2015 OHL Cup Competing Teams

Wednesday March 11, 2015

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League in association with the Greater Toronto Hockey League today announced all competing teams for the 2015 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament, hosted by the GTHL, to be played March 17-23, 2015.  All games will be played at Buckingham Arena in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday March 23.

The list of 2015 OHL Cup competing teams includes a total of 23 minor midget teams from across Ontario and the United States.  The final tournament structure will include 20 spots with 17 guaranteed through league competition and the other three earned in a Wild Card series of games introduced to the tournament structure last season. 

2015 OHL Cup Teams:

ALLIANCE (4):
London Jr. Knights (Finalists – Championship Series still in progress)
Waterloo Wolves (Finalists – Championship Series still in progress)
Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs (Semi-Finalists)*
Kitchener Jr. Rangers (Semi-Finalists) *

*Semi-Final Wild Card Series still in progress with winner qualifying for OHL Cup and loser to Wild Card ‘Play In’ Game.

GTHL (4):
Don Mills Flyers (Finalists – Championship Series still in progress)
Toronto Marlies (Finalists – Championship Series still in progress)
Toronto Jr. Canadiens (Semi-Finalists)
Toronto Titans (Semi-Finalists)

HNO (1):
Thunder Bay Kings

NOHA (1):
Team NOHA

OEMHL (2):
Ottawa Jr. 67’s (Finalists – Championship Series still in progress)
Ottawa Valley Titans (Finalists – Championship Series still in progress)

OMHA (5):
Halton Hurricanes*
North Central Predators*
Oakville Rangers*
Quinte Red Devils*
York Simcoe Express*

*Top 4 of 5 teams from OMHA Championship (to be played this weekend in Belleville) qualify for the OHL Cup, 5th place team will compete in a Wild Card ‘Play In’ Game.

USA (2):
Elite Hockey Group
TPH Thunder

Wild Card ‘Play In’ Game Invites (4):
Mississauga Rebels (GTHL)*
Mississauga Reps (GTHL)*
Toronto Red Wings (GTHL)*
Whitby Wildcats (OMHA)*

*Wild Card ‘Play In’ Game Invites were determined by a Tournament Selection Committee based on regular season, playoff, and tournament play.

The three Wild Card tournament spots will be determined among six teams that include the four Wild Card ‘Play In’ Game Invites, along with the loser of the ALLIANCE Semi-Final Wild Card Series, and the fifth place team in the OMHA Championship.  Those six teams will play a one game ‘win and in’ scenario to qualify on Tuesday March 17 prior to the official start of the 2015 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament. 

Wild Card ‘Play In’ Game matchups and schedule will be determined the evening of Monday March 16 with a complete OHL Cup Showcase Tournament schedule and divisional alignment to be released thereafter.

Last season the Toronto Marlboros captured their fourth OHL Cup title in 10 years with a 5-0 win over the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Marlies forward and OHL Cup MVP Michael McLeod had seven goals and four assists in the tournament and was later selected fifth overall by the Mississauga Steelheads in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.

McLeod was one of 15 first round draft selections from 2014 OHL Cup teams, including eight of the top ten picks. Those names include Jakob Chychrun (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 1st overall to the Sarnia Sting), Adam Mascherin (Vaughan Kings – 2nd overall to the Kitchener Rangers), Travis Barron (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 3rd overall to the Ottawa 67’s), Brandon Saigeon (Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs – 4th overall to the Belleville Bulls), William Bitten (Ottawa Jr. 67’s – 7th overall to the Plymouth Whalers), Victor Mete (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 8th overall to the Owen Sound Attack) and Tye Felhaber (Ottawa Valley Titans – 10th overall to the Saginaw Spirit).

Six first round selections in the 2014 NHL Draft are OHL Cup graduates including Sam Bennett (Toronto Marlboros/Calgary Flames), Michael Dal Colle (Vaughan Kings/New York Islanders), Nick Ritchie (Toronto Marlboros/Anaheim Ducks), Robby Fabbri (Mississauga Rebels/St. Louis Blues), Jared McCann (London Jr. Knights/Vancouver Canucks) and Josh Ho-Sang (Toronto Marlboros/New York Islanders).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Taylor Hall (Greater Kingston Frontenacs/Edmonton Oilers), John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros/New York Islanders), Steven Stamkos (Markham Waxers/Tampa Bay Lightning), Tyler Seguin (Toronto Nationals/Dallas Stars), 2011 NHL Rookie of the Year Jeff Skinner (Toronto Nationals/Carolina Hurricanes) and 2010 OHL Cup MVP Sean Monahan (Mississauga Rebels/Calgary Flames).

For more information, please visit www.ohlcup.ca.