PETES’ NICK ROBERTSON NAMED OHL’S MOST SPORTSMANLIKE PLAYER PRESENTED BY ASHLEY HOMESTORE

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Nick Robertson

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson of the Peterborough Petes is the 2019-20 recipient of the William Hanley Trophy awarded to the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player presented by Ashley HomeStore.

Three-time winner Nick Suzuki passes the torch to Robertson, who led the OHL with 55 goals in just 46 games while adding 31 assists for a total of 86 points. The 5-foot-9, 164Ib. left winger registered a plus-29 rating along with 40 penalty minutes in his third OHL season and went on a 14-game goal-scoring streak from January 9 to February 8. Robertson was held without a goal just nine times over the course of the season, scoring a pair of hat-tricks while recording two different five-point performances along the way. His 1.20 goals-per-game pace is the seventh-highest single season figure since 1980-81, third among players under the age of 19 trailing Oshawa’s Eric Lindros (1.25, 1990-91) and Tony Tanti (1.21, 1980-81). Nick follows in the footsteps of older brother Jason, who led the Canadian Hockey League in scoring with 117 points as a member of the Niagara IceDogs during the 2018-19 season.

“I really appreciate being recognized as the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year,” says Robertson. “I’d like to thank my general manager Mike Oke, head coach Rob Wilson, the Petes staff, and my teammates.

“I’d also like to thank Petes fans – you all made the PMC an electrifying building, got us excited and motivated to win and, win or loss, you were always there to support us.”

An 18-year-old product of Northville, Mich., Robertson was within striking distance of a Petes franchise single season goal-scoring record of 63 held by Scott Tottle (1983-84) when the season came to a premature end. He ended the year three goals shy of 100 on his OHL career, owning 174 points (97-77–174) over 162 career regular season games in a Petes uniform after being the club’s first round (16th overall) pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection. Robertson was widely recognized in the 2019-20 OHL Coaches Poll, finishing in six different categories including the Eastern Conference’s Most Dangerous in the Goal Area along with Best Shot. He represented the United States in the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and was a second round (53rd overall) pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019.

“This is a proud moment for Nick and the Peterborough Petes,” said general manager Mike Oke. “He is one of the top players in the OHL and plays within the rules. Leading not only the OHL, but the CHL in goals is a special accomplishment.  From the moment he joined the Petes, Nick has approached and played the game the right way and is more than deserving of this award.”

The William Hanley Trophy is awarded each year based on a selection by the 20 General Managers of the Ontario Hockey League.  All 20 teams submit a nominee but are not permitted to vote for their own candidate. The trophy is presented by the OHL to commemorate William Hanley, former Secretary-Manager of the Ontario Hockey Association for over 25 years.

Robertson joins a host of former Petes to have won the award including Ryan Spooner (2009-10), Mike Ricci (1989-90), Scott Tottle (1984-85), Doug Jarvis (1974-75), Mickey Redmond (1966-67) and Andre Lacroix (1965-66). Joining Suzuki as current NHL players to have been awarded the William Hanley Trophy include Mike Amadio (North Bay 2016), Dylan Strome (Erie 2015), Connor McDavid (Erie 2014), Brandon Saad (Saginaw 2012) and Jeff Carter (Sault Ste. Marie 2005).

Robertson will be the OHL’s nominee for CHL Sportsman of the Year, an award that will be announced in the coming weeks.

For full coverage of the 2020 OHL Awards, be sure to visit ontariohockeyleague.com or follow along on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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. For more information visit http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/.

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Vaughn CHL Team of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The Canadian Hockey League today announced the 24th edition of the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for the 2019-20 season based on individual performances from March 2-8.

Leading the group is Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson of the Peterborough Petes who wrapped up the week with 10 points counting five goals and five assists over three appearances. Standing atop the circuit with 55 goals, Robertson continued to fill the net over the past week, counting back-to-back multi-goal performances including Saturday’s 5-1 win over the Mississauga Steelheads in which he tallied twice en route to first-star recognition. For his efforts, Robertson was named the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week.

Also up front is 2020 NHL Draft hopeful William Dufour of the Drummondville Voltigeurs whose week totaled nine points counting six goals and three assists in a trio of contests. In posting back-to-back hat-tricks, Dufour’s best showing came in Saturday’s 8-2 road victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs in which he finished with a season high of five points and first-star honours. In recognition, Dufour was also named the Ultramar QMJHL Player of the Week.

Rounding out the forward ranks is Los Angeles Kings draft pick Akil Thomas of the Peterborough Petes who finished the week with four goals and five assists for nine points through three games. Thomas’ best performance came Sunday against his former club in the Niagara IceDogs as he put up a career-high six-point effort to lead his squad to a 12-1 road win.

On the blue line, Winnipeg Jets prospect Declan Chisholm of the Peterborough Petes put up an impressive showing as he closed out the week with eight points counting two goals and six assists over three contests. Chisholm, who sits third among all OHL rearguards with 69 points on the season, continued to add to his totals as his week counted a four-point night in Thursday’s 8-0 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs in which he matched his regular-season high and was credited as the third star.

Partnering on the back end is New Jersey Devils first-round pick Ty Smith of the Spokane Chiefs who shined with seven points counting two goals and five assists in three games. Registering at least one point in all five of his most recent appearances, that stretch includes Friday’s 5-1 road win versus the Red Deer Rebels that saw Smith finish with one goal and three assists to help guide his team to victory.

In the blue paint, Minnesota Wild prospect Hunter Jones of the Peterborough Petes was nearly unbeatable across a pair of contests as he came away with a 2-0-0-0 showing while turning aside a combined 70 shots to close out the week with a 0.50 goals-against average and .986 save percentage. Facing the Hamilton Bulldogs on Thursday, Jones put up his best showing as he stopped 40 shots to notch his fourth shutout of the season and claim second-star honours in an 8-0 victory.

PETES’ NICK ROBERTSON NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson of the Peterborough Petes is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week with 10 points in three games including five goals and five assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-8.

Robertson led the Petes to a perfect 3-0 week, outscoring opponents 25-2 in the process as he increased his goal-scoring total to a CHL-leading 55. The third-year winger scored a goal in Thursday’s 8-0 blanking of the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs. He earned first star honours with two goals and two assists in Saturday’s 5-1 victory over the Mississauga Steelheads on home ice, finishing the game with seven shots on goal. Robertson rounded out the weekend with his second five-point effort of the season, scoring twice while adding three assists as the Petes took it to the Niagara IceDogs in a 12-1 road win.

A 19-year-old product of Northville, Mich., Robertson leads the Canadian Hockey League with 55 goals, tacking on 31 assists for the OHL’s ninth-best total of 86 points over 46 games. He recently became the fastest player in Peterborough Petes history to score his 50th goal, doing so on in his 43rd game of the season on Mar. 1st. Robertson is currently fifth in OHL shots on goal with 255 to his credit. He’s eight goals shy of Scott Tottle’s 1983-84 Petes single season franchise record of 63 with six games remaining on the schedule. Robertson was a second round (53rd overall) pick of the Maple Leafs last summer and represented the United States at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship this past January. The Petes selected Robertson with the 16th overall pick of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Red Wings Minor Midgets.

Also considered for the award this week were a pair of Peterborough Petes teammates including Los Angeles Kings prospect Akil Thomas who recorded nine points (4-5–9) over the three wins. Minnesota Wild draftee Hunter Jones was also stellar, playing to a 2-0 record with a 0.50 goals-against average, .986 save percentage with one shutout.

OTR_2017_Logo

2019-20 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 2 – Mar. 8: Nick Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 24 – Mar. 1: Liam Foudy (London Knights)
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 ACADEMIC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Academic players for January

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Tye Austin of the Peterborough Petes, Ethan Del Mastro of the Mississauga Steelheads, Logan LeSage of the Owen Sound Attack and Will Cuylle of the Windsor Spitfires have been named OHL Academic Players of the Month for January.

East Division: Peterborough’s Tye Austin is January’s East Division Academic Player of the Month. The 17-year-old netminder is taking grade 12 university-level courses in English, Functions, and Biology, and boasts a 100% mark in his Math class.

“Tye is extremely worthy of the Academic Player of the Month tribute,” wrote Kim Driscoll, Co-operative Education Teacher at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School. “He works diligently on his school work whether that means staying up late after practice or a game, working on a bus during a road trip or working through lunch while at school.” Austin has future plans to pursue biochemistry and medical school.

In his second year in net for the Petes, Austin holds a 4.16 goals-against average and an .868 save percentage through his first 14 appearances. The Pembroke, Ont. native was a third round pick of the Petes in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.

Central Division: Ethan Del Mastro has been recognized as January’s Central Division Academic Player of the Month. The Mississauga Steelheads rookie holds an 86% grade in his Accounting class, 80% in Biology, 88% in Data Management and an 84% in his Co-op program.

Head coach James Richmond praised Del Mastro’s performance. “Ethan has played in our top four all year against the other team’s best players night in and night out,” said Richmond. “To do that as a 16-year-old is very impressive.”

The 17-year-old defender is described as “quiet” and “diligent” by Philip Pocock Secondary School’s Guidance Councillor, Genevieve Wong.

Del Mastro has recorded five assists in his first 43 games with the Steelheads. He was drafted 12th overall in last year’s OHL Priority Selection following a 44-point season (8-36-44) with the Toronto Marlboros Minor Midgets.

Midwest Division: Logan LeSage of the Owen Sound Attack is January’s Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month. The 18-year-old centreman is a student at Owen Sound District Secondary School and has maintained a 100% grade in his International Business class. He also holds a 99% in Organizational Business, 97% in Leadership, and a 99% through two periods of Co-op.

His teachers commented that his assignments always exceed the stated expectations, and are completed with extensive research and extreme attention to detail. He’s described as an “absolute joy to teach” and a “leader among his peers.”

“Logan has demonstrated an outstanding effort this semester,” wrote Academic Advisor Sarah Rowe. “He always has a positive attitude and is the first to help other students who have difficulty.”

Through the first 10 games of his rookie season, LeSage has recorded one assist. He was a second round pick of the Attack at the 2019 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection, and spent the 2018-19 season with the Carleton Place Canadians where he amassed 35 points (15-20-35) in 39 games.

West Division: Will Cuylle has been named the West Division’s Academic Player of the Month for January. The Windsor Spitfires sophomore’s studies at St. Anne Catholic High School include Grade 12 Data Management, Grade 12 Business Leadership, and an online Accounting Class. He maintains an overall 80% average.

“Will’s academic achievement is a direct reflection of his work ethic and commitment to being the best student athlete that he can be,” wrote Windsor’s Academic Advisors. “He sets goals to improve and he applies the work to achieve that goal.” He’s described by his teachers as “an overall good character person” who shows respect.

The 17-year-old winger, eligible for this summer’s NHL Draft, has 16 goals and 32 points in 43 games. He was recently ranked 21st in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings among all North American Skaters.

2019-20 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
January – Tye Austin (Peterborough Petes)
December – Cameron Tolnai (Ottawa 67’s)
November – Lleyton Moore (Oshawa Generals)
October – Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)

Central Division:
January – Ethan Del Mastro (Mississauga Steelheads)
December – Giordano Biondi (Sudbury Wolves)
November – Jonah De Simone (Niagara IceDogs)
October – Pacey Schlueting (North Bay Battalion)

Midwest Division:
January – Logan LeSage (Owen Sound Attack)
December – Stuart Rolofs (London Knights)
November – Michael Vukojevic (Kitchener Rangers)
October – Zack Terry (Guelph Storm)

West Division:
January – Will Cuylle (Windsor Spitfires)
December – Jacob Holmes (Soo Greyhounds)
November – Ryan Mast (Sarnia Sting)
October – Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit)

Last season, the OHL Centrally Administered Scholarship Program facilitated scholarships for 340 OHL Alumni at 69 different academic institutions across North America with a total scholarship payment in excess of $3.2 million. Since the 2007-08 season, OHL Scholarship payments have totalled more than $25 million.

Click here for more information about ‘OHL Players First’ programs.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
CHL Top 10

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week seventeen edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2019-20 season.  The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 17

Rank: Team: Last Week Ranked: Total Weeks Ranked:
1 Ottawa 67’s (31-7-0-0) 1 15
2 Sherbrooke Phoenix (32-6-3-1) 2 17
3 Portland Winterhawks (30-6-2-3) 3 7
4 Chicoutimi Sagueneens (30-7-4-0) 4 17
5 Edmonton Oil Kings (29-7-5-3) 5 14
6 Moncton Wildcats (28-12-0-0) 6 11
7 Kamloops Blazers (27-11-2-1) – 2
8 Everett Silvertips (26-11-2-1) 7 11
9 Windsor Spitfires (25-9-5-0) 8 7
10 Peterborough Petes (26-13-2-1) 10 9
Honourable Mention:
Kitchener Rangers (24-11-4-2) – 0
Saginaw Spirit (25-12-2-2) – 2
Medicine Hat Tigers (28-12-1-1) – 5

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
CHL Top 10

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week sixteen edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2019-20 season.  The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 16

Rank: Team: Last Week Ranked: Total Weeks Ranked:
1 Ottawa 67’s (29-6-0-0) 2 14
2 Sherbrooke Phoenix (29-6-3-1) 1 16
3 Portland Winterhawks (28-6-1-3) 3 6
4 Chicoutimi Sagueneens (27-7-4-0) 5 16
5 Edmonton Oil Kings (27-7-5-2) 8 13
6 Moncton Wildcats (27-11-0-0) 6 10
7 Everett Silvertips (26-9-2-1) 4 10
8 Windsor Spitfires (24-8-4-0) – 6
9 Guelph Storm (22-10-1-4) 9 5
10 Peterborough Petes (25-11-2-1) 7 8
Honourable Mention:
Kitchener Rangers (22-11-3-2) – 0
Kamloops Blazers (24-11-2-1) – 1
Saginaw Spirit (23-11-2-2) – 2

OHL THIS WEEK: JANUARY 3 TO 5, 2020

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

 

OHL This Week

Toronto, Ont. – Welcome back, it’s 2020! Here’s a look at what’s happening across the Ontario Hockey League this week.

HAPPY NEW YEAR – A DECADE OF OHL CHAMPIONS:
There’s lots to look back on from the past decade. The OHL spent the days leading up to New Year’s Eve recounting past champions and some of the greatest moments of the past 10 years.
WATCH • DECADE IN REVIEW

HAYTON’S PAIR PROPELS CANADA PAST SLOVAKIA IN QUARTERFINALS:
Soo Greyhounds graduate Barrett Hayton scored a pair of goals to lead Canada past Slovakia 6-1 and into the semi-finals at the 2020 World Juniors. Canada will now face off against Finland in Saturday’s semi-final game with a 1pm ET puck drop.
READ MORE

OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER:
Mississauga’s Cole Schwindt, Ottawa’s Noel Hoefenmayer, Peterborough’s Mason McTavish and Kitchener’s Jacob Ingham are OHL Top Performers for November 2019.
READ MORE

KNIGHTS’ EVANGELISTA ADDED TO KUBOTA CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME:
London Knights forward Luke Evangelista has been added to the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He’ll replace injured Oshawa Generals forward Oliver Suni. Evangelista has 33 points (14-19–33) over 35 games with the Knights this season after being the club’s first round pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.
READ MORE

ROOKIE PHENOM WRIGHT TAKING THE LEAD IN KINGSTON:
At 15-years-old, Kingston Frontenacs rookie star Shane Wright has been entrusted with an ‘A’ on his jersey. The OHL’s Sarah Jean Maher caught up with Wright and his Frontenacs teammates this past week.
READ MORE

67’s, PETES AND STORM IN KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS:
The Ottawa 67’s remain the second-ranked team in the CHL this week while the Peterborough Petes and Guelph Storm are also inside the Top 10. The Windsor Spitfires and Saginaw Spirit both received honourable mentions.
FULL RANKINGS

KIA CHL TOP 10 SPOTLIGHT – SAGINAW SPIRIT:
As the season enters its second half, the Saginaw Spirit are recognized as an honourable mention in the latest Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings. The Spirit are currently riding a six-game winning streak and sit tied atop the West Division.
READ MORE

67’s’ GARREFFA NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Joseph Garreffa of the Ottawa 67’s is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week of games spanning December 18-29 with 10 points over three contests.
READ MORE

GARREFFA, HOEFENMAYER AND SCHWINDT NAMED TO VAUGHN CHL TEAM OF THE WEEK:
Ottawa 67’s teammates Joseph Garreffa and Noel Hoefenmayer join Mississauga Steelheads forward Cole Schwindt on the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week.
READ MORE

VAUGHN SAVES OF THE WEEK – JAN. 1, 2020:
The first 2020 edition of Vaughn Saves will have you coming back for more! Check out big stops from the Oshawa Generals duo of Zachary Paputsakis and Andrew MacLean, Hamilton’s Zachary Roy, Sault Ste. Marie’s Bailey Brkin, Peterborough’s Hunter Jones, Barrie’s Jet Greaves, Ottawa’s Cedrick Andree, Windsor’s Xavier Medina and Kitchener’s Jacob Ingham.
WATCH

OHL WEEKEND NOTEBOOK: DEC. 30, 2019:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Here are 10 of the leading stories from this past weekend.
READ MORE

CHROMIAK, MCGURN SCORE FIRST OHL GOALS:
The latest instalment of OHL Milestone Moments features two young forwards who scored their first OHL goals this past week. Kingston Frontenacs forward Martin Chromiak scored in his OHL debut on Thursday after London’s Sean McGurn found the back of the net on New Year’s Eve.
WATCH

SPIRIT’S DUHART REPRESENTS OHL IN CHL SHOWDOWN:
Saginaw Spirit forward Dalton Duhart is this week’s OHL representative in CHL Showdown, a weekly contest that features one great play from all three leagues.
WATCH & VOTE AT CHLSHOWDOWN.CA

#PLAYERSFIRST – HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PLAYER DEVELOPMENT:
The OHL’s holistic approach to player development allows it to produce great hockey players as well as well-rounded young men. The League and its member teams strive to develop the whole person through education, awareness and community involvement.
FACT OF THE WEEK • ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR MINOR MIDGET TOP-10 RANKINGS:
The Quinte Red Devils remain on top of the OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Minor Midget Top-10 Rankings after finishing in the final four of last weekend’s Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic. The Toronto Titans, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and Toronto Nationals are also on the rise inside the Top-5.
FULL RANKINGS

67’s EARN FRANCHISE RECORD 15TH CONSECUTIVE WIN:
The Ottawa 67’s set a new franchise record on Thursday, defeating the Kingston Frontenacs 8-4 for their 15th consecutive win. Ottawa’s 15-game winning streak surpasses the franchise’s prior mark set during the 1998-99 season.
READ MORE

STORM’S PHILLIPS RETURNS FROM KINGS ORGANIZATION:
The Los Angeles Kings have reassigned overage defenceman Markus Phillips back to the Guelph Storm where he won an OHL Championship last spring. The 20-year-old defenceman has spent the majority of this season with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets, recording six assists over 20 games.
READ MORE

67’s’ OKHOTYUK SIGNS WITH DEVILS:
The New Jersey Devils have signed Ottawa 67’s defenceman Nikita Okhtoyuk to a three-year entry level NHL contract. The 19-year-old defenceman has six assists in an injury-shortened 12 game season to this point after being New Jersey’s second round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-1 defenceman recorded 17 points (2-15–17) with the 67’s last season.
READ MORE

ATTACK’S DUDAS SIGNS WITH KINGS:
The Los Angeles Kings have signed Owen Sound Attack captain Aidan Dudas to a three-year entry level NHL contract. The Owen Sound Attack captain is currently representing Canada at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The Parry Sound, Ont. native has 30 points (11-19–30) in Owen Sound this season.
READ MORE

TOP CHL IMPORT DRAFT SELECTION MARTIN CHROMIAK COMMITS TO FRONTENACS:
The Kingston Frontenacs have received a commitment from 2019 second overall CHL Import Draft selection Martin Chromiak. Chromiak spent the beginning of this season with HK Dukla Trencin of the Slovakian Tipsport Liga. While playing against men in a professional league he scored five goals and an assist in 32 games.
READ MORE

5 QUESTIONS WITH JAMIE DRYSDALE:
Defenceman Jamie Drysdale of the Erie Otters shares his thoughts about being named to Canada’s National Junior Team and playing in his NHL Draft season.
READ MORE

HOW OWEN BRADY’S CANCER DIAGNOSIS DIDN’T STOP HIS NHL DREAM:
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman spoke with Oshawa Generals prospect Owen Brady as part of the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour’s coverage this past weekend in Whitby, Ont. Friedman chats with Brady about his journey through an osteosarcoma diagnosis followed by a brave fight and current recovery as he looks to make a return to the ice.
WATCH AT SPORTSNET.CA

ROGERS HOMETOWN HOCKEY TOUR VISITS COBOURG:
The Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour shifts to Cobourg, Ont. this weekend after last weekend’s stop in Whitby covered such stars as OHL graduate James Neal. Cobourg is the home of OHL graduate and three-time Stanley Cup champion Justin Williams. Visit hometownhockey.com for all of this weekend’s coverage.

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Quinton Byfield Bobblehead Night in Sudbury: He won’t be in the lineup, but there’ll be plenty of his bobbleheads at the Sudbury Community Arena on Friday as the Wolves host Quinton Byfield Bobblehead Night at home to the Barrie Colts. The first 1,000 fans into the arena on Friday will received a free Quinton Byfield Bobblehead!
READ MORE AT SUDBURYWOLVES.COM

Firebirds Fight Hunger: The Flint Firebirds have partnered with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan for the team’s fifth annual “Firebirds Fight Hunger” campaign. Fans are encouraged to bring in a minimum of five non-perishable food items to be donated during Friday’s game against the visiting Oshawa Generals, as well as Saturday’s tilt against the London Knights.
MORE DETAILS AT FLINTFIREBIRDS.COM

Storm presents “Angels in the Stands”: As the Storm host the Peterborough Petes on Friday, January 3rd, they’ll be presenting their first annual “Angels in the Stands” game in support of Michael House. Michael House provides pregnancy and parenting support services to pregnant and parenting women in the community. There will be contests held and “Holiday Hoopla” Fan Bags containing Guelph Storm baseball caps and other fun items available for purchase. All donations will go toward Michael House.
READ MORE AT GUELPHSTORM.COM

Ted Lindsay Night in Saginaw: The Saginaw Spirit pay homage to a Detroit Red Wings all-time great on Saturday on Ted Lindsay Night at the Dow Event Center. Fans will have the opportunity to have their photo taken alongside the Ted Lindsay MVP Trophy in the Red Room prior to game time.
FULL DETAILS AT SAGINAWSPIRIT.COM

67’s host Teddy Bear Toss: Sunday’s tilt against the visiting Erie Otters is the Ottawa 67’s Teddy Bear Toss game, where fans are welcome to bring new or gently used stuffed animals to be launched onto the ice following the first Ottawa goal, where they will then be collected and later donated. Bears will also be available for purchase.
MORE INFO AT OTTAWA67s.COM

Isaac Nurse Bobblehead Night in Hamilton: The first 1000 fans to arrive for Sunday’s matchup between the host Hamilton Bulldogs and the Niagara IceDogs will receive an exclusive Isaac Nurse Bobblehead, one of three different bobbleheads available at Bulldogs games this season.

ALUMNI NOTES:

3 OHL grads win Spengler Cup with Canada: Three OHL graduates are Spengler Cup champions after representing Canada at the annual clash in Davos, Switzerland. Canada returned to the top of the podium after settling for second place last year, winning their 16th event title and fourth in the past five years. OHL graduates Brendan Burke (Univ. of Alberta/London Knights), Dustin Jeffrey (Lausanne HC/Soo Greyhounds) and Mathew Maione (Dinamo Riga/Niagara IceDogs) were part of the Canadian squad.

Stephens scores first NHL goal: Former Saginaw Spirit and London Knights forward Mitchell Stephens scored his first career NHL goal on Saturday. The 22-year-old helped the Tampa Bay Lightning defeat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4, scoring in his eighth career contest. A second round pick of the Lightning in the 2015 NHL Draft, Stephens had registered 10 points (5-5–10) in 24 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch to start the season and now has a goal through 11 contests with the Lightning. Stephens played in the OHL from 2013-17, spending three and a half seasons in Saginaw before finishing his career in London. The Peterborough, Ont. native put up 160 points (73-87–160) over 209 career regular season contests.

Marchment makes NHL debut: Mississauga Steelheads graduate Mason Marchment made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. The 24-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont. was called up by the Leafs earlier this week after recording four points (2-2–4) in 11 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies to start the season. Marchment, who was a Calder Cup champion with the Marlies in 2018, played two OHL seasons between Erie, Hamilton and Mississauga from 2014-16. He is the son of OHL graduate and long-time NHL defenceman Bryan Marchment.

Smith makes NHL debut: It was a long time coming for Dalton Smith, but the Ottawa 67’s graduate made his NHL debut at 27-years-old on New Year’s Eve as the Buffalo Sabres fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-4. Smith, who has spent parts of eight seasons in the minors since graduating from the 67’s in 2011-12, was sent back to the the AHL’s Rochester Americans following the game, but will always have the memory of his first NHL contest. The 6-foot-2, 217Ib. winger spent four seasons in Ottawa from 2008-12, recording 105 points (50-55–105) over 196 career regular season contests. He was a second round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2010.

11 OHL grads named to AHL All-Star rosters: A total of 11 OHL grads have been named to AHL All-Star Game rosters including Andrew Aggozzino (WBS Penguins/Niagara IceDogs), Reid Boucher (Utica Comets/Sarnia Sting), Kyle Capobianco (Tucson Roadrunners/Sudbury Wolves), Morgan Frost (Lehigh Valley Phantoms/Soo Greyhounds), Joey Keane (Hartford Wolf Pack/London Knights), Rasmus Sandin (Toronto Marlies/Soo Greyhounds), Michael Sgarbossa (Hershey Bears/Sudbury Wolves), Anthony Stolarz (San Diego Gulls/London Knights), Jack Studnicka (Providence Bruins/Niagara IceDogs), Chris Terry (Grand Rapids Griffins/Plymouth Whalers), Owen Tippett (Springfield Thunderbirds/Saginaw Spirit). Former OHL coaches behind the bench will include Kris Knoblauch (Hartford Wolf Pack/Erie Otters) and Jay Varady (Tucson Roadrunners/Kingston Frontenacs) as well as OHL playing graduate Chris Taylor (Rochester Americans/London Knights). The 2020 AHL All-Star Classic is set for January 26-27 in Ontario, California.
READ MORE AT THEAHL.COM

Dansk named AHL Goaltender of the Month: Erie Otters graduate Oscar Dansk is the AHL Goaltender of the Month for December, going 7-0 with a 1.57 goals-against average and .943 save percentage with the Chicago Wolves, top affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. Dansk is 11-6 with a 2.75 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in Chicago this season. The 25-year-old played two seasons in Erie from 2012-14, going 40-32-4-3 with a 3.25 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. He was a second round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012.

Timmins’ game continuing to come around: Soo Greyhounds graduate Conor Timmins has battled injury since graduating from the OHL in 2018. The 21-year-old Colorado Avalanche prospect is finding success in 2019-20 though, recording 13 points (3-10–13) in 22 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. TheAHL.com’s Demitri Herrera takes a closer look at where Timmins fits into Colorado’s plans as he continues to develop in their farm system.
READ MORE AT THEAHL.COM

Parsons named ECHL Goaltender of the Week: London Knights graduate Tyler Parsons is the ECHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-0 with a shutout and a 1.00 goals-against average for the Kansas City Mavericks. The 22-year-old is 6-3 with a 2.76 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in 10 games with Kansas City this season. The Chesterfield, Mich. native is a Calgary Flames prospect who was selected in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft. Parsons, who won a Memorial Cup with London in 2016, played three OHL seasons with the Knights from 2014-17, going 75-25-4-6 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.

Maletta makes return to ice with Brock Badgers: It’s been a long road back for OHL graduate Jordan Maletta, but the 24-year-old, who once signed a three-year entry level deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets, has returned to the ice with the Brock Badgers Men’s Hockey program. Maletta suits up under former Niagara IceDogs head coach Marty Williamson in St. Catharines after missing out on the entire 2018-19 season. The 6-foot-3, 215Ib. centreman played two pro seasons in the Columbus organization before being sidelined with an injury. The former first round pick in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection played five OHL seasons between Windsor and Niagara, recording 191 points (82-109–191) over 314 regular season games.

KEY MATCHUPS:

Peterborough Petes at Guelph Storm
Friday, January 3rd

Coming off a 5-0 loss, their third defeat in four games since returning from the holiday break, and trailing two points behind the league-leading Ottawa 67’s, the Peterborough Petes will be as hungry as ever for victory when they head to Guelph Friday evening for their second game of the New Year.

This will be the second meeting of the two clubs, with Guelph having claimed victory in their first tilt just recently on Dec. 28 by a 3-2 OT tally. Former Pete Pavel Gogolev notched the overtime winner against his previous team just 12 seconds in.

Rookie Mason McTavish continues to impress, skating in with 32 points to his name through just as many games atop the rookie scoring list. He netted his first career hat trick and career-high five point showing last weekend in his club’s 7-3 trampling over the Niagara IceDogs.

Guelph skates into the match having won six of their last 10 games. Gogolev leads the team with 57 points (27-30-57) and goals in his last nine games. He’s followed by Montreal draft pick Cam Hillis and then Eric Uba, who’s picked up seven points (2-5-7) in his last four games.

Saginaw Spirit at Kitchener Rangers
Friday, January 3rd

Two must-see Western Conference teams in Saginaw and Kitchener will go head-to-head on Friday evening at the Aud, looking to build on their win streaks and kick off the New Year in the win column.

The Rangers have won 11 of their last 12 games and are heading into Friday’s tilt on a three-game win skid that has seen multi-point performances from their leading trio of Riley Damiani, Jonathan Yantsis, and Greg Meireles. In fact, Meireles, a sixth round draft pick of the Florida Panthers last June, has picked up points in his last seven games. Jacob Ingham has continued to stand tall between the pipes with 11 wins in his last 13 starts and two shutouts within the last month.

Saginaw rolls in with six straight wins under their belt. In the absence of many of the league’s top scorers to their respective World Junior squads, top NHL Draft hopeful Cole Perfetti has seamlessly continued to soar among the league’s point leaders, heading into Friday’s game with an eighth-best 55 (20-35-55) to his name. He’s amassed points in his last five games.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Friday January 3rd:
Oshawa at Flint – 7:00pm
Erie at Kingston – 7:00pm
Owen Sound at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Barrie at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Windsor at Soo – 7:07pm
Peterborough at Guelph – 7:30pm
Saginaw at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Mississauga at London – 7:30pm

Saturday January 4th:
Kingston at Hamilton – 4:00pm
London at Flint – 7:00pm
Kitchener at Niagara – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Windsor at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Soo – 7:07pm
North Bay at Barrie – 7:30pm
Guelph at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday January 5th:
Kitchener at Guelph – 2:00pm
Niagara at Hamilton – 2:00pm
Peterborough at Mississauga – 2:00pm
Windsor at North Bay – 2:00pm
Erie at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Sarnia at Saginaw – 5:30pm