OHL Writers Draft Eligible Player of the Month for January

Draft Eligible Forward of the Month – Colby Barlow – Owen Sound Attack

There is no debating this choice. Barlow went on a tear in the month of January and scored 14 goals and 6 assists in just 12 games to take the honors here and now leads the draft class in goals and points. Actually, he leads the league in goals. You’ll also find him among the leaders in assists and plus/minus.

Barlow had just one game where he didn’t register a goal or a point and that came on January 20 on the road against the London Knights. He had three multi-goal games and 7 multi-point games. For his efforts, the OHL named him Player of the Month for January.

Also considered was Zander Veccia of the Mississauga Steelheads. Veccia appeared in 11 games in January, scoring 7 goals and adding 9 assists. Just how productive was Veccia? Over half his production of 13 goals and 15 assists on the season came in January.

Draft Eligible Defenceman of the Month – Rodwin Dionicio – Windsor Spitfires

If anyone benefited from a trade near trade deadline, it’s Dionicio. He appeared in 11 games for the Spitfires in January and scored twice and assisted on 11 to lead all draft eligible blueliners. He had 4 goals and 3 assists in 17 games prior to the deal. He had two games with 3 helpers. One coming against the Saginaw Spirit on January 12 and the other against the London Knights on January 15.

Also considered was Beau Akey of the Barrie Colts. He appeared in 11 games during the month and scored once and assisted on 9 others. He has 7 goals and 29 assists on the season to lead draft eligible defencemen.

Draft Eligible Goaltender of the Month – Jacob Oster – Oshawa Generals

It was quite the month for Oster after a trade from the Guelph Storm. He appeared in 4 games, going 3-1-0 with a hefty .965 save-percentage and back-to-back shutouts where he stopped 19 of 19 shots he faced against the Kingston Frontenacs and then stopping all 30 he faced against the North Bay Battalion two nights later. Even in his only loss he stopped 35 of 38 shots. He was named Goaltender of the Month by the OHL for the week of January 23-29.

Also considered was Zach Bowen of the London Knights who went 3-0-0 and stopped 80 of 84 shots with one shutout and a save-percentage of .952.

Our previous choices were:

Forwards

Colby Barlow – Owen Sound Attack – January

Quentin Musty – Sudbury Wolves – December

Quentin Musty – Sudbury Wolves – November

Ryan Abraham – Windsor Spitfires – October

Defencemen

Rodwin Dionicio – Windsor Spitfires – January

Beau Akey – Sudbury Wolves – December

Brody Crane – London Knights – November

Hunter Brzustewicz – Kitchener Rangers – October

Goaltenders

Jacob Oster – Oshawa Generals – January

Joey Costanzo – Windsor Spitfires – December

Andrew Oke – Saginaw Spirit – November

Collin MacKenzie – Ottawa 67’s – October

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HARDIE AND VACCARI NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, January 22, 2023.



Steelheads’ James Hardie Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

James Hardie of the Mississauga Steelheads is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording two goals, eight assists and 10 points in four games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-4.

Helping guide the Steelheads to a 3-1 showing last week, Hardie got things started with Mississauga’s lone goal in a 2-1 road loss to the Erie Otters on Monday. The Steelheads bounced back on Thursday with a 6-2 win over the Niagara IceDogs as Hardie put together the first of two consecutive four-assist outings. He registered another four assists on Friday, helping linemate Zander Veccia score his first OHL hat trick as the Steelheads defeated the Central Division-leading North Bay Battalion 5-4. Hardie contributed another goal on Sunday as the Steelheads closed out the weekend with a 5-4 win over the IceDogs on home ice. Currently riding a 10-game point streak, seven of Hardie’s eight assists last week were primary helpers.

A 21-year-old native of Innisfil, Ont., Hardie currently sits eighth in OHL points with 57 (28-29–57) through 41 games this season. His 181 shots on goal are the fourth-highest total in the League. Mississauga’s fist round (8th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection is the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer (118) and point producer (219) in his 230 career regular season contests. Hardie attended rookie camp with the Boston Bruins last September.

Also given consideration for the award this week were Steelheads teammate Zander Veccia who recorded five goals, four assists and nine points in four games. Edmonton Oilers prospect Matvey Petrov of the North Bay Battalion was also a standout, recording five goals and two assists over three outings.

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



Frontenacs’ Mason Vaccari Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Mason Vaccari of the Kingston Frontenacs is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-0 with a 1.64 goals-against average and .951 save percentage.

Vaccari backstopped the Frontenacs to back-to-back road wins, starting with a 45-save effort on Monday in Peterborough to earn third star recognition as the Frontenacs defeated the Petes 2-1. The rookie netminder was excellent again on Saturday, making 25 saves in a 6-2 victory over the Niagara IceDogs. Vaccari saw relief duty on Sunday afternoon in Guelph, stopping eight of nine shots as the Frontenacs fell 6-2 to the Storm.

An 18-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., Vaccari owns a 9-6-0-0 record with a 3.22 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in his first 16 games with the Frontenacs this season. The 5-foot-9, 178Ib. netminder spent last season with the OJHL’s Cobourg Cougars, going 9-7-0 with a 3.85 goals-against average and .878 save percentage in 16 games. Vaccari was Kingston’s fourth round (61st overall) pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection from the Vaughan Kings U16 program.

Kitchener Rangers netminder Marco Costantini was also given consideration for the award, recording two wins, a 2.00 goals-against average and .944 save percentage in victories over Ottawa and London last week.

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


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