Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of playoff games ending Sunday, May 5th, 2024.
Battalion’s Sandis Vilmanis Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
Florida Panthers prospect Sandis Vilmanis of the North Bay Battalion is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording four goals, five assists and nine points in four games played.
Helping the Battalion rally to force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Championship Series, Vilmanis started off the week with a goal in a 5-2 loss to the Oshawa Generals on Monday. The 6-foot-2, 192lb. forward tallied a pair of goals including the overtime winner along with two assists to earn first star honours on Wednesday, helping the Battalion skate to a 5-4 overtime win at home. He recorded another assist on Friday as the Battalion clinched a 5-4 double overtime victory. Vilmanis closed out the week with a goal and two helpers in a dominant 8-1 win on Sunday, leading the Battalion to tie the series 3-3 heading into Game 7 on Monday night.
A 20-year-old from Riga, Latvia, Vilmanis leads all post-season point-getters with 26 points (10-16–26) in 15 playoff contests following a regular season that yielded 38 goals, 29 assists and 67 points over 60 games played between the Battalion and the Sarnia Sting. A former first round pick by Sarnia in the 2022 CHL Import Draft, Vilmanis was selected by the Florida Panthers in the fifth round (157th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the club on March 2, 2024. Vilmanis has also participated on the international stage, representing Latvia at three consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships.
Also considered for the award this week, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan of the London Knights helped his team skate to a 4-2 Western Conference Final Series victory over the Saginaw Spirit, recording four goals and four assists in four games played. Battalion teammate and Seattle Kraken prospect Ty Nelson was also a standout, registering two goals, five assists and seven points.
2023-24 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 29 – May 5: Sandis Vilmanis (North Bay Battalion)
Apr. 22 – Apr. 28: Kasper Halttunen (London Knights)
Apr. 15 – Apr. 21: Jacob Julien (London Knights)
Apr. 8 – Apr. 14: Dylan Roobroeck (Oshawa Generals)
Apr. 1 – Apr. 7: Samuel Mayer (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 28 – Mar. 31: Owen Beck (Saginaw Spirit)
2023-24 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves)
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Ruslan Gazizov (London Knights)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Dylan Roobroeck (Oshawa Generals)
Feb. 26 – Mar. 3: Jacob Maillet (Ottawa 67’s)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Rodwin Dionicio (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Gavin Bryant (Niagara IceDogs)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Oliver Bonk (London Knights)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Anthony Romani (North Bay Battalion)
Dec. 28 – Dec. 31: Sam Dickinson (London Knights)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 18: Ruslan Gazizov (London Knights)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Nick Lardis (Brantford Bulldogs)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Pano Fimis (Erie Otters)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Donovan McCoy (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Denver Barkey (London Knights)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Braeden Kressler (Flint Firebirds)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Kirill Kudryavtsev (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Anthony Romani (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Jordan D’Intino (Soo Greyhounds)
Sep. 28 – Oct. 1: Jax Dubois (Peterborough Petes)
Battalion’s Mike McIvor Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Rookie netminder Mike McIvor of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Goaltender of the Week for the second time this season, playing to a 3-1 record along with a 3.13 goals-against average, and .902 save percentage.
Helping the Battalion bounce back in the Eastern Conference Championship Series, McIvor made a total of 129 saves last week. He stopped 26 of the 31 shots he faced on Monday as the Battalion fell 5-2 to the Oshawa Generals. McIvor earned the Battalion’s first win of the series on Wednesday, blocking 27 of the 31 shots that came his way in a 5-4 overtime victory. The 6-foot, 165lb. netminder returned to the crease with a big performance on Friday, turning aside 41 of the 45 shots he faced to clinch a 5-4 double overtime win. McIvor closed out the week with a 35-save performance on Sunday as the Battalion defeated the Generals in a commanding 8-1 victory to push the series to Game 7.
An 18-year-old from Warkworth, Ont., McIvor played to a regular season mark of 8-9-0-0 with a 3.78 goals-against average and .876 save percentage over 18 games in his first OHL season. A fourth round (83rd overall) pick by the Battalion in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection from the Quinte Red Devils U16 program, McIvor has appeared in 14 playoff contests, playing to a 10-4 record along with a 2.58 goals-against average and .917 save percentage with one shutout.
Also considered for the award this week, Michael Simpson of the London Knights went 2-2 along with a 3.79 goals-against average and .899 save percentage to take a 4-2 Western Conference Championship Series victory over the Saginaw Spirit. Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Nolan Lalonde of the Saginaw Spirit also played to a 2-2 record along with a 3.05 goals-against average and .879 save percentage.
2023-24 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 29 – May 5: Mike McIvor (North Bay Battalion)
Apr. 22 – Apr. 28: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Apr. 15 – Apr. 21: Charlie Schenkel (Soo Greyhounds)
Apr. 8 – Apr. 14: Mike McIvor (North Bay Battalion)
Apr. 1 – Apr. 7: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Mar. 28 – Mar. 31: Jakub Vondras (Sudbury Wolves)
2023-24 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 18 – Mar. 24: Nick Surzycia (Sarnia Sting)
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Charlie Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Jack Ivankovic (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 26 – Mar. 3: Liam Sztuska (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Michael Simpson (London Knights)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Matteo Drobac (Brantford Bulldogs)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Ben West (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Owen Willmore (London Knights)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Sam Hillebrandt (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Matteo Drobac (Brantford Bulldogs)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Michael Simpson (London Knights)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 28 – Dec. 31: Brayden Gillespie (Guelph Storm)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 18: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Marcus Vandenberg (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Jack Ivankovic (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 12: Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 7: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Sam Hillebrandt (Barrie Colts)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Brayden Gillespie (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sep. 28 – Oct. 1: Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads)