Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images
We knew after a rookie OHL season in which he scored 21 goals and 16 assists in 50 games as a defenceman, Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit would do something special this season. And that is exactly what we are seeing.
Whether you believe Parekh will be the first blueliner selected in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft or whether that honor belongs to Sam Dickinson of the London Knights, it doesn’t matter. One NHL team is going to get an extremely gifted offensive defenceman.
His ability to create offence begins with his elite level hockey IQ. Add in high level mobility – although more speed would be welcomed, and you have a player that is hard to contain. Combine that with elite playmaking skills and you can see why he racks up assists. He also possesses an excellent shot from the point that he can get through with a purpose that generally create second chance opportunities.
But is Parekh one-dimensional? That seems to be the one knock on him in the scouting world but could it be the all-out, go for it system employed by the Spirit? That surely has something to do with it and it all flows through Parekh.
But I see a player who has improved in his own zone with a strong active stick and situational awareness. He could stand to be a little more physical but all in all, he is trending in the right direction.
There may be some safer picks out there. Some of the things we hear now about Parekh are things we’ve heard in the past with former OHL’ers Pavel Mintyukov, Ryan Merkley and Ryan Murphy. We know how they made out.
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,AnthonyRomani 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.
TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce today the January edition of the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM for the 2023-24 regular season.
With 29 points through 12 games in January, no skater in the CHL tallied more points than 16-year-old Gavin McKenna of Medicine Hat Tigers. Over the last month, McKenna averaged 2.42 points per game, which ranked second in the CHL behind only Moose Jaw’s Jagger Firkus (2.78). Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, McKenna registered eight multi-point outings during the last month, including six contests with three points or more. The latter included a career-high six-point effort (1G-5A) against the Tri-City Americans on January 6 at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat. Additionally, throughout January, the six-foot, 165-pound left winger recorded 19 assists, which was the most of any player in the CHL. Ultimately, the product from Whitehorse, Y.T., was held off the scoresheet twice over his last 12 games. McKenna now ranks second in the CHL rookie scoring race this season with 63 points, trailing only Prince George’s Terik Parascak (69 points). McKenna also sits second on his team in scoring with 21 goals and 42 assists in 41 games this season. Drafted first overall by the Tigers during the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, McKenna’s 42 assists and 1.54 points per game during the 2023-24 campaign both rank first among any rookie in the CHL.
Following a strong January, Colorado Avalanche prospect Calum Ritchie of the Oshawa Generals now leads his team in scoring with 51 points (17G-34A) despite having played in 29 games this season. Specifically, in 13 games during the last month, Ritchie recorded nine goals and 17 assists to lead all OHL scorers. His 26 points in January trailed only Medicine Hat’s Gavin McKenna for the scoring lead in the Canadian Hockey League. Over those 13 games in January, the 19-year-old from Oakville, Ont., tallied points in 12 contests. The latter included six outings with two or more points, including a pair of five-point efforts against the Flint Firebirds on January 6 (0G-5A) and the Peterborough Petes on January 19 (2G-3A). Both of those five-point outings represented a career-high for the Oshawa Generals’ centreman. His plus/minus rating of +19 was also the highest of any skater in the CHL for the month of January. With 17 goals and 34 assists through 29 games during the 2023-24 campaign, Ritchie is averaging 1.76 points per game, which stands as the third-highest mark among skaters in the OHL. A first-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche last summer, Ritchie has tallied 51 points since November 12, which ranks first and second in the OHL and CHL respectively over that period.
Averaging a CHL-best 2.78 points per game during January, Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus of the Moose Jaw Warriors was one of the top forwards in the CHL over the last month. In all nine of his games in January, Firkus found the scoresheet, which included registering two or more points on seven occasions. The 19-year-old from Irma, Alta., got his month off to a great start by matching a career-high with five points (1G-4A) against the Prince Albert Raiders on January 5 in Moose Jaw. Firkus’ month was also highlighted by his fourth hat trick of the season, a feat he accomplished on the road against the Swift Current Broncos on January 19. Ultimately, by tallying points in all nine of his games last month, Firkus comes into February on a 19-game point streak (15G-26A over that stretch), which stands as the longest active point streak in the CHL. His current 19-game point streak also ranks as the third-longest streak of the 2023-24 campaign behind only Kelowna’s Andrew Cristall (23 games from Nov. 3 to Jan. 19) and his Moose Jaw teammate Denton Mateychuk (23 games from Oct. 10 to Dec. 8). Firkus’ recent stretch of scoring has also helped catapult him to the top of the CHL scoring race with 84 points on the season. Meanwhile, his 37 goals over this latest campaign place him in a tie for third in the CHL alongside fellow Seattle Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf of the Kitchener Rangers and Anaheim Ducks prospect Egor Sidorov of the Saskatoon Blades.
Having tallied 10 goals and 11 assists, all while helping his team to a 9-0-0-2 during January, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk of the No.4-ranked London Knights put together an impressive month. Alongside Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh, Bonk led all defencemen in the CHL with 21 points. At the same time, his 2.10 points per game average and 10 goals were the most by any blueliner in the CHL in January. Over his last 10 games, the 19-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., was held off the scoresheet on just one occasion, registering five multi-point games. The latter included establishing a new single-game career-high when he collected five points (2G-3A) against the Sting in Sarnia on January 10. The 2023 Philadelphia Flyers’ first-round pick registered three games with two goals while tallying six power-play goals and being credited with three game-winning markers last month. Now holding 12 power-play goals on the season, Bonk sits tied with the Soo Greyhounds’ Arttu Karki for first among CHL rearguards in that category. The Knights’ defenceman has also set a new single-season career-high with 51 points during the 2023-24 campaign, a point total that currently ranks fifth among blueliners in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Since December 2, having collected 27 points (11G-16A) over his last 13 games, Bonk is averaging 2.08 points per game, the highest mark of any defenceman in the CHL over that stretch.
Having been named to the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM back in November, 2024 NHL Draft prospect Zayne Parekh of the No.3-ranked Saginaw Spirit becomes the first defenceman to be awarded this honour for a second time during the 2023-24 season. Alongside London’s Oliver Bonk, Parekh led all CHL defencemen with 21 points in January. Over the last month, the 17-year-old from Nobleton, Ont., was held off the scoresheet just twice. In his last 11 contests, Parekh has registered six multi-point games, including a single-game career-high of five points (3G-2A) against the Spitfires in Windsor on January 10. The latter also represented the second time this season that the projected 2024 NHL first-round pick scored a hat trick. Over his last 26 games, dating back to November 18, Parekh has only failed to register a point on four occasions. He’s tallied 16 goals (two more than his next closest competitor, London’s Oliver Bonk) and 44 points (10 more than his next closest competitor, Kitchener’s Hunter Brzustewicz) which both rank as the most by a CHL blueliner over that stretch of games since November 18. Thanks to his strong play over these last couple of months, Parekh is up to 22 goals and 66 points on the season. His 22 goals currently stand as the most by any defenceman in the CHL, while his 66 points rank second in the Canadian Hockey League behind only Kitchener’s Hunter Brzustewicz (69 points). In January, Parekh was ranked as the No. 10 skater in North America by NHL Central Scouting in their Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.
With a CHL-best eight wins over January, 2024 NHL Draft prospect Chase Wutzke of the Red Deer Rebels is making his first-ever appearance in the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM. Over his nine starts last month, the 17-year-old from Debden, Sask., posted a 1.98 goals-against average (GAA) and a .929 save percentage (SV%), which both ranked first among goalies in the WHL (minimum 100 minutes played in January). Wutzke only allowed one goal during five different games last month. He also registered a pair of performances with 30-plus saves in January, one of which was a 31-save effort against the No.1-ranked Saskatoon Blades on January 17, which ultimately helped the Rebels snap the Blades’ 18-game point streak. Going back to December 6, Wutzke has won 12 of his last 14 starts, having also collected a point in all 14 of those games (12-0-1-1). Moreover, since December 6, the rookie netminder owns a 1.88 GAA and a .934 SV%, which both rank first in the CHL among goalies who have played a minimum of 300 minutes during that stretch of time. Ultimately, those strong performances over December and January have helped Wutzke as he now ranks fourth in GAA (2.24) and fifth in SV% (.922) in the Canadian Hockey League this season. In January, Wutzke was also identified as the No. 13-ranked goalie in North America in the NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.
A new month is upon us and it’s time we look at our draft eligible players of the month at forward, defence and in the crease. January was not an easy month to make our selections because there were a few deserving players at each position, especially among goaltenders where it was a banner month for the draft eligible goaltenders. The is the best goalie class to come from the OHL in quite some time, so enjoy it while you can.
Forward of the Month: Marek Vanacker – Brantford Bulldogs
Vanacker appeared in 11 games for the Bulldogs in January scoring 11 goals and adding 7 assists that included 2 game winning goals. He had three multi goal games and was held off the scoresheet just once in the Bulldogs first game of January. He leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 26 goals and 52 points in 45 games.
Also considered were a pair of North Bay Battalion. Anthony Romani had 11 goals and 7 assists in 11 games that included three multi point games. He was held off the scoresheet in two games. Dalyn Wakely had 7 goals and 12 assists in those 11 games. He was held pointless just once in January.
Defenceman of the Month: Zayne Parekh – Saginaw Spirit
There wasn’t much debate here or even Discussion: Parehk takes it by a landslide. In just 11 games (there was a 2-game suspension in there as well, Parekh scored 9 goals and assisted on 12. He also finished with a plus-12. Six of his 9 games were multi point games with 5, 4, 3, 2,2 and 2 points in those games. He was held pointless in just two games, once at the beginning of the month and once at the end.
There was no one else that really garnered consideration from us.
Goaltender of the Month: Jacob Oster – Oshawa Generals
We literally could have flipped a coin here but eventually settles on Oster. He appeared in 11 of the 13 Generals games in January and posted a 7-3-1-0 record while stopping 290 of the 312 shots faced for a .929 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average. He currently sits second in the OHL with a .905 save percentage and also second with 2.86 goals against average.
Also considered were: Ryerson Leenders of the Mississauga Steelheads who posted a 4-5-1-0 record with a .922 save percentage and 2.50 goals against average. Rookie Landon Miller of the Soo Greyhounds had a 4-1-0-0 record with a .925 save percentage, 1.60 goals against average and 1 shutout.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Month for games played in January 2024.
Player of the Month – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)
Colorado Avalanche prospect Calum Ritchie of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Player of the Month, leading the league with 26 points including nine goals and 17 assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-19 over 13 games. Ritchie’s month of January featured five different performances with at least three points, including two five-point showings that came on Jan. 6th at Flint and Jan. 19th vs. Peterborough. He helped the Generals climb the Eastern Conference standings with a January record of 8-3-1-1, earning three star recognition six different times throughout the course of the month.
A recently-turned 19-year-old from Oakville, Ont., Ritchie leads the Generals in regular season scoring despite having played in just 28 games. His 1.68 points-per-game resulting from 16 goals and 31 assists are the fourth-highest rate in the OHL this season while he’s also registered a plus/minus rating of plus-28. A 6-foot-2, 179Ib. centreman, Ritchie is in his third season with the Generals, having recorded 59 goals, 92 assists and 151 points over 152 career regular season games since being selected by Oshawa with the second overall pick of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. Ritchie was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche with their first round (27th overall) pick last summer. A former OHL first all-rookie team member in 2021-22, Ritchie won a gold medal with Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, leading the tournament in scoring before capturing bronze at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship.
Also considered for the award this month, London Knights forward Easton Cowan finished January with 21 points (8-13–21) over 10 games.
Defenceman of the Month – Oliver Bonk (London Knights)
Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk of the London Knights is the OHL Defenceman of the Month, recording 21 points including 10 goals and 11 assists along with a plus/minus rating of plus-14 over 10 games. Bonk helped the Knights play to a January mark of 9-0-0-2 as they climbed into first place in the OHL standings, recording points in nine of his 10 outings. He recorded three different two-goal outings along with five multi-point contests to begin the 2024 calendar year, headlined by five points (2-3–5) in a 9-2 road win over the Sarnia Sting on Jan. 10th. Three of Bonk’s January goals were game-winners while six of his 10 tallies came on the man advantage.
A newly-turned 19-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., Bonk sits third among OHL defencemen with 51 points (16-35–51) over 38 games while his 12 power play markers are tied for the league-lead among rearguards. The 6-foot-2, 179Ib. defender has played parts of three seasons in London, recording 26 goals, 68 assists and 94 points over 115 regular season games. He helped the Knights reach the OHL Championship Series last spring, recording 11 assists during their 21-game playoff run. Bonk was voted to the OHL’s second all-rookie team in 2022-23 before being selected by Philadelphia with their first round (22nd overall) pick last summer. Bonk won gold with Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and represented Canada at this past month’s 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden. The Knights selected Bonk in the second round (26th overall) of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.
Also considered for the award this month, Saginaw Spirit defender Zayne Parekh registered 21 points (9-12–21) over 11 games.
Goaltender of the Month – Michael Simpson (London Knights)
London Knights netminder Michael Simpson is the OHL Goaltender of the Month, playing to a record of 5-0-0-1 with a 1.32 goals-against average, .950 save percentage and one shutout over six outings. Simpson carried a five-game winning streak into the month of January, stretching that to 10 games while still remaining undefeated in regulation since Dec. 10th to close-out the month. He backstopped the Knights to his second shutout of the season on Jan. 14th vs. Owen Sound.
A 20-year-old London native, Simpson leads the OHL in both goals-against average (2.54) and wins (23) while also posting a .909 save percentage and two shutouts over 33 games. Now in his third OHL season, last year’s OHL Playoff MVP has played to a career mark of 67-47-5-4 with a 2.96 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and eight shutouts over 129 regular season games between London and Peterborough. The 6-foot-1, 198Ib. goaltender was originally Peterborough’s 10th round (193rd overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. Simpson, who was voted to the OHL’s third all-star team last season, attended training camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
Also considered for the award this month, Jacob Oster of the Oshawa Generals played to a record of 7-3-0-1 in January, posting a 2.00 goals-against average and .929 save percentage with one shutout over 11 outings.
Rookie of the Month – Riley Patterson (Barrie Colts)
Barrie Colts forward Riley Patterson is the OHL Rookie of the Month, leading all first-year talents with 15 points including five goals and 10 assists over 12 games. Patterson put together a trio of multi-point performances, helping the Colts score wins over the Soo Greyhounds and Niagara IceDogs with three-point efforts on Jan. 6th and Jan. 20th. He closed out January with a career-high four points, scoring twice while adding two assist in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Owen Sound Attack on Jan. 31st.
A 17-year-old from Burlington, Ont., Patterson currently leads OHL rookies with 16 goals, adding 22 assists for 38 points over 44 games. The 6-foot, 194Ib. centreman joined the Colts last summer, coming over in a trade from the Flint Firebirds who selected him in the third round (57th overall) of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. A former OHL Cup champion with the Mississauga Senators U16 program, Patterson was the OJHL Rookie of the Year in 2022-23, recording 73 points (30-43–73) over 52 games with the North York Rangers Jr. A program. Patterson was the 116th ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Midseason NHL Draft Rankings released on Jan. 12th.
Also considered for the award this month, December Rookie of the Month award recipient Jake O’Brien of the Brantford Bulldogs put up 13 points (2-11–13) over 11 contests.
2023-24 OHL Performers of the Month:
Player of the Month: January – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals) December – Ruslan Gazizov (London Knights) November – Filip Mesar (Kitchener Rangers) October – Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers)
Defenceman of the Month: January – Oliver Bonk (London Knights) December – Nick DeAngelis (Sudbury Wolves) November – Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit) October – Hunter Brzustewicz (Kitchener Rangers)
Goaltender of the Month: January – Michael Simpson (London Knights) December – Marcus Vandenberg (Sudbury Wolves) November – Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers) October – Brayden Gillespie (Guelph Storm)
Rookie of the Month: January – Riley Patterson (Barrie Colts) 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.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, January 14, 2024.
Knights’ Oliver Bonk Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk of the London Knights is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, contributing five goals and six assists while registering a plus-6 rating in three victories.
Bonk recorded a career-high five-point night with two goals and three assists on Wednesday, being named the game’s second star as the Knights defeated the Sarnia Sting 9-2. He found the scoresheet again on Friday, registering a goal and an assist in the Knights’ 6-1 win over the Saginaw Spirit. Bonk closed out the weekend with a third consecutive multi-point contest, extending his current point streak to eight games with a pair of goals and assists as the Knights blanked the Owen Sound Attack 10-0. Bonk’s current eight-game run has included seven goals, 13 assists and 20 points.
A recently turned 19-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., Bonk ranks third among all OHL defencemen in points this season, recording 44 (12-32–44) through 33 outings as the Knights own a record of 29-11-0-1, good for third in the Western Conference. Selected in the second-round (26th overall) by London in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, the 6-foot-2, 179lb. blueliner has put up 22 goals, 65 assists and 87 points in 110 regular season contests. Bonk helped the Knights reach the OHL Championship Series last season, recording 11 assists in 21 playoff matchups. Selected in the first-round (22nd overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bonk recently represented Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship earlier this month. He signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract with Philadelphia on Aug. 21, 2023.
Also considered for the award this week, 2024 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit recorded nine points (5-4–9) in three games. Newly acquired Spirit teammate Owen Beck also had a standout week, as the Montreal Canadiens prospect registered nine points (3-6–9) in three games, including a single-game club record-tying six in his debut with the team.
2023-24 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season: Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Oliver Bonk (London Knights) Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Anthony Romani (North Bay Battalion) Dec. 28 – Dec. 31: Sam Dickinson (London Knights) Dec. 11 – Dec. 18: Ruslan Gazizov (London Knights) Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Nick Lardis (Brantford Bulldogs) Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Pano Fimis (Erie Otters) Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Matyas Sapovaliv (Saginaw Spirit) Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Donovan McCoy (Peterborough Petes) Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Denver Barkey (London Knights) Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Braeden Kressler (Flint Firebirds) Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Kirill Kudryavtsev (Soo Greyhounds) Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Anthony Romani (North Bay Battalion) Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers) Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Jordan D’Intino (Soo Greyhounds) Sep. 28 – Oct. 1: Jax Dubois (Peterborough Petes)
Knights’ Michael Simpson Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Michael Simpson of the London Knights is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, playing to a 2-0 record including a shutout, along with a 0.50 goals-against average and .983 save percentage.
Making a total of 58 saves last week, Simpson stopped 30 of the 31 shots that came his way on Friday night as the Knights defeated the Saginaw Spirit 6-1 at home. The 6-foot-1, 198lb. netminder closed out the weekend with a 28-save shutout to earn third star honours on Sunday, blanking the Owen Sound Attack in a lopsided 10-0 victory.
Playing to a 22-7-0-0 record, the 20-year-old from London, Ont. holds a league-low 2.58 goals-against average, along with a .908 save percentage in 31 games this season. The only goaltender to reach 20+ wins this season, the former 2023 OHL champion has appeared in 127 career regular season contests, recording a 2.98 goals-against average and .904 save percentage over three seasons, going 66-47-5-3 in the process. Selected in the 10th round (193rd overall) by the Peterborough Petes in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, the 2023 OHL Playoffs MVP attended development camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer.
Also considered for the award this week, Jacob Oster of the Oshawa Generals went 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .930 save percentage, while Kitchener Rangers netminder Tristan Malboeuf also went 2-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.
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.
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.
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, December 3, 2023.
Otters’ Pano Fimis Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
Pano Fimis of the Erie Otters is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording four goals, three assists, and seven points over three contests.
Fimis started the week with a goal on Wednesday as the Otters earned a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Kitchener Rangers. He found the scoresheet again on Saturday, recording a pair of goals along with an assist as the Otters fell to the Owen Sound Attack 7-4. Bouncing back on Sunday, the 5-foot-11, 183lb. centreman closed out the weekend with a penalty shot goal and two helpers as the Otters defeated the Attack 8-5 at the Bayshore. Currently leading the OHL with a 64.5% success rate in the faceoff circle, Fimis was 52.8% at the dot last week.
A 19-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., Fimis has recorded 10 goals, 19 assists, and 29 points over 26 games played so far this season. Originally selected second overall by the Niagara IceDogs in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Fimis has registered 120 points (40-80–120) over 135 regular season games between the IceDogs and Otters. Fimis attended rookie camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins this past September.
Also considered for the award this week, Seattle Kraken prospect David Goyette of the Sudbury Wolves scored three times and added five assists to help Sudbury earn three of a possible six points. Draft-eligible blueliner Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit was also productive, contributing a total of two goals and six helpers to a two-win weekend.
IceDogs’ Marcus Vandenberg Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Marcus Vandenberg of the Niagara IceDogs is the OHL Goaltender of the Week following a pair of wins where he posted a 1.96 goals-against average and .951 save percentage.
Vandenberg has appeared in 12 games for the IceDogs this season, playing to a 3-6-2-0 record while logging a 3.95 goals-against-average and .891 save percentage. The 5-foot-11, 172lb. Dorchester, Ont. native was originally selected in the ninth round (177th overall) by the Kitchener Rangers in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection from the Elgin-Middlesex U16 program. Defending the crease in his third OHL season, the 19-year-old has played to a career record of 12-18-4-0, posting a 3.79 goals-against-average and .890 save percentage.
Also considered for the award this week, Edmonton Oilers prospect Nathan Day of the Flint Firebirds went 2-0 with a 1.93 goals-against average, and .932 save percentage in wins over Peterborough and Ottawa.
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.
It was a wild and crazy month in the Ontario Hockey League and it’s not always easy to select the best performances among forwards, defencemen and goaltenders. Yet, here we are doing just that among the players eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Forward of the Month: Liam Greentree – Windsor Spitfires
There were a lot of options here but ultimately decided on Greentree because of what he is doing on the League’s last place club. Greentree posted 9 goals and 9 assists in just 10 games in November and is a bright spot on a season Spitfires’ fans would like to forget. He’s creating a lot of chances for himself and his teammates and he’s making them count. Greentree has 17 goals and 18 assists in 22 games on the season and leads the Spits in most offensive categories.
Also considered were: Anthony Romani of the North Bay Battalion who had 9 goals and 6 assists in 11 games; Kocha Delic of the Sudbury Wolves who had 6 goals and 10 assists in 11 games; Trent Swick of the Kitchener Rangers who notched 8 goals and 9 assists in 13 games and Simon Slavicek of the Flint Firebirds who scored 5 goals and 11 assists in 12 games.
Defenceman of the Month: Zayne Parekh – Saginaw Spirit
It was an easier decision on the blueline where Parekh put up 7 goals and 12 assists in 11 games. He was held off the scoresheet just twice and only 2 games were not multi point games. He had a hattrick on November 8 against Flint – the first of his OHL career.
Parekh finished with a minus in just one game in November, a 3-1 win over the Windsor Spitfires. It just happened to be one of the games he went pointless in as well. Parekh now has 9 goals and 22 assists in 23 games on the season.
Also considered was Ottawa 67’s defenceman Henry Mews who had 2 goals and 10 assists in 10 games. Returning after missing 3 games, Mews put up points in 7 of his 10 games with all but two of them being multi-point games. He now has 3 goals and 15 assists in 20 games on the season.
Goaltender of the Month: Jackson Parsons – Kitchener Rangers
Perhaps an even easier decision was selecting Parsons. Yes, he plays on a great Rangers squad but he is one of the reasons they are so good. He made 11 appearances in November and posted a 9-1-0-0 record. As good as Kitchener is as a team, Parsons still faced some rubber stopping 303 of 323 shots he faced for a .937 save-percentage, 2.05 goals-against-average and 2 shutouts.
Parsons faced 30 or more shots in 7 of his 10 complete games in November and is 7th among OHL goalies in shots faced on the season. Parsons is now 14-5-0-0 on the season with a 2.43 goals-against-average and .921 save-percentage. So, he is not just the beneficiary of playing on a good team.
We didn’t really consider anyone else as our nominee.
TORONTO, ON — The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce today the November edition of the CHL Team of the Month presented by CCM for the 2023-24 regular season.
Across the CHL, no skater tallied more points in the month of November than Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Jordan Dumais of the No.3-ranked Halifax Mooseheads. The 19-year-old from Île Bizard, Que., registered points in 11 of 12 games over the course of the month – collecting eight goals and 19 assists. Within those 12 contests, Dumais recorded nine multi-point games, including six with three or more points. Through the 17 games he’s played this season, Dumais has failed to register a point in only one contest. He’s also averaging an impressive 2.41 points per game over the 2023-24 campaign, which is the highest mark of anyone in the CHL. Dumais, who led the QMJHL in scoring in 2022-23, is the only player in the CHL to currently be averaging more than two points per game (min. five games played) this season. Dumais is now up to 41 points during the 2023-24 campaign, which ranks second in the QMJHL and places him among the top-10 scorers in the CHL.
Alongside his teammate Carson Rehkopf, Montreal Canadiens prospect Filip Mešár of the No.4-ranked Kitchener Rangers led all OHL skaters with 22 points over the month of November. Those 22 points also ranked tied for fourth among any player in the CHL. Ultimately, the 19-year-old from Spisska Bela, Slovakia, recorded at least a point in 10 of 13 games in November, including registering seven multi-point contests. One of those games saw Mešár score his first career OHL hat-trick on November 21 in a 10-3 Kitchener win against the Erie Otters. The 2022 first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens also tallied five power-play goals over the last month, which was one shy of the best mark in the OHL for November. Selected ninth overall in the 2021 CHL Import Draft, Mešár is now averaging 1.73 points per game during the 2023-24 campaign, which matches the highest mark of any player in the OHL this season.
Averaging 2.27 points per game in November, Gabe Klassen of the No. 5-ranked Portland Winterhawks was one of the CHL’s highest scoring players over the last month. Klassen’s 25 points trailed only Halifax’s Jordan Dumais (27 points) for the top spot in the CHL in November, while his 18 assists were second behind Saskatoon’s Trevor Wong (21) in the WHL. Klassen led all WHL skaters in scoring over the month of November and his plus/minus rating of +12 ranked third in the WHL over that stretch. The 20-year-old from Prince Albert, Sask., failed to register a point in only three games last month, tallying three points or more on six different occasions, including a five-point outing (2G-3A) against the Kamloops Blazers on November 8. Thanks to his strong month in November, Klassen now has 41 points on the season, which places him among the top-10 scorers in the CHL during the 2023-24 campaign.
2024 NHL Draft prospect Zayne Parekh of the No.8-ranked Saginaw Spirit had an spectacular month of November, tallying 19 points, which were the most of any blueliner in the Canadian Hockey League. His seven goals in November were also tied for the most of any defenceman in both the OHL and CHL. Over the last month, the 17-year-old from Nobleton, Ont., failed to register a point on only three occasions. Over his 12 games during the month of November, Parekh recorded seven multi-point games, including his first career OHL hat-trick on November 8 against the Spirit’s in-state rivals, the Flint Firebirds. Parekh’s excellent performance no doubt played a big role in helping Saginaw reach a franchise-record 10 straight wins along with a spot in the CHL Top-10 Rankings for the first time since the end of October. Parekh is now up to nine goals and 31 points during the 2023-24 campaign. His 31 points rank third among defencemen in the CHL, while his nine goals place him in a tie for fourth among that same group.
San Jose Sharks prospect Luca Cagnoni of the No.5-ranked Portland Winterhawks was a force on the backend throughout November. Trailing only Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh (19 points), Cagnoni’s 17 points in the last month were the second-most of any blueliner in the CHL. His 16 assists in November were ranked tied for first, alongside Kitchener’s Hunter Brzustewicz, for the most by a defenceman in the CHL. The 18-year-old from Burnaby, B.C., recorded at a point in eight of 11 games during the month of November. The latter included a five-point outing (1G-4A) against the Kamloops Blazers on November 8, which is the only five-point game by a defenceman in the CHL so far this season. The 2023 Sharks’ fourth-round pick is now up to 30 points on the year, which places him among the top-five scoring blueliners in the CHL during the 2023-24 campaign. His 27 assists on the year also rank third among defencemen in the Canadian Hockey League.
Having won nine of his 10 starts in November, Jackson Parsons of the No.4-ranked Kitchener Rangers has undoubtedly played an important part in his team’s success. Parsons’ nine wins were the most of any goalie in the CHL during the month of November, while his two shutouts also rank tied for first in the CHL over that stretch. In total, the 19-year-old from Embrun, Ont., made 310 saves in November, which trailed only Moose Jaw’s Jackson Unger (318) in the CHL. With six 30-plus save performances over the last month, Parsons’ 2.05 GAA and .937 SV% were both the third-best marks in the OHL for November. Parsons is now up to four shutouts on the season, which places him in a tie for first in the CHL with Prince George’s Joshua Ravensbergen. Meanwhile, his 14 wins are the most of any netminder in the OHL and he sits third in the CHL for that category. The Rangers’ netminder also holds a 2.43 GAA and a .921 SV% on the season, which rank first and second in the OHL respectively.
OHL Writers 