OHL Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders: December

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Welcome to 2018!

Now that we’ve entered the new year, let’s look at the leaders among the Ontario Hockey League players eligible for the 2018 National Hockey League Draft.

With Andrei Svechnikov of the Barrie Colts missing time first due to injury and then the World Junior Championships, it’s left a wide-open race for the leaderboard in several categories.

Andrei Svechnikovof the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Andrei Svechnikov of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

As was the case in December, the two players who benefited most by Svechnikov’s absence were a pair of highly touted defencemen, Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm and Evan Bouchard of the London Knights. It’s been a see-saw, back and forth battle between the pair with Bouchard barely coming out on top at the end of December with 46 points, two more than Merkley. The latter held a one-point advantage at the end of November.

The absence of Svechnikov has also left the goal scoring department in a tight race, that is until he returns to action. Aidan Dudas of the Owen Sound Attack leads with 16 goals in 36 games. That’s just three more goals than Nathan Dunkley of the Kingston Frontenacs who comes in tenth with 13 goals.

Not to be lost in that group is Svechnikov’s 14 goals in 16 games. And no one comes close to his .88 goals-per-game. Serron Noel of the Oshawa Generals follows up in goals-per-game with 15 goals in 31 games, or .48 goals per game.

Here is the list of leaders in a variety of categories. Only players eligible for the NHL Draft for the first time are listed. We take great care in compiling the stats, but as is always the case, refer to the OHL website for official stats.

Points Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Evan Bouchard London Knights 36 13 33 46
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 36 10 34 44
Akil Thomas Niagara Ice Dogs 35 10 28 38
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 37 10 28 38
Aiden Dudas Owen Sound Attack 35 16 21 37
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 36 15 19 34
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 31 13 20 33
Allan McShane Oshawa Generals 36 10 23 33
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 36 14 18 32
Damien Giroux Saginaw Spirit 35 14 16 30
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player Team GP G GPG
Aiden Dudas Owen Sound Attack 36 16 0.44
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 36 15 0.42
Serron Noel Oshawa Generals 31 15 0.48
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 36 14 0.39
Damien Giroux Saginaw Spirit 35 14 0.40
Kody Clark Ottawa 67’s 32 14 0.44
Pavel Gogolev Peterborough Petes 34 14 0.41
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 16 14 0.88
Evan Bouchard London Knights 36 13 0.36
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 31 13 0.42
Assist Leaders
Player Team GP A APG
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 36 34 0.94
Evan Bouchard London Knights 36 33 0.92
Akil Thomas Niagara Ice Dogs 35 28 0.80
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 37 28 0.76
Allan McShane Oshawa Generals 36 23 0.64
Aiden Dudas Owen Sound Attack 35 21 0.60
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 31 20 0.65
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 36 19 0.53
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 36 18 0.50
Rasmus Sandin Soo Greyhounds 24 17 0.71
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Evan Bouchard London Knights 36 13 33 46
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 36 10 34 44
Rasmus Sandin Soo Greyhounds 24 4 17 21
Caleb Everett Saginaw Spirit 26 4 12 16
Giovanni Vallati Kitchener Rangers 34 3 12 15
Declan Chisholm Peterborough Petes 29 2 12 14
Peter Stratis Ottawa 67’s 37 4 8 12
Kevin Bahl Ottawa 67’s 37 1 11 12
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player Team GP +/-
Rasmus Sandin Soo Greyhounds 24 +19
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 31 +17
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 36 +15
Evan Bouchard London Knights 36 +14
Ryan Roth Soo Greyhounds 37 +13
William Sirman Windsor Spitfires 34 +12
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 16 +10
Tyler Tucker Barrie Colts 28 +10
Alec Regula London Knights 36 +9
Brett Jacklin Soo Greyhounds 28 +8
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player Team GP PIM M/G
Kevin Bahl Ottawa 67’s 37 54 1.46
Tyler Tucker Barrie Colts 28 53 1.89
Daylon Groulx Owen Sound Attack 28 52 1.86
Curtis Douglas Windsor Spitfires 33 41 1.24
Max Grondin Saginaw Spirit 33 41 1.24
Dawson Baker Sudbury Wolves 36 40 1.11
Merrick Rippon Mississauga Steelheads 37 39 1.05
Faceoff Leaders – minimum 150 faceoffs
Player Team GP FOA FOW %
David Levin Sudbury Wolves 19 187 105 56.1
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 31 412 223 54.1
Allan McShane Oshawa Generals 36 565 302 53.5
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 37 808 431 53.3
Akil Thomas Niagara Ice Dogs 35 555 293 52.8
Aiden Dudas Owen Sound Attack 35 509 261 51.3
Ty Dellandrea Flint Firebirds 36 730 374 51.2
Mitchell Hoelscher Ottawa 67’s 36 213 108 50.7
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 36 598 301 50.3
Matthew Struthers Owen Sound Attack 32 404 202 50.0
Barret Kirwin Guelph Storm 36 526 262 49.8
Longest Goal Scoring Streak
Player Team From To Gms Goals
Brady Hinz Sarnia Sting 10/9 10/19 5 7
Kody Clark Ottawa 67’s 10/12 10/21 5 6
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 11/26 12/3 4 5
Blade Jenkins Saginaw Spirit 10/29 11/4 4 6
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 12/8 12/15 3 3
Longest Assist Streak
Player Team From To Gms Assts
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 10/22 11/16 9 13
Akil Thomas Niagara Ice Dogs 9/30 10/19 8 10
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 10/27 11/5 6 9
Akil Thomas Niagara Ice Dogs 12/7 12/31 6 6
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 11/24 12/6 6 8
Longest Point Streak
Player Team From To Gms Pts
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 10/6 11/10 14 20
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 11/19 12/15 10 16
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 10/22 11/16 9 17
Akil Thomas Niagara Ice Dogs 9/29 10/19 9 15
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 11/19 12/3 7 14
Shooting Percentage
Player Team GP G S %
Serron Noel Oshawa Generals 31 15 53 28.3
Brady Hinz Sarnia Sting 36 13 55 23.6
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 31 13 55 23.6
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 36 14 62 22.6
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 16 14 64 21.9
Shots On Goal Leaders
Player Team GP SOG
Evan Bouchard London Knights 36 155
Aidan Dudas Owen Sound Attack 35 129
Ty Dellandrea Flint Firebirds 36 125
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 36 113
Riley Damiani Kitchener Rangers 36 97
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player Team GP Min GA Avg
Nick Donofrio Hamilton Bulldogs 9 461 24 3.12
Jordan Kooy London Knights 10 456 25 3.29
Kai Edmonds Barrie Colts 7 362 20 3.31
Jacob Ingham Mississauga Steelheads 25 1382 89 3.86
x x
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player Team GP SH  SVS SV%
Nick Donofrio Hamilton Bulldogs 9 225 201 0.893
Jordan Kooy London Knights 10 229 204 0.891
Kai Edmonds Barrie Colts 7 181 161 0.890
Mario Peccia Oshawa Generals 7 183 160 0.874
Marshall Frappier Sudbury Wolves 10 302 264 0.874
Goaltending Leaders – Wins
Player Team GP W L OL
Jacob Ingham Mississauga Steelheads 25 7 14 1
Nick Donofrio Hamilton Bulldogs 9 5 1 1
Kai Edmonds Barrie Colts 7 5 1 1
Cameron Lamour Saginaw Spirit 7 3 2 0
Mario Peccia Oshawa Generals 7 2 4 0
Goaltending Leaders – Shutouts
Player Team GP SO
Nick Donofrio Hamilton Bulldogs 9 1
Mario Peccia Oshawa Generals 7 1

Showdown 2018: Merkley Versus Bouchard

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

In 2017 it was Nicolas Hague (Mississauga Steelheads) versus Conor Timmins (Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds). In 2016 it was Olli Juolevi (London Knights) versus Mikhail Sergachev (Windsor Spitfires) versus Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia Sting).

But when the debate arises between Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm or Evan Bouchard of the London Knights as to who should be the first defenceman selected from the Ontario Hockey League at the 2018 National Hockey League Entry Draft, I flash back to the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

During that 2010-2011 OHL season, it was  long debated among draft geeks on whether it should be Dougie Hamilton (Niagara Ice Dogs) or Ryan Murphy (Kitchener Rangers) that should be selected first. In a lot of ways, there are similarities between the Hamilton – Murphy debate and the Merkley – Bouchard debate.

Evan Bouchard of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Evan Bouchard of the London Knights and Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

At the time of his draft, Murphy was 5’11” and 170 pounds, Merkley is 5’11” and 163 pounds. Hamilton was drafted at 6’5” and 193 pounds while Bouchard, not as tall as Hamilton, measures in at 6’3” and 191 pounds.

Murphy was labeled an elite skater with a howitzer of a shot who used his skating advantage to succeed offensively. He was a dominant force on the powerplay through his OHL time. There were questions about his defensive game, although sometimes unwarranted. And of course, the size questions and whether the smaller statured defender could succeed at the NHL level never ended. But it was a pair of severe concussions in the OHL that may just affected Murphy’s development.

Six years later, some of the same things are now being repeated. Merkley is also an elite skater who uses it to his advantage offensively. As with Murphy, there are some significant questions being asked about his defensive game. And while they are identical in size, to date Merkley has avoided severe injury.

Let’s compare the pairs’ offensive output in their first two OHL seasons (the second season being their draft year). In Merkley’s case, it’s been less than half a season so we’ll look at his current stats and the pace he is on for the season.

SEASON GP G A PTS
Ryan Murphy 2009-2010 62 6 33 39
Ryan Merkley 2016-2017 62 12 43 55
Ryan Murphy 2010-2011* 63 26 53 79
Ryan Merkley 2017-2018* 33 10 32 42
On pace for 68 21 66 87

 

Merkley clearly out-produced Murphy during their respective rookie seasons. However, their draft years are virtually identical in terms of offensive output when translating Merkley’s current pact over a 68-game schedule.

Hamilton was considered one of a growing breed of big defencemen with excellent mobility with the ability to translate from defence to offence in many ways. While there is a minimal size difference between Hamilton and Bouchard, the same is being attributed to Bouchard as was to Hamilton.

In 2011, Hamilton was considered the better all-around player. The same is being said about Bouchard in the current debate. Hamilton was a force on the Ice Dogs powerplay and his offensive game underrated compared to Murphy’s. Ditto for Bouchard. If there is one key difference between Bouchard and Hamilton, it’s that Bouchard is more willing to use his size. Of course, that is my own opinion.

When comparing Hamilton’s stats to Bouchard’s stats, it must be noted that because of a late birthdate, Bouchard started his OHL career as a 15-year-old. Therefore, Bouchard’s draft year is his third season while Hamilton was drafted in his second season (* denotes draft year). Ultimately, you are comparing Bouchard’s draft year to Hamilton’s draft year plus one.

SEASON GP G A PTS
Dougie Hamilton 2009-2010 64 3 13 16
Evan Bouchard 2015-2016 43 2 15 17
Dougie Hamilton 2010-2011* 67 12 46 58
Evan Bouchard 2016-2017 68 11 33 44
Dougie Hamilton 2011-2012 50 17 55 77
Evan Bouchard 2017-2018* 34 12 30 42
On pace for 68 24 60 84

 

Hamilton’s and Bouchard’s rookie seasons are about as identical as they come, although Hamilton was older and played in 19 more games. But if you jump to their respective draft years and the pace Bouchard is currently on, then it becomes lopsided in Bouchard’s favor.

The Boston Bruins decided that the size and the better all-around player was the best choice and selected Hamilton with the ninth overall pick. Murphy was selected three picks later by the Carolina Hurricanes.

The question is: will NHL teams see it the same way in 2018?

Bouchard was not getting the attention he truly deserved with many of the independent, public scouting services having him ranked in the second-round while Merkley was ranked in the first. But that’s changing as of late. It is after all, a what have you done for me lately business.

I do wonder though, what were they watching for the past three seasons?

Ryan Merkley – Guelph Storm – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 163 pounds

Date of birth: August 14, 2000

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: First overall pick, 2016 Priority Selection

Dynamic.

In one word, that is Guelph Storm defenceman Ryan Merkley. When NHL Central Scouting released its preseason players to watch list, and its updated list in November, Merkley and the London Knights’ Evan Bouchard were the only two defenders you’d find rated as an A Prospect – typically a first-round pick.

Their styles are on the opposite end of the spectrum, and yet there are some similarities between the pair. When it comes down to decision time, it may just boil down to projection when choosing between the two. You can find my thoughts on Bouchard here.

Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Merkley played his Minor Midget hockey for the Toronto Junior Canadiens during the 2015-2016 season. He notched 7 goals and 37 assists in 33 games as the leader for the Canadiens. He would add one goal and three assists in 6 games for the Canadiens at the OHL Cup.

Merkley would also represent Team GTHL at the OHL Gold Cup helping them capture gold. In 5 games, he scored once and added seven assists. He was named the GTHL player of the year and the Storm would make him the first overall pick at the 2016 Priority Draft.

Merkley burst onto the OHL scene a season ago and he didn’t disappoint. In 62 games, he scored 12 goals and 43 assists. He would be named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team, finished first among rookies in assists (43) and points (55) and captured the Emms Family Award as Rookie of the Year.

Merkley would also represent Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 with Canada Red. He would score twice for Canada in five games.

This season began with Merkley representing Canada once more, this time capturing gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial. In the five games the Canadians played, Merkley finished up with six assists and doing his part in helping Canada win gold.

This OHL season, Merkley has picked up right where he left off. At the time of writing this, Merkley sits tied for second among all OHL defenders in scoring with 8 goals and 28 assists in 29 games, behind only Sean Durzi of the Owen Sound Attack (14 goals, 26 assists) and tied with Bouchard (10 goals, 26 assists).

So where do we stand with Merkley?

To begin with, Merkley is a phenomenal skater with excellent speed. He’s strong on his edges with an excellent ability to change direction in a split second. He can beat most players north-south and east-west. He’s also an excellent passer who excels at making quick, accurate short passes or long stretch passes out of his zone.

This makes Merkley very good at clearing the d-zone, but it is not always picture perfect. He’s sometimes caught forcing the play, one that is not always there. He is still prone to turning over the puck, but there have been improvements in that area. A season ago, you could attribute it to playing on the Western Conference’s last place team and trying to do it all himself. He’s a very smart hockey player so he should be able to get that out of his game.

There will always be the size question when it comes to Merkley. The Storm list him at a generous 5’11” and 163 pounds. Adding strength and mass will be critical for him. While his superb skating allows him some good defensive coverage, he can be outmuscled. When he does turn over the puck, the lack of strength causes  him to sometimes take needless and foolish penalties. Yet, his defensive positioning is solid, and he has an active stick which he uses extremely well. It’s fair to have concerns about his minus-14 on a squad that is minus-2 overall.

Offensively, Merkley’s talents are bordering on elite. As mentioned, he’s an excellent passer. His skating allows him to walk the line with ease and create and find lanes to setup teammates. He possesses an excellent shot from the point that he can get off quickly, accurately and with purpose. It can only get heavier as he adds strength. And he’s perfected the slap-pass.

Merkley is an elite powerplay quarterback. He’s an intelligent player who is able to read the play easily and react quickly. With the extra space, he’s able to find the open man. His skating allows him to get into the open space to receive a pass and use his shot. Just how effective is he on the powerplay?  Well, two of his eight goals have come with the extra man while twenty of his twenty-eight assists have been on the man advantage.

I don’t want to make it sound as though all Merkley is, is a powerplay specialist. He has the tools and mindset to be much more than that. The question NHL teams will be asking themselves is “how likely is it that he achieves that, and are there other defencemen more likely to achieve their potential?”

This is the problem with the inexact science known as drafting. Trying to project potential. Time is the only real answer to the question general managers will be asking their scouts in draft meetings come June.

At least its fun trying.

Ryan Merkley

Eliteprospects.com hockey stat of Ryan Merkley

OHL Writers Draft Eligible Player of the Month: November

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Not an easy month to pick just one player as there is a trio of players who you could pick and not be wrong with your choice.

It all came down to Nathan Dunkley of the Kingston Frontenacs, Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm and Evan Bouchard of the London Knights.

Dunkley led the way with 8 goals and 11 assists in 12 games for the Frontenacs. Bouchard followed with 5 goals and 13 assists in 10 games and Merkley with 3 goals and 13 assists in 10 games. As good a month as Dunkley had in November however, I must go with one of the defencemen.

The difference came down to the plus/minus for the pair of blueliners. Bouchard finished the month with a plus-11 while Merkley finished with a minus-1, thus Bouchard gets the nod for draft eligible player of the month.

Evan Bouchard of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Evan Bouchard of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Bouchard had points in 8 of his 10 games in November with 6 of those games in which he recorded a point being multi-point games. He finished with a negative plus/minus just twice in November. He was named a games’ first star once and third star twice. The first star honours came in a head-to-head matchup with Merkley in which Bouchard recorded a goal and two assists.

Bouchard now sits second among all draft eligible players in points and assists, coincidently right behind Merkley.

The OHL named Bouchard defenceman of the month for November while Jenkins was named Rookie of the Month.

Previous Player of the Month

Brady Hinz – Sarnia Sting (October)

Matthew Struthers – Owen Sound Attack (September)

CHL Announces Weekly Award Winners

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Top clubs produce top stars of the week including Broncos’ Heponiemi and Sting’s Fazio 

 

Broncos’ Aleksi Heponiemi named CHL Player of the Week 

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Florida Panthers prospect Aleksi Heponiemi of the Swift Current Broncos is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending November 12 after recording nine points in two games including two goals and seven assists. 

Heponiemi produced a pair of multi-point performances last week for the Broncos who picked up two wins to keep pace in the competitive WHL East Division where they rank second with a 13-3-1-0 record.  On Friday night he collected his third five-point effort of the season with a goal and four assists as part of a 6-4 road win against the Saskatoon Blades, then scored once with three assists on Saturday earning third star honours in a 6-0 win against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. 

An 18-year-old from Tampere, Finland, Heponiemi is playing in his second WHL season after being selected by the Broncos tenth overall in the 2016 CHL Import Draft.  The second round pick by the Panthers in the 2017 NHL Draft is now tied atop the WHL’s scoring race with teammate Tyler Steenbergen with 46 points including 14 goals and a league-high 32 assists in 15 games. 

Also considered for the award this week were a pair of defencemen including Nicolas Beaudin of the Drummondville Voltigeurs with two goals and four assists for six points in two games, and 2018 NHL Draft prospect Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm with one goal and five assists for six points in two games. 

2017-18 CHL Players of the Week:

Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Aleksi Heponiemi (Swift Current Broncos)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Albert Michnac (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Aaron Luchuk (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Drake Batherson (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Tyler Soy (Victoria Royals)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Tyler Steenbergen (Swift Current Broncos)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Kole Lind (Kelowna Rockets)

Sting’s Justin Fazio named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week 

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Justin Fazio of the Sarnia Sting is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending November 12 after posting a 1-0-1-0 record including one shutout with a goals-against-average of 1.98 and save percentage of .926. 

Fazio stopped 72 shots last week helping the Sting earn three of a possible four points against tough OHL Western Conference competition to maintain first place in the league’s overall standings with a 16-3-1-0 record.  On Friday night Fazio turned aside 33 shots despite a 4-3 overtime loss to the second place Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, then rebounded Sunday to earn his first shutout of the season with 39 saves as third star of a 7-0 win against the Owen Sound Attack.

A 20-year-old from Sarnia, Ont., Fazio is playing in his fifth career season with his hometown Sting after being chosen by the club in the fourth round of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.  The overage netminder became the club’s all-time wins leader earlier this season and now has 67 in his tenure powered by a league-high 12 victories so far in 2017-18.  In 15 appearance this season he carries a goals-against-average of 2.64 and save percentage of .929.   

Also considered for the award this week was Mark Grametbauer of the Moncton Wildcats who went 2-0-0-0 with 60 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .952, and Brody Willms of the Moose Jaw Warriors who posted a 2-0-0-0 record making 54 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .947. 

2017-18 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Justin Fazio (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranada Huskies)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Logan Flodell (Swift Current Broncos)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Dereck Baribeau (Quebec Remparts)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

Storm’s Ryan Merkley named OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that 2018 NHL Draft prospect Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the week ending November 12 after scoring one goal with five assists for six points in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-4.

Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Merkley becomes the first defenceman to earn the award this season after recording two multi-point performances last week helping the Storm to a pair of victories.  On Friday night he scored once and added an assist as part of a 6-2 win over the North Bay Battalion, then collected a career-high four assists on Sunday as first star of a 5-1 win over the Sudbury Wolves.  The two weekend wins give the Storm three straight lifting them into a second place tie in the OHL’s Midwest Division with 22 points from a 10-7-0-2 record.

A 17-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., Merkley is playing in his second season with the Storm after being chosen first overall in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection and earning OHL Rookie of the Year honours.  The first round candidate in NHL Central Scouting’s October ‘Players to Watch’ list leads the Storm in scoring and is currently second among OHL defencemen with 24 points in 19 games including six goals and 18 assists.

Watch video highlights of Merkley and the Storm against the Battalion and Wolves.

Also considered for the award this week were a pair of Philadelphia Flyers prospects including Matthew Strome of the Hamilton Bulldogs who scored three goals and three assists for six points in two games, and Morgan Frost of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with three goals and two assists for five points in two games.  In goal, Justin Fazio of the Sarnia Sting posted a 1-0-1-0 record including a shutout victory making 72 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.98 and save percentage of .926.

2017-18 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week:

Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)

Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Albert Michnac (Mississauga Steelheads)

Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Aaron Luchuk (Windsor Spitfires)

Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)

Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Brady Hinz (Sarnia Sting)

Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack)

Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Jonathan Ang (Peterborough Petes)

Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

 

CHL announces 2016-17 Award winners

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Windsor – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the 10 national award winners for the 2016-17 season including Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters who earned Sportsnet CHL Player of the Year honours.

Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images
2017 CHL Award Winners. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

The awards were presented as part of the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup festivities in Windsor.

2016-17 CHL Award Winners:

Sherwin-Williams Top Prospect Award: Nolan Patrick, Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings captain Nolan Patrick is listed number one in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings for the 2017 NHL Draft in Chicago.  The 18-year-old forward from Winnipeg, MB, wrapped up his third WHL season with 20 goals and 26 assists for 46 points limited to just 33 games played due to injury.  He is the first WHL player to earn this award since Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks in 2013, and could be the first western Canadian to be chosen first overall since Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels in 2011.  Finalists for the award include Nico Hischier of the Halifax Mooseheads who was listed second by NHL Central Scouting, and Gabe Vilardi of the Windsor Spitfires ranked fourth.

Chrysler Top Scorer Award: Sam Steel, Regina Pats

Anaheim Ducks prospect Sam Steel led the CHL with 131 points in 66 games played scoring 50 goals and 81 assists along with a plus-minus rating of plus-49 helping the Regina Pats to a first place finish atop the WHL’s regular season standings.  The 19-year-old from Sherwood Park, AB, delivered the CHL’s highest point total since Brendan Shinnimin of the Tri-City Americans recorded 134 points in 69 games played during the 2011-12 campaign.  Finalists for the award were Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters with 127 points in 63 games, and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Vitalii Abramov of the Gatineau Olympiques who scored 104 points in 66 games this season.

 BRP Sportsman of the Year Award: Nick Suzuki, Owen Sound Attack

2017 NHL Draft prospect Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack finished fifth in OHL scoring with 96 points including 45 goals and 51 assists in 65 games played with a plus-minus rating of plus-51 while recording just 10 penalty minutes.  The 17-year-old from London, ON, is listed tenth by NHL Central Scouting and helped the Attack secure franchise best marks of 49 wins and 102 points this season.  Finalists for the award were Tyler Steenbergen of the Swift Current Broncos and Hugo Roy of the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

Mastercard Humanitarian of the Year Award: Tyler Wong, Lethbridge Hurricanes

Lethbridge Hurricanes captain Tyler Wong is the CHL’s Humanitarian of the Year after being named a finalist for the award last season, establishing himself as an exceptional ambassador for his team and the league both on and off the ice.  The 21-year-old from Cochrane, AB, carried forward the ‘Canes KidSport program he introduced a year ago which donates $5 to KidSport Lethbridge & Taber for each goal he scores.  Powered by 51 goals of his own and with the help from teammates, alumni, and the community, the initiative surpassed all expectations and raised over $13,000 this season.  Finalists for the award were Garrett McFadden of the Guelph Storm and two-time nominee Samuel Laberge of the Rimouski Oceanic.

CIBC Scholastic Player of the Year Award: Sasha Chmelevski, Ottawa 67’s

2017 NHL Draft prospect Sasha Chmelevski of the Ottawa 67’s achieved a 98% average across his six Grade 12 courses through Michigan’s Virtual Charter Academy.  The 17-year-old from Northville, Michigan, also scored 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points in 58 games appearing 43rd among North American players listed by NHL Central Scouting.  Finalists for the award were Brian King of the Everett Silvertips and Antoine Samuel of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

Sofina Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award: Ryan McGill, Owen Sound Attack

Ryan McGill led the Owen Sound Attack to an all-time franchise best record of 49-15-2-2 for 102 points surpassing the club’s previous highs of 46 wins and 97 points set during the 2010-11 season.  The 48-year-old from Sherwood Park, AB, helped the Attack become the league’s most improved team in just his second season behind the bench increasing their win total by 17 and point total by 27 while establishing a franchise record 15-game winning-streak and surrendering an OHL-low 177 goals against.  McGill was previously nominated for this award in 2013 during his tenure with the Kootenay Ice.  Finalists for the award were John Paddock of the Regina Pats and Danny Flynn of the Saint John Sea Dogs.


CCM Rookie of the Year Award: Nico Hischier, Halifax Mooseheads

2017 NHL Draft prospect Nico Hischier of the Halifax Mooseheads led all rookies in scoring with 86 points in 57 games including 38 goals and 48 assists.  The 18-year-old from Naters, Switzerland, was chosen sixth overall in the 2016 CHL Import Draft and is listed second in NHL Central Scouting’s final draft rankings.  He becomes the second Moosehead to win the award following current Winnipeg Jet Nikolaj Ehlers in 2014, and will challenge for the NHL’s top pick in June where he would follow 2013 first overall pick and Moosehead grad Nathan MacKinnon who currently stars with the Colorado Avalanche.  Finalists for the award were Aleksi Heponiemi of the Swift Current Broncos and Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm.

Vaughn Goaltender of the Year Award: Michael McNiven, Owen Sound Attack
Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack carried a record of 41-9-2-2 including six shutout victories that tied for an OHL-high, while also posting a league-low goals-against-average of 2.30 and save percentage of .915 that ranked sixth overall in the OHL.  The 41 wins by the 19-year-old from Georgetown, ON, led the OHL this season and established a new Attack single season record while his shutout tally brings his three-year career total to 11 which is also a new team mark.  Finalists for the award were Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carter Hart who was the 2015-16 recipient, and Francis Leclerc of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

Superstore Defenceman of the Year Award: Thomas Chabot, Saint John Sea Dogs
Ottawa Senators prospect Thomas Chabot of the Saint John Sea Dogs is the CHL’s Defenceman of the Year after scoring 10 goals and 35 assists for 45 points in just 34 games played.  The 20-year-old from Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, QC, was also a member of Canada’s National Junior Team earning a silver medal and Tournament MVP honours at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship.  The 18th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft helped the Sea Dogs to a first place finish in the QMJHL this season.  Finalists for the award were Edmonton Oilers prospect Ethan Bear of the Seattle Thunderbirds and Darren Raddysh of the Erie Otters.

Sportsnet Player of the Year Award: Alex DeBrincat, Erie Otters
Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters led the OHL with 127 points in 63 games scoring 65 goals and 62 assists along with a plus-minus rating of plus-60.  The 19-year-old from Farmington Hills, Michigan, helped the Otters capture a second straight regular season title and set a CHL record with their fourth straight 50-win season.  The former CHL Rookie of the Year set a team record for goals in a season while eclipsing the 50-goal and 100-point plateau for the third straight season.  He is the second Otter to win the award in three seasons following current Edmonton Oilers star and NHL Top Scorer Connor McDavid who received the honour in 2015.  Finalists for the award were Anaheim Ducks prospect Sam Steel of the Regina Pats, and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Vitalii Abramov of the Gatineau Olympiques.

Storm’s Ryan Merkley named OHL Rookie of the Year

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Announces First and Second All-Rookie Teams

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that defenceman Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm is the 2016-17 recipient of the Emms Family Award presented to the OHL’s Rookie of the Year.

Merkley led all OHL rookies with 55 points in 62 games played scoring 12 goals and 43 assists positioning him eighth overall among all OHL defenders.  He became the first rookie in franchise history to lead the team in scoring, and is the first OHL defenceman since London’s Rick Corriveau in 1987-88 to lead all rookies in scoring.

Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

“It is an honour to be selected as the OHL Rookie of the Year,” said Merkley. “Knowing that there are so many talented first year players, makes the award extra special.  I would like to thank my teammates and the Storm organization for all their help and support.”

The 16-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., selected first overall by the Storm in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, is just the second member of the organization to earn the award following fellow Storm first overall pick Jeff O’Neill during the 1992-93 season.  Merkley’s 55 points are the most by a Storm 16-year-old since O’Neill’s 79 during his first campaign.

“Being selected as OHL Rookie of the Year is a special honour, but one that Ryan richly deserves,” said Mike Kelly, Guelph’s departing General Manager. “Even as a 16-year-old, Ryan was a critical part of a very young Guelph Storm Hockey team, and he provided our fans, and fans throughout the OHL with some spectacular hockey memories.  As good as Ryan was this past year, he will be even more special in upcoming seasons.”

Merkley joined the OHL after earning GTHL Player of the Year honours with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens and made an immediate impact with recognition as the OHL’s Rookie of the Month for October and December and represented Team Canada Red at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie.  He recorded 16 multi-point performances during 2016-17 and was voted third in both the Best Playmaker and Best Stickhandler categories in the Western Conference Coaches Poll.

First presented in 1973, Emms Family Award recipients include Wayne Gretzky (Sault Ste. Marie 1977-78), Joe Thornton (Sault Ste. Marie 1995-96), Rick Nash (London 2000-01), Taylor Hall (Windsor 2007-08), and most recently Alex DeBrincat (Erie 2014-15), and Alex Nylander (Mississauga 2015-16).  Merkley is the eighth player to earn the Emms Family Award after also earning the Jack Ferguson Award as the first overall pick in the OHL Priority Selection beginning with O’Neill, Patrick O’Sullivan (Mississauga 2001-02), Rob Schremp (Mississauga 2002-03), John Tavares (Oshawa 2005-06), Aaron Ekblad (Barrie 2011-12), Connor McDavid (Erie 2012-13), and Travis Konecny (Ottawa 2013-14).

The Emms Family Award was donated by Leighton “Hap” Emms, former owner of the Barrie, Niagara Falls, and St. Catharines OHL franchises.  The award is selected by all 20 member club General Managers.  Teams were asked to submit only one nominee from their own club for consideration on the ballot and were not permitted to vote for the player from their own hockey club.  Players received five points for a first vote, three points for a second place vote, and one point for a third place vote.

Merkley earned 75 of a possible 95 voting points ahead of forward Akil Thomas of the Niagara IceDogs who finished second with 44 voting points and forward Allan McShane of the Oshawa Generals who finished in third with 24 voting points. 

The Emms Family Award will be formally presented to Merkley at the OHL’s annual Awards Ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Thursday June 8.  He will be the OHL’s nominee for CHL Rookie of the Year to be announced at the Mastercard Memorial Cup on Saturday May 27.

Merkley was also announced to the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team alongside NHL Draft prospect Eemeli Rasanen of the Kingston Frontenacs on defence, and goaltender Jacob Ingham of the Mississauga Steelheads.  First team forwards include McShane at centre, Thomas at right wing, and Kingston’s Linus Nyman at left wing.  Second team honours went to NHL Draft prospects Adam Ruzicka of the Sarnia Sting, Alex Formenton of the London Knights, and Greg Meireles of the Kitchener Rangers at forward, while 16-year-olds Giovanni Vallati of Kitchener, and Owen Lalonde of the Sudbury Wolves comprise the defence.  Second team goaltending honours went to Matthew Villalta of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

The OHL All-Rookie Teams were also selected by the OHL’s General Managers.  Players were voted on initially by position within their conference receiving five points for a first place vote, three for a second place vote, and one for a third.  Top vote getters in each position made up the final ballot that was then circulated to all 20 teams. 

2016-17 OHL All-Rookie Teams (voting points in brackets):

First Team:
Centre – Allan McShane, Oshawa Generals (85)
Left Wing – Linus Nyman, Kingston Frontenacs (73)
Right Wing – Akil Thomas, Niagara IceDogs (93)
Defence – Ryan Merkley, Guelph Storm (91)
Defence – Eemeli Rasanen, Kingston Frontenacs (74)
Goaltender – Jacob Ingham, Mississauga Steelheads (73)

Second Team:
Centre – Adam Ruzicka, Sarnia Sting (51)
Left Wing – Alex Formenton, London Knights (38)
Right Wing – Greg Meireles, Kitchener Rangers (39)
Defence – Giovanni Vallati, Kitchener Rangers (44)
Defence – Owen Lalonde, Sudbury Wolves (39)
Goaltender – Matthew Villalta, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (70)

OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for December

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON –  The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in December 2016, including Peterborough Petes forward Zach Gallant, Kingston Frontenacs blueliner Stephen Desrocher, Guelph Storm rookie Ryan Merkley and Windsor Spitfires goaltender Michael DiPietro. 

OHL Player of the Month – Zach Gallant (Peterborough Petes):
2017 NHL Draft prospect Zach Gallant of the Peterborough Petes is the OHL Player of the Month for December after collecting seven goals, eight assists and 15 points over 10 contests along with a plus/minus rating of plus-13. Gallant was also 56 percent in the faceoff circle to help the Petes to a perfect 10-0-0-0 month of December as they climbed to second place in the East Division. The 6-foot-1, 184Ib. centre had points in eight games including five multi-point outings. Gallant earned first star honours on four separate occasions, doing so on December 3rd when he had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the visiting Guelph Storm. His two goals and an assist on December 11th led the Petes over the Ottawa 67’s 6-2 on the road. Gallant was named first star once again on December 15th when had a goal and an assist to help the Petes defeat the London Knights 3-1 on Sportsnet. Gallant rounded out his first star selections on December 29th with two goals and an assist in a 7-5 win over visiting Ottawa.

A 17-year-old native of Oakville, Ont., Gallant is currently in his sophomore season with the Petes after being the club’s first round (5th overall) pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection. He’s currently tied for fifth in team scoring with 12 goals, 17 assists and 29 points over 36 games to go with a plus/minus rating of plus-9 and a 59.4 percent success rate in the faceoff circle.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Stephen Desrocher (Kingston Frontenacs):
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Stephen Desrocher of the Kingston Frontenacs has been named the OHL Defenceman of the Month for December. Desrocher led all defencemen with 15 points including two goals and 13 assists over 10 games as the Frontenacs played to a 5-1-4-0 record. The 6-foot-4, 206Ib. rearguard recorded points in all 10 of his December contests, registering four multi-point outputs. Desrocher earned first star honours four times as he helped the Fronts defeat the visiting Kitchener Rangers with a goal and an assist on December 2nd. A night later he pitched in with two assists in a 3-2 shootout win in Hamilton. Desrocher recorded a pair of helpers to earn first star recognition in a 3-2 home ice win over Oshawa on December 17th. He rounded out his first star performances on December 30th with three assists in a 4-3 overtime loss to Peterborough.

A 20-year-old native of Toronto, Ont., Desrocher is in his fourth OHL season and second with the Frontenacs after spending parts of three seasons with the Oshawa Generals where he won an OHL title and Mastercard Memorial Cup championship in 2014-15.  He leads Kingston defencemen in scoring with five goals, 20 assists and 25 points over 33 contests and has recorded 13 of his 25 points on the power play. He was Toronto’s sixth round (155th overall) pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.


OHL Rookie of the Month – Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm):
For the second time this season, 2016 OHL Priority Selection first overall pick Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm is the OHL Rookie of the Month. Merkley led all rookies with 13 points including four goals and nine assists over 10 games. His December included the first two multi-goal games of his OHL career including a pair on December 7th in a 5-4 road loss against the Sarnia Sting. Merkley’s overtime winner on December 11th was his second of the game and along with an assist, he recorded three points to earn first star recognition in a 4-3 win over the Kingston Frontenacs. The rookie had a three assist effort, setting up the overtime winner on December 28th when the Storm defeated the visiting Sarnia Sting 4-3.

A 16-year-old native of Mississauga, Ont., Merkley leads all OHL rookies with 28 points including six goals and 22 assists over 30 games. He is third in Storm scoring this season after being the club’s first round (1st overall) pick this past April. He will be eligible for the 2018 NHL Draft.

cid:image003.jpg@01CB92FA.CE165340

Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires):
2017 NHL Draft prospect Michael DiPietro of the Windsor Spitfires is the Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month for December. DiPietro played to a 6-2-0-0 record with a 1.48 goals-against-average, a .940 save percentage and three shutouts over his eight December starts. He started the month with a 36-save performance on December 3rd as the Spitfires claimed a 2-1 win over the Flint Firebirds. His month was headlined by a string of three straight road shutouts from December 8-11, earning him Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week honours as he blanked the Barrie Colts, Sudbury Wolves and North Bay Battalion in succession. DiPietro put together a shutout streak that spanned parts of five games for an overall length of 209:23.

A 17-year-old native of Amherstburg, Ont., DiPietro comes off a tremendous rookie season in the OHL, one that earned him the F.W. Dinty Moore Trophy with a 2.45 goals-against-average. This season, DiPietro has played to a 16-5-4-0 record with a 2.21 goals-against-average, .918 save percentage and four shutouts over 26 games. He was Windsor’s second round (23rd overall) pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection. DiPietro will represent Team Orr in the upcoming 2017 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Quebec City on January 30th.

2016-17 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
December – Zach Gallant (Peterborough Petes)
November – Alex DeBrincat/Taylor Raddysh (Erie Otters)
October – Taylor Raddysh (Erie Otters)

Defenceman of the Month:
December – Stephen Desrocher (Kingston Frontenacs)
November – Darren Raddysh (Erie Otters)
October – Mathieu Henderson (Flint Firebirds)

Rookie of the Month:
December – Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)
November – Linus Nyman (Kingston Frontenacs)
October – Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)

Vaughn Goaltender of the Month:
December – Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires
November – Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
October – Troy Timpano (Erie Otters)

Storm announce Ryan Merkley as First Overall Pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Priority Selection takes place Saturday April 9, 2016, at 9:00 am at www.ontariohockeyleague.com

OHL Priority Logo

 

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League in association with the Guelph Storm Hockey Club today announced that 15-year-old defenceman Ryan Merkley of the Greater Toronto Hockey League’s Toronto Jr. Canadiens will be the first overall pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection.

 The announcement was made at a news conference held this morning in Guelph where Merkley was introduced to local media.

“The opportunity to have the first selection in the OHL Priority Selection is both an honour and a huge responsibility,” Storm GM Mike Kelly said. “Our scouting staff has probably watched more than a 1,000 games throughout Ontario and the United States this year. The number of elite players available for this year’s Priority Selection was astonishing. It is clear the game of hockey is indeed in very good hands, with so many budding stars on the horizon.  While the process of determining our selection was thorough and labour intensive, there was one player who stood out amongst all the others.  We are very proud and excited to select Ryan Merkley with the first overall pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection.  Ryan is a very elite defenseman, who, above all, cares about winning.  His high end skill, vision, creativity and hockey IQ, separated him from 3 or 4 other very special players.  We are confident that Ryan will be a cornerstone to a future championship calibre team.  We look forward to working with Ryan and his family, as he achieves his hockey and academic goals”.

 Merkley was named GTHL Player of the Year after leading the Jr. Canadiens in scoring with 44 points including seven goals and 37 assists in 33 regular season games.  As team captain, the 5’10, 160 lb, Mississauga, ON, native produced more than a point-per-game and represented Canada at the Youth Olympic Games earning a silver medal.  Born August 14, 2000, Merkley will be eligible for the 2018 NHL Draft.

 “I am extremely excited and honoured to be chosen first overall in this year’s OHL Priority Selection,” Merkley said.  “It’s an unbelievable feeling.  I want to thank the Guelph Storm ownership, management team and scouting staff for showing their confidence in me.  I cannot wait to meet my new teammates and begin working towards building a championship team here in Guelph.”

Ryan Merkley of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Ryan Merkley of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

 Merkley is the 2016 recipient of the Jack Ferguson Award presented annually to the player selected first overall in the OHL Priority Selection. The “Fergie” recognizes the dedication and contributions made by Jack Ferguson during his 25 year association with the OHL, first as a scout with the Ottawa 67’s and followed by his appointment as head of the OHL’s Central Scouting Bureau in 1981 as its Director of Central Scouting.  Merkley is the second member of the Storm to receive the award following Jeff O’Neill in 1992.  O’Neill’s number 92 was honoured by the Storm in November as part of the club’s 25th anniversary celebrations.  The past five OHL recipients include David Levin, Jakob Chychrun, Travis Konecny, and current NHL stars Connor McDavid, and Aaron Ekblad.

“Ryan is a dominant player that has the ability to take over a game whenever he wants to,” said OHL Central Scouting Director Darrell Woodley. “His skill level and creativity with the puck are second to none. He has the ability to thread a pass that not many others could. Ryan is a great skater and has made many forwards miss on the forecheck leaving them looking silly. He is dangerous on the rush as his one-on-one skills are top notch. He is always on the other team’s radar and he plays on the edge.”

Merkley will be a feature guest on the live 2016 OHL Priority Selection Draft Show beginning at 9:00 am on Saturday April 9, 2016.  The draft show along with live results feed will be available at www.ontariohockeyleague.com.  For the ninth straight year, media and fans can watch the first three rounds live online with host Terry Doyle who will be joined on set by Darrell Woodley and Tim Cherry of OHL Central Scouting to provide analysis, interviews, and video footage of the next wave of OHL stars.

 Former winners of the Jack Ferguson Award Include:

1981 Dan Quinn, Belleville Bulls

1982 Kirk Muller, Guelph Platers

1983 Trevor Stienburg, Guelph Platers

1984 Dave Moylan, Sudbury Wolves

1985 Bryan Fogarty, Kingston Canadians

1986 Troy Mallette, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

1987 John Uniac, Sudbury Wolves

1988 Drake Berehowsky, Kingston Raiders

1989 Eric Lindros, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

1990 Pat Peake, Detroit Ambassadors

1991 Todd Harvey, Detroit Ambassadors

1992 Jeff O’Neill, Guelph Storm

1993 Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67’s

1994 Jeff Brown, Sarnia Sting

1995 Daniel Tkaczuk, Barrie Colts

1996 Rico Fata, London Knights
1997 Charlie Stephens, Toronto St. Michael’s Majors

1998 Jay Harrison, Brampton Battalion

1999 Jason Spezza, Mississauga IceDogs

2000 Patrick Jarrett, Mississauga IceDogs

2001 Patrick O’Sullivan,Mississauga IceDogs

2002 Robbie Schremp, Mississauga IceDogs

2003 Patrick McNeill, Saginaw Spirit

2004 John Hughes, Belleville Bulls

2005 John Tavares, Oshawa Generals

2006 Steven Stamkos, Sarnia Sting

2007 Ryan O’Reilly, Erie Otters

2008 John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves

2009  Daniel Catenacci, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

2010  Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia Sting

2011  Aaron Ekblad, Barrie Colts

2012  Connor McDavid, Erie Otters

2013  Travis Konecny, Ottawa 67’s

2014  Jakob Chychrun, Sarnia Sting

2015 David Levin, Sudbury Wolves

2016 Ryan Merkley, Guelph Storm