OSHAWA GENERALS WIN BOBBY ORR TROPHY AS EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Oshawa, Ont. – The Oshawa Generals had their hands full with the North Bay Battalion in the Eastern Conference Championship Series, but managed to avert disappointment with an impressive 6-1 victory in Game 7 on Monday night at the Tribute Communities Centre.

New York Rangers prospect Dylan Roobroeck had two goals and an assist as the Generals halted the Battalion, who entered the seventh and deciding game on the heels of three consecutive wins, looking to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. Sunday’s Game 6 outcome saw the Battalion win by a score of 8-1.

“The kids were incredible tonight, starting with Jacob Oster,” said Generals head coach Derek Laxdal. “He set the tone right off the hop. We got that first goal and I thought our guys did an incredible job of checking and shutting down North Bay tonight.

“You gotta give the kids a lot of credit. They believed that they could win Game 7 at home today. It was a tough game getting beat 8-1, but for them to respond that way today, I’m very proud of them as a coach. In all my years coaching that was one of the best efforts I’ve seen in a Game 7 to shut down the other team.”

Defenceman David Bedkowski opened the scoring with his first career OHL playoff goal coming with 5:53 remaining in the first period. Rasmus Kumpulainen and Connor Lockhart scored in the second to give Oshawa a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes.

Roobroeck scored his first of two 2:08 into the third before North Bay’s Jacob LeBlanc spoiled Oster’s shutout bid just under four minutes later. Roobroeck scored his 10th of the postseason before Ethan Toms hit the empty net in the game’s final minute to seal the 6-1 final.

The Generals win their first Bobby Orr Trophy since 2015, their second since the trophy was first awarded in 1999. They advance to the OHL Championship Series following series victories over the Barrie Colts, Ottawa 67’s and North Bay Battalion.

The Troops see their playoff run come to an end after they eliminated Kingston and Sudbury to reach their third consecutive East Final. It marks the second straight year they’ve fallen in Game 7.

“The entire playoff run with this team, I’m just so impressed with our guys,” said Battalion head coach Ryan Oulahen. “I’m proud of our team and our players. We came up a little bit short once again but we’re going to talk about this team for decades – the way we’ve been able to change the culture and make North Bay a destination for people to want to come and play for the Battalion.”

The Battalion played to a regular season mark of 39-20-7-2, winning a third straight Central Division title. Overage players in captain Liam Arnsby, Paul Christopoulos and Justin Ertel skated in their final OHL contest.

The Oshawa Generals advance to the 2024 OHL Championship Series as they face the London Knights in an encounter that begins on Thursday night in London. The series will be broadcast in its entirety on TSN, the official broadcast partner of the Canadian Hockey League.

Generals captain Stuart Rolofs was presented with the Bobby Orr Trophy by OHL Vice President Cole Butterworth. The Generals won a previous Eastern Conference title in 2015 en route to their 13th OHL championship, the most by any of the league’s 20 teams.

All-time Generals great Eric Lindros was on-hand to conduct the ceremonial faceoff prior to a Game 7 played before a crowd of 5,694 at the Tribute Communities Centre.

OHL ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR 2024 OHL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

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

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

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

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

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

*if necessary

OSHAWA, NORTH BAY TO FACE-OFF IN EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the schedule of games for the 2024 OHL Eastern Conference Championship Series for the Bobby Orr Trophy between the Oshawa Generals and the North Bay Battalion.
 
The Eastern Conference’s first place Generals advanced to the third round of the playoffs following a four-game sweep of the Ottawa 67’s that wrapped-up on Thursday in the nation’s capital. The Generals eliminated the Barrie Colts in the opening round of the OHL Playoffs following a 40-19-7-2 regular season.
 
The North Bay Battalion are into the Eastern Conference Championship Series for a third straight year, defeating the Sudbury Wolves 5-0 in Game 4 of their second-round affair on Thursday. The Battalion bested the Kingston Frontenacs in five games to open the postseason following a third straight Central Division title with a 39-20-7-2 record during the regular season.
 
The Battalion and the Generals meet in the playoffs for the third time since the Troops arrived in North Bay following prior encounters in 2014 and 2015. North Bay last won the Bobby Orr Trophy in 2014, eliminating Oshawa in four Eastern Conference Championship Series games before falling to the Guelph Storm in the OHL Final. Oshawa’s last Bobby Orr Trophy came in 2015 after they eliminated North Bay in a six-game East Final before moving on to capture the OHL title over the Erie Otters.
 
Eastern Conference Championship Series Schedule:
Game 1 – Friday, April 26 at Oshawa, 7:35pm
Game 2 – Sunday, April 28 at Oshawa, 6:05pm
Game 3 – Monday, April 29 at North Bay, 7:00pm
Game 4 – Wednesday, May 1 at North Bay, 7:00pm
Game 5 – Friday, May 3 at Oshawa, 7:35pm*
Game 6 – Sunday, May 5 at North Bay, 2:00pm*
Game 7 – Monday, May 6 at Oshawa, 7:05pm*
*- if necessary

Watch the entire series, wherever you are on OHL Live! Streaming packages are now on sale at ohllive.com.

BULLDOGS AND GENERALS TO MEET IN OUTDOOR SHOWCASE AT HAMILTON’S TIM HORTONS FIELD ON MARCH 14

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League and the Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Club today announced that the Bulldogs will play host to the Oshawa Generals in an Outdoor Showcase at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton on Monday, March 14 at 7:00pm, a game that was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 12.

Hitting the ice the day following an NHL Heritage Classic Game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres at Tim Hortons Field, the Bulldogs and Generals will meet in the fourth-ever outdoor matchup in OHL history, and the first to be played in Ontario between two OHL clubs.

“It’s always an exciting opportunity to be able to take the Ontario Hockey League outdoors,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch. “The League is grateful to both the National Hockey League, as well as the Bulldogs franchise led by Owner Michael Andlauer for the extensive amount of time and effort that goes into an event of this magnitude.”

Currently leading the East Division with a 29-11-2-2 record, the Bulldogs continue a tremendous tradition of hockey in Hamilton that recently included a J. Ross Robertson Cup championship in 2018. The Steel City produced the 1976 Memorial Cup champion Hamilton Fincups, a franchise that followed earlier major junior teams in the city including the Hamilton Tiger Cubs and Red Wings, who won a Memorial Cup championship in 1962.

A franchise with deep roots, the Oshawa Generals have won an OHL record 13 J. Ross Robertson Cup titles along with five Memorial Cup championships over the course of their history. The Generals currently hold down the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference with a 24-17-1-4 record.

Opened in 2014, Tim Hortons Field is home to the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats and seats a capacity of 23,218 spectators.

“I’m thrilled for our players, staff and fans to get to experience this once in a lifetime type of event,” said Bulldogs Owner Michael Andlauer. “This Outdoor Showcase presents a wonderful opportunity to once again bring our community together through our Hamilton Bulldogs.”

The upcoming game between Hamilton and Oshawa follows three past outdoor matchups in OHL history. The Ottawa 67’s celebrated their 50th anniversary season, playing the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques outdoors on December 17, 2017 at Landsdowne Park. The OHL’s first-ever set of outdoor matchups came back on December 29, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan as the Windsor Spitfires faced the Saginaw Spirit and the London Knights took on the Plymouth Whalers at Comerica Park. The London and Plymouth matchup set a CHL attendance record of 26,384.

For ticket information, visit hamiltonbulldogs.com or call the Bulldogs box office at 905-529-8500.

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.

Lleyton Moore – Oshawa Generals – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 175 Pounds

Date of birth: February 27, 2002

Hometown: Woodbridge, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 12th overall, 2018 Priority Selection by Niagara IceDogs

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season

 November Mid-term Final
C Prospect C Prospect N.R.

194 N.A.

Oshawa Generals diminutive defenceman Lleyton Moore played his Minor Midget AAA with the Toronto Marlboros during the 2017-2018 season. In 54 games, Moore scored 16 goals and piled up 34 helpers. He was even better for the Marlboros at the OHL Cup setting up 8 tallies. Moore would represent Team GTHL Blue at the OHL Cup as well where he scored once and assisted on 4 others in 4 contests.

The Niagara IceDogs selected Moore with the 12th overall pick at the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. Here’s what OHL Central Scouting had to say at the time:

Lleyton is a mobile defenceman that loves to have the puck on his stick and isn’t afraid to lead a rush. He is a strong skater in every direction, is explosive and has a very high top speed. His puck skills are elite as it seems like the puck is on a string at times. He sees the ice well and is very creative. Lleyton’s biggest attribute is his skating ability. It helps him defend, recover when he is up in the rush and create offence from the back end. He is one of his team’s go to players and plays in every situation.

Moore made his OHL debut with the IceDogs during the 2018-2019 season where he scored twice and added 8 helpers and an impressive plus-19 in 28 games. On January 8, 2019, Moore was traded to the Oshawa Generals along with 6 draft picks for Jack Studnicka and Matt Brassard. Moore would play in just 6 games for the Genies and put up 3 assists, but got into 15 playoff games and assisted on 5 goals. Moore would also represent Team Canada White at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 but went pointless in 5 contests.

Lleyton Moore of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Lleyton Moore of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Prior to the 2019-2020 season being cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Moore would appear in 57 games and scored 6 goals while assisting on 22. The Generals are looking to Moore to pay dividends for next season as Oshawa is one of two teams with a bid to host the 2021 Memorial Cup.

At 5’9” tall, defence is always a question mark. What Moore has learned to do is use his skating ability and positioning to defend. But he is always going to be in tough trying to defend against bigger players at any level. Battling along the walls and defending the front of his net will not come easy to him.

So, Moore is going to have to be at the top of his game offensively to be able to make up any shortcomings on defence.

Moore is an elite level skater with an explosive first step and reaches a superb top speed quickly. His edgework is elite, his lateral movement is where you’d want it to be and he pivots from forward skating to backwards effortlessly. He has shown an ability to weave through traffic and gain the offensive zone, but he can also get separated from the puck easily if you can keep gaps tight on him. His transition to offence is very good as he can skate the puck up ice or he can make a good first pass.

Moore has shown an ability to quarterback the powerplay as he sees the ice well enough and he has some very good playmaking abilities. He usually makes the right decision when the puck is on his stick. His shot however needs to improve on many levels. Moore won’t overpower goaltenders with his shot. He doesn’t always get his shot through and when he does, it’s not usually in an area that creates second-chance opportunities.

I don’t know that Moore has done enough to draw the attention of scouts this season – as I said earlier, next season may be the year we want to see from him. But maybe there is one out there that has seen enough to take a chance on him early this year rather then waiting on his draft re-entry year.

I would certainly give him some serious consideration late in the draft.

Oliver Suni – Oshawa Generals – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 188 Pounds

Date of birth: February 13, 2002

Hometown: Kempele, Finland

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 44th overall, 2019 Import Draft

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
B Prospect B Prospect 45 N.A. 53 N.A.

A native of Kempele, Finland, Oliver Suni played his 2018-2019 season in Finland’s Junior B SM-Sarja League for the Karpat Under-18 squad. In 23 games, Suni scored 19 goals and assisted on 17 others. He also gained a lot of international experience while representing Finland at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 (Silver Medal) notching 3 helpers in 6 contests to go along with 6 goals and 10 assists in 20 international contests for the season. The Oshawa Generals would select Suni with the 44th overall pick at the 2019 Canadian Hockey League’s Import Draft.

Suni began this season last August representing his country once again, this time at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. There, Suni would have three helpers in 6 contests.

Oliver Suni of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Oliver Suni of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

The Ontario Hockey League rookie had a fantastic start to his season, scoring 8 goals and assisting on 15 in his first 26 games. But on December 6, Suni went hard into the boards with Kitchener Rangers’ Micheal Vukojevic and suffered a shoulder injury.

The Injury kept Suni out of game action until his return on January 25. While he scored in his return, his production took a dip to 4 goals and 5 assists in 16 games. At the time of his injury, he was second in points per game among rookies, second only to Kingston Frontenacs wonder kid Shane Wright.

First and foremost, you have to love Suni’s size. And he’s not afraid to use it, whether its in on the forecheck, plowing through opposition defenders, driving to the net and even in his own zone to separate the opposition from the puck.

For a bigger player, you have to like Suni’s skating. His first few steps are surprisingly strong and bordering on explosive. Combined with his size, he has the confidence in his skating to drive to the net. Yet, he’s not afraid to keep possession and make things happen. His vision is very good and we think his playmaking skills are underrated.

Some question his shooting ability, but we beg to differ. We think he has an excellent wrist shot, deceptive release and accurate. But more importantly, when a play isn’t there, he’s not afraid to put the puck low and on net with the purpose of creating a second chance opportunity.

Suni is also very adept at the defensive game, and this being his first season in North America, it comes as a bit of a surprise. As already mentioned, he’s not afraid of the physicality to separate opponents from the puck. But he also has an incredibly long reach and gets that stick into lanes to take away passes and disrupt plays.

It’s a tale of two stories with Suni. Early season Suni told us he had second line potential. Latter season Suni tells us he’ll be a third liner who is strong defensively and can put up some points. Unfortunately, the layoff got in the way. But I wouldn’t bet against him topping off as a second liner in the NHL.

FIREBIRDS’ TYLER TUCKER NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Tucker

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that St. Louis Blues prospect Tyler Tucker of the Flint Firebirds is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with 11 points in four games including three goals and eight assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-4.

Tucker joins Firebirds teammate Riley McCourt as the second defenceman to claim the honour this season, marking the fifth different occasion that a Flint player has been recognized. Tucker’s 11 points over an extended week that included a Family Day holiday on Monday led the League as Flint’s club record-setting winning streak reached 15 games. Tucker set a new Firebirds record for points by a defenceman in a single game on Monday, racking up seven consisting of two goals and five assists in a 12-7 road win over the Sarnia Sting. He chipped in with an assist in Thursday’s 4-0 road win over the Niagara IceDogs before scoring his 16th goal of the season and picking up a helper in Friday’s 6-3 victory over the Mississauga Steelheads. Tucker and the Firebirds saw their 15-game winning streak snapped back at home on Saturday as the defender collected an assist in a 4-1 loss to the Kitchener Rangers.

A 19-year-old product of Longlac, Ont., Tucker sits seventh among OHL defencemen with 53 points (16-37–53) over 49 games between Flint and Barrie this season. The fourth-year veteran has registered 24 points (8-16–24) over 21 games since being acquired by the Firebirds on January 7th. A former first round (14th overall) pick of the Barrie Colts in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, Tucker has recorded 149 points (34-115–149) over 238 career regular season contests. He was a seventh round (200th overall) pick of the St. Louis Blues in the 2018 NHL Draft. Tucker made his professional debut last spring, appearing in two regular season games with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage.

Two goaltenders were also in the running for this week’s award including Guelph Storm netminder Nico Daws who went 3-0 with a 1.88 goals-against average and .932 save percentage along with Oshawa Generals puckstopper Zachary Paputsakis who won a pair of games while posting a 1.50 goals-against average and .951 save percentage.

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Feb. 17 – Feb. 23: Tyler Tucker (Flint Firebirds)
Feb. 10 – Feb. 16: Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 3 – Feb. 9: Evgeniy Oksentyuk (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 27 – Feb. 2: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Jan. 20 – Jan. 26: Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 13 – Jan. 19: Mitchell Hoelscher (Ottawa 67’s)
Jan. 6 – Jan. 12: Philip Tomasino (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 30 – Jan. 5: Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 16 – Dec. 29: Joseph Garreffa (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 9 – Dec. 15: Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 2 – Dec. 8: Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 25 – Dec. 1: Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
Nov. 18 – Nov. 24: Riley McCourt (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 11 – Nov. 17: Jan Jenik (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 4 – Nov. 10: Cam Hillis (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 28 – Nov. 3: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Oct. 21 – Oct. 27: Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 7 – Oct. 13: Mack Guzda (Owen Sound Attack)
Sept. 24 – Oct. 6: Philip Tomasino (Niagara IceDogs)
Sept. 23 – Sept. 29: Connor McMichael (London Knights)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 22: Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Peterborough Petes)

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Top Performers January

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in January 2020, including Oshawa Generals forward Philip Tomasino, Ottawa 67’s defenceman Noel Hoefenmayer and London Knights goaltender Brett Brochu.

OHL Player of the Month – Philip Tomasino (Oshawa Generals):
Nashville Predators prospect Philip Tomasino of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Player of the Month for January, posting a league-leading 34 points including 15 goals and 19 assists over just 13 games.  Tomasino recorded three points or more on seven different occasions and earned star of the game recognition in nine of his 13 outings, 10 of which came as a member of the Oshawa Generals following a trade from the Niagara IceDogs. He wrapped up his tenure in Niagara with 10 points over his final three contests including a five-point showing (1-4–5) in a 9-8 win over North Bay on Jan. 2nd. He followed that up two nights later with four points (2-2–4), setting up the OT winner as the IceDogs defeated the Kitchener Rangers 7-6 on Jan. 4th. Tomasino started his time as an Oshawa General with a bang on Jan. 9th in Windsor, registering five points (2-3–5) in a 6-3 triumph over the Spitfires. That performance was followed by back-to-back two-goal outings on Jan. 10th in Sarnia and Jan. 12th back on home ice against the Peterborough Petes, helping Tomasino earn OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week honours. Other outstanding January performances included another four-point effort (2-2–4) on Jan. 20th in Owen Sound as he set up the winning goal in a 5-4 victory over the Attack. He wrapped up January with three consecutive multi-point outings headlined by a goal and three assists on Jan. 25th in a 7-4 win over the Kingston Frontenacs on Sportsnet.

An 18-year-old native of Mississauga, Ont., Tomasino leads the Generals in scoring this season with 83 points (34-49–83) over 48 games, good for the league’s fourth-highest total. Now in his third OHL season, the former fifth overall pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection has amassed 179 points (73-106–179) over 176 career regular season games. He was the highest-drafted OHL forward at last summer’s 2019 NHL Draft, going 24th overall to the Nashville Predators who signed him to a three-year entry level NHL contract on October 21st.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Noel Hoefenmayer (Ottawa 67’s):
Ottawa 67’s overage defenceman Noel Hoefenmayer has been named OHL Defenceman of the Month for the third time this season. The fifth-year veteran led all rearguards with 18 points including three goals and 15 assists over 13 games to go with a plus/minus rating of plus-13. Hoefenmayer recorded points in 11 of his 13 January outings including three assists on Jan. 18th against the Hamilton Bulldogs, a two-goal showing on Jan. 25th against the Niagara IceDogs and a goal and one helper on Jan. 30th on the road against the same IceDogs. Hoefenmayer helped the 67’s rise to the top of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings with wins in 13 of 14 January contests. He wrapped up the month on an eight-game point streak.

A 21-year-old native of North York, Ont., Hoefenmayer leads OHL defenders with 67 points including 19 goals and 48 assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-44 over 46 games. The 6-foot-1 rearguard has been a big contributor on Ottawa’s top-ranked 30.6% power play this season, registering 32 points on the man advantage. A fifth-year veteran, Hoefenmayer is currently inside the franchise top-8 for both career points by a defenceman (207) and career games played (286). His 19 goals from the back end are the most in a single season by a 67’s defenceman since Jon Zion in 2000-01. Hoefenmayer was a fourth round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2017 NHL Draft before going unsigned and attended rookie camp with the Carolina Hurricanes in September. Hoefenmayer was a second round pick of the 67’s in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.

OHL Goaltender & Rookie of the Month – Brett Brochu (London Knights):
London Knights netminder Brett Brochu is both the OHL Goaltender and OHL Rookie of the Month for January after posting an impressive 9-0-0-0 record along with a 1.89 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in nine games. Brochu made at least 30 saves on four different occasions highlighted by a 40-save effort on Jan. 3rd as the Knights defeated the Mississauga Steelheads 3-1. He surrendered just one goal in back-to-back games on Jan. 12th in Sault Ste. Marie and Jan. 17th at home to the Sudbury Wolves before turning in another fine performance with 35 saves in a 4-1 defeat of the Hamilton Bulldogs on Jan. 24th. Brochu closed out January on an 11-game winning streak.

A 17-year-old native of Tilbury, Ont., Brochu leads OHL rookie goaltenders with a 2.52 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and a record of 21-5-0-0, becoming the first Knights rookie to win 20 games in a season since Ryan MacDonald back in 2003-04. The 5-foot-11, 156Ib. puckstopper was London’s sixth round pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. He spent last season with the Dresden Kings Jr. C club, earning PJHL Stobbs Division Rookie of the Year honours.

2019-20 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
January – Philip Tomasino (Oshawa Generals)
December – Cole Schwindt (Mississauga Steelheads)
November – Jan Jenik (Hamilton Bulldogs)
October – Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)

Defenceman of the Month:
January – Noel Hoefenmayer (Ottawa 67’s)
December – Noel Hoefenmayer (Ottawa 67’s)
November – Connor Corcoran (Windsor Spitfires)
October – Noel Hoefenmayer (Ottawa 67’s)

Rookie of the Month:
January – Brett Brochu (London Knights)
December – Mason McTavish (Peterborough Petes)
November – Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)
October – Mason McTavish (Peterborough Petes)

Goaltender of the Month:
January – Brett Brochu (London Knights)
December – Jacob Ingham (Kitchener Rangers)
November – Nico Daws (Guelph Storm)
October – Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)

Tyler Tullio – Oshawa Generals – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 166 pounds

Date of birth: April 5, 2002

Hometown: Lakeshore, Ontario

Position: Right

Shoots: Center/Wing

OHL Draft: Round 1, 11th overall, 2018 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings

Pre-season November Mid-term Final
C Prospect B Prospect 54 N.A. 52 N.A.

 

Tyler “Ty” Tullio played his minor midget AAA for the Vaughan Kings during the 2017-2018 season in which he scored 38 goals and 51 assists in 50 games. He would also add 5 goals and 5 assists in 7 games for the Kings at the OHL Cup.

Tullio would be selected 11th overall at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection by the Oshawa Generals, owned by his father Rocco. Whether that had any bearing on the selection is irrelevant. Tullio was absolutely deserving. At the time of the draft, this is what OHL Central Scouting had to say about Tullio:

Tyler is a competitive player that would do almost anything to score a goal or win a hockey game. He is a good skater that can beat defenders wide and win loose puck battles all over the ice. He possesses a junior level shot already. It’s hard, accurate and he gets it on net very quickly. Tyler competes very hard each shift and isn’t shy to battle against the bigger defenders and usually comes out with the puck. He is a ‘Gamer’ and the type of player you win with.

Ty Tullio of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Ty Tullio of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Tullio made the Generals roster out of camp for the 2018-2019 season. He played in 60 games scoring 15 goals and 42 points and was named to the Second All-Rookie squad. Tullio also represented Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 and in 5 games contributed a helper for Team Black.

Through 40 games this season, Tullio has registered 18 goals and 44 points already surpassing his totals from a year ago.

At 5’11” and just 166 pounds, Tullio needs to add some much-needed muscle. It’s hard to imagine how Central Scouting’s scouting report on him could have possibly been the case with his frame. But make no mistake about it, it is pretty much deadly accurate.

Tullio’s work ethic is as good as it gets and it is contagious. When teammates see him giving his all with each shift, they just want to carry it on. He’s always willing to battle to get positioning with much bigger opponents. He does not shy away from getting in on the forecheck and causing havoc for defenders.

He’s a very good skater with good speed. He’s willing to take on defenders wide but knows his limits. He maneuvers with relative ease and has good edgework. He gets in on battles quickly and surprisingly, wins many of those battles. I can only imagine how much better he’ll be when he adds that strength/bulk.

You’ve also got to like Tullio’s shot. He has a very quick and deadly release and gets a lot behind his shot with accuracy. But he’s not just a shooter. He always seems to make the right play when dishing to teammates. He sees the ice so well and sees plays developing, but he won’t force a play if he’s not sure it’s there.

I think one area he needs to improve on his decisions without the puck. That’s not to say he makes bad decisions, but in certain situations he could be more assertive in his decision making. He’s still very you with an April birthdate and the majority of his draft class are older. The issue should become a non-issue as he gets older.

I’m also not sure I agree or disagree with Central Scouting ranking Tullio 54th among North American Skaters. That puts him in the middle of the third round for the National Hockey League Draft. NHL Central Scouting had him listed as a C Prospect in the preseason which means a fourth, fifth or sixth rounder (we had him as a B Prospect). So, he has climbed on their rankings.

The problem is this: The second round of the NHL Draft group is very deep, not with just OHL players, but from all over the world. It’s going to be a tough group to break into.

Vaughn CHL Team of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The Canadian Hockey League today announced the 16th edition of the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for the 2019-20 season based on individual performances from Jan. 6-12.

Leading the forward ranks is Oshawa Generals centre and Nashville Predators first-round pick Philip Tomasino who tallied 10 points counting six goals and four assists over three contests. Tomasino made the most of his debut with the Generals, putting up two goals and three assists for five points in Thursday’s 6-3 road victory over the Windsor Spitfires that saw him recognized as the game’s first star. For his effort, Tomasino was honoured as the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week.

Also up front is Portland Winterhawks centre and 2020 NHL Draft hopeful Seth Jarvis who tallied 10 points counting two goals and eight assists across three appearances. Against the Victoria Royals on Saturday, Jarvis impressed with a career-best five-point performance that saw him notch one goal with four assists en route to 6-5 overtime victory. The successful showing helped Jarvis earn recognition as the WHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week.

Rounding out the forward ranks is Saginaw Spirit right-wing and New York Islanders draft pick Cole Coskey who shined with six goals and one assist for seven points over a trio of contests. Currently riding a five-game point streak, that stretch included his second career hat-trick in a 6-5 win versus the London Knights in which he claimed first-star recognition.

On the blue line, London Knights rearguard and San Jose Sharks first rounder Ryan Merkley led the way with six points counting three goals and three assists over a trio of games. Against the Barrie Colts on Friday, Merkley matched a season high with three points as he put up a pair of goals plus one assist en route to a 5-2 victory that earned him first-star honours.

Also on the back end is Spokane Chiefs defenceman and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Filip Kral who wrapped up the week with five points counting one goal and four assists over three contests. Registering at least one point in each of his last four showings, that stretch included a one-goal, one-assist performance versus the Vancouver Giants on Saturday to help guide his squad to a 6-3 road win.

Between the pipes, Gatineau Olympiques netminder and 2020 NHL Draft prospect Remi Poirier was unbeatable across two showings as he combined for 70 saves and back-to-back shutouts versus the Victoriaville Tigres and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Poirier’s top performance came in his most recent contest as he turned aside 37 shots Sunday versus the Armada en route to a 4-0 victory and first-star honours. For his efforts, Poirier was recognized as the Ultramar QMJHL Player of the Week.