CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM: January 2024

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce today the January edition of the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM for the 2023-24 regular season.

F – Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL)
10G-19A, 29 PTS, +12 in 12 GP in January

With 29 points through 12 games in January, no skater in the CHL tallied more points than 16-year-old Gavin McKenna of Medicine Hat Tigers. Over the last month, McKenna averaged 2.42 points per game, which ranked second in the CHL behind only Moose Jaw’s Jagger Firkus (2.78). Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, McKenna registered eight multi-point outings during the last month, including six contests with three points or more. The latter included a career-high six-point effort (1G-5A) against the Tri-City Americans on January 6 at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat. Additionally, throughout January, the six-foot, 165-pound left winger recorded 19 assists, which was the most of any player in the CHL. Ultimately, the product from Whitehorse, Y.T., was held off the scoresheet twice over his last 12 games. McKenna now ranks second in the CHL rookie scoring race this season with 63 points, trailing only Prince George’s Terik Parascak (69 points). McKenna also sits second on his team in scoring with 21 goals and 42 assists in 41 games this season. Drafted first overall by the Tigers during the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, McKenna’s 42 assists and 1.54 points per game during the 2023-24 campaign both rank first among any rookie in the CHL.

F – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals / OHL)
9G-17A, 26 PTS, +19 in 13 GP in January

Following a strong January, Colorado Avalanche prospect Calum Ritchie of the Oshawa Generals now leads his team in scoring with 51 points (17G-34A) despite having played in 29 games this season. Specifically, in 13 games during the last month, Ritchie recorded nine goals and 17 assists to lead all OHL scorers. His 26 points in January trailed only Medicine Hat’s Gavin McKenna for the scoring lead in the Canadian Hockey League. Over those 13 games in January, the 19-year-old from Oakville, Ont., tallied points in 12 contests. The latter included six outings with two or more points, including a pair of five-point efforts against the Flint Firebirds on January 6 (0G-5A) and the Peterborough Petes on January 19 (2G-3A). Both of those five-point outings represented a career-high for the Oshawa Generals’ centreman. His plus/minus rating of +19 was also the highest of any skater in the CHL for the month of January. With 17 goals and 34 assists through 29 games during the 2023-24 campaign, Ritchie is averaging 1.76 points per game, which stands as the third-highest mark among skaters in the OHL. A first-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche last summer, Ritchie has tallied 51 points since November 12, which ranks first and second in the OHL and CHL respectively over that period.

F – Jagger Firkus (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL)
10G-15A, 25 PTS, -3 in 9 GP in January

Averaging a CHL-best 2.78 points per game during January, Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus of the Moose Jaw Warriors was one of the top forwards in the CHL over the last month. In all nine of his games in January, Firkus found the scoresheet, which included registering two or more points on seven occasions. The 19-year-old from Irma, Alta., got his month off to a great start by matching a career-high with five points (1G-4A) against the Prince Albert Raiders on January 5 in Moose Jaw. Firkus’ month was also highlighted by his fourth hat trick of the season, a feat he accomplished on the road against the Swift Current Broncos on January 19. Ultimately, by tallying points in all nine of his games last month, Firkus comes into February on a 19-game point streak (15G-26A over that stretch), which stands as the longest active point streak in the CHL. His current 19-game point streak also ranks as the third-longest streak of the 2023-24 campaign behind only Kelowna’s Andrew Cristall (23 games from Nov. 3 to Jan. 19) and his Moose Jaw teammate Denton Mateychuk (23 games from Oct. 10 to Dec. 8). Firkus’ recent stretch of scoring has also helped catapult him to the top of the CHL scoring race with 84 points on the season. Meanwhile, his 37 goals over this latest campaign place him in a tie for third in the CHL alongside fellow Seattle Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf of the Kitchener Rangers and Anaheim Ducks prospect Egor Sidorov of the Saskatoon Blades.

D – Oliver Bonk (London Knights / OHL)
10G-11A, 21 PTS, +14 in 10 GP in January

Having tallied 10 goals and 11 assists, all while helping his team to a 9-0-0-2 during January, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk of the No.4-ranked London Knights put together an impressive month. Alongside Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh, Bonk led all defencemen in the CHL with 21 points. At the same time, his 2.10 points per game average and 10 goals were the most by any blueliner in the CHL in January. Over his last 10 games, the 19-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., was held off the scoresheet on just one occasion, registering five multi-point games. The latter included establishing a new single-game career-high when he collected five points (2G-3A) against the Sting in Sarnia on January 10. The 2023 Philadelphia Flyers’ first-round pick registered three games with two goals while tallying six power-play goals and being credited with three game-winning markers last month. Now holding 12 power-play goals on the season, Bonk sits tied with the Soo Greyhounds’ Arttu Karki for first among CHL rearguards in that category. The Knights’ defenceman has also set a new single-season career-high with 51 points during the 2023-24 campaign, a point total that currently ranks fifth among blueliners in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Since December 2, having collected 27 points (11G-16A) over his last 13 games, Bonk is averaging 2.08 points per game, the highest mark of any defenceman in the CHL over that stretch.

D – Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit / OHL)
9G-12A, 21 PTS, +13 in 11 GP in January

Having been named to the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM back in November, 2024 NHL Draft prospect Zayne Parekh of the No.3-ranked Saginaw Spirit becomes the first defenceman to be awarded this honour for a second time during the 2023-24 season. Alongside London’s Oliver Bonk, Parekh led all CHL defencemen with 21 points in January. Over the last month, the 17-year-old from Nobleton, Ont., was held off the scoresheet just twice. In his last 11 contests, Parekh has registered six multi-point games, including a single-game career-high of five points (3G-2A) against the Spitfires in Windsor on January 10. The latter also represented the second time this season that the projected 2024 NHL first-round pick scored a hat trick. Over his last 26 games, dating back to November 18, Parekh has only failed to register a point on four occasions. He’s tallied 16 goals (two more than his next closest competitor, London’s Oliver Bonk) and 44 points (10 more than his next closest competitor, Kitchener’s Hunter Brzustewicz) which both rank as the most by a CHL blueliner over that stretch of games since November 18. Thanks to his strong play over these last couple of months, Parekh is up to 22 goals and 66 points on the season. His 22 goals currently stand as the most by any defenceman in the CHL, while his 66 points rank second in the Canadian Hockey League behind only Kitchener’s Hunter Brzustewicz (69 points). In January, Parekh was ranked as the No. 10 skater in North America by NHL Central Scouting in their Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.

G – Chase Wutzke (Red Deer Rebels / WHL)
8-0-0-1, 1.98 GAA, .929 SV% in nine starts in January

With a CHL-best eight wins over January, 2024 NHL Draft prospect Chase Wutzke of the Red Deer Rebels is making his first-ever appearance in the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM. Over his nine starts last month, the 17-year-old from Debden, Sask., posted a 1.98 goals-against average (GAA) and a .929 save percentage (SV%), which both ranked first among goalies in the WHL (minimum 100 minutes played in January). Wutzke only allowed one goal during five different games last month. He also registered a pair of performances with 30-plus saves in January, one of which was a 31-save effort against the No.1-ranked Saskatoon Blades on January 17, which ultimately helped the Rebels snap the Blades’ 18-game point streak. Going back to December 6, Wutzke has won 12 of his last 14 starts, having also collected a point in all 14 of those games (12-0-1-1). Moreover, since December 6, the rookie netminder owns a 1.88 GAA and a .934 SV%, which both rank first in the CHL among goalies who have played a minimum of 300 minutes during that stretch of time. Ultimately, those strong performances over December and January have helped Wutzke as he now ranks fourth in GAA (2.24) and fifth in SV% (.922) in the Canadian Hockey League this season. In January, Wutzke was also identified as the No. 13-ranked goalie in North America in the NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Month for games played in January 2024.

Player of the Month – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)

Colorado Avalanche prospect Calum Ritchie of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Player of the Month, leading the league with 26 points including nine goals and 17 assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-19 over 13 games. Ritchie’s month of January featured five different performances with at least three points, including two five-point showings that came on Jan. 6th at Flint and Jan. 19th vs. Peterborough. He helped the Generals climb the Eastern Conference standings with a January record of 8-3-1-1, earning three star recognition six different times throughout the course of the month.

A recently-turned 19-year-old from Oakville, Ont., Ritchie leads the Generals in regular season scoring despite having played in just 28 games. His 1.68 points-per-game resulting from 16 goals and 31 assists are the fourth-highest rate in the OHL this season while he’s also registered a plus/minus rating of plus-28. A 6-foot-2, 179Ib. centreman, Ritchie is in his third season with the Generals, having recorded 59 goals, 92 assists and 151 points over 152 career regular season games since being selected by Oshawa with the second overall pick of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. Ritchie was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche with their first round (27th overall) pick last summer. A former OHL first all-rookie team member in 2021-22, Ritchie won a gold medal with Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, leading the tournament in scoring before capturing bronze at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship.

Also considered for the award this month, London Knights forward Easton Cowan finished January with 21 points (8-13–21) over 10 games.

Defenceman of the Month – Oliver Bonk (London Knights)

Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk of the London Knights is the OHL Defenceman of the Month, recording 21 points including 10 goals and 11 assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-14 over 10 games. Bonk helped the Knights play to a January mark of 9-0-0-2 as they climbed into first place in the OHL standings, recording points in nine of his 10 outings. He recorded three different two-goal outings along with five multi-point contests to begin the 2024 calendar year, headlined by five points (2-3–5) in a 9-2 road win over the Sarnia Sting on Jan. 10th. Three of Bonk’s January goals were game-winners while six of his 10 tallies came on the man advantage.

A newly-turned 19-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., Bonk sits third among OHL defencemen with 51 points (16-35–51) over 38 games while his 12 power play markers are tied for the league-lead among rearguards. The 6-foot-2, 179Ib. defender has played parts of three seasons in London, recording 26 goals, 68 assists and 94 points over 115 regular season games. He helped the Knights reach the OHL Championship Series last spring, recording 11 assists during their 21-game playoff run. Bonk was voted to the OHL’s second all-rookie team in 2022-23 before being selected by Philadelphia with their first round (22nd overall) pick last summer. Bonk won gold with Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and represented Canada at this past month’s 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden. The Knights selected Bonk in the second round (26th overall) of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.

Also considered for the award this month, Saginaw Spirit defender Zayne Parekh registered 21 points (9-12–21) over 11 games.

Goaltender of the Month – Michael Simpson (London Knights)

London Knights netminder Michael Simpson is the OHL Goaltender of the Month, playing to a record of 5-0-0-1 with a 1.32 goals-against average, .950 save percentage and one shutout over six outings. Simpson carried a five-game winning streak into the month of January, stretching that to 10 games while still remaining undefeated in regulation since Dec. 10th to close-out the month. He backstopped the Knights to his second shutout of the season on Jan. 14th vs. Owen Sound.

A 20-year-old London native, Simpson leads the OHL in both goals-against average (2.54) and wins (23) while also posting a .909 save percentage and two shutouts over 33 games. Now in his third OHL season, last year’s OHL Playoff MVP has played to a career mark of 67-47-5-4 with a 2.96 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and eight shutouts over 129 regular season games between London and Peterborough. The 6-foot-1, 198Ib. goaltender was originally Peterborough’s 10th round (193rd overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. Simpson, who was voted to the OHL’s third all-star team last season, attended training camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign.

Also considered for the award this month, Jacob Oster of the Oshawa Generals played to a record of 7-3-0-1 in January, posting a 2.00 goals-against average and .929 save percentage with one shutout over 11 outings.

Rookie of the Month – Riley Patterson (Barrie Colts)

Barrie Colts forward Riley Patterson is the OHL Rookie of the Month, leading all first-year talents with 15 points including five goals and 10 assists over 12 games. Patterson put together a trio of multi-point performances, helping the Colts score wins over the Soo Greyhounds and Niagara IceDogs with three-point efforts on Jan. 6th and Jan. 20th. He closed out January with a career-high four points, scoring twice while adding two assist in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Owen Sound Attack on Jan. 31st.

A 17-year-old from Burlington, Ont., Patterson currently leads OHL rookies with 16 goals, adding 22 assists for 38 points over 44 games. The 6-foot, 194Ib. centreman joined the Colts last summer, coming over in a trade from the Flint Firebirds who selected him in the third round (57th overall) of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. A former OHL Cup champion with the Mississauga Senators U16 program, Patterson was the OJHL Rookie of the Year in 2022-23, recording 73 points (30-43–73) over 52 games with the North York Rangers Jr. A program. Patterson was the 116th ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Midseason NHL Draft Rankings released on Jan. 12th.

Also considered for the award this month, December Rookie of the Month award recipient Jake O’Brien of the Brantford Bulldogs put up 13 points (2-11–13) over 11 contests.

2023-24 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
January – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)
December – Ruslan Gazizov (London Knights)
November – Filip Mesar (Kitchener Rangers)
October – Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers)

Defenceman of the Month:
January – Oliver Bonk (London Knights)
December – Nick DeAngelis (Sudbury Wolves)
November – Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit)
October – Hunter Brzustewicz (Kitchener Rangers)

Goaltender of the Month:
January – Michael Simpson (London Knights)
December – Marcus Vandenberg (Sudbury Wolves)
November – Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)
October – Brayden Gillespie (Guelph Storm)

Rookie of the Month:
January – Riley Patterson (Barrie Colts)
December – Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs)
November – Cole Davis (Windsor Spitfires)
October – Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)


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.

BONK AND SIMPSON 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, January 14, 2024.



Knights’ Oliver Bonk Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk of the London Knights is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, contributing five goals and six assists while registering a plus-6 rating in three victories.

Bonk recorded a career-high five-point night with two goals and three assists on Wednesday, being named the game’s second star as the Knights defeated the Sarnia Sting 9-2. He found the scoresheet again on Friday, registering a goal and an assist in the Knights’ 6-1 win over the Saginaw Spirit. Bonk closed out the weekend with a third consecutive multi-point contest, extending his current point streak to eight games with a pair of goals and assists as the Knights blanked the Owen Sound Attack 10-0. Bonk’s current eight-game run has included seven goals, 13 assists and 20 points.

A recently turned 19-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., Bonk ranks third among all OHL defencemen in points this season, recording 44 (12-32–44) through 33 outings as the Knights own a record of 29-11-0-1, good for third in the Western Conference. Selected in the second-round (26th overall) by London in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, the 6-foot-2, 179lb. blueliner has put up 22 goals, 65 assists and 87 points in 110 regular season contests. Bonk helped the Knights reach the OHL Championship Series last season, recording 11 assists in 21 playoff matchups. Selected in the first-round (22nd overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bonk recently represented Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship earlier this month. He signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract with Philadelphia on Aug. 21, 2023.

Also considered for the award this week, 2024 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit recorded nine points (5-4–9) in three games. Newly acquired Spirit teammate Owen Beck also had a standout week, as the Montreal Canadiens prospect registered nine points (3-6–9) in three games, including a single-game club record-tying six in his debut with the team.

2023-24 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
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)
 



Knights’ Michael Simpson Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Michael Simpson of the London Knights is the OHL Goaltender of the Week,  playing to a 2-0 record including a shutout, along with a 0.50 goals-against average and .983 save percentage.

Making a total of 58 saves last week, Simpson stopped 30 of the 31 shots that came his way on Friday night as the Knights defeated the Saginaw Spirit 6-1 at home. The 6-foot-1, 198lb. netminder closed out the weekend with a 28-save shutout to earn third star honours on Sunday, blanking the Owen Sound Attack in a lopsided 10-0 victory.

Playing to a 22-7-0-0 record, the 20-year-old from London, Ont. holds a league-low 2.58 goals-against average, along with a .908 save percentage in 31 games this season. The only goaltender to reach 20+ wins this season, the former 2023 OHL champion has appeared in 127 career regular season contests, recording a 2.98 goals-against average and .904 save percentage over three seasons, going 66-47-5-3 in the process. Selected in the 10th round (193rd overall) by the Peterborough Petes in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, the 2023 OHL Playoffs MVP attended development camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer.

Also considered for the award this week, Jacob Oster of the Oshawa Generals went 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .930 save percentage, while Kitchener Rangers netminder Tristan Malboeuf also went 2-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.

2023-24 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
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)


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.

ATTACK’S BARLOW AWARDED BOBBY SMITH TROPHY AS OHL SCHOLASTIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY DAIRY FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that draft eligible forward Colby Barlow of the Owen Sound Attack is the 2022-23 recipient of the Bobby Smith Trophy, which is awarded to the OHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year presented by MilkUP, youth lifestyle brand of Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO).

Barlow becomes the first player in Owen Sound Attack history to win the prestigious award, excelling with an overall average of 93 percent across Grade 12 University-level courses: Challenge and Change in Society (97 percent), Families in Canada (96 percent), Organizational Business (95 percent), Business Leadership (95 percent), International Business (90 percent), and English (85 percent) at Owen Sound District Secondary School.

On the ice, Barlow enters the 2023 NHL Draft as the OHL’s highest-ranked skater, coming in at 12th on NHL Central Scouting’s final list of North American players eligible for the annual selection that takes place in Nashville, Tenn. on June 28-29. He led the Attack in 2022-23 producing 79 points including 46 goals, 33 assists and a league-leading 12 game-winning tallies in 59 games.

“I’m truly honoured to be awarded the Bobby Smith Trophy,” said Barlow. “Playing hockey at an elite level and excelling at academics are really two sides of the same coin. It would be inconsistent for someone with the dedication it requires to perform at an elite level in sports, not to apply that same dedication to their academic studies. To excel in hockey it requires talent, but more importantly it requires discipline. The skillsets in athletics and academics are interrelated and I appreciate everyone with the Owen Sound Attack who has helped me as I continue to try and excel in both of those areas.”

Fresh-off setting an Attack rookie record for goals as a 16-year-old with 30 in 2021-22, Barlow became the youngest captain in Owen Sound Attack franchise history at 17-years-old, and emerged as one of five OHL players with at least 46 goals in his sophomore season.

“Colby has found an incredible way to balance both on-ice brilliance and excellence in the classroom,” said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray. “He also did a tremendous job serving as captain of our team in just his second season, and has amazed many at the Bayshore, scoring some outstanding goals and demonstrating what it truly means to be a leader both on and off the ice.”

Hailing from Orillia, Ont., Barlow is currently representing Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship in Switzerland, and also wore the maple leaf, winning gold for Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Alberta last summer. Barlow competed in the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game this past January in Langley, BC. Originally selected by the Attack with their first round (8th overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, Barlow went on to be voted to the league’s first all-rookie team in 2021-22.

“Colby has a very positive attitude that is evident in everything he does,” commented Attack Academic Advisor Sarah Rowe. “He leads by example and preaches accountability both in school and in the dressing room. Colby is an honour roll student and a star on the ice who continues to do Owen Sound proud.”

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 67s 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), Steven Stamkos (Sarnia 2007), Ryan Ellis (Windsor 2008), Matt Duchene (Brampton 2009), Erik Gudbranson (Kingston 2010), Dougie Hamilton (Niagara 2011), Adam Pelech (Erie 2012), Darnell Nurse (Sault Ste. Marie 2013), back-to-back winner Connor McDavid (Erie 2014, ’15), Sasha Chmelevski (Ottawa 2017), Barrett Hayton (Sault Ste. Marie 2018), Thomas Harley (Mississauga 2019), Cole Perfetti (Saginaw 2020) and Owen Beck (Mississauga 2022).

Next in line for the award were a pair of other NHL Draft eligibles in Erie Otters forward Carey Terrance and London Knights blueliner Oliver Bonk. Ottawa 67s draft-eligible forward Luca Pinelli placed third in the process.

Barlow will be the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Scholastic Player 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. Barlow will be formally presented with the Bobby Smith Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

All 20 of the OHL’s member clubs provide nominees for the Bobby Smith Trophy, with nominees representing the 2022-23 OHL Scholastic Team:

2022-23 OHL Scholastic Team Nominees:
Barrie Colts – Grayson Tiller
Erie Otters – Carey Terrance
Flint Firebirds – Daks Klinkhammer
Guelph Storm – Matthew Poitras
Hamilton Bulldogs – Nick Lardis
Kingston Frontenacs – Alec Belanger
Kitchener Rangers – Matthew Andonovski
London Knights – Oliver Bonk
Mississauga Steelehads – Luke Misa
Niagara IceDogs – Bronson Ride
North Bay Battalion – Wyatt Kennedy
Oshawa Generals – Ben Danford
Ottawa 67’s – Luca Pinelli
Owen Sound Attack – Colby Barlow
Peterborough Petes – Chase Lefebvre
Saginaw Spirit – Joey Willis
Sarnia Sting – Easton Wainwright
Soo Greyhounds – Andrew Gibson
Sudbury Wolves – Alex Pharand
Windsor Spitfires – Joey Costanzo


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.

Oliver Bonk – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
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6’2”179 lbsJan 1, 2005DR26th 202118th N ACANADA
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2020-2021HEO U-18DID NOT PLAY    
2021-20222GOJHLSt Thomas Stars3252732
2021-2022OHLLondon Knights10033
2022-2023OHLLondon Knights63102939
Oliver Bonk of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

When you take a peek at public draft rankings around North America, you will find that almost all of them have London Knights Defenceman Oliver Bonk ranked late in the first round or very early in the second round. There is one however that has him in the middle of the third round. NHL Central Scouting has him 18th among North American skaters on their mid term rankings and by the time you add in the Europeans, you’re looking at a late first.

One thing we know about the 26th overall pick at the 2021 OHL Priority Selection: he has climbed on every list.

Bonk has the bloodlines. His father Radek Bonk spent 14 seasons in the NHL and played in 969 games collecting 194 goals and 303 assists.

Bonk’s greatest asset is his hockey IQ. He thinks the game at such a high level. First, in the defensive zone his positioning is near perfect. His possesses a very active stick and breaks up plays by anticipating where the puck is going and using that stick to defend. His transition game is still growing but he has the ability to skate out of the zone or utilize his teammates with good passes.

That high hockey IQ is also evident in the offensive zone. He reads and reacts quickly. He his sneaky at getting into the open areas of the ice to make himself available. On the rush, he is willing to jump up into the play and has near perfect timing. He has a good shot from the point and can get it off quickly and find the target more often than not.

Bonk skates really well for a bigger defenceman but if he could add more speed, it would be a bonus. He’s agile enough, is strong on his skates and is a very good backwards skater. While he uses his size well to engage and move players from the front of his net, he can improve on that area when he adds some bulk to his frame.

Bonk has grown into a very good player and continues to be a work in progress. At this point, it’s difficult to say whether his offensive game will translate to the next level but it’s fair to say he can find success in a defensive role if the offence doesn’t come.

But I wouldn’t bet against him.

OHL Writers Draft Eligible Player of the Month for November

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
Quentin Musty of the Sudbury Wolves. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

The month of November saw some surprising yet great performances both individually and by teams. Unfortunately, there were some less than stellar performances as we are left waiting for some of the 2023 National Hockey League Entry Draft eligible players to break out, for lack of a better term.

The good outweigh the disappointing so we’ve got that covered as we name our draft eligible goaltender, defenceman and forward for the 2023 draft.

Our monthly choices:

Draft Eligible Forward of the Month – Quentin Musty – Sudbury Wolves

Normally, I would not put a player on the list that received a suspension, but what are you going to do? Musty’s suspension occurred during his last game of the month so, I couldn’t ignore the rest of the month. What exactly did he do? Well, he put up points in all 9 games he appeared in and totaled 3 goals and 12 assists for 15 points in those 9 games. Musty is now 4th in scoring among draft eligible players and leads them all in assists.

Also considered were Luca Pinelli of the Ottawa 67’s with 6 goals and 9 assists in 12 games and Dalyn Wakely of the North Bay Battalion with 11 goals and 6 assists in 13 games.

Draft Eligible Defenceman of the Month – Brody Crane – London Knights

London Knights defenceman Brody Crane appeared in 12 games in the month of November and scored 4 goals while assisting on 10 others. Crane had back-to-back two goal games in mid-November. He was held pointless just three times and never in back-to-back games. His 6 goals and 14 assists on the season have him second in scoring among draft eligible defencemen.

Also considered was Crane’s teammate Oliver Bonk who posted 3 goals and 11 helpers in 12 games and was named the OHL Rookie of the Month for November.

Draft Eligible Goaltender of the Month – Charlie Schenkel – Soo Greyhounds

With an August 16, 2004, birthdate, Charlie Schenkel was eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft but went unselected and is eligible to re-enter the draft for 2023. He made five starts in November and came away with a 2-1-1-1 record with a 2.16 goals-against-average and a .921 save-percentage. His best performance of the month was a 35-save shutout against the Mississauga Steelheads on November 25.

Schenkel sits sixth in the OHL with a goals-against-average of 3.00 and fifth with a save-percentage of .912.

Also considered was Andrew Oke of the Saginaw Spirit – also a draft re-entry – who went 4-0-0-0 with a .926 save-percentage.

Forwards

Quentin Musty – Sudbury Wolves – November

Ryan Abraham – Windsor Spitfires – October

Defencemen

Brody Crane – London Knights – November

Hunter Brzustewicz – Kitchener Rangers – October

Goaltenders

Andrew Oke – Saginaw Spirit – November

Collin MacKenzie – Ottawa 67’s – October

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR NOVEMBER

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 November 2022 including London Knights teammates Sean McGurn and Oliver Bonk along with Saginaw Spirit teammates Pavel Mintyukov and Tristan Lennox.
 

OHL Player of the Month – Sean McGurn (London Knights):
London Knights forward Sean McGurn is the OHL Player of the Month for November, leading all players with 20 points including six goals, 14 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-7 in 12 contests last month. The overage centreman helped the Knights turn around a slow start to their season, registering points in 10 of his 12 outings as London played to a November mark of 10-2-0-0. McGurn logged seven multi-point performances, including three straight capped by a goal and two helpers on Nov. 12th in Windsor as the Knights defeated the Spitfires 6-1. McGurn scored in four consecutive contests as part of a 12-game point streak. He posted another goal and two assist showing on Nov. 19th in Flint as the Knights defeated the Firebirds 7-4. He did so again on Nov. 27th in Oshawa as London skated to a 4-2 win. McGurn becomes the first Knights player to earn OHL Player of the Month honours since Mitch Marner last received the title in February 2016.

A 20-year-old native of Ottawa, Ont., McGurn is in his third season with the Knights and sits fourth in OHL scoring with 32 points (10-22–32) in 23 games. He’s won 57.4 percent of his faceoffs this season while taking just two minutes in penalties thus far. He’s accumulated 108 points (31-77–108) over 127 regular season games since being selected by London in the third round (53rd overall) of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. McGurn attended rookie camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs in September.
 

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit):
For the second straight month, Anaheim Ducks prospect Pavel Mintyukov of the Saginaw Spirit is the OHL Defenceman of the Month, leading all defenders with 17 points including six goals, 11 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-12 in 11 games. Mintyukov’s continued excellence on the blue line helped the Spirit play to a November record of 10-1-0-0 as they roll into the month of December as the hottest team in the OHL. His month included six different multi-point showings, starting with a goal and an assist on Nov. 3rd as the Spirit came back to defeat the Kingston Frontenacs 3-2. He tacked on three points (1-2–3) on Nov. 6th in Oshawa as the Spirit took a 5-0 road win. Mintyukov registered his second multi-goal showing of the campaign on Nov. 12th against Sault Ste. Marie, tying the game with 16 seconds to spare in an eventual 4-3 overtime win over the Greyhounds. He rounded-out November with back-to-back multi-point totals, picking up a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over Sarnia on Nov. 25th before scoring and adding two helpers in a Nov. 26th 7-2 win over the Windsor Spitfires. This marks Mintyukov’s third OHL Defenceman of the Month honour following previous titles in October 2022 and March 2021. He’s the first player to be named OHL Defenceman of the Month in each of the first two months of a season since Dougie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs in October and November 2011.

A recently-turned 19-year-old standing 6-foot-3 and 195Ibs., Mintyukov sits second in OHL scoring with 35 points (12-23–35) in 24 games this season, paired with the League’s third-best plus/minus rating of plus-19. He became the first defenceman to ever lead the Spirit in scoring last season, recording 62 points (17-45–62) in 67 games before being selected 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2022 NHL Draft. The Spirit selected Mintyukov with the 52nd overall pick of the 2020 CHL Import Draft. He was voted to the OHL’s third all-star team last season.
 

OHL Goaltender of the Month – Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit):
New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for November, helping the Spirit ascend to first place in the West Division standings with a record of 6-1-0-0, goals-against average of 1.86 and save percentage of .931 in seven appearances. After his lone loss to start the month, Lennox posted his first shutout of the campaign on Nov. 6th in Oshawa, making 26 saves as the Spirit defeated the Generals 5-0. He turned aside 28 shots a week later in Sarnia as the Spirit defeated the Sting by a score of 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 11th. Lennox registered 36 saves in a 4-3 overtime road win over the Flint Firebirds on Nov. 23rd, earning second star recognition for his efforts. He closed out November with a sixth straight win on Nov. 26th, making 27 saves as the Spirit defeated visiting Windsor 7-2 to match a franchise record with their ninth consecutive victory. Lennox is the first Spirit goaltender to earn OHL Goaltender of the Month honours since Ivan Prosvetov who last did so in March 2019.

A 20-year-old from Cambridge, Ont., Lennox owns a 12-3-0-0 record with a 2.95 goals-against average and .891 save percentage through 16 games in this, his fourth OHL season. The overage goaltender has played to a career mark of 46-33-3-2 with a 3.25 goals-against average and .887 save percentage in 92 regular season games, all with the Spirit who selected him in the second round (26th overall) of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. Lennox was drafted by the New York Islanders in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.
 

OHL Rookie of the Month – Oliver Bonk (London Knights):
Draft eligible London Knights blueliner Oliver Bonk is the OHL Rookie of the Month for November, leading all rookies with 14 points including three goals, 11 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-5 in 12 games. Bonk’s presence and increased responsibility on the Knights blue line helped the green and gold surge to a 10-2-0-0 record in the month of November, pushing them to the top of the Midwest Division standings. Bonk recorded points in 10 of his 12 November contests, opening the month by matching his October total in a single game with three points (1-2–3) in a 6-3 loss to the Erie Otters on Nov. 4th. Bonk registered points in eight consecutive games, capped by a goal and an assist on Nov. 19th in Flint as the Knights defeated the Firebirds 7-4. He lit the lamp again on Nov. 25th in Kitchener as the Knights defeated the rival Rangers 4-0. Bonk becomes the first Knights defenceman to earn OHL Rookie of the Month recognition since John Carlson last did so in December 2008.

A 17-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., Bonk leads the Knights offensively from the blue line with 18 point (5-13–18) in 23 games. The 6-foot-2, 179Ib. right-shot appeared in 10 games with London last season, recording three assists while also excelling with the St. Thomas Stars of the GOJHL where he posted 32 points (5-27–32) in as many games to earn GOJHL West Top Rookie Defenceman honours, also being voted to the GOJHL West Rookie All-Star Team. The son of former long-time NHL forward Radek Bonk, Oliver was London’s second round (26th overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. He won gold with Canada in this past summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup Tournament. Bonk was listed as a ‘B’ rated skater on NHL Central Scouting’s latest Players to Watch list released on Oct. 25th.
 

2022-23 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
November – Sean McGurn (London Knights)
October – Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds)

Defenceman of the Month:
November – Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
October – Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)

Goaltender of the Month:
November – Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
October – Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)

Rookie of the Month:
November – Oliver Bonk (London Knights)
October – 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.

24 OHL PLAYERS NAMED TO HOCKEY CANADA UNDER-17 ROSTER FOR INAUGURAL CAPITAL CITY CHALLENGE

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to congratulate 24 OHL players named by Hockey Canada to the Under-17 roster set to participate at the inaugural Capital City Challenge, a four-team tournament featuring three men’s under-17 teams and Canada’s National Women’s Team to take place November 26 to December 1 at TD Place in Ottawa.

The 66 players named to compete in the event will be divided into three teams – Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red and Team Canada White – and will compete against Canada’s National Women’s Team as part of its centralization schedule. The rosters for Team Canada Black, Team Canada Red and Team Canada White will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

The under-17 roster was selected by Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations, Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, and Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), head scout for the U17 program. U17 Program of Excellence management group lead Philippe Boucher (Saint-Apollinaire, Que./Drummondville, QMJHL) and manager of hockey operations Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), as well as regional scouts Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Rob Simpson (Ontario), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario), also provided input with support from Hockey Canada’s 13 Members.

“We are excited to unveil the 66 players that will suit up for our three men’s under-17 teams at the Capital City Challenge and have the unique opportunity to compete against Canada’s National Women’s Team in Ottawa,” said Salmond. “Although this has not been a traditional year for our Program of Excellence and the under-17 group, we are excited to introduce these athletes to an event that replicates short-term, international competition.”

In addition to the 24 OHL players selected, a total of nine OHL hockey operations personnel have been named to the staffs of the three Canadian squads including Team Red director of operations Kyle Raftis (Soo Greyhounds), Team White head coach Rob Wilson (Peterborough Petes), assistant Chad Wiseman (Guelph Storm) and Team Black assistant coach Jordan Smith (Soo Greyhounds).

24 OHL Players Named to 2021 Capital City Challenge:

*player committed to Ontario Hockey League club

Goaltenders (3):
Joseph Costanzo (Niagara IceDogs)
Nathaniel Day (Flint Firebirds)
Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)*

Defencemen (6):
Beau Akey (Barrie Colts)
Cam Allen (Guelph Storm)
Tristan Bertucci (Flint Firebirds)
Oliver Bonk (London Knights)*
Alexis Daviault (Sarnia Sting)
Olivier Savard (Saginaw Spirit

Forwards (15):
Denver Barkey (London Knights)
Chris Barlas (Ottawa 67’s)
Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
Easton Cowan (London Knights)*
Nick Lardis (Peterborough Petes)
Luke McNamara (Saginaw Spirit)
Ethan Miedema (Windsor Spitfires)
Luke Misa (Mississauga Steelheads)
Owen Outwater (North Bay Battalion)
Alex Pharand (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Luca Pinelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers)
Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)
Matthew Soto (Kingston Frontenacs)
Carey Terrance (Erie Otters)

Team Staff (Canada Black):
Assistant Coach – Jordan Smith (Soo Greyhounds)
Athletic Therapist – Marie-Pierre Néron (Ottawa 67’s)

Team Staff (Canada Red):
Director of Operations – Kyle Raftis (Soo Greyhounds)
Goaltending Coach – Franky Palazzese (Sarnia Sting)
Video Coach – Nick Biamonte (Guelph Storm)
Equipment Manager – Spencer Stehouwer (Sarnia Sting)
Team Physician – Dr. Wanda Millard (London Knights)

Team Staff (Canada White):
Head Coach – Rob Wilson (Peterborough Petes)
Assistant Coach – Chad Wiseman (Guelph Storm)

The Capital City Challenge opens on Nov. 26 at TD Place Arena, home of the Ottawa 67’s. Canada’s centralization roster will face Team Canada White in the tournament opener at 12 p.m. ET, followed by Team Canada Black taking on Team Canada Red at 7 p.m. ET.

Full-event ticket packages can be purchased for $80 (plus applicable fees) starting Monday, Nov. 8, while single-game tickets will be available starting as low as $5 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Capital City Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and by using #OurGameIsBack.


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.