OHL 2026-27: Faces in different places
With the defending Memorial Cup champion Kitchener Rangers hailing from the OHL, there’s no doubt an extra layer of motivation for clubs to make upgrades to keep the trophy in the league.
That has been led by 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota hosts Guelph who have made a plethora of moves to bolster their side ahead of next May.
But – as you will see below – they aren’t alone:
Ryan Roobroeck / Ethan Czata (Niagara → Guelph)
The additions of both Ryan Roobroeck (CHI) and Ethan Czata (TB) will pay immediate dividends for Corey Stillman’s roster.
Roobroeck’s three years in Niagara saw him amass 196 points – the eighth most in franchise history – while he found the back of the net 99 times. A gold medallist with Canada at the 2025 U18 World Championships, Roobroeck hit the 30-goal mark for the second straight time a year ago before he became the 35th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft by Chicago.
For Czata, his reliability as a two-way centre can’t be ignored but he brings plenty of offence to the foray too. He had a career best 25 goals last season while he recorded back-to-back 50-plus point seasons with the IceDogs. The 56th overall pick by Tampa Bay in the 2025 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old has dominated at the international level where he has won gold with Canada at the 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge, 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2025 U18 World Championships.
The Storm also picked up Owen Griffin (CBJ) from Oshawa who is fresh off of a career-best 2025-26 campaign with 25 goals and 67 points and who led the OHL Playoffs in goals in 2025 with 16.
Alongside existing Storm stars like Jaakko Wycisk and Tyler Hopkins (TOR) – and the addition of Timothy Kazda in the CHL Import Draft – the Storm will have no shortage of offensive threats this year.
Making an impact 🌪️
Ethan Czata wasted no time making his mark, scoring twice in his first @Storm_City preseason game!#GoBolts | @FloHockey pic.twitter.com/ceqWAUDwJh
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) September 3, 2026
Ryerson Leenders (Brantford → Owen Sound)
Over the past three seasons, not many OHL goaltenders have been better than Ryerson Leenders (BUF). During that span, he has won 82 games during stints in Mississauga and Brantford.
Last season for the Bulldogs, Leenders’ 27 wins were tied fifth most in the OHL while his 2.69 GAA placed ninth.
Now, the 20-year-old will play his final season in Owen Sound where he will hope to backstop the Attack past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2018. He also has the opportunity to become just the ninth goaltender in OHL history to win 100 games if he can be victorious on 18 occasions.
Adam Goljer (Trencin Dukla → Kingston)
An exciting defensive product will enter the OHL for the first time this season in Adam Goljer (LA) when he hits the ice in Kingston.
The 117th selection in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, Fronts’ general manager Kory Cooper has managed to sign the newest LA Kings prospect after he was the 49th overall pick at the 2026 NHL Draft
The Slovak native will bring pro experience to the backend having played 51 games – 43 of which came last season – with Trencin Dukla.
Marcus Nordmark (Djurgardens IF → London)
One of Sweden’s finest talents will take on the OHL this season as Marcus Nordmark (ANA) joins the London Knights.
Last season, Nordmark played eight games in the SHL – Sweden’s top pro league – but dominated in their junior league as he led Djurgardens to a title after he had 38 points in 25 regular season games and then 23 in just 11 postseason contests. At the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he led the tournament in goals (7) and points (12) as Sweden won silver.
The 28th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks, Nordmark will join a Knights offence that already features Jaxon Cover (OTT) and Ryan Brown (DAL) as well as Finnish newcomer Luca Santala.
For a full list of offseason OHL transactions, click here
