CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM: February 2024

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce today the February edition of the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM for the 2023-24 regular season.
 
F – Atley Calvert (Moose Jaw Warriors/WHL)
12 GP / 13G / 27 PTS / +17
 
Calvert led all CHL players with 27 points throughout the month of February. In 12 games, Calvert recorded at least one point in every contest he appeared in while he tallied eight multi-point outings that was highlighted by a five-point (3G, 2A) performance, that included his second hat-trick of the season, on Feb. 24 in a 12-3 win over Spokane. With 41 goals, a new career high, the overage forward sits tied fifth in WHL goals while he’s tied 12th in league scoring with 82 points. Furthermore, on Feb. 26 Calvert surpassed 200 points in his WHL career and is now the Warriors’ all-time leader in goals (99), assists (105) and points (204) by a Moose Jaw born player.
 
F – David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves/OHL)
13 GP / 8G / 25 PTS / -2
 
During February, Goyette (SEA) registered at least one point in all 13 games he appeared in and had multi-point showings on seven occasions. On Feb. 11, he tied his season high with four points (1G, 3A) in an 8-7 overtime win against Mississauga. Goyette’s 95 points leads the OHL while he sits fourth in CHL scoring. The 19-year-old also has 36 goals this year, the fifth most in the OHL. On Feb. 25, Goyette became just the ninth player in Wolves history to record 150 assists with the franchise. 
 
F – James Stefan (Portland Winterhawks/WHL) 
11GP / 11G / 21PTS / +14
 
Throughout February, Stefan recorded six games where he had at least three points or more. He tied his season high for points with four on Feb. 17 where he had two goals and two assists in an 8-3 win over Vancouver while on Feb. 2 he tallied his third hat-trick of the season in an 11-1 victory against Kelowna. Stefan’s 41 goals and 86 points are both career highs while he ranks eighth in WHL scoring. During February, Stefan became the 25th Winterhawk to score 100 goals with the club. 
 
D – Sam Dickinson (London Knights/OHL) 
12GP / 4G / 20PTS / +9 
 
Dickinson led all CHL d-men with 20 points in February and has tallied at least a point in his last 11 contests. The 2024 NHL Draft prospect had eight multi-point performances in 12 appearances while on Feb. 7 he matched his career high with three assists in a 9-2 road win over Flint. Dickinson ranks fifth in CHL scoring among blueliners with 63 points this season. 
 
D – Rodwin Dionicio (Saginaw Spirit/OHL) 
11GP / 9G / 19PTS / +5
 
Over the course of 11 games, Dionicio (ANA) led all CHL defencemen with nine goals in February. He registered seven multi-point performances that was highlighted by a five-point (2G, 3A) showing on Feb. 15 in a 7-6 win against Barrie. Having started the season in Windsor before a trade to Saginaw ahead of the OHL trade deadline, Dionicio has a career high 22 goals, the third most in the OHL among d-men, while he ranks fifth in scoring with 60 points. Earlier this year, the 19-year-old represented his native Switzerland for the third time at the 2024 World Juniors. 
 
G – Rémi Delafontaine (Chicoutimi Sagueneens/QMJHL)
8GP / 8-0-0 / 1.53 GAA / .945 save percentage
 
Delafontaine helped backstop the Sagueneens to a perfect 10-0-0 record during the month of February after he won all eight of his starts. He began the month with a 23-save shutout in a 2-0 win over Gatineau on Feb. 1 and conceded two or fewer goals in seven of his eight appearances. Acquired from Shawinigan ahead of the QMJHL trade deadline, Delafontaine is 9-3-1 with the Sags and has registered a 2.03 GAA and .930 save percentage. His 19 combined wins in 2023-24 are a career high and are tied for the eighth most in the QMJHL this year. 

OHL Writers Draft Eligible Players of the Month: February

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Forward of the Month – Ryan Abraham – Windsor Spitfires

If you like offence then February was your month and for us Abraham stood out the most. He’s a draft re-entry who appeared in 12 games in February and scored 9 goals while assisting on 11. He had points in all but 1 game and had a 5-point game on the 23rd against the Guelph Storm.

Last months winner, Brantford’s Marek Vanacker was also considered. He had 5 goals and 12 assists in 12 games. Beau Jelsma of the Barrie Colts had 12 goals and 8 assists in 12 games. A trio of North Bay Battalion were also considered: Dalyn Wakely, Anthony Romani and Owen Van Steensel had 9 goals and 12 assists in 12 games.

Defenceman of the Month – Sam Dickinson -London Knights

Dickinson makes our cut for the second time this season after being our choice back in December. It was an excellent month of February where he scored 4 goals and added 16 assists in 12 games. He was held off the scoresheet just once, back in his first game of the month against the Erie Otters on February 2. He had seven 2-point games and one 3-point game in the month.

 Consideration was also given to Saginaw Spirit defenceman Zayne Parekh, who was our choice in November and January. He had 6 goals and 9 assists in 11 games during the month of February He was held off the scoresheet just twice and made highlight reels throughout the month.

Goaltender of the Month – Carter George – Owen Sound Attack

January was a banner month for goaltenders, February not so much but George stood out. He started all but one of the Attacks 10 games in February and posted a 3-3-2-1 record with a .910 save percentage and 3.25 goals against average. George is the top ranked goaltender on NHL Central Scouting’s North American rankings and it’s easy to see why.

Consideration was given to Jacob Brown of the Flint Firebirds (3 games) with a .926 saver percentage; Collin MacKenzie of the Ottawa 67’s (2 games) with a .952 save percentage; and Owen Willmore of the London Knights (4 games) with a .915 save percentage but we felt they didn’t play enough games.   

Our monthly choices:

Forward of the Month

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

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

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

Sam Dickinson – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano
Sam Dickinson of the London Knights. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images
HTWTDOBPOSSHOOTSOHL DRAFTNHLCSCOUNTRY
6’2”199June 7, 06LDL4th 20227th – N/ACANADA
SEASONLEAGUETEAMGPGAPTS
2021-2022GTHL U16Toronto Marlboros4653439
2022-2023OHLLondon Knights6291423
2022-2023WHC U17Canada Black7112
2023-2024OHLLondon Knights50143650
PROJECTED  68194968

Coming into this season, and maybe even earlier, many had London Knights Defenceman Sam Dickinson as the top prospect from the OHL eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, maybe even a top 10 pick. Not much has happened to change that perception. If anything, he’s solidified it.

Dickinson is a well-rounded two-way defenceman. While his offensive upside isn’t as high as that kid playing in Saginaw, he is no slouch either.

The combination of size, reach and mobility make him a force defensively. He can keep opponents at bay but his best trait in the d-zone is his ability to transition and start the break out. His mobility and puck skills allows him to elude pressure with his feet, but he can also make a great first pass. He is cool under pressure and rarely panics, surveys the situation and makes the correct decision to head the other way. He’s physical, defends the cycle with relative ease and he blocks shots. In the defensive zone, there may not be any better in the entire draft class than Dickinson.

The question surrounding Dickinson is what is his offensive upside? He can quarter back the powerplay and has an excellent shot from the point or the half wall. He has been so good for the Knights that it allowed them to move fellow defenseman Oliver Bonk to the bumper position on the powerplay. But he doesn’t just excel with the man advantage. He keeps plays alive at the blue line five on five as well. He has great vision and passing skills from the point as well so he’s not just a threat with his shot.

Some believe he is sacrificing offense for defense. I don’t know that I buy into that. He’s a point per game defenceman in his draft year and that’s good enough for me. Maybe he’s got enough IQ to know when it’s time to retreat and defend as opposed to trying to force something offensively?

CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM: December 2023

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

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

F – Riley Heidt (Prince George Cougars / WHL)
7G-17A, 24 PTS, +11 in 11 GP in December

With 24 points in 11 games, Minnesota Wild prospect Riley Heidt of the No.2-ranked Prince George Cougars led the CHL in scoring during the month of December alongside Ruslan Gazizov (6G-18A) of the London Knights. To close out 2023, Heidt was held off the scoresheet just twice in December and he recorded seven multipoint contests over that stretch, which included matching a career-high five points (0G-5A) on December 15 against the Wenatchee Wild. The latter represented the fourth time both this season and during his career that the 18-year-old from Saskatoon, Sask., has registered five points in a single WHL game. Thanks to a strong month, Heidt now leads all CHL skaters with 70 points (22G-48A) during the 2023-24 campaign and he’s topped 20 goals for a third consecutive season. The 5-foot-11, 182-pound centre also leads all CHL skaters with 21 power-play assists, while his 28 power-play points rank tied for first alongside teammate Zac Funk. Having collected 17 assists during the month of December, Heidt is up to 48 helpers on the season, which currently stands as the third-most of any player in the CHL. The 2023 Minnesota Wild second-round pick is also one of just four skaters in the CHL to be averaging at least two points per game this season (minimum three games played).

F – Zac Funk (Prince George Cougars / WHL)
14G-8A, 22 PTS, +13, in 11 GP in December

Having scored a CHL-best 14 goals over the month of December, Zac Funk of the No.2-ranked Prince George Cougars becomes the first player this season to have been selected to the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM for a second time. The 20-year-old from Coldstream, B.C., was a member of the CHL’s Team of the Month in October. Impressively, over his 11 games in December, Funk recorded hat-tricks against Tri-City (December 1), Portland (December 3) and Wenatchee (December 15). He has now tallied a total of six hat-tricks over the course of the 2023-24 campaign, which might help explain why he leads all CHL skaters with 40 goals this season. He’s also recorded 11 outings with two or more goals so far through 37 games this season. Over the month of December, Funk finished with a plus/minus rating of +13, which was the third-best mark in the CHL, and he was held off the scoresheet just twice in 11 games. Through 37 contests during the 2023-24 campaign, Funk is averaging over a goal per game, and he has tallied a CHL-leading 19 power-play goals. The 20-year-old has also set career-highs for goals (40), assists (29), points (69) and power-play goals (19) in a single season with his performance thus far in 2023-24. With 69 points as of January 4, the 6-foot, 210-pound right winger trails only his teammate Riley Heidt (70 points) in the CHL’s scoring race. 

F – Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs / WHL)
8G-15A, 23 PTS, +12, in 10 GP in December

Averaging 2.3 points per game over the last month, 2024 NHL Draft prospect Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs was one of the CHL’s highest scoring players in December. Catton’s 23 points trailed only Prince George’s Heidt (7G-17A) and London’s Gazizov (6G-18A) for the CHL lead, and they were the most by any first-time draft eligible skater in the CHL. The 17-year-old from Saskatoon, Sask., is currently on a 10-game point streak, which he most recently extended with consecutive four-point efforts in a pair of games against the Tri-City Americans to wrap up 2023. In total, Catton had six multipoint contests in the month of December, and he recorded three or more points on four occasions over that stretch. Although Catton’s 55 points trail only Terik Parascak (26G-31A) in scoring among 2024 NHL Draft eligible skaters in the CHL, his 1.67 points per game this season leads that same group of skaters. The 5-foot-11, 164-pound centreman’s 55 points (22G-33A) also rank eighth among all WHL skaters, and he’s been held off the scoresheet just once over his last 14 contests. Having received an ‘A’ rating from NHL Central Scouting, Catton is a projected first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, which is scheduled to take place June 28-29 in Vegas. Earlier in December, Catton was also one of 40 players selected to compete in the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Wednesday, January 24.

D – Nick DeAngelis (Sudbury Wolves / OHL)
2G-13A, 15 PTS, +3 in 11 GP in December

Currently on a 17-game point streak, the longest active streak of its kind in the CHL, Nick DeAngelis of the Sudbury Wolves had an excellent month of December. In 11 games over the last month, DeAngelis recorded 15 points, which were tied with Hunter Brzustewicz (1G-14A) of the Kitchener Rangers and Sam Dickinson (6G-9A) of the London Knights for the most by a defenceman in the CHL. The 19-year-old from King City, Ont., has registered a point in every game he has played in since November 15. It’s a stretch that has seen the third-year veteran tally five multipoint outings, including a career-high four-point effort (0G-4A) against the Barrie Colts on December 1. DeAngelis is now up to 27 assists on the season, which ranks tied for fourth among rearguards in the OHL. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound defenceman leads all Wolves blueliners with 29 points (2G-27A) in 33 games this season and his efforts last month no doubt helped the Sudbury Wolves close out 2023 as the OHL’s Eastern Conference leaders.

D – Sam Dickinson (London Knights / OHL)
6G-9A, 15 PTS, +7 in 11 GP in December

Along with Kitchener’s Brzustewicz (1G-14A) and Sudbury’s DeAngelis (2G-13A), 2024 NHL Draft prospect Sam Dickinson of the London Knights had 15 points to lead all CHL defenceman in scoring during the month of December. Moreover, no draft eligible blueliner in the CHL had more points last month than Dickinson. Through 11 games played, the 17-year-old from Toronto, Ont., also potted six goals, which trailed only Nathan Drapeau (7G-5A) of the Val-d’Or Foreurs for the most by any blueliner in the Canadian Hockey League in December. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound defenceman is now up to 34 points (11G-23A) on the campaign, which is tied for fourth among rearguards in the OHL. His 34 points also trail only Zayne Parekh (45 points) of the Saginaw Spirit and Carter Yakemchuk (39 points) of the Calgary Hitmen among 2024 NHL Draft eligible blueliners across the CHL. Having received an ‘A’ rating from NHL Central Scouting, Dickinson is a projected first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, which is scheduled to take place June 28-29 in Vegas. Earlier last month, Dickinson was also one of 40 players selected to compete in the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Wednesday, January 24.

G – Olivier Ciarlo (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL)
4-2-0-0, 1.49 GAA, .941 SV%, 2 SO in six starts in December

Coming into the month of December, and playing for the Baie-Comeau Drakkar at the time, netminder Olivier Ciarlo carried a shutout streak that he would extend into one of the longest in QMJHL history. Over December 1 and 2, the 19-year-old from Laval, Que., posted a pair of shutouts against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on consecutive nights to give him three straight games with a shutout. During his next start on December 10 against Chicoutimi, Ciarlo would eventually give up a goal, but only after he had extended his shutout streak to 239 minutes and 56 seconds – which not only broke a Baie-Comeau franchise record, but now stands as the third-longest streak of its kind in QMJHL history. Ultimately, Carlo was just three minutes and 40 seconds shy of breaking the all-time QMJHL record held by former Rimouski Océanic netminder Philippe Desrosiers (243:35). On December 17, Ciarlo was acquired from Baie-Comeau by Blainville-Boisbriand, where he played a pair of games to wrap up the year 2023. In December, between the six games he played for the Drakkar and Armada, Ciarlo’s 1.49 goals against average (GAA) and .941 save percentage (SV%) ranked second among all goalies across the CHL who played at least 180 minutes. Among netminders in the CHL who played five games or more in December, Ciarlo’s 1.49 GAA and .941 SV% both ranked first. With a CHL-best 21 wins as of January 4, Ciarlo is also the only goalie who has topped the 20-win plateau so far during the 2023-24 campaign.

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.

DICKINSON AND GILLESPIE 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, December 31, 2023.



Knights’ Sam Dickinson Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

2024 NHL Draft prospect Sam Dickinson of the London Knights is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording three goals, five assists and eight points over three games as the Knights went a perfect 3-0.

A 6-foot-3, 195Ib. left-shot defender, Dickinson put together the first of three straight multi-point outings on Thursday in Sarnia, recording a pair of assists in London’s 6-2 win over the Sting. Dickinson set a new career-high on Friday, posting two goals and two assists for four points as the Knights defeated the Sting 5-1. Dickinson was the game’s first star as he finished with six shots on goal and a plus/minus rating of plus-3. Dickinson closed out the week with a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 5-3 triumph over the Flint Firebirds, extending London’s winning streak to six games as the Knights enter 2024 sitting second in the Midwest Division. Dickinson was second among all OHL skaters with 18 shots on goal last week.

A 17-year-old from Toronto, Ont., Dickinson sits fourth among OHL blueliners with 34 points (11-23–34) over 35 games this season. His 118 shots on goal are the third-highest total among OHL rearguards. The former fourth overall pick of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection was voted to the OHL’s first all-rookie team last season after putting up 23 points (9-14–23) in 62 games. He was a big part of London’s success in the playoffs, helping them win a Western Conference title with eight points (4-4–8) in 21 playoff outings. Dickinson is currently an A-rated skater by NHL Central Scouting for the 2024 NHL Draft. He’s been selected to compete in the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game set to take place in Moncton, NB on Wednesday, January 24th.

Also considered for the award this week, Owen Sound Attack overage forward Deni Goure set a new single game franchise record in Thursday’s 10-2 win over the Niagara IceDogs, with his eight points (3-5–8) in that game contributing to a total of 10 over three contests this week as the Attack went 1-2-0-0. Draft eligible Kingston Frontenacs forward Jacob Battaglia was also productive, recording seven points (2-5–7) in just two games last week.

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



Storm’s Brayden Gillespie Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Guelph Storm netminder Brayden Gillespie has been named the OHL Goaltender of the Week for the second time this season after he went 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .947 save percentage in a pair of starts last week.

Gillespie came out of the holiday break with a first star effort on Thursday against Erie, stopping 28-of-29 in a 3-1 Storm win over the Otters. Gillespie backstopped Guelph to a fifth-straight win on Saturday, making 26 saves as the Storm defeated the Flint Firebirds 3-2 at the Dort Financial Center.

An 18-year-old from Oakville, Ont., Gillespie currently leads the OHL with a 2.69 goals-against average to go with a record of 17-9-1-1 with a .909 save percentage and one shutout over 29 games. The 5-foot-11, 173Ib. Gillespie was Guelph’s 11th round (207th overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. He split the 2022-23 season between the Storm, where he went 13-6-2-1 with a 3.40 goals-against average and .879 save percentage, and the GOJHL’s Ayr Centennials, where he played in 23 contests. Gillespie previously won the award this season during the week of Oct. 16-22.

Also considered for the award this week, London Knights goaltender Michael Simpson played to a 3-0 record with a 2.00 goals-against average and .910 save percentage as he earned wins over Sarnia and Flint. Also receiving consideration was Liam Sztuska of the Peterborough Petes, who registered a 52-save shutout victory on Sunday. He’d finish the week with a 2.86 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and record of 1-2-0-0.

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

13 OHL PLAYERS SELECTED TO REPRESENT CANADA AT 2023 HLINKA GRETZKY CUP

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to congratulate 13 OHL players on being selected to represent Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup to be held from July 31st through August 5th in Trencin, Slovakia and Breclav, Czechia.

The 13 OHL players are part of a Canadian roster consisting of 24 names that was assembled by Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel, and Cam Russell (Halifax Mooseheads), the U18 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of hockey operations, Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), senior manager of hockey operations, and Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), manager of hockey operations and U17 head scout. Head coach Alan Letang (Sarnia Sting) and assistant coaches Kris Mallette (Kelowna Rockets) and Sylvain Favreau (Drummondville Voltigeurs) also provided input.

OHL Rookie of the Year Michael Misa headlines the 13 OHL players named to the roster, being joined by Saginaw Spirit teammate Zayne Parekh on the blue line. Misa and Parekh are accompanied by fellow OHL first all-rookie team members Sam Dickinson of the London Knights and Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires while second team voting recipient Anthony Cristoforo of the Windsor Spitfires is also included.

The Ottawa 67’s feature a pair of teammates on the blueline in Henry Mews and Frankie Marrelli while the Mississauga Steelheads joined the 67’s, Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires in also producing two players named to the squad in forward Porter Martone and goaltender Ryerson Leenders.

OHL Players Named to Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team:

Goaltender:
Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads)

Defencemen:
Anthony Cristoforo (Windsor Spitfires)
Ben Danford (Oshawa Generals)
Sam Dickinson (London Knights)
Frankie Marrelli (Ottawa 67’s)
Henry Mews (Ottawa 67’s)
Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit)

Forwards:
Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts)
Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires)
Porter Martone (Mississauga Steelheads)
Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit)
Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters)

Prior to the start of the tournament, the team will practice at the Ice Palace in Budapest, Hungary from July 23-27, and will face off against Hungary’s national under-20 team on July 27 at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT. It will also take on Czechia on July 29 at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT at Fosfa Arena in Breclav as a part of its pre-tournament schedule.

Canada will open the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Finland on July 31 at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT. It will also face co-host Slovakia and Switzerland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on Aug. 5.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast all Team Canada games and select elimination and medal games; please check local listings for more details.

Canada has won 23 gold medals in 31 years of summer under-18 competition, along with three silver medals and one bronze.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca.


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.