OHL Writers Draft Eligible Players of the Month: March

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

The 2023-2024 Ontario Hockey League season will be remembered as one of the most competitive and unpredictable in recent memory. The fact that not a single playoff series was set until the last day of the season truly speaks volumes about the level of competition and passion in the league.

Today, we take a look at players eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and who had the most impact in March with our forward, defenceman, and goaltender of the month.

Forward of the Month – Beckett Sennecke – Oshawa Generals

March was Sennecke’s best all-around month of the season and offensively he produced 6 goals and 12 assists in 10 games. He was a plus player in each game and he was kept off the scoresheet just twice. He also had 5 multi-point games.

Also considered were: Dalyn Wakely of the North Bay Battalion with 7 goals and 12 assists in 9 games; his teammate Anthony Romani with 11 goals and 6 assists in 10 games; Ruslan Gazizov of the London Knights with 8 goals and 7 assists in 9 games; Sam Alfano of the Erie Otters with 8 goals and 8 assists in 10 games.

Defenceman of the Month – Zayne Parekh – Saginaw Spirit

For the third time in the season, Parekh is our choice here. In 11 games in March, Parekh had 5 goals and 11 assists and established himself as the top offensive blueliner in the draft. He was held pointless in just two of the games and was a minus player just twice.

Also considered were: Jakub Fibigr of the Mississauga Steelheads who had 1 goal and 12 assists in 11 games; Luca Marrelli of the Oshawa Generals who had 3 goals and 8 assists in 10 games; Henry Mews of the Ottawa 67’s had 4 goals and 6 assists in 12 games.

Goaltender of the Month – Jacob Oster – Oshawa Generals

Oster is a two-time goaltender of the month for us after we selected him in January as well. He appeared in 9 games in March and was a perfect 9-0-0-0. He stopped 223 of 244 shots he faced for a save percentage of .914. This will be Oster’s third and final year of draft eligibility.

Also considered were: Liam Sztuska of the Peterborough Petes who went 2-3-0 and had a save percentage of .915; Charlie Robertson of the Niagara IceDogs who went 1-3-0-1 with a save percentage of .913; Ryerson Leenders of the Mississauga Steelheads who went 3-0-2-0 with a save percentage of .917.

Our monthly choices:

Forward of the Month

Beckett Sennecke – Oshawa Generals – March

Ryan Abraham – Windsor Spitfires – February

Marek Vanacker – Brantford Bulldogs – January

Ruslan Gazizov – London Knights – December

Liam Greentree – Windsor Spitfires – November

Adrian Misaljevic – Kitchener Rangers – October

Defenceman of the Month

Zayne Parekh – Saginaw Spirit – March

Sam Dickinson – London Knights – February

Zayne Parekh – Saginaw Spirit – January

Sam Dickinson – London Knights – December

Zayne Parekh – Saginaw Spirit – November

Jacob LeBlanc – Sarnia Sting – October

Goaltender of the Month

Jacob Oster – Oshawa Generals – March

Carter George – Owen Sound Attack – February

Jacob Oster – Oshawa Generals – January

Carter George – Owen Sound Attack – December

Jack Parsons – Kitchener Rangers – November

Brayden Gillespie – Guelph Storm – October

GAZIZOV AND ROBERTSON 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, March 17, 2024.



Knights’ Ruslan Gazizov Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Ruslan Gazizov of the London Knights is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week for the second time this season, recording six goals, three assists, and nine points over three contests as the Knights earned six points last week.

Extending London’s winnings to five consecutive games, Gazizov registered a pair of helpers on Wednesday in a 5-1 road win over the Erie Otters. He found the scoresheet again on Friday, earning first star honours with a career-high four-goal performance to defeat the Soo Greyhounds 6-3. Gazizov earned first star recognition again on Sunday, closing out the week with two goals and an assist in a 7-4 victory over the Windsor Spitfires.

Selected by the Knights in the first round (12th overall) of the 2021 CHL Import Draft, the 20-year-old Gazizov has recorded a career-high 79 points (36-43–79) through 62 outings this season, helping the Knights play to a League-leading record of 48-14-1-3. Gazizov has tallied 69 goals, 86 assists, and 155 points over 172 regular season games played in three seasons with London. He competed in the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Kitchener.

Also considered for the award, Owen Van Steensel of the North Bay Battalion registered five goals and two assists to help the Troops earn five points last week. Blueliner Chas Sharpe of the Mississauga Steelheads also found success, tallying eight points (3-5-8) in four games.

2023-24 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Ruslan Gazizov (London Knights)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Dylan Roobroeck (Oshawa Generals)
Feb. 26 – Mar. 3: Jacob Maillet (Ottawa 67’s)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Rodwin Dionicio (Saginaw Spirit)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Gavin Bryant (Niagara IceDogs)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Oliver Bonk (London Knights)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Anthony Romani (North Bay Battalion)
Dec. 28 – Dec. 31: Sam Dickinson (London Knights)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 18: Ruslan Gazizov (London Knights)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Nick Lardis (Brantford Bulldogs)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Pano Fimis (Erie Otters)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Donovan McCoy (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Denver Barkey (London Knights)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Braeden Kressler (Flint Firebirds)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Kirill Kudryavtsev (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Anthony Romani (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Jordan D’Intino (Soo Greyhounds)
Sep. 28 – Oct. 1: Jax Dubois (Peterborough Petes)
 



IceDogs’ Charlie Robertson Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Charlie Robertson of the Niagara IceDogs is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, playing to a 1-1 record including a shutout, along with a 1.51 goals-against average and .959 save percentage.

Making a total of 70 saves last week, Robertson stopped 40 of the 43 shots that came his way on Friday, falling short in a 3-2 road loss to the Mississauga Steelheads. The 6-foot-4, 175lb. netminder closed out the weekend with a 30-save shutout performance on Sunday at home, earning first star honours in a 3-0 win over the Barrie Colts. The shutout is Robertson’s first of the season and the fourth of his OHL career.

Acquired by the IceDogs in a trade with the North Bay Battalion on Jan. 7, Robertson has appeared in 30 games between Niagara and North Bay, going 8-11-4-1 with a 4.71 goals-against average and .875 save percentage. Guarding the crease in his second OHL season, Robertson has played to a career mark of 20-17-4-2 between the IceDogs and Battalion, along with a 4.06 goals-against average and .881 save percentage. The 18-year-old London, Ont. native was the Battalion’s seventh round (130th overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection from the London Jr. Knights U16 program. Robertson competed in the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, and attended rookie camp with the Florida Panthers last September.

Also in the running for the award this week, rookie Landon Miller of the Soo Greyhounds played to a 1-0-0-1 record with a 1.21 goals-against average, and .958 save percentage. Jacob Oster of the Oshawa Generals was also solid in the crease, playing to a 3-0 mark with a 2.66 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.

2023-24 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Charlie Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Jack Ivankovic (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 26 – Mar. 3: Liam Sztuska (Peterborough Petes)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Michael Simpson (London Knights)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Matteo Drobac (Brantford Bulldogs)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Ben West (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Owen Willmore (London Knights)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Sam Hillebrandt (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Matteo Drobac (Brantford Bulldogs)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Michael Simpson (London Knights)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 28 – Dec. 31: Brayden Gillespie (Guelph Storm)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 18: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Marcus Vandenberg (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Jack Ivankovic (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 12: Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 7: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Sam Hillebrandt (Barrie Colts)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Brayden Gillespie (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sep. 28 – Oct. 1: Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads)


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

OHL ANNOUNCES TOP PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Month for regular season games played in December 2023.

Player of the Month – Ruslan Gazizov (London Knights)

London Knights forward Ruslan Gazizov is the OHL Player of the Month for December, leading the league with 24 points including six goals and 18 assists over 11 games as the Knights played to a mark of 8-3-0-0. The 5-foot-11, 185lb. Gazizov registered points in nine of his 11 outings, headlined by a four-point showing on Dec. 14th, followed by a season-high five-point performance on Dec. 15th., scoring a goal and four assists in London’s 8-2 win over the Owen Sound Attack. He proceeded to score twice on Dec. 17th at home to Sudbury, closing out the first half with an overtime game-winner. Gazizov racked up eight different multi-point performances in the month of December, helping the Knights enter the new year on a six-game winning streak.

Selected by the Knights in the first round, 12th overall of the 2021 CHL Import Draft, the 19-year-old comes-off a a solid first half of the season, registering 42 points (15-27-42) in 35 games. Gazizov continues his third-year campaign in London, tallying 48 goals, 70 assists, and 118 points over 145 career OHL regular season contests.

Also considered for the award this month, North Bay Battalion forward Anthony Romani registered eight goals, 13 assists, and 21 points (8-13-21) in 11 games played throughout December. He enters January on a 12-game point streak.

Defenceman of the Month – Nick DeAngelis (Sudbury Wolves)

Sudbury Wolves blueliner Nick DeAngelis is the OHL Defenceman of the Month, riding an OHL season-high 17-game point streak into the month of January. DeAngelis recorded two goals, 13 assists, and 15 points over 11 December outings as the Wolves closed-out 2023 in first place in the Central Division. DeAngelis started the month with a career-high four assist performance as the Wolves beat the Barrie Colts 9-6 on Dec. 1st. He’s recorded at least a point in every game since Nov. 15th., the longest point streak by a Wolves blueliner in the last 25 years of OHL history. DeAngelis becomes the first Wolves blueliner to earn OHL Defenceman of the Month honours since Jack Thompson in October 2021.

A 19-year-old from King City, Ont., DeAngelis leads the Wolves offensively from the back end with 29 points (2-27–29) over 33 games this season along with a plus/minus rating of plus-13. The third-year veteran has registered a total of eight goals, 60 assists, and 68 points over 163 regular season contests spent between the Wolves and the Windsor Spitfires. The 6-foot-2, 195Ib. left-shot defenceman was originally selected in the second round (36th overall) by the Spitfires in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection before joining the Wolves this season. He attended training camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets in September.

Also considered for the award, Vancouver Canucks prospect and OHL scoring leader Hunter Brzustewicz (1-14–15) of the Kitchener Rangers and 2024 NHL Draft prospect Sam Dickinson (6-9–15) of the London Knights each registered 15 points in the month of December.

Goaltender of the Month – Marcus Vandenberg (Sudbury Wolves)

Marcus Vandenberg of the Sudbury Wolves is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for December, playing to a 6-2-1-1 record with a 3.07 goals-against average and .901 save percentage over 10 games spent between Sudbury and the Niagara IceDogs. Vandenberg, who was acquired by Sudbury on Dec. 8th after backstopping Niagara to wins over Kitchener and Peterborough to begin the month, proceeded to win his first two starts with Sudbury in wins over Kingston and Flint. He ended December with consecutive wins, making 22 saves in a victory over North Bay on Dec. 29th and 33 stops in Sault Ste. Marie as the Wolves defeated the West Division-leading Greyhounds 5-1 on Dec. 30th. Vandenberg is the first Wolves goaltender to claim the honour since Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in December 2018.

A 19-year-old from Dorchester, Ont., Vandenberg has played to a season mark of 7-8-3-1 with a 3.61 goals-against average and .888 save percentage between Sudbury and Niagara. Selected by the Kitchener Rangers in the ninth round (177th overall) of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Vandenberg has appeared in 49 career regular season contests, tallying a 16-20-5-1 record, 3.71 goals-against average and .889 save percentage over three seasons.

Also considered for the award this month, Oshawa Generals netminder Jacob Oster played to a 5-2-1-0 record with a 2.76 goals-against-average and .898 save percentage. Brayden Gillespie of the Guelph Storm also remained solid between the pipes, recording a 5-3-1-0 record with a 2.83 goals-against-average and .900 save percentage.

Rookie of the Month – Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs)

Brantford Bulldogs forward Jake O’Brien is the OHL Rookie of the Month, recording 15 points, including three goals and 12 assists over 10 appearances in December. O’Brien registered five multi-point showings over the course of the month, tallying 10 points in his last four games. He recorded a career-high three-point showing on Dec. 28th in a 5-4 win over the Oshawa Generals, followed by another three-point showing on Dec. 31st. O’Brien now ranks second among all OHL rookie skaters in points, registering 28 (5-23-28) through 27 games this season. O’Brien becomes the first Bulldogs player to be named OHL Rookie of the Month since Matthew Strome in March 2016.

A 16-year-old from Toronto, Ont., O’Brien currently ranks second in OHL rookie scoring with 28 points (5-23–28) through 27 games this season. The Toronto, Ont. native was selected eighth overall by the Bulldogs in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA program. Crowned a 2023 OHL Cup champion, the 6-foot-1, 165Ib. forward was awarded the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award, registering 17 points (7-10-17) through seven games played last spring.

Also considered for the award, 2024 NHL Draft prospect Sam O’Reilly of the London Knights was also a front-runner, collecting 15 points (3-12–15) over 11 games in December.

2023-24 OHL Performers of the Month:

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

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

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

Rookie of the Month:
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.

OHL Writers Draft Eligible Players of the Month: December

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

I hope that everyone was able to bring in the new year safely and surrounded by family and friends and that 2024 brings you joy, happiness and prosperity.

Each month we look at the players eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and make our selection as to who was the best of the month at defence, forward and in the crease. December was a competitive month, but we made our choices and here they are:

Forward of the Month – Ruslan Gazizov – London Knights

Maybe the third time is a charm for Gazizov as he looks to get drafted in his final year of eligibility. He led the Knights attack with 6 goals and 18 assists in 11 games in December. He was held off the scoresheet just twice and had 8 multi point games. Interestingly, he didn’t score his fist goal until 7th game in the month. He had two – 4 assist nights on back-to-backs in mid December.

Also considered was Jett Luchanko of the Guelph Storm who had 3 goals and 14 assists in 12 games. Luchanko has been a consistent producer for the Storm in his first year of draft eligibility and December was no different.

Defenceman of the Month – Sam Dickinson – London Knights

Dickinson led the Knights blueline with 6 goals and 9 assists through 11 games in December while also finishing a plus-7. He was held pointless in 4 of those games and had 5 multi point games. He also had 44 SOG with a game high of 8 on new years eve. Despite the offensive production, his defensive game was also a reason to make him our choice here, often getting the task of going against the oppositions best players.

Also considered was our November winner Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit. He had 4 goals and 10 helpers in 10 games for the month and was held off the scoresheet just twice. He had 3 multi-point games and finished a plus-8 and 33 shots on goal in those 10 games. Out October winner, Jacob LeBlanc of the Sarnia Sting was also considered. LeBlanc had 3 goals and 10 assists in the Sting’s 11 games in December.

Goaltender of the Month – Carter George – Owen Sound Attack

George appeared in all 10 games for the Attack in December coming in in relief and being relieved himself and posted a sub-par 4-4-0-1 record. But his .908 save percentage should tell you what he means to the Attack. Just for comparisons, his partner posted a .756 save percentage. George faced a lot of rubber with 347 shots on goal while stopping 315 of them.

Also considered was Ryerson Leenders of the Mississauga Steelheads. Leenders appeared in 7 games posting a 3-4-0-0 record and stopped 252 of 276 shots he faced for a .909 save percentage.

Our monthly choices:

Forward of the Month

Ruslan Gazizov – London Knights – December

Liam Greentree – Windsor Spitfires – November

Adrian Misaljevic – Kitchener Rangers – October

Defenceman of the Month

Sam Dickinson – London Knights – December

Zayne Parekh – Saginaw Spirit – November

Jacob LeBlanc – Sarnia Sting – October

Goaltender of the Month

Carter George – Owen Sound Attack – December

Jack Parsons – Kitchener Rangers – November

Brayden Gillespie – Guelph Storm – October

GAZIZOV AND OSTER 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, October 2, 2022.



Knights’ Ruslan Gazizov Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Ruslan Gazizov of the London Knights is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording three goals, eight assists, and 11 points over three contests as the Knights earned six points last week.

Gazizov had a strong showing in Windsor on Thursday, registering four assists as the Knights defeated the Spitfires 6-2. The 5-foot-11, 185lb. forward found the scoresheet again on Friday, tallying a goal and four assists to earn first star honours in an 8-2 win over the Owen Sound Attack. Gazizov closed out the week with a pair of markers on Saturday including the game-tying goal and overtime winner, earning first star recognition as the Knights bounced back to defeat the Sudbury Wolves 4-3.

Selected in the first round (12th overall) by the Knights in the 2021 CHL Import Draft, the 19-year-old forward has recorded 34 points (12-22–34) through 32 outings this season, helping the Knights play to a record of 20-11-0-1, good for second in the Midwest Division. Gazizov has tallied 45 goals, 65 assists, and 110 points over 142 regular season games played in three seasons with London.

Also considered for the award this week, Peterborough Petes forward Jax Dubois scored four times and added three assists in three games played. Oshawa Generals overage forward Connor Lockhart was also productive, contributing six goals to three wins last week.

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



Generals’ Jacob Oster Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Jacob Oster of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Goaltender of the Week for the second time this season, playing to a 3-0 record with a 2.00 goals-against average, and .915 save percentage.

Oster backstopped the Generals to three straight wins to close out the first half of the season, beginning with 20 saves on Wednesday in a 6-2 win over the Mississauga Steelheads. Oster returned to the crease on Friday, making 23 saves as Oshawa defeated Central Division-leading Mississauga by a score of 7-3. The 6-foot-3, 190lb. netminder closed out the weekend with a 22-save performance on Saturday, helping Oshawa defeat rival Peterborough 5-1.

A 19-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., Oster has played to a 13-10-3-1 record this season, along with a 3.14 goals-against average, and an .899 save percentage. Selected in the fifth round (92nd overall) by the Guelph Storm in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, the veteran goaltender has appeared in 110 career regular season contests, recording a 3.53 goals-against average and .885 save percentage over three seasons, going 46-41-8-4 in the process. Oster attended training camp with the Los Angeles Kings in September.

Also considered for the award this week, Michael Simpson of the London Knights went 2-0 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. Charlie Schenkel of the Soo Greyhounds was also steady, going 2-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.

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

MCGURN AND BOWEN 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, February 12, 2023.



Knights’ Sean McGurn Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

London Knights forward Sean McGurn is the OHL Player of the Week, leading all players with 13 points including five goals and eight assists in four games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-8.

McGurn helped the Knights extend their current winning streak to eight games, producing four consecutive multi-point outings last week. McGurn helped London rack up nine goals on Monday, recording three goals and three assists for a career-high six points in a 9-5 win over visiting Flint. McGurn was back on the scoresheet Wednesday night, recording a goal and an assist as the Knights came back to edge the Kitchener Rangers 5-4 at home. He replicated that stat line Friday, scoring once and adding an assist as the Knights bested the visiting Erie Otters 8-1. McGurn rounded-out the week with three assists in Saturday’s 5-1 road win over the Guelph Storm, giving him a club-leading 68 points (24-44–68) in 50 games.

A 20-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., McGurn is in his third season with the Knights after recording 20 goals, 53 assists and 73 points last season. The 5-foot-11, 182Ib. co-captain has accumulated 45 goals, 99 assists and 144 points in 154 career regular season games after 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 as a free agent invite this past September.

Also considered for the award this week, Knights teammate Ruslan Gazizov produced a goal and nine assists in four games, including a career-best seven points (1-6–7) on Monday against Flint. Firebirds forward and Detroit Red Wings prospect Amadeus Lombardi was also excellent, producing 10 points (4-6–10) in four games last week.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Sean McGurn (London Knights)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Sahil Panwar (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Colby Barlow (Owen Sound Attack)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Bryce McConnell-Barker (Soo Greyhounds)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Connor Lockhart (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Evan Vierling (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Ryan Gagnier (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Brody Crane (London Knights)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Matvey Petrov (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Deni Goure (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Owen Beck (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Pavel Mintyukov (Saginaw Spirit)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)



Knights’ Zach Bowen Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

London Knights rookie netminder Zach Bowen is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, playing to a 3-0 record with a 2.70 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.

Following an abbreviated start in a game the Knights would go on to win on Monday at home to Flint, Bowen strung together three straight victories to extend his current run of consecutive wins to 13. He turned aside 31 shots on Wednesday as London staged a late comeback to defeat the Kitchener Rangers 5-4. With Brett Brochu out with an injury, Bowen returned to the crease on Friday, stopping 32 of 33 to earn first star honours in an 8-1 win over the Erie Otters. He was solid again on Saturday in Guelph, making 25 saves as the Knights defeated the Storm 5-1.

A 17-year-old from Kanata, Ont., Bowen owns a record of 14-1-0-0 in his first OHL season, posting a 2.58 goals-against average and .915 save percentage with one shutout over 18 games. The 6-foot-2, 180Ib. puck stopper hasn’t lost a game since Oct. 22nd in Saginaw. Bowen was selected by the Knights in the fourth round (77th overall) from the Embrun Panthers of the EOJHL last spring. He was listed as the 29th-ranked North American goaltender on NHL Central Scouting’s midseason rankings released on Jan. 13th.

Also considered for the award this week, Mississauga Steelheads rookie Ryerson Leenders went 2-0 with a 2.17 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in victories over Owen Sound and Sudbury. Joey Costanzo also played to a 2-0 mark with a 2.50 goals-against average and .921 save percentage for the West Division-leading Windsor Spitfires.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Zach Bowen (London Knights)
Jan 30 – Feb. 5: Nate Krawchuk (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan 23 – Jan. 29: Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
Jan 16 – Jan. 22: Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan 9 – Jan. 15: Matteo Drobac (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Marco Costantini (Kitchener Rangers)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Owen Flores (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Dom DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Joe Ranger (Sudbury Wolves)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67’s)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ivan Zhigalov (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Alessio Beglieri (Mississauga Steelheads)
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

A Look at NHL Central Scouting’s Final Draft Ranking

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

So, I am not going to break down NHL Central Scouting’s rankings in its entirety, just those Ontario Hockey League players ranked (or not ranked). After all, this sight is all about the OHL, right?

Let’s begin in the blue paint. One name that we have been pushing on OHL Writers for most of the season is Patrick Leaver of the Oshawa Generals. We selected Leaver as our Draft Eligible Goaltender of the Year at the end of the regular season. Central scouting showed him a lot of love on their final list as Leaver had the highest jump among ranked OHL netminders climbing 13 spots from 29 on the midterm rankings to 16 on the final rankings.

Leaver wasn’t the only netminder with a massive jump. Niagara IceDogs Josh Rosenzweig went from unranked on the midterm list to 22 on the final list.

Of course, when you have risers, they must be accompanied by fallers and the OHL had their share. Brett Brochu of the London Knights dropped 15 spots from 16 to 31. Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion dropped 10 spots from 14 to 24.  

When it comes to skaters, we have been big fans of Christian Kyrou of the Erie Otters since about the drop of the puck this season. We gave him serious consideration as our Draft Eligible Defenceman of the Year. In the annual OHL Coach’s Poll he was voted the most improved player in the Western Conference and the Most Underrated Player in the Western Conference as well as the second-best Offensive Defenceman in the Western Conference. Among draft eligible defencemen, he finished first in goals, second in points and third in assists. Central Scouting (finally) moved him up a whopping 131 spots from 179 to 48.

But that wasn’t the biggest jump. Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires jumped 149 spots from being not ranked (there were 251 players ranked on the midterm rankings so we used 252 as Maggio was not ranked) all the way up to 103 on the final rankings. Among draft eligible players, Maggio finished second in goals, assists and points. He was our runner up to Draft Eligible Forward of the Year. In the Coach’s Poll, he finished just ahead of Kyrou as the most improved player in the Western Conference and tied for third as the Hardest Worker in the Western Conference.

But the highest jump belonged to Amadeus Lombardi of the Flint Firebirds who moved up from not being ranked all the way to 94 on the final rankings. I can’t understand how he was not ranked on their midterm ranking, but they got this right.

Another player that deserves mentioning is David Goyette of the Sudbury Wolves who moved up 22 spots from 35 to 13. It’s a massive jump in its own right as that puts Goyette in the bottom third of the first round instead of middle second. And that’s a much-deserved spot for him. He deserves first round consideration.

Two of the biggest fallers are Ruslan Gazizov and Colton Smith, both of the London Knights who dropped from 62 to 149 and 129 to being not ranked respectively. For Comparison’s sake, Bob McKenzie had Gazizov at 15 and Smith as an honorable mention on his midterm rankings (only 80 players were ranked).

I do think that Central Scouting got a couple of Guelph Storm prospects correctly. For most of the season, Matthew Poitras was ranked ahead of Danny Zhilkin on a lot of lists. Poitras was ranked 23 on the midterm rankings and drops to 45 while Zhilkin was ranked 27 and drops to 35. We’re not saying we agree with the overall ranking, but that Zhilkin is rightfully ranked ahead of Poitras and we’ve been saying that for some time.

Vsevolod Gaidamak of the Ottawa 67’s was the highest ranked player on Central Scouting’s midterm rankings to fall off the chart on their final ranking. He went from 121 to being not ranked.

Nice to see a little love for James Hardie of the Mississauga Steelheads who moved up 56 spots from 204 to 148. But we are also surprised to see Tucker Robertson drop 53 spots from 109 to 162.

If you are looking for our final list, it usually comes out after the Memorial Cup. Until then, here is NHL Central Scouting’s rankings with their midterm and final ranking shown:

PLAYERTEAMNHL MIDNHL FIN
Shane WrightKingston11
Pavel MintyukovSaginaw56
Luca Del Bel BelluzMississauga118
Owen BeckMississauga1910
David GoyetteSudbury3513
Matyas SapovalivSaginaw1323
Michael BuchingerGuelph3630
Ty NelsonNorth Bay2532
Bryce McConnell-BarkerSoo2834
Danny ZhilkinGuelph2735
Vinzenz RohrerOttawa4642
Hunter HaightBarrie4744
Matthew PoitrasGuelph2345
Christian KyrouErie17948
Paul LudwinskiKingston2949
Gavin HayesFlint6851
Isiah GeorgeLondon4253
Servac PetrovskyOwen Sound5258
Cedrick GuindonOwen Sound7659
Jake KarabelaGuelph6162
Pano FimisNiagara7775
Spencer SovaErie2880
Jorian DonovanHamilton3981
Evan KonyenSudbury8885
Beau JelsmaBarrie13788
Amadeus LombardiFlint25294
Matthew MaggioWindsor252103
Lucas EdmondsKingston107104
Kiriil KudryavtsevSoo103108
Liam ArnsbyNorth Bay66115
Rodwin DionicioNiagara132118
Kocha DelicSudbury200122
Jackson EdwardLondon75123
Tnias MathurinNorth Bay152126
Zakary LavoieMississauga124134
Samuel MayerPeterborough120139
James HardieMississauga204148
Ruslan GazizovLondon62149
Aidan CastleOwen Sound155151
Brady StonehouseOttawa138152
Nolan CollinsSudbury252153
Kyle JacksonNorth Bay182158
Tucker RobertsonPeterborough109162
Gavin BryantOwen Sound160179
Bryce CookNiagara163183
Braeden BowmanGuelph217194
Kai SchwindtMississauga252196
Sam AlfanoPeterborough190207
Max NamestnikovSarnia219211
Landon SimLondon213215
Kasper LarsenMississauga252220
Kirill SteklovLondon196221
Roberto ManciniSaginaw195222
Caeden CarlisleSoo252223
Vsevolod GaidamakOttawa121225
Colton SmithLondon129225
Stuart RolofsOshawa142225
Bryce CookNiagara163225
Tyler SavardSoo183225
Brody CraneLondon188225
Ryan AbrahamWindsor210225
Nolan DannSarnia225225
Simon SlavicekFlintLV225
GOALIESNHL MIDNHL  FIN
Andrew OkeSaginaw89
Nolan LalondeErie1014
Patrick LeaverOshawa2916
Charlie SchenkelSoo1217
Jacob OsterGuelph1518
Josh RosenzweigNiagara3322
Domenic DiVincentiisNorth Bay1424
Marco CostantiniHamilton3329

Ruslan Gazizov – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
HTWTDOBPOSSHOOTSIMPORTNHLCSCOUNTRY
5’11”1851-21-04CL12th62nd NARUSSIA
SEASONLEAGUETEAMGPGAPTS
2019-20Russia U16Avangard65914
2019-20Russia U17Avangard30182341
2020-21Russia U17Avangard64711
2020-21MHLOmskie13314
2021-22Hlinka/GretzkyRussia53710
2021-22OHLLondon Knights4591726
Ruslan Gazizov of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

During the 2019-2020 season, London Knights forward Ruslan Gazizov was just too good for Avangard Omsk in Russia’s Under-16 league so he almost immediately moved up to the Under-17 with Avangard. And he took that league by storm as well.

The following season saw him begin with Avangard Under-17 and again was playing above most others so he moved up once again, this time to the MHL (Russia’s equivalent to the CHL) but that transition was a little slow.

Last summer, Gazizov represented Russia at the Hlinka – Gretzky Cup and helped lead Russia to a gold medal with 3 goals and 7 helpers in 5 games.

Gazizov, the 12th overall pick at the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft has been a bit of an enigma in his first OHL season. While he has displayed on many occasions that he has the high-end offensive skills that can make him a dangerous weapon, especially on the powerplay, he isn’t always used as his skill set suggests. And that is typical of a Dale Hunter coached team because you have to give the 200-foot effort as well and that is lacking at the moment in Gazizov’ s game.  

I had hoped his skating was better than advertised. While technically, there aren’t any issues with his skating, he could improve all facets of his speed game. I’ve said this many times before, it’s not a big issue as I believe a good skating coach will bring him along.

Gazizov has some excellent hands and while he is at his best with time and space and using his vision and slick passing skills to create opportunities, he is also capable of stickhandling in tight and maintaining possession before distributing the puck.

While the offensive skills are there and he has shown the ability to be a creative playmaker, Gazizov projects to be a complimentary piece on a line rather than the driver on it. He could be a top six forward at the NHL level, but he’s going to have to put in some work in areas other than offence.