Eight Storm prospects on Gold Cup Rosters

160 players from across Ontario have been given a unique opportunity to catch the attention of National Team scouts, as the rosters for the eight OHL Gold Cup teams were unveiled today.

Highlighting the rosters are 16 of the 20 first round picks from the 2016 OHL Priority Selection including Ryan Merkley (Toronto Jr. Canadiens/GTHL Blue) chosen first overall by the Guelph Storm, Owen Lalonde (Windsor Jr. Spitfires/ALLIANCE) who was chosen second overall by the Sudbury Wolves, and Connor Roberts (Grey Bruce Highlanders/OMHA Black) chosen third overall by the Hamilton Bulldogs.

“It’s just been unbelievable really. I can’t really explain it. It’s been busy and I couldn’t be happier,” the Grey Bruce Highlanders forward said. Along with Merkley, Roberts represented Canada at the Youth Olympics earlier this year. “I’m really looking forward to playing some high level hockey like that again. It was an unbelievable experience in Norway and I’m looking forward to getting to play with some high level boys.”

In total, of the 160 players who will be on the ice at Kitchener’s Activa Sportsplex from May 4-8, 126 were selected by OHL teams on the weekend.

“We are really excited to present this group of players today and look forward to the performances at the OHL Gold Cup,” said Tony Martindale, of the OHL Gold Cup Steering Committee. “As part of the process through Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, we believe Canada will be well represented.”

The OHL Gold Cup is an annual event featuring Ontario’s top Under-16 talent. As part of Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, the top players from the OHL Gold Cup will be invited to attend the Under-17 National Camp. There, players will practice and compete against other the top talent from across the country, trying to earn a spot on Team Canada and compete at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

OHL Drafted Players in 2016 OHL Gold Cup:

Guelph Storm (8):
John Beaton (HEO)
Mitchell Doyle (OMHA Black)
Cameron Hillis (OMHA Black)
Barret Kirwin (OMHA White)
Ryan Merkley (GTHL Blue)*
Luke Moncada (GTHL Red)
Keegan Stevenson (NOHA)
Teth Burles (GTHL Blue)

Barrie Colts (8):
Luke Bignell (ALLIANCE)
Tristan De Jong (ALLIANCE)
Curtis Douglas (GTHL Blue)
Kai Edmonds (HEO)
Mathew MacDougall (OMHA Black)
Ian MacLean (OMHA Black)
Jack McBain (GTHL Red)*
Tyler Tucker (GTHL Blue)*

 Erie Otters (3):
Jack Duff (OMHA Black)
Allan McShane (GTHL Red)*
Tyler Orban (HEO)

Flint Firebirds (6):
Dennis Busby (OMHA White)
Ty Dellandrea (OMHA Black)*
Hunter Holmes (OMHA Black)
Ryan Littlejohn (GTHL Red)
Eric Uba (ALLIANCE)
Jack Wismer (OMHA White)

Hamilton Bulldogs (9):
Brian Bygrave (HEO)
Dylan D’Agostino (NOHA)
Kyle Fisher (ALLIANCE)
D.J. King (GTHL Red)
Riley McCourt (OMHA Black)
Jake Murray (ALLIANCE)
Connor Roberts (OMHA Black)*
Derek Seguin (ALLIANCE)
Tanner Sheppard (OMHA Black)

Kingston Frontenacs (6):
Nathan Dunkley (OMHA White)*
Emmett Gordon (GTHL Blue)
Paul Larabie (HEO)
Christian Mattiace (GTHL Blue)
Justin Pringle (GTHL Red)
Joseph Samson (HEO)

 Kitchener Rangers (8):
Riley Damiani (GTHL Blue)
Eric Guest (ALLIANCE)
Liam Peyton (HEO)
Lucas Pfeil (OMHA White)
Merrick Rippon (HEO)
Giovanni Vallati (GTHL Red)*
Ian Vucko (OMHA Black)
Jack York (HEO)

London Knights (7):
Ryan Bangs (HEO)
Francois Drouin (HEO)
Liam Foudy (GTHL Red)*
Jett Leishman (HNO)
Billy Moskal (NOHA)
Wil Murray (HEO)
Richard Whittaker (OMHA Black)

 Mississauga Steelheads (2):
Jacob Ingham (OMHA White)
Michael Little (GTHL Red)

 Niagara IceDogs (4):
Pierre-Luc Cote-Forget (GTHL Red)
Justin MacPherson (OMHA Black)
Lucas Theriault (NOHA)
Akil Thomas (GTHL Blue)*

North Bay Battalion (6):
Rhys Forhan (OMHA Black)
Ty Lindeman (NOHA)
Travis Mailhot (GTHL Red)
Adam McMaster (OMHA Black)*
Mason Snell (OMHA Black)
Jordan Spadafore (NOHA)

 Oshawa Generals (8):
Danil Antropov (GTHL Blue)*
William Ennis (HEO)
Dante Fantauzzi (GTHL Blue)
Mitchell Hewitson (OMHA White)
Serron Noel (HEO)
Joseph Rupoli (GTHL Red)
Isaac Taylor (ALLIANCE)
Nathan Torchia (ALLIANCE)

Ottawa 67’s (9):
Kevin Bahl (GTHL Blue)
Samuel Bitten (GTHL Red)
Mitchell Hoelscher (ALLIANCE)
Ethan Manderville (HEO)
Matt Nastasiuk (OMHA White)
Carter Robertson (OMHA Black)
Trevor Peca (HNO)**
Peter Stratis (GTHL Blue)*
Thomas Tinmouth (GTHL Blue)

 Owen Sound Attack (5):
Jackson Doherty (OMHA White)
Aidan Dudas (OMHA White)*
Daylon Groulx (OMHA White)
Marino Moro (OMHA White)
Jesse Tucker (GTHL Blue)

Peterborough Petes (9):
Adrien Beraldo (OMHA White)
Brendan Cederberg (OMHA Black)
Declan Chisholm (GTHL Red)
Chad Denault (NOHA)
Wyllum Deveaux (GTHL Red)
Isaac Emon (OMHA White)
Matthew Falls (GTHL Red)
Brady MacDonald (ALLIANCE)
Matthew McNamara (OMHA White)

 Saginaw Spirit (9):
Jackson Alexeev (GTHL Blue)
Dylan Bond (GTHL Red)
Damien Giroux (NOHA)
Maxim Grondin (GTHL Red)
Danny Katic (NOHA)
Cameron Lamour (NOHA)
Tyler McBay (ALLIANCE)
Mitch Morrison (OMHA Black)
Chet Phillips (OMHA White)

 Sarnia Sting (5):
Blair Coffin (OMHA Black)
Braden Henderson (OMHA White)
Brady Hinz (ALLIANCE)
Ethan Lavallee (NOHA)
Samuel Stevens (HNO)**

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (6):
Chris Clark (NOHA)
Matt Hayami (GTHL Blue)
Barrett Hayton (GTHL Blue)*
Brett Jacklin (NOHA)
Peter Muzyka (GTHL Blue)
Holden Wale (ALLIANCE)

 Sudbury Wolves (5):
Dawson Baker (OMHA White)
Joshua Eisfeld (GTHL Red)
Owen Gilhula (ALLIANCE)
Owen Lalonde (ALLIANCE)*
Jacob Roach (OMHA White)

Windsor Spitfires (3):
Connor Corcoran (OMHA White)
Chris Playfair (ALLIANCE)
Zackary Young (GTHL Blue)

 *Player was a first round pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection
** Trevor Peca (Buffalo Jr. Sabres) and Samuel Stevens (Shattuck-St. Mary’s 16U) will compete for Team HNO

These OHL prospects and future Canadian hockey stars can be seen live or online at the 2016 OHL Gold Cup. The Steering Committee is pleased to announce it has partnered with FastHockey for 2016 to have all 20 games carried live. Additionally, for those who want to see all the action in person, event passes and individual day tickets are now available.

Over 40 percent of players who have participated in the first three years of the OHL Gold Cup have gone on to play in the Ontario Hockey League. Sixty-eight, or about a third of all players named to Hockey Canada’s U17 rosters, have played in the Gold Cup.

For those who cannot attend the four-day tournament starting on May 5th, FastHockey will be carrying the games live. Interested fans need only register at www.FastHockey.com and search OHL Gold Cup. A monthly subscription is available for under $30 and gives you access to all 20 games of the tournament, regardless of where in the province (or world) you will be watching from.

Ticket packages start at $15 for children under 12 and seniors. Adult event passes are $30 each while a day pass is $10/day. Youth and seniors are $5 a day. Tickets are available online or at the door starting on May 4th, when the teams will be taking part in an official practice and enjoying the Bauer Experience.

For more information including full team rosters, schedule, and to purchase tickets please visit www.ohlgoldcup.com.