’s lone 2007-born player during the 2022-23 season. Misa’s 1.24 points-per-game are the highest rate of any of the OHL’s six exceptional status talents during their first season, surpassing the benchmark of 1.18 previously held by John Tavares of the 2005-06 Oshawa Generals.

“Receiving this award is a tremendous honour and I couldn’t have done it without all the help from my teammates and coaching staff supporting me throughout my first year,” said Misa. “I’m super excited for what’s ahead with this group and I can’t wait to get started next year.”

A 5-foot-11, 160Ib. left-winger from Oakville, Ont., Misa was chosen first overall by the Spirit in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection and wasted little time finding the scoresheet in the OHL, picking-up where he left off to end the 2021-22 season with a record-setting performance as his Mississauga Senators won an OHL Cup title. Misa scored twice in his first career OHL contest on Oct. 1st against the Guelph Storm and registered points in each of his first three games. He went on to be named the league’s Rookie of the Month for October.

Misa’s first OHL campaign was headlined by 19 different multi-point outings including a four-point performance (1-3–4) on Oct. 14th in Guelph along with a trio of three-point efforts.

“As an organization we are extremely proud of Michael for winning this award,” said Spirit General Manager Dave Drinkill. “Since the day we drafted Michael he has done everything we have asked of him and more, both on and off the ice. It is not easy to succeed in this league as a first-year player, especially one that was granted entry to the OHL a year early, but Michael’s skill and drive to be the best allowed him to adapt quickly. He is an outstanding, humble young man that is very deserving of this recognition and we could not be happier for him.”

Misa, who turned 16 on February 16th, becomes the first player in Spirit franchise history to win the Emms Family Award and follows present-day NHL players in Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie 2018), Alex DeBrincat (Erie 2015), Travis Konecny (Ottawa 2014), Connor McDavid (2013) and Aaron Ekblad (Barrie 2012) in receiving the honour. Guelph Storm defenceman Cam Allen was the 2021-22 award-winner.

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.

Finalists in this year’s voting included forwards Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires and Porter Martone of the Mississauga Steelheads, who each tied for second-place.

Misa is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. He will be formally presented with the Emms Family Award at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.


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.

BROCHU AND DONOVAN NAMEDOHL 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 27, 2022.



Bulldogs’ Jorian Donovan Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Ottawa Senators prospect Jorian Donovan of the Hamilton Bulldogs is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording three goals, three assists and six points in two games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-9.

Helping guide the Bulldogs to a perfect 2-0 showing last week, Donovan recorded a pair of assists on Friday as Hamilton overcame the North Bay Battalion 4-1 at home. He registered a career-high four points on Sunday, scoring a hat trick while adding an assist as the Bulldogs defeated the visiting Soo Greyhounds in a high-scoring 10-6 victory. Donovan’s hat trick was just the third by a defenceman in Bulldogs history following prior efforts by Nathan Staios (Feb. 26, 2022 vs. Ottawa) and Ben Gleason (Nov. 24, 2017 at Oshawa).

An 18-year-old native of Richmond, Ont., Donovan leads Hamilton blueliners with 17 points (7-10–17) in 18 games this season, and is riding a current eight-game point streak that dates back to Nov. 10th. He was a fifth round (136rd overall) pick of the Ottawa Senators this past summer following three goals, 19 assists and 22 points in 64 games for the OHL champion Bulldogs. The son of former Ottawa 67’s graduate and long-time NHL forward Shean Donovan, Jorian was originally selected by Hamilton in the first round (6th overall) of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.

Also considered for the award this week, Bulldogs’ captain Logan Morrison put up seven points (3-4–7) in two wins. Saginaw rookie Michael Misa continued his success recording two goals, five assists and seven points as the Spirit tacked three more wins onto their run of success.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Brody Crane (London Knights)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Matvey Petrov (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Deni Goure (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit) 
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)



Knights’ Brett Brochu Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Brett Brochu of the London Knights is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two victories including a shutout, a 1.00 goals-against average and a .969 save percentage.

Defending the crease in back-to-back wins, Brochu turned aside all 28 shots that came his way to earn first star honours as the Knights opened up the weekend with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Kitchener Rangers on Friday. Brochu returned to the crease on Sunday night in Oshawa, stopping 34 of the 36 shots he faced as the Knights defeated the Generals 4-2. Brochu’s two victories gave him 71 on his OHL career, pushing him ahead of Steve Mason for the fifth-most in franchise history.

A 20-year-old from Belle River, Ont., Brochu owns a 10-6-1-0 record with a 3.07 goals-against average and .892 save percentage in 17 games this season, winning six of his last seven starts. The reigning Jim Rutherford OHL Goaltender of the Year Award recipient owns a 71-23-3-0 record, 2.67 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and five shutouts in 102 regular season contests. Brochu was London’s sixth round (114th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. He attended training camp with the Vancouver Canucks this past September.

Also in the running for the award this week, New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit went 2-0 with a 2.49 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. Erie’s Kyle Downey was also outstanding in the crease, going 1-1 with a 1.85 goals-against average and .938 save percentage in three appearances.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Joe Ranger (Sudbury Wolves)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ivan Zhigalov (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Alessio Beglieri (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)


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.

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in October 2022, including Flint Firebirds forward Brennan Othmann, Saginaw Spirit blueliner Pavel Mintyukov, Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa and Peterborough Petes netminder Michael Simpson.

OHL Player of the Month – Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds):
New York Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann of the Flint Firebirds is the OHL Player of the Month, producing 10 goals, 13 assists and 23 points in 13 October matchups. Othmann, who also registered a plus/minus rating of plus-seven, posted multi-point outputs in eight of his 13 contests, as the Firebirds played to a record of 7-6-0-0. Othmann started the season with a bang, scoring both of the Firebirds’ goals in their home opener against the Niagara IceDogs on Oct. 1st. He registered his first of a trio of three-point outings on Oct. 7th in Guelph, scoring while adding two assists in a 5-3 win. He netted a pair of goals and an assist as the Firebirds routed the Erie Otters 8-1 on Oct. 14th. Othmann’s talents continued to shine on Saturday night as he contributed three helpers to a high scoring 8-7 victory over the Oshawa Generals. The 6-foot, 180lb. left-winger has tallied at least one point in 12 of his 13 appearances so far this season. He becomes the first Firebirds player to ever claim OHL Player of the Month honours.

A 19-year-old native of Pickering, Ont., Othmann currently sits tied atop OHL scoring with 10 goals on the season, and ranks second in points with 23 (10-13–23) in 13 games. His 67 shots on goal lead the League. Now in his third season with the Firebirds, Othmann has produced career totals that include 77 goals, 76 assists and 153 points in 134 regular season games. The veteran winger was a first round (16th overall) pick of the New York Rangers in the 2021 NHL Draft, and signed a three-year entry level NHL contract with the club on Aug. 12, 2021. Othmann was Flint’s first round (2nd overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection after winning an OHL Cup title with the Don Mills Flyers U16 program.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit):
Anaheim Ducks prospect Pavel Mintyukov of the Saginaw Spirit is the OHL Defenceman of the Month for October after leading OHL blueliners with 18 points including six goals and 12 assists over 13 contests. Mintyukov, who also posted a plus/minus rating of plus-7, started the season with with five points (1-4–5) in a 10-6 win over the Guelph Storm in Saginaw’s home opener. He strung together three consecutive multi-point performances from Oct. 7-9, capping it with two goals and an assist as the Spirit defeated the Sudbury Wolves 5-2 on Oct. 9th. He helped the Spirit defeat the Central Division-leading Mississauga Steelheads 4-3 in overtime, recording a goal and an assist on Oct. 29th. This marks Mintyukov’s second OHL Defenceman of the Month honour after he received League honours in March 2022.

An 18-year-old late 2003-born blueliner, the 6-foot-3, 195Ib. Mintyukov became the first defenceman to lead the Spirit in regular season scoring last season, producing 62 points (17-45–62) in 67 games to earn OHL third team all-star recognition. His 18 points (6-12–18) lead OHL defenders thus far in 2022-23. Mintyukov was selected in the first round (10th overall) by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2022 NHL Draft this past summer. The Spirit selected him with the 52nd overall pick of the 2020 CHL Import Draft.

OHL Goaltender of the Month – Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes):
Michael Simpson of the Peterborough Petes is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for October, playing to a 6-2-0-1 record with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Simpson stopped 241 of the 261 shots he faced over the course of the October, backstopping the Petes into second place in the East Division. He recorded his first shutout of the season on Oct. 8th in Barrie, making 26 saves as the Petes defeated the Colts 5-0.  He turned in a 37-save effort on Oct. 28th in Ottawa as the Petes put an end to the 67’s undefeated start to the season, denying them a 10th consecutive win. The OHL Goaltender of the Month honour is Simpson’s second in a row after he earned the distinction to close out the 2021-22 regular season in April.

A 19-year-old London, Ont. native, Simpson owns the league’s lowest goals-against average of 2.38 and sits tied for the league-lead in wins with seven. He owns a career record of 27-20-4-1 with a 3.33 goals-against average and .896 save percentage over 55 regular season games with the Petes. The 6-foot-1, 198lb. netminder was Peterborough’s 10th round (193rd overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the London Junior Knights U16 program.

OHL Rookie of the Month – Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit):
First overall OHL Priority Selection choice Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit is the OHL Rookie of the Month for October, recording 10 goals, seven assists and 17 points in 13 games. Misa had points in 10 of his 13 October contests, producing five different multi-point efforts. The sixth player in OHL history to be granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada, the 15-year-old currently sits tied atop OHL goal-scoring and leads all rookies in points with 17. Misa wasted little time getting adjusted to the OHL pace, scoring twice in his debut as the Spirit defeated the Guelph Storm 10-6 on Oct. 1st. Excelling against Guelph once again, Misa recorded a goal and three assists in Saginaw’s 6-1 road win on Oct. 14th. He put together back-to-back two-goal efforts on Oct. 21st in London and again on Oct. 22nd against the same Knights in Saginaw. He rounded-out October with a goal and an assist as the Spirit defeated the Oshawa Generals 3-2 on Oct. 30th. Misa is the first Spirit player to earn OHL Rookie of the Month honours since Cole Perfetti last did in March 2019.

A native of Oakville, Ont., Misa’s exceptional status debut sat just one point shy of John Tavares’ mark through 10 games back in 2005-2006 as he outpaced both Connor McDavid and Shane Wright in that window to begin his OHL career. Entering his first season with the Spirit after setting a new OHL Cup scoring record for the championship-winning Mississauga Senators, the 5-foot-11, 160lb. forward was selected first overall by Saginaw in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. He won’t be eligible for the NHL Draft until 2025.


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.

SPIRIT ANNOUNCE MICHAEL MISA AS FIRST OVERALL PICK IN 2022 OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League in association with the Saginaw Spirit Hockey Club today announced that 15-year-old forward Michael Misa of the OHL Cup champion Mississauga Senators U16 program will be the first overall pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore.

The announcement was made at a news conference held at The Dow Event Center in Saginaw, introducing Misa and his family to the organization, local fans and media.

The 2007-born Misa joins John Tavares (2005), Aaron Ekblad (2011), Connor McDavid (2012) and Shane Wright (2019) as the fifth player to be selected first overall after being granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada.

“It is an honour to be selected by the Saginaw Spirit with the first overall pick in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection,” said Misa. “I am grateful to Spirit owner Dick Garber, President & Managing Partner Craig Goslin, and the entire ownership group as well as GM Dave Drinkill and his scouting staff, and Head Coach Chris Lazary for putting their trust in me as their first overall pick. I also want to thank Spirit fans everywhere for welcoming me and my family to the organization. I am committed to this team, this city, and these fans. There is lots of hard work and development ahead. I am looking forward to the future and contributing to the organization on and off the ice.”

Misa joins a Spirit organization that won back-to-back West Division titles in 2019 and 2020, with the franchise making its first-ever appearance in the Western Conference Championship Series in 2019. The Spirit have produced such current day NHL performers as Brandon Saad (St. Louis Blues), Vincent Trocheck (Carolina Hurricanes), Filip Hronek (Detroit Red Wings) and Winnipeg Jets top prospect Cole Perfetti among others.

“On behalf of the entire Saginaw Spirit organization, we are thrilled to welcome a player of Michael’s caliber to our franchise,” said Spirit General Manager Dave Drinkill. “He joins a very select group of players granted exceptional status and we recognize his talents by making Michael our first overall pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. Michael is an elite hockey player, with high-end skills, ability and high hockey IQ to match. He is also a very dedicated, humble, young man with great character, from a great family, and a well-rounded individual, on and off the ice.”

A native of Oakville, Ont., Misa put together a spectacular finish to his season with the Mississauga Senators, breaking Connor McDavid’s OHL Cup scoring record with 20 points (10-10–20) in seven games. Misa became the first player in OHL Cup history to score a hat trick in the championship final, recording a championship record five points as the Senators defeated the Toronto Jr. Canadiens to hoist the OHL Cup for the first time in their history. Misa finished the regular season with a grand total of 93 points (37-56–93) in 55 games. He will be eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.

Misa is the 2022 recipient of the Jack Ferguson Award presented annually to the player selected first overall in the OHL Priority Selection. The “Fergie” recognizes the dedication and contributions made by Jack Ferguson during his 25 year association with the OHL, first as a scout with the Ottawa 67’s and followed by his appointment as head of the OHL’s Central Scouting Bureau in 1981 as its Director of Central Scouting. First presented in 1981, Misa becomes the second member of the Spirit to receive the award following Patrick McNeill, who was the franchise’s first-ever selection back in 2003.

“Michael Misa is a dynamic offensive player that was one of the driving forces for the Senators in their OHL Cup run,” said Darrell Woodley, Director of OHL Central Scouting. “He plays like he has eyes in the back of his head. His vision is exceptional, he anticipates plays well and always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He received exceptional status because of his all-around game. He is not a one-dimensional player. He has tremendous hockey sense and he does the little things well. He will be able to make an impact as a 15-year-old in the OHL.”

WATCH: #OHLDraft Prospect Profile – Michael Misa (Mississauga Senators)

Join Michael Misa as he hears his name called to kick-off the first round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft Show presented by Real Canadian Superstore beginning at 7:00pm on Friday night. The OHL Priority Selection will once again be held over the course of two days, with Rounds 1-3 taking place on Friday. The proceedings continue on Saturday, April 30 starting at 9:00am with Rounds 4-15. The Priority Selection will be streamed for free in its entirety on CHL TV. Fans can also watch complete Day 1 coverage on YourTV, Rogers tv, Eastlink, Cable 14 and Shaw Spotlight community stations, as well as on the OHL Action Pak.

Winners of the Jack Ferguson Award Include:
1981 Dan Quinn, Belleville Bulls
1982 Kirk Muller, Guelph Platers
1983 Trevor Stienburg, Guelph Platers
1984 Dave Moylan, Sudbury Wolves
1985 Bryan Fogarty, Kingston Canadians
1986 Troy Mallette, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1987 John Uniac, Sudbury Wolves
1988 Drake Berehowsky, Kingston Raiders
1989 Eric Lindros, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1990 Pat Peake, Detroit Ambassadors
1991 Todd Harvey, Detroit Ambassadors
1992 Jeff O’Neill, Guelph Storm
1993 Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67’s
1994 Jeff Brown, Sarnia Sting
1995 Daniel Tkaczuk, Barrie Colts
1996 Rico Fata, London Knights
1997 Charlie Stephens, Toronto St. Michael’s Majors
1998 Jay Harrison, Brampton Battalion
1999 Jason Spezza, Mississauga IceDogs
2000 Patrick Jarrett, Mississauga IceDogs
2001 Patrick O’Sullivan, Mississauga IceDogs
2002 Robbie Schremp, Mississauga IceDogs
2003 Patrick McNeill, Saginaw Spirit
2004 John Hughes, Belleville Bulls
2005 John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
2006 Steven Stamkos, Sarnia Sting
2007 Ryan O’Reilly, Erie Otters
2008 John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves
2009 Daniel Catenacci, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
2010 Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia Sting
2011 Aaron Ekblad, Barrie Colts
2012 Connor McDavid, Erie Otters
2013 Travis Konecny, Ottawa 67’s
2014 Jakob Chychrun, Sarnia Sting
2015 David Levin, Sudbury Wolves
2016 Ryan Merkley, Guelph Storm
2017 Ryan Suzuki, Barrie Colts
2018 Quinton Byfield, Sudbury Wolves
2019 Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs
2020 Ty Nelson, North Bay Battalion
2021 Quentin Musty, Sudbury Wolves
2022 Michael Misa, Saginaw Spirit


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.

ONTARIO HOCKEY FEDERATION ANNOUNCES EXCEPTIONAL PLAYER STATUS FOR MICHAEL MISA

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Cambridge, ON – The Ontario Hockey Federation today announced the results of the review by Hockey Canada in consideration of the application by Michael Misa, determining that the player is to be granted “exceptional player” status and therefore is eligible for the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

The process was administered by the Ontario Hockey Federation with a Hockey Canada Special Evaluation Panel assembled to evaluate Misa’s hockey and academic documentation and to assess his level of maturity in reaching their decision. 

“Having administered this process since 2005 with John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day and Shane Wright, I am continuously amazed by the well-rounded nature of those granted exceptional status,” said OHF Executive Director Phillip McKee. “His constant success both in the classroom and on the ice has demonstrated that Michael Misa is well deserving to be among those who have been granted status in the past.” 

Born February 16, 2007, the 15-year-old Misa is a 5-foot-10, 150-pound forward for the Mississauga Senators U16 AAA team, where he scored 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points in 27 games during the GTHL regular season. The Senators recently lifted the OHL Cup, where Misa scored 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in seven games while also becoming the first player to record a hat-trick in the Championship Final. These numbers saw Misa break the OHL Cup scoring record previously held by Connor McDavid while earning Tournament MVP honours in the process. 

“It’s a huge honour to be counted among names like Connor McDavid and John Tavares to have received exceptional status from Hockey Canada,” said Misa. “I try not to compare myself to those superstars, and just focus on being the best I can be and improve my game every day. 

“The OHL Cup was a tremendous team effort,” Misa added, reflecting on his record-setting performance. “We had to battle through some playoff disappointment and came through on the other side stronger as a team and got the job done together.” 

Misa becomes just the sixth player to be granted “exceptional player” status in the Ontario Hockey League, following John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros, 2005), whose application formed the modern Exceptional Player process, defenceman Aaron Ekblad (Sun County Panthers, 2011), forward Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros, 2012), defenceman Sean Day (Detroit Compuware, 2013) and forward Shane Wright (Don Mills Flyers, 2019). The trio of Tavares, Ekblad, and McDavid were all chosen first overall in the OHL Priority Selection and later first overall in the NHL Draft while Wright is a top prospect for the 2022 NHL Draft in July.