Mbuyi Named to Leadership Group for Team West at 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game presented by Enbridge Gas
TORONTO – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced the captains and alternate captains for the 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game presented by Enbridge Gas, set to take place on Wednesday, January 14 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Included in the Team West leadership group is 2005 OHL Rookie of the Year and Owen Sound Attack forward Pierce Mbuyi.
The annual showcase features the OHL’s top eligible talent for the 2026 NHL Draft, divided into Team East and Team West.
Leading the Eastern Conference on home ice will be Adam Novotny of the host Peterborough Petes. Novotny will wear the ‘C’ in front of the Peterborough crowd, looking to guide the Eastern Conference squad to a second-straight victory.
Novotny enters the game fresh off an impressive international performance, having just captured a silver medal with Czechia at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. The dynamic winger has been an offensive force for the Petes this season, recording 19 goals and 35 points through 29 games, solidifying his status as a top prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft.
Joining Novotny as Alternate Captains are:
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Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs): An A-rated prospect by NHL Central Scouting, Malhotra has established himself as one of the league’s premier playmakers, leading all OHL rookies in scoring with 50 points (18-32–50) in 37 games. The intelligent centreman recently represented the CHL at the CHL/USA Prospects Challenge and has drawn comparisons to NHL captains for his two-way maturity.
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Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara IceDogs): A commanding physical presence at 6-foot-4, Roobroeck is a pure goal-scorer who found the back of the net 41 times during his sophomore OHL campaign. He brings championship pedigree to the leadership group, having previously helped Canada to a gold medal at the U18 World Championship. Roobroeck has 46 points (21-25–46) through 38 games for Niagara this season.
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Brooks Rogowski (Oshawa Generals): Standing 6-foot-6, Rogowski is a daunting presence who has shown he can play both on the wing and down the middle in Oshawa. After guiding Detroit Catholic Central to a Michigan High School Hockey state title in 2024, he has quickly adapted to the OHL game, using his size and reach to become a disruptive two-way force for the Generals.
The Western Conference will be captained by Alessandro Di Iorio of the Sarnia Sting. He will lead a talented Western Conference group into Peterborough next Wednesday.
A former second overall OHL Draft pick, Di Iorio recently competed on the international stage as a member of Team CHL at the CHL/USA Prospects Challenge, where he scored a goal in the second game of the series. Recently named captain of the Sarnia Sting, the skilled centreman has posted 17 points (9-8–17) in 22 games this season and previously won gold with Canada at the U18 World Championship.
The leadership group for Team West is rounded out by Alternate Captains:
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Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires): The 6-foot-5 power forward has been an intimidating force this season, operating at better than a point-per-game pace with 37 points (22-15–37) through his first 35 contests. A former first overall OHL Draft pick, Belchetz helped Canada claim bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this past summer and uses his massive frame to dominate puck battles.
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Chase Reid (Soo Greyhounds): One of the most dynamic offensive defencemen in the league, Reid recently recorded his first career hat-trick on Dec. 5th and sits second among all OHL blueliners in scoring with 37 points (15-22–37) over 32 games. His ability to drive play from the back-end has seen his draft stock rise significantly, earning him the opportunity to represent the United States at the recent IIHF World Junior Championship.
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Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack): The reigning Emms Family Award winner as OHL Rookie of the Year, Mbuyi has avoided any sophomore slump by posting 47 points (23-25–48) over 40 games this season. A crafty offensive threat, he has proven to be a consistent scorer for the Attack, recording points in seven of his last eight contests.
The 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game presented by Enbridge Gas provides scouts and fans the opportunity to see the next wave of NHL talent competing head-to-head. The puck drops at 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday, January 14 in Peterborough. An extremely limited number of tickets are still available through Ticketmaster.
Watch the highly-anticipated event produced by YourTV Peterborough with Pete Dalliday and Scott Arnold on the call live for free across FloHockey‘s social media and YouTube channels and on local community stations across the province (check local listings). Tune in over the radio or stream the audio online through Freq 90.5 FM with Peterborough Petes play-by-play voice Stew Kernan over the airwaves alongside colour voice Chris Hardill.
