Niagara IceDogs - Feed

Niagara Opens Day Two with Three Key Selections

Denice Pepe — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 17:35:29 +0000

By: Cameron Kelcey KINGSTON, Ont. – The Niagara IceDogs got off to a strong start on the second day of the OHL Priority Selection, drafting forwards Finn Merrill and Nathan Hewitt with back-to-back picks at 32nd and 33rd overall, respectively. Merrill spent the 2025-26 season with the Hill Academy U16 AAA program, recording an impressive 89 points in 59 games. IceDogs Director of Player Personnel Sean LaFortune says Merrill is "a guy who checks all the boxes for us." "He plays with skill, but also plays heavy and plays hard," added LaFortune. Hewitt, a local product, spent the 2025-26 season with the Niagara North Stars U16 AAA, where he recorded 43 points in 34 games. LaFortune described Hewitt as a highly intelligent and competitive two-way centreman who generated significant offence on a team that generally lacked it. The IceDogs continued to add talent in the third round, selecting goaltender Aidan Cullen 42nd overall. Cullen spent the 2025-26 season with Shattuck-St. Mary's 15U AAA, posting a stellar 1.82 goals-against average, .923 save percentage, and seven shutouts. LaFortune describes Cullen as a big, mobile goaltender who is "among the best goaltenders in his age group." The Niagara IceDogs are excited to welcome Finn, Nathan, and Aidan to the organization and look forward to supporting their development in the years ahead.

IceDogs Take it to the Max

Denice Pepe — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:59:09 +0000

By Cameron Kelcey Kingston, Ont - The Niagara IceDogs selected defenseman Max Lappan ninth overall in the first round of the 2026 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore. Lappan spent the 2025-2026 season playing with the Honeybaked 15u AAA where he tallied 132 points in 89 games. IceDogs Director of Player Personnel, Sean Lafortune describes Lappan as a, “Well-rounded, two-way defenseman.” He goes on to say: “He’s incredibly smart and incredibly effective at both ends of the ice. He’ll be a number one minute eater for a long time in the league.” “It was such a great honour to be drafted by Niagara,” Lappan said. “My first instinct was to go hug my parents because they do everything for me…I just want to thank my family, God and my agency.” When asked what he will bring to Niagara, Lappan said: “I’m gonna bring my defensive ability. I’m gonna be closing plays off before the blue line, and I’m gonna be going fast up in transition and trying to score as many goals as possible.” The IceDogs want to welcome Max to the organization and are looking forward to seeing him at training camp!

Future Starts Tonight: IceDogs Hold Ninth Overall Pick in OHL Draft

Denice Pepe — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:05:05 +0000

By: Cameron Kelcey KINGSTON, ON – The future of the Niagara IceDogs begins tonight as the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, presented by Real Canadian Superstore, gets underway at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, Ontario. The IceDogs enter draft weekend holding the ninth overall selection in the first round and are currently scheduled to make 17 selections throughout the 15-round draft. The opening round takes place tonight, Friday, June 12, at 7:00 p.m. ET, with Rounds 2 through 15 scheduled for Saturday, June 13, at 9:00 a.m. ET. The OHL Priority Selection serves as the primary entry draft for the Ontario Hockey League, allowing clubs to select the top U16 players from across Ontario and other eligible regions. For many young players, hearing their name called marks the first step toward an OHL career and potentially a future in professional hockey. Throughout the season, OHL clubs dedicate significant resources to scouting and evaluating prospects. Teams assess players based on their skill, character, hockey sense, competitiveness, and long-term development potential before assembling their draft boards ahead of draft weekend. The draft order is determined by the previous season's standings, with the first overall selection awarded through the OHL Draft Lottery among eligible teams. Each club is then given one selection per round, though trades throughout the season often result in teams acquiring additional picks or moving selections to future years. Niagara enters the weekend with multiple selections in several rounds, providing the organization with an opportunity to add depth and talent to its prospect pipeline.

Niagara IceDogs Draft Selections

Round 1

Pick No. 9

Round 2

Pick No. 32 (Via. SSM)
Pick No. 33 (Via. PBO)

Round 3

Pick No. 42 (Via. OSH)

Round 5

Pick No. 88 (Via. GUE)

Round 7

Pick No. 130

Round 8

Pick No. 144 (Via. BRAM)
Pick No. 150

Round 9

Pick No. 170

Round 11

Pick No. 210

Round 12

Pick No. 230
Pick No. 237 (Via. WSR)

Round 13

Pick No. 243 (Via. ER)
Pick No. 250

Round 14

Pick No. 270

Round 15

Pick No. 284 (Via. BRAM)
Pick No. 286 (Via. SBY)

Fans can follow along throughout draft weekend by following the team's social media channels for live pick announcements, player profiles, interviews, and behind-the-scenes coverage from Kingston. The complete first round of the 2026 OHL Priority Selection will be held tonight beginning at 7:00 p.m., with the remaining rounds continuing Saturday morning as the next generation of IceDogs begins its journey in Niagara.

ICEDOGS ACQUIRE OA FORWARD JARED LANGDON

Denice Pepe — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:00:30 +0000

NIAGARA, ONT – The Niagara IceDogs have acquired over-aged forward, Jared Langdon, from the Owen Sound Attack in exchange for London’s 2028 9th Round Draft Pick. Langdon, a native of St. John's, NL, was signed to the Attack in January of 2026 and recorded four goals and three assists for seven points in 23 games. Born in 2006, the fix-foot, 194-pound forward is committed to continuing his hockey career and education at Clarkson University, concluding his time in the OHL. According to the IceDogs’ General Manager, Dale DeGray, Langdon “plays a strong 200-foot game, and can win faceoffs.” DeGray is no stranger to Langdon, having drafted him to the Attack during the 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft as a fourth-round pick, 74th overall. Welcome to Dog Country, Jared!

ICEDOGS ANNOUNCE SCOUTING STAFF AHEAD OF 2026 DRAFT

Denice Pepe — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:52:28 +0000

NIAGARA, ONT. – Niagara IceDogs General Manager Dale DeGray has announced the club's scouting staff ahead of the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, which begins Friday in Kingston.

Sean LaFortune has been named Director of Player Personnel, while Brian Teakle joins the organization as Director of Scouting.

Both LaFortune and Teakle arrive in Niagara after working alongside DeGray with the Owen Sound Attack, where they played key roles in hockey operations and player evaluation.

Returning to the IceDogs scouting staff are Dave Robertson, who will continue to oversee Hockey Eastern Ontario, and Greg Cappellero, who returns as the club's SCTA and U.S. scout.

Also joining Niagara's scouting department are Jim Rauth (ALLIANCE), Mike Battah (OMHA), and Noah Acciaccaferri (U18).

DeGray and the IceDogs scouting staff will make their first selection on behalf of the organization at the 2026 OHL Priority Selection Presented by Real Canadian Superstore.

The 2026 OHL Priority Selection takes place June 12-13 at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, Ontario.

Those unable to attend can follow the draft live at OntarioHockeyLeague.com. Coverage will also be available on FloHockey, YourTV, Rogers TV, and Eastlink community stations.

THIS OTTER BE INTERESTING… ICEDOGS ANNOUNCE OHL RIVALRY WEEK

Denice Pepe — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:30:57 +0000

By: Cameron Kelcey NIAGARA, ONT. – The Niagara IceDogs have announced their Rivalry Week matchup for the 2026-27 season, featuring a home-and-home series against the Erie Otters.

The rivalry begins on Friday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. at the Meridian Centre before shifting to Erie on Saturday, October 24 for a 6:00 p.m. puck drop.

The Rivalry Week series marks the first two of six meetings between the IceDogs and Otters during the 2026-27 season. It also serves as the first of two consecutive home-and-home sets between the clubs, with the second taking place on November 14 and 15, 2026.

Niagara enjoyed success against Erie during the 2025-26 campaign, posting a 4-1-1-0 record in six meetings. The IceDogs will look to carry that momentum into another chapter of the long-standing rivalry.

2025-2026 Head-to-Head Matchup Recap

Oct 17, 2025: Erie 3, Niagara 1

Oct 18, 2025: Niagara 4, Erie 3 (OT)

Feb 26, 2026: Niagara 5, Erie 4 (SO)

Mar 14, 2026: Niagara 7, Erie 1

Mar 21, 2026: Erie 4, Niagara 3

Mar 22, 2026: Niagara 6, Erie 5 (OT)

We look forward to Dog Country rising up and packing the Meridian Centre for the opening game of Rivalry Week on October 23. Those unable to attend can catch on YourTV Niagara and FloHockey.

ICEDOGS COMPLETE 2026 U18 DRAFT

Denice Pepe — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:43:21 +0000

By: Cameron Kelcey NIAGARA, ONT – The Niagara IceDogs have completed the 2026 OHL U18 Priority Selection Draft, after selecting three players, including one goaltender and two forwards. In the first round, ninth overall, the IceDogs selected goaltender Alexandre Beaupre from the Quinte Red Devils U18 AAA. This past season, Beaupre had a 2.58 GAA and two shutouts in 24 games. “Alexandra Borey, six-foot-three goaltender, who works incredibly hard shot after shot. Had a fantastic year and maybe one of the top, if not the top goaltender at the U18 level. He comes highly regarded from our U18 Scout, Noah Accieccaferri, and his coach raves about him,” says IceDogs General Manager Dale DeGray. Following his selection, Beaupre, a Kingston Native, said: “I’m so excited to meet everyone and get to work on the ice… looking forward to being an IceDog.” In the second round, 29th overall, the IceDogs selected forward Ethan Gillespie from the Upper Canada Cyclones. In this past season with the Cyclones, Gillespie tallied 26 points in 29 games. “Ethan is a six-foot-two, 200-pound forward who impacts the game in different ways – generating points or through physicality with a tremendous work ethic,” says DeGray about the selection. In the third round, 49th overall, the IceDogs selected forward Matvei Tolstykh from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens U18 AAA. This past season, Tolstykh accumulated 68 points in 70 games. DeGray goes on to describe Tolstykh: “he’s a smaller stocky forward with very good skills. Known for his quick, hard shot and deceptive offensive skills, Matvei plays the game with good energy and puck possession.” The IceDogs are excited to welcome the three new draftees to the team and are looking forward to seeing them at training camp in August!

ICEDOGS ANNOUNCE 2026 HOME OPENER

Denice Pepe — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:00:50 +0000

By: Cameron Kelcey NIAGARA, ONT - The Niagara IceDogs have announced their home opener for the 2026-2027 season is Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 7:00 P.M. against the Brampton Steelheads. Over the past few seasons, Niagara has dominated Brampton, winning seven of its last eight matchups against the Steelheads. The most recent matchup between the two teams in January of this year was a nail-biter, where the Icedogs ultimately prevailed in overtime. The IceDogs are coming off their first season finishing with an over .500 record since the 2018-2019 season. The team aims to build on its success from last season and hopes to make a strong start at its home opener. The entire organization cannot wait to welcome Dog Country back to the Meridian Centre. We invite our fans and all those interested to come out for what should be an exciting start to an exciting season! Group Packages and Flex Packs, alongside single-game ticket on-sale, will be announced in the coming weeks.

IceDogs and Krys Barch Part Ways

Denice Pepe — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:00:04 +0000

NIAGARA, ONT. – The Niagara IceDogs announced today that Head Coach Krys Barch will not return behind the bench for the 2026-27 season. Since joining the IceDogs in 2025, Barch has played a significant role in the development of the organization's players, both on and off the ice, while helping lead a positive cultural shift within the hockey department. He helped guide the IceDogs to their first season above the .500 mark since 2018-19. "The offseason is a small window, and there's a lot to accomplish in a short period of time — both for teams looking to hire and for coaches weighing their next opportunity," said IceDogs General Manager Dale DeGray. "I want to sincerely thank Krys for his work and positive contributions to this organization over the past season, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward." The organization will immediately begin its search for a new Head Coach to lead the next chapter of IceDogs hockey, seeking to build off the positive cultural improvements of the 2025-26 season.

OHL to hold 2026 Under-18 Priority Selection on Monday at 7:00pm

Denice Pepe — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 22:57:36 +0000

TORONTO - The 2026 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection is set to commence at 7:00pm on Monday, June 8th where no fewer than 40 players born in 2008 and 2009 will be chosen from Under-18 AAA programs from across the province. The Under-18 Priority Selection will be held entirely online. Follow along with pick-by-pick results here at ontariohockeyleague.com. Just as they will at this coming Friday night's 2026 OHL Priority Selection in Kingston, the Oshawa Generals hold the first overall pick, followed by the Erie Otters who select second and the Brampton Steelheads who will be picking third. A complete order of selection can be found here. Here’s everything you need to know about the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection: History: The concept for the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection was developed in 2017 with full support from Hockey Canada’s three Ontario Branches including the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), and Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO), to assist in the growth of U18 AAA hockey and provide further opportunities for players at different stages of their hockey development. Recent Selections to Play in the OHL: A number of former U18 selections spent the 2025-26 season in the OHL including Peterborough Petes teammates Brennan Faulkner and Brett Hammond, Sudbury Wolves forward Rowan Henderson, Kingston Frontenacs forward Riley Clark, Erie Otters netminder Noah Tegelaar, Brampton Steelheads forward Julian Demiglio, Barrie Colts forward Luc Gauvreau, Windsor Spitfires goaltender Michael Newlove, North Bay Battalion blueliner Jonathan Kapageridis, Flint Firebirds forward Josh Bonnyman as well as Kitchener Rangers forward Jack LaBrash. Players Eligible for Selection: All U18 players not currently on a CHL Member Team Protected List who were carded with an Ontario-based U18 AAA Hockey Club or an accredited Hockey Canada sport school within the OHF, HNO or HEO in the 2025-26 playing season are eligible for the U18 Priority Selection. Selection Procedure: The Under-18 Priority Selection Process is two rounds with each OHL Member Team required to select two players. Teams that select a goaltender in one of the first two rounds are permitted to select an additional skater in a third round of selections.