Matt Minchak selected to Team East in 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game Presented by Enbridge Gas
TORONTO – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today revealed the 40 players selected to compete in the 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game presented by Enbridge Gas that will be held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, beginning at 7:00pm.
The inaugural event held last January in Brantford saw the Eastern Conference win a closely-matched game by a score of 5-4 in overtime, setting a high standard for the second annual clash of the OHL’s top NHL Draft eligible prospects in just over a month’s time.
Rosters were selected by a committee that included representatives from NHL Central Scouting with input from NHL General Managers along with OHL Vice President of Hockey Operations James Boyd. Each team features 18 skaters and two goaltenders.
The Eastern Conference features three forwards from the host Peterborough Petes including A-rated offensive producer Adam Novotny along with teammates Adam Levac and Leon Kolarik. Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs) and Brooks Rogowski (Oshawa Generals) join Novotny as A-rated skaters suiting up for the Eastern Conference.
The Eastern Conference will be led by hockey operations staff from the host Peterborough Petes including General Manager Michael Oke, Head Coach Rob Wilson, Associate Coach Andrew Verner and Assistant Coaches Patrick O’Connor and Nate Oke. Support staff includes Head Trainer and Equipment Manager Brian Miller along with Athletic Therapist Natasha Lagacé.
Across the ice, the Western Conference features a quarter of A-rated skaters in defenceman Chase Reid (Soo Greyhounds) along with forwards Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires), Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting) and Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit). They also feature the highest rated goaltender in the event in Zachary Jovanovski (Guelph Storm), who recently represented the Canadian Hockey League in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge.
The Western Conference is coached by reigning OHL Coach of the Year Jussi Ahokas alongside fellow Kitchener Rangers bench staff in Associate Coach Jeff Kyrzakos and Assistant Coach Brad Flynn. Long-time Head Trainer and Equipment Manager Dan Lebold joins Head Athletic Therapist Nick Lichti in providing support services to the Western Conference.
Tickets are going fast for the 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game that will be produced by YourTV and televised across the province on local community channels across the YourTV and Rogers tv networks. Fans will be able to tune in online on FloHockey and streaming for free on FloHockey’s YouTube and social media channels.
Stay tuned to ontariohockeyleague.com and @OHLHockey (X), @ohlofficial (Instagram) and @OHLHockey (Facebook) as we learn more about these tremendous young players pursuing their hockey dream!
About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with over 329 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2024-25, resulting in a collective investment of over $42 million by OHL member teams over the past 15 years.
