Ty Nelson

POITRAS AND SIMPSON NAMEDOHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on November 21, 2022 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, November 20, 2022

Storm’s Matthew Poitras Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Boston Bruins prospect Matthew Poitras of the Guelph Storm is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week after recording two goals, six assists and eight points in a pair of Storm victories.

Poitras helped the Storm come from behind to defeat the Niagara IceDogs 6-4 on Thursday night, recording four primary assists, with three of them coming in the third period. After earning third star recognition on Friday, Poitras was named the game’s first star on Saturday, scoring twice while adding two assists as Guelph defeated the visiting Kitchener Rangers 5-3. Poitras opened the scoring in Saturday’s win and scored the eventual game winning goal early in the second period.

An 18-year-old from Brooklin, Ont., Poitras leads the Storm with 23 points (6-17–23) in 16 games this season while also owning a club-high plus-4 rating. He’s won 54.3 percent of his faceoffs on the campaign and is in the midst of a six-game point streak that dates back to Oct. 30th. The 5-foot-11, 170Ib. centreman was selected by the Boston Bruins in the second round (54th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. Poitras was Guelph’s first round (12th overall) pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection from the Whitby Wildcats U16 program.

Also considered for the award this week, Seattle Kraken prospect Ty Nelson put up six points (2-4–6) in three games on the North Bay Battalion blue line. Poitras’ new Guelph Storm teammate Max Namestnikov got off to a great start in his new surroundings, recording six points (3-3–6) last week.

2022-23 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
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)

Petes’ Michael Simpson Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Michael Simpson of the Peterborough Petes is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, posting a 2-0 record with a 1.50 goals-against average, .950 save percentage and one shutout.

October’s OHL Goaltender of the Month, Simpson went a perfect 26-for-26 on Thursday night against the Oshawa Generals as the Petes defeated their long-time rival by a score of 4-0. Simpson returned to the crease on Saturday in Mississauga, making 31 saves for second star honours as Peterborough defeated the host Steelheads 7-3.

A 19-year-old from London, Ont., Simpson leads the OHL with a 2.28 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and two shutouts through 16 games, posting a record of 9-4-1-2. The second-year netminder played to a 20-18-3-1 mark in 2021-22, registering a 3.56 goals-against average and .891 save percentage. Simpson was a 10th round (193rd overall) pick of the Petes in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the London Jr. Knights U16 program.

Also in the running for the award this week, Barrie Colts netminder Ben West turned aside 82 shots, going 1-1 with a 2.53 goals-against average and .943 save percentage. Ottawa’s Max Donoso helped the 67’s continue their current winning streak, going 2-0 with a 3.00 goals-against average and .900 save percentage.

2022-23 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
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.

GAUDREAU AND ROBERTSON NAMEDOHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on October 3, 2022 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.

Petes’ Tucker Robertson Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Seattle Kraken prospect Tucker Robertson of the Peterborough Petes is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording one goal, four assists and five points in a pair of victories.

Robertson got the Petes’ season off to a hot start recording his 50th OHL goal, 100th career point and the shootout game winner in a first star performance as the Petes defeated the Erie Otters 5-4 in their home opener. He followed that up with a three-assist effort on Saturday as the Petes defeated the defending champion Hamilton Bulldogs 5-3 at the Memorial Centre. Robertson excelled in the face-off circle, going a combined 39-for-59 (66%) on the weekend.

A 19-year-old native of Toronto, Robertson was a fourth round (123rd overall) pick of the Seattle Kraken following 41 goals, 40 assists and 81 points in 68 games last season. The former fourth round (72nd overall) pick by the Petes in 2019 has registered 50 goals, 54 assists and 104 points in 125 career regular season games in maroon and white.

Also given consideration for the award this week were Petes teammate and Vancouver Canucks prospect Connor Lockhart, who leads all OHL players with six points (1-5–6) on the young season. Fellow Seattle prospect Ty Nelson of the North Bay Battalion was also a standout, recording five points (1-4–5) in split decisions for the Troops.

Sting’s Ben Gaudreau Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

San Jose Sharks prospect Ben Gaudreau of the Sarnia Sting is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with two victories, a 1.99 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.

Gaudreau was victorious on Friday in Kitchener, stopping 17 of the 20 shots he faced as the Sting defeated the Rangers 6-3. The 6-foot-2, 172Ib. goaltender returned to the crease on Saturday, stopping 22 shots in a 2-1 overtime win over the Windsor Spitfires, picking up second star recognition.

A 19-year-old native of Corbeil, Ont., Gaudreau is embarking on his third season in Sarnia after a strong sophomore season where he went 19-18-4-1 with a 3.71 goals-against average and .891 save percentage over 44 games. Selected in the third round (81st overall) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2021 NHL Draft, Gaudreau was originally Sarnia’s 1st round (7th overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the North Bay Trappers 16U program. Over parts of three seasons, he’s 31-31-5-2 with a 3.88 goals-against average and .891 save percentage in 74 regular season appearances.

A pair of other candidates were given consideration for the award as Kingston Frontenacs netminder Ivan Zhigalov posted 61 saves in a pair of outings, recording a 2.03 goals-against average and .939 save percentage. Oshawa Generals goaltender Patrick Leaver went 2-0-0-1 on the weekend, posting a 2.92 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.

OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders

Posted on April 20, 2022April 20, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by OHL Images.

There were a few times during the 2021-2022 Ontario Hockey League season that had one wondering whether they would complete the season with the COVID-19 pandemic postponing games and keeping fans from the arena. There were some even calling on the league to cancel the season.

But credit to the league, the players, families, billet families and fans: They got through all 68 games but it wasn’t always easy. As the playoffs are set to begin Thursday, here at OHL Writers we’ll take a look at the statistical leaders in different categories of players eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

In Previous seasons, we only looked at first time draft eligible players. As has been the case all season, because of the sheer number of players re-entering the draft, largely due to the lost season a year ago, we decided to add first- and second-year eligible players and that includes 2003 and 2004 birth dates. There are a few 2002 birthdates that would be on these lists, but we had to draw the line somewhere. It’s a rare occasion where a player is selected in his third draft and we should see Lucas Edmonds of the Kingston Frontenacs being one of those few, but he didn’t make this list. His 113 points are certainly worth mentioning.

Consensus number one pick Shane Wright of the Frontenacs took a while to appear on the top-10 scorers here but when the season came to an end, he found himself in his rightful place at the top of the board with 94 points in 63 games. Wright also easily led all skaters with 62 helpers. It may come as a surprise to many that draft re-entry Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires finished second to Wright in points and assists. Maggio also finished third in goals behind two other draft re-entries in Tucker Robertson of the Peterborough Petes and Avery Hayes of the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Perhaps the most surprising stat comes in the shooting percentage category. Five of the top six players in the OHL are all draft eligible, led by Kyle Jackson of the North Bay Battalion. Jackson may just be the most prolific scorer on the list with 30 goals with injuries limiting him to just 45 games on the season.

On the blue line, Ty Nelson of the North Bay Battalion led for most of the regular season. But by the time the season had ended, Pavel Mintyukov of the Saginaw Spirit took his rightful place (in my opinion) at the top of the leader board. However, the surprise came in the name of Christian Kyrou of the Erie Otters who finished with the most goals among defencemen and second in points to Mintyukov. Kyrou should get some love when final rankings are released as he was never on NHL Central Scouting’s players to watch list or their mid-term rankings.

Here are the leaders in a variety of different categories. We take great care in compiling stats, but as always, refer to the OHL Website for official stats.

Points Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	63	32	62	94
Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	66	38	47	85
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	68	41	40	81
Avery Hayes	Hamilton Bulldogs	66	41	38	79
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	68	30	46	76
David Goyette	Sudbury Wolves	66	33	40	73
Deni Goure	Owen Sound Attack	68	24	39	63
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	45	30	32	62
Ryan Humphrey	Hamilton Bulldogs	68	25	37	62
Pavel Mintyukov	Saginaw Spirit	67	17	45	62
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	GPG
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	68	41	0.60
Avery Hayes	Hamilton Bulldogs	66	41	0.62
Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	66	38	0.58
David Goyette	Sudbury Wolves	66	33	0.50
Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	63	32	0.51
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	68	30	0.44
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	45	30	0.67
Cedrick Guindon	Owen Sound Attack	68	30	0.44
Ethan Burroughs	Owen Sound Attack	68	30	0.44
Nolan Dann	Sarnia Sting	64	29	0.45
Assist Leaders
Player	Team	GP	A	APG
Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	63	62	0.98
Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	66	47	0.71
Gavin White	Hamilton Bulldogs	66	46	0.70
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	68	46	0.68
Pavel Mintyukov	Saginaw Spirit	67	45	0.67
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	66	42	0.64
Christian Kyrou	Erie Otters	68	42	0.62
Amadeus Lombardi	Flint Firebirds	67	41	0.61
David Goyette	Sudbury Wolves	66	40	0.61
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	68	40	0.59
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Pavel Mintyukov	Saginaw Spirit	67	17	45	62
Christian Kyrou	Erie Otters	68	18	42	60
Gavin White	Hamilton Bulldogs	66	10	46	56
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	66	9	42	51
Michael Buchinger	Guelph Storm	63	5	39	44
Kasper Larsen	Mississauga Steelheads	57	8	35	43
Sam Sedley	Owen Sound Attack	64	4	38	42
Kirill Kudryavtsev	Soo Greyhounds	68	5	34	39
Samuel Mayer	Peterborough Petes	68	11	26	37
Rodwin Dionicio	Niagara IceDogs	57	6	25	31
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player	Team	GP	+/-
Gavin White	Hamilton Bulldogs	66	+35
Jorian Donovan	Hamilton Bulldogs	64	+29
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	66	+24
Isaiah George	London Knights	67	+23
Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	63	+23
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	68	+23
Lawson Sherk	Hamilton Bulldogs	63	+18
Paul Christopoulos	North Bay Battalion	63	+18
Tnias Mathurin	North Bay Battalion	44	+17
Michael Buchinger	Guelph Storm	65	+15
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player	Team	GP	PIM	M/G
Landon McCallum	Sudbury Wolves	62	97	1.56
Ethan Larmand	Sudbury Wolves	63	82	1.30
Ryan Humphrey	Hamilton Bulldogs	68	82	1.21
Marc Boudreau	Sudbury Wolves	71	81	1.14
Roberto Mancini	Saginaw Spirit	64	79	1.23
Faceoff Leaders
Player	Team	GP	FOA	FOW	%
Owen Beck	Mississauga Steelheads	68	1348	817	60.6
Stuart Rolofs	Oshawa Generals	62	395	225	57.0
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	68	1538	873	56.8
Danny Zhilkin	Guelph Storm	66	1092	616	56.4
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	64	717	396	55.2
Max Namestnikov	Sarnia Sting	68	473	261	55.2
Jacob Maillet	Windsor Spitfires	69	869	472	54.3
Amadeus Lombardi	Flint Firebirds	67	866	464	53.6
Jax Dubois	Peterborough Petes	59	877	464	52.9
Vsevolod Gaidamak	Ottawa 67’s	60	830	437	52.7
Minumum 390 faceoffs
Shooting Percentage Leaders
Player	Team	GP	Shots	Goals	SH%
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	45	111	30	27.03
Dean Loukos	Saginaw Spirit	64	86	22	25.58
Thomas Johnston	Ottawa 67’s	47	61	15	24.59
Braeden Bowman	Guelph Storm	60	113	27	23.89
Nolan Burke	Sarnia Sting	65	144	34	23.61
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	68	187	41	21.93
Beau Jelsma	Barrie Colts	68	132	27	20.45
Avery Hayes	Hamilton Bulldogs	66	202	41	20.30
Ryan Humphrey	Hamilton Bulldogs	68	134	25	18.66
David Goyette	Sudbury Wolves	66	178	33	18.54
Powerplay Goals
Player	Team	GP	PPG
Avery Hayes	Hamilton Bulldogs	66	12
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	68	12
Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	66	10
Deni Goure	Owen Sound Attack	68	10
Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	45	10
Powerplay Assists
Player	Team	GP	PPA
Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	63	20
Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	66	20
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	68	19
Michael Buchinger	Guelph Storm	63	17
Deni Goure	Owen Sound Attack	68	17
Christian Kyrou	Erie Otters	68	17
Longest Point Streak
Player	Team	Gms	G	A	PTS
David Goyette	Sudbury Wolves	13	9	12	21
Longest Goal Streak
Player	Team	GMS	G
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	5	7
Longest Assist Streak
Player	Team	GMS	A
Ryan Abraham	Windsor Spitfires	8	8
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player	Team	GP	Min	GA	Avg
Dom DiVincentiis	North Bay Battalion	27	1481	64	2.59
Brett Brochu	London Knights	43	2510	115	2.75
Max Donoso	Ottawa 67’s	27	1491	70	2.82
Jacob Oster	Guelph Storm	34	1845	90	2.93
Patrick Leaver	Oshawa Generals	49	2812	150	3.20
Charlie Schenkel	Soo Greyhounds	7	274	16	3.50
Samuel Ivanov	Soo Greyhounds	35	1847	108	3.51
Michael Simpson	Peterborough Petes	45	2492	148	3.56
Pavel Cajan	Kitchener Rangers	44	2578	155	3.61
Nolan Lalande	Erie Otters	54	3066	185	3.62
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player	Team	GP	SH	SVS	SV%
Brett Brochu	London Knights	43	1288	1173	0.911
Patrick Leaver	Oshawa Generals	49	1623	1473	0.908
Dom DiVincentiis	North Bay Battalion	27	686	622	0.907
Max Donoso	Ottawa 67’s	27	743	673	0.906
Pavel Cajan	Kitchener Rangers	44	1561	1406	0.901
Jacob Oster	Guelph Storm	34	831	741	0.892
Michael Simpson	Peterborough Petes	45	1356	1208	0.891
Ian Michelone	Flint Firebirds	10	327	289	0.884
Josh Rosenzweig	Niagara IceDogs	40	1444	1274	0.882

OHL WRITERS’ DRAFT ELGIBLE PLAYERS OF THE MONTH: DECEMBER 2021

Posted on January 2, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

The Ontario Hockey League had to postpone more games than anyone wanted to see in December due to the COVID-19 Protocols, but there were some pretty good performances that should not be ignored.

Pavel Cajan of the Kitchener Rangers. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

In previous season, I looked for one performance that I would feel comfortable saying that player was the Player of the Month. But because of the lost season one year ago and the number of players re-entering the NHL Entry Draft in 2022, I decided for this year to select one forward, one defenceman and one goaltender. Here we go.

Up front, It’s Mississauga Steelheads forward Luca DelBelBelluz who scored 4 goals and 9 assists in 9 contests in the month of December and a whopping 31 shots on goal. He had 4 multi point games including a four-assist night against North Bay on December 29 and he was held off the scoresheet in just two contests.

DelBelBelluz now has 15 goals and 21 assists on the season and sits second in points on the Steelheads just two points behind James Hardie. Among draft eligible players, he is third in points, tied for third in goals and second in assists and easily leads all draft eligible players in plus/minus with a plus-27.

Also considered were a pair of Hamilton Bulldogs. Avery Hayes had 6 goals and 7 assists in 9 games while Ryan Humphrey had 3 goals and 8 assists in 9 games. Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs had 3 goals and 7 assists but played in just 4 games because of the World Junior Championships and the Fronts being in COVID protocol.

On the blueline I could have gone a number of different ways but settled on Kirill Kudryavtsev of the Soo Greyhounds. The 5’11, 200-pound Russian scored once and added 6 assists in 7 games for the Greyhounds raising his totals to 2 goals and 16 assists in 28 games on the season.

I gave the nod to Kudryavtsev because I liked his all-around game. He was kept off the scoresheet in 2 of those 7 games, but the Greyhounds were 0-1-1 in those games. In the 5 games he registered a point? 4-0-1. He is an important player on the Greyhounds blueline as a rookie.

Also considered were Saginaw Spirit defenceman Pavel Mintyukov with 3 goals and 5 assists in 10 games, Samuel Mayer of the Peterborough Petes with 3 goals and 3 assists in 7 games, Ty Nelson of the North Bay Battalion with 8 assists in 9 games and Rodwin Dionicio of the Niagara IceDogs with a goal and 5 assists in 5 games.

The decision in net was the easiest and that was Pavel Cajan of the Kitchener Rangers. The draft re-entry netminder simply gives the Rangers a chance every time he mans the crease. He went 4-1-1 in the month of December with a stellar .919 save-percentage.

In his only regulation loss, Cajan stopped 32 of 34 shots in a 2-1 loss to the Windsor Spitfires. In his only other loss – in overtime- he stopped 34 of 38 shots in a 4-3 OT loss to the Soo Greyhounds. On the season Cajan has a save-percentage of .904 – third among draft eligible goalies and a goals-against-average of 3.23 – fifth among draft eligible goalies.

Also considered was North Bay Battalion netminder Dom DiVincentiis. In 4 appearances he went 1-2-0 with a .909 save-percentage

FORWARDS

December – Luca DelBelBelluz – Mississauga Steelheads

November – Kyle Jackson – North Bay Battalion

October – Tucker Robertson – Peterborough Petes

DEFENCEMEN

December – Kirill Kudryavtsev – Soo Greyhounds

November – Gavin While – Hamilton Bulldogs

October – Ty Nelson – North Bay Battalion

GOALTENDERS

December – Pavel Cajan – Kitchener Rangers

November – Patrick Leaver – Oshawa Generals

October – Brett Brochu – London Knights

Ty Nelson – North Bay Battalion – Player Profile

Posted on December 11, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Ty Nelson of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by OHL Images

HT	WT	DOB	POS	SHOOTS	OHL DRAFT	NHLCS	COUNTRY
5’10	197	3-30-2004	RD	Right	#1 – 2020	B Prospect	CANADA

SEASON	LEAGUE	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2018-19	GTHL U-16	Toronto Jr Canadiens	35	59	9	14	10
2019-20	GTHL U-16	Toronto Jr Canadiens	33	11	21	32	12
2019-20	U-16 AAA	Toronto Jr Canadiens	61	18	47	65	–
2020-21		DID NOT PLAY

Drafted with the first overall pick at the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, 5’10, 197 pounder North Bay Battalion defenceman Ty Nelson has impressed through the first 25 games of the season. The rookie blueliner has 5 goals and 16 assists and is tied for the OHL rookie scoring lead. His 21 points place him fourth among all OHL defencemen.

Nelson is a superb powerplay quarterback and he controls the play effortlessly like few do. Moves laterally along the blue line with ease and control which opens up either passing lanes or an option to the net. When he opens up those passing lanes, he delivers a tape-to-tape pass. But if he feels the shot is the best option, he is not shy about taking it – and he has a very good shot. He’s also capable of escaping attention and drive to the net for a chance.

From his own zone, Nelson is a superb transitional blueliner, using either his feet or the ability to make all sorts of passes out of the zone and move to offense. He also competes physically but he needs to learn to pick his spots better and that will come with time. Remember, he is still transitioning to the OHL. I feel he sometimes takes himself out of the play to engage when the safer option is to retreat. But when he’s on his game, he uses a surprisingly quick and active stick to break up plays.

Skating is definitely a major strength. He keeps his feet moving with blazing speed, excellent edgework and an ability to move in any direction. The most impressive part is that he does it with the puck on his stick as well.

By the time his OHL career is over, Nelson will develop into a premiere two-way defender at this level. How that development goes over the next couple of seasons, and whether he reaches his potential will determine the kind of player he will be at the NHL level.

But I wouldn’t bet against him.

OHL WRITERS’ DRAFT ELIGIBLE PLAYER OF THE MONTH: OCTOBER

Posted on November 1, 2021October 31, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

Brett Brochu of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda / OHL Images

This season will be unlike any other for the players eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft that are playing in the Ontario Hockey League.

As you know, the pandemic wiped out the entire 2020-2021 OHL season and NHL scouts didn’t have an opportunity to scout the talent in the OHL with the exception of those that played in Europe or the Under-18 or the showcase tournament in Erie. We are basically combining two drafts into one and there are over 200 players eligible for the draft for the first time or re-entering the draft.

In a normal season here at OHL Writers, we look only at the players eligible for the NHL Entry Draft for the first time, but because of the number of players eligible for 2022 we have decided to include first time eligible players and players entering the draft for the second time which is why you will see some players born after September 15, 2002 throughout the season talked about here.

Also, a little different this season will be our Draft Eligible Player of the Month. Normally, we pick the player who had the best month but again, because of the volume of players available for the draft for this season we are breaking it down by position.

Our draft eligible player of the month for October up front is Tucker Robertson of the Peterborough Petes. To say Robertson had a fantastic month would be an understatement. In 9 games he notched 6 goals and 10 assists to lead all draft eligible players in scoring with 16 points. He was also 140 for 238 on the faceoff dot for a 58.8 winning percentage.

Robertson was kept off the scoresheet just twice in October while also compiling 4 multi point games and two games with 3 assists.

Also considered was North Bay Battalion’s Kyle Jackson who scored 3 goals to go along with 10 helpers in 11 games.

On defence, our choice is Ty Nelson of the North Bay Battalion. Nelson had 2 goals and 8 assists in 11 games and leads all draft eligible defensemen in scoring with 10 points and is fourth among all OHL defensemen in scoring. Nelson was held off the scoresheet just 4 times and had 4 multi-point games. He also finished with a very impressive plus-7.

Also considered was Hamilton Bulldogs defenseman Gavin White. He notched 7 helpers through 10 games and was a steadying influence at both ends of the ice. It took some time for White to find his stride, but he finished the month off with 6 helpers in Hamilton’s final 6 games of the month.

In the net Brett Brochu of the London Knights gets the nod. He’s played in every game and has a perfect 8-0-0 record. He also boasts the leagues best save-percentage if .935 and best goals-against-average of 2.07 (goalies with more than two starts).

Also considered was Oshawa Generals netminder Patrick Leaver, If it wasn’t for Brochu’s outstanding numbers, Leaver would have been the obvious choice with his .925 save-percentage and 2.49 goals-against-average.

HOCKEY CANADA RECOGNIZES 13 OHL PLAYERS INVITED TO 2021 NATIONAL SUMMER UNDER-18 TEAM DEVELOPMENT CAMP

Posted on July 9, 2021July 9, 2021 by Dominic Tiano

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has recognized 13 Ontario Hockey League players as part of a group of 45 players invited to attend Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team Development Camp at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on the Tsuut’ina Nation near Calgary from July 25th to Aug 4th. Sarnia Sting head coach Alan Letang, Ottawa 67’s goaltending coach Charles McTavish and Kingston Frontenacs equipment manager Chris Cook have also been recognized, along with Owen Sound Attack therapist Andy Brown, North Bay Battalion therapist Andrew Sachkiw and Guelph Storm mental performance consultant Dr. Ashwin Patel.

One OHL goaltender, four defencemen and eight forwards were recognized as invitees to the 11-day camp. Players will be split into two teams, Red and White, and participate in practices and intrasquad games, including combined practices and intrasquad games with Canada’s National Junior Team on Aug. 2nd and 3rd.

“This stage of our Summer Showcase is about bringing together the top under-18 players in Canada to work and learn from an elite-level coaching staff, giving them the necessary skills for their hockey development to grow and succeed,” said Alan Millar, director of player personnel for Hockey Canada. “We have an opportunity to connect with the players through on- and off-ice sessions to give them the tools that will only enhance their skill set as they advance through our program and prepare for the upcoming season.”

Letang, who was appointed head coach of the Sting late last month after serving behind the Attack bench, will return to Canada’s coaching staff. Letang won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship and, as a player, helped Canada’s National Men’s Team to a 1998 Spengler Cup championship and won a bronze medal at the 2006 Deutschland Cup.

The camp is typically a stepping stone in evaluating and selecting Canada’s roster for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but Canada will not participate this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The focus will now turn to the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship next spring, where Canada will look to defend their gold medal after claiming the top prize at this year’s tournament in Texas.

OHL Players Invited to Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team Development Camp

Goaltenders:
Domenic DiVincentiis (North Bay Battalion)

Defencemen:
Jorian Donovan (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Donovan McCoy (Sudbury Wolves)
Ty Nelson (North Bay Battalion)
Spencer Sova (Erie Otters)

Forwards:
Sam Alfano (Peterborough Petes)
Pano Fimis (Niagara IceDogs)
David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves)
Cedrick Guindon (Owen Sound Attack)
Hunter Haight (Barrie Colts)
Paul Ludwinski (Kingston Frontenacs)
Bryce McConnell-Barker (Soo Greyhounds)
Matthew Poitras (Guelph Storm)

Coaches:
Assistant Coach – Alan Letang (Sarnia Sting)
Goaltending Coach – Charles McTavish (Ottawa 67’s)
Equipment Manager – Chris Cook (Kingston Frontenacs)
Therapist – Andy Brown (Owen Sound Attack)
Therapist – Andrew Sachkiw (North Bay Battalion)
Mental Performance Consultant – Dr. Ashwin Patel (Guelph Storm)

FIRST OVERALL PICK TY NELSON RECOGNIZED AS JACK FERGUSON AWARD RECIPIENT

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Dominic Tiano

Nelson, Ty

Toronto, Ont. – With 2020 OHL Awards announcements getting underway today, the OHL is pleased to recognize North Bay Battalion first overall OHL Priority Selection choice Ty Nelson as this year’s Jack Ferguson Award recipient.

WATCH: Ty Nelson Jack Ferguson Award Video

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.

“It is an absolute honour to win such a prestigious award,” Nelson said of his name being engraved on the hardware. “I want to start by thanking my parents Rick and Tracy along with my sister Peyton. Without their sacrifice and dedication this truly wouldn’t be possible. Thank you to Mr. Abbott and his family and the whole North Bay organization. I would also like to thank my past teachers and coaches who have helped me out along the way.

“To have my named mentioned with elite players such as Jason Spezza, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid and Jakob Chychrun is very special,” he added. “I’m super excited to be a part of the North Bay community and franchise.”

Selected first overall by the North Bay Battalion in last month’s 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Nelson led the GTHL champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens from the blue line, pacing all defenders with 32 points (11-21–32) per 33 games before leading the way in playoff scoring amongst GTHL rearguards with 12 points (1-11–12) over 11 outings. The 16-year-old Toronto native was a member of Canada’s bronze medal-winning team that competed at the 2020 Youth Olympic Winter Games in Lausanne, Switzerland this past January. A swift-skating, puck-moving defenceman that stands 5-foot-8 and 174Ibs., Nelson was born March 30, 2004, making him eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft.

“The North Bay Battalion are looking forward to having Ty Nelson join our young, talented group of players,” said Battalion general manager Adam Dennis. “We feel that he is ready to make an impact immediately with his fast paced style and high-end character. Ty is very deserving of the Jack Ferguson Award and joins an impressive list of past winners. We would like to congratulate Ty and his family on receiving this prestigious award.”

Nelson becomes the second member of the Battalion franchise to receive the award following defenceman Jay Harrison, who was the Brampton Battalion’s first-ever draft pick back in 1998. He’s the first defenceman selected first overall since another Jr. Canadiens rearguard in Ryan Merkley was selected first by the Guelph Storm in 2016. Prior to that, Jr. Canadiens blue line standout Jakob Chychrun was selected first overall by the Sarnia Sting in 2014.

Former winners of the Jack Ferguson Award include:
2019 Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs
2018 Quinton Byfield, Sudbury Wolves
2017 Ryan Suzuki, Barrie Colts
2016 Ryan Merkley, Guelph Storm
2015 David Levin, Sudbury Wolves
2014 Jakob Chychrun, Sarnia Sting
2013 Travis Konecny, Ottawa 67’s
2012 Connor McDavid, Erie Otters
2011 Aaron Ekblad, Barrie Colts
2010 Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia Sting
2009 Daniel Catenacci, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
2008 John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves
2007 Ryan O’Reilly, Erie Otters
2006 Steven Stamkos, Sarnia Sting
2005 John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
2004 John Hughes, Belleville Bulls
2003 Patrick McNeill, Saginaw Spirit
2002 Robbie Schremp, Mississauga IceDogs
2001 Patrick O’Sullivan,Mississauga IceDogs
2000 Patrick Jarrett, Mississauga IceDogs
1999 Jason Spezza, Mississauga IceDogs
1998 Jay Harrison, Brampton Battalion
1997 Charlie Stephens, Toronto St. Michael’s Majors
1996 Rico Fata, London Knights
1995 Daniel Tkaczuk, Barrie Colts
1994 Jeff Brown, Sarnia Sting
1993 Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67’s
1992 Jeff O’Neill, Guelph Storm
1991 Todd Harvey, Detroit Ambassadors
1990 Pat Peake, Detroit Ambassadors
1989 Eric Lindros, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1988 Drake Berehowsky, Kingston Raiders
1987 John Uniac, Sudbury Wolves
1986 Troy Mallette, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1985 Bryan Fogarty, Kingston Canadians
1984 Dave Moylan, Sudbury Wolves
1983 Trevor Stienburg, Guelph Platers
1982 Kirk Muller, Guelph Platers
1981 Dan Quinn, Belleville Bulls

2020 OHL Awards announcements continue on Wednesday when the League reveals its Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy recipient as Overage Player of the Year.

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

BATTALION ANNOUNCES TY NELSON AS FIRST OVERALL PICK IN 2020 OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

Ty Nelson

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League in association with the North Bay Battalion Hockey Club today announced that 16-year-old defenceman Ty Nelson of the GTHL champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens will be the first overall pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore.

The announcement was made over an online news conference hosted by the Battalion Friday afternoon.

“It’s an honour to receive the Jack Ferguson Award as the first overall pick of the OHL Priority Selection,” said Nelson. “I want to thank my mother, father and sister for all of their dedication, love and hard work they’ve put into helping me get here. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family. I also want to say thank you to all of the coaches, teachers and trainers that I’ve had over the years as they’ve shaped the player that I am today. Lastly I want to thank Mr. Abbott, Mr. Dennis, Coach Oulahen and Coach Winstanley. It’s an honour to be drafted by an outstanding organization like North Bay. To the Battalion fans, I can’t wait to get started.”

Nelson is the first of 15 selections currently held by the Battalion ahead of Saturday’s proceedings and joins a developing young club that features 2019 first round selection Liam Arnsby along with 17-year-old twin brothers Alex and Paul Christopoulos in front of 6-foot-6 netminder Joe Vrbetic.

“Those close to our team have seen the growth in the second half of the season and the promise in our young group,” said Battalion general manager Adam Dennis. “It’s imperative that we add to this momentum, and we feel that in Ty we’re adding a player and a person that can do that. Getting to know Ty and his family, we know that we’re bringing a top class person into our dressing room and somebody that can really add to what we’re building here.”

Nelson led all GTHL defencemen in regular season scoring with 32 points (11-21–32) over 33 games before pacing all rearguards offensively throughout the GTHL Playoffs, putting up 12 points (1-11–12) over 11 contests as the Toronto Jr. Canadiens were crowned league champions. The Toronto native was a member of Canada’s bronze medal-winning team that competed at the 2020 Youth Olympic Winter Games in Lausanne, Switzerland this past January. A swift-skating, puck-moving defenceman that stands 5-foot-8 and 174Ibs., Nelson was born March 30, 2004, making him eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft.

Nelson is the 2020 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. Nelson is the second member of the Battalion franchise to receive the award following defenceman Jay Harrison, who was the Brampton Battalion’s first-ever draft pick back in 1998. He’s the first defenceman selected first overall since another Jr. Canadiens rearguard in Ryan Merkley was selected first by the Guelph Storm in 2016. Prior to that, Jr. Canadiens blue line standout Jakob Chychrun was selected first overall by the Sarnia Sting in 2014.

“Ty was one of the leaders on his team this year and a big force behind their GTHL championship,” said OHL Director of Central Scouting Darrell Woodley. “He never stops competing and is a bulldog on the ice. He also finishes all his checks which makes him very hard to play against. He is an offensive threat whenever he is on the ice, especially with the puck on his stick, and averaged over a point-per-game this season. He possesses a very good and accurate shot from the point and also finds lanes well to get the puck on net in order to either create rebounds or score. There isn’t much he doesn’t do well and he will be a very impactful player at the next level.”

Nelson will be officially announced as the first overall pick of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection when things get underway on Saturday, April 4 at 9:00am. The first three rounds of the Priority Selection will be streamed live on the OHL’s YouTube channel beginning at 8:45am. Live results and full Priority Selection coverage can be found at ontariohockeyleague.com.

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
2017 Ryan Suzuki, Barrie Colts
2018 Quinton Byfield, Sudbury Wolves
2019 Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs

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