Mississauga Rebels capture Wendy Dufton Memorial U16 AAA championship
The Mississauga Rebels captured the 2026 Wendy Dufton Memorial U16 AAA Tournament championship in dramatic fashion on Sunday, scoring with just 13 seconds remaining in regulation before defeating Detroit’s Victory Honda 2-1 in a shootout at Western Fair Sports Centre in London.
Trailing 1-0 in the closing moments of the championship game, Mississauga found the equalizer to force overtime. Following a scoreless extra period, Mateo Georgy and Liam Kozlowski converted their shootout attempts for the Rebels, while goaltender David Stewart stopped Luke Rowe before Anthony Shipway’s attempt missed the net, securing the tournament title.
The Rebels reached the championship game following a 2-1 semifinal victory over the North York Rangers earlier Sunday, completing a memorable four-day run against some of the top U16 AAA competition from across North America.
Hosted by the London Junior Knights from October 8-11, the annual tournament brought together 40 U16 AAA teams from Ontario and the United States, providing an important early-season showcase for players eligible for the 2027 OHL Priority Selection.
Several prospects delivered standout offensive performances throughout the tournament, with Honeybaked forward Landon Burke leading all players with 14 points (11-3–14) in seven games. Burke also finished as the tournament’s leading goal scorer with 11, including five goals and seven points in three playoff contests.
Upper Canada College Blues forward Isaya Papineau finished tied for second in scoring with 12 points (6-6–12) in five games, having led all players with 11 points through the round-robin portion of the event. Honeybaked’s Zach Wade also recorded 12 points (3-9–12) in seven games, leading the tournament with nine assists.
Georgy paced the championship-winning Rebels with 11 points (6-5–11) in eight games, while teammates Max Kopec and Gavin Laughlin each contributed nine points (4-5–9).
Four additional players reached the 10-point mark, including Northshore Whitecaps forward Brody Grant (2-8–10), The Hill Academy’s Reece McClellan (4-6–10), Elgin Middlesex Canucks forward Tyson Orr (6-4–10) and Toronto Young Nationals forward Caleb Zhang (5-5–10).
Victory Honda forward Brendan Mink also enjoyed a productive tournament, recording nine points (6-3–9) in eight games, including four goals and five points during the playoffs to help his team reach the championship game.
The Wendy Dufton Memorial Tournament continues to serve as an important stop on the early-season U16 AAA calendar, providing OHL scouts with an opportunity to evaluate prospects against competition from across Ontario and the United States.
Attention now shifts to Windsor for the OHL Battle of the Border, presented in partnership with Alliance Hockey, from October 16-18 at the WFCU Centre. The event will feature 12 U16 AAA teams competing in another major early-season showcase ahead of the 2027 OHL Priority Selection.
