OHL In The System: Ottawa Senators
As the 2024 NHL Draft concludes and development camps kick off across the National Hockey League, we’re diving into the current and former OHL talent within each NHL Club’s prospect pool.
This 32-part series will spotlight OHL players who are either signed to an NHL or AHL contract or are recently drafted, and are 25 years old or younger with 50 or fewer NHL games played.
Join us for OHL In the System!
Today’s edition features the prospect pool of the Ottawa Senators.
Keean Washkurak (C) — Mississauga Steelheads (2017-20)
Signed: July 12, 2024
OHL Career Stats: 176 Games Played | 44 Goals | 70 Assists | 114 Points
Age: 22
Selected by the Mississauga Steelheads in the second round of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection Keean Washkurak heard his name called by the St. Louis Blues in the 5th round of the 2019 NHL Draft. On July 12th he signed a one-year, one-way American Hockey League Contract with the Belleville Senators. Having spent most of the past three seasons with the Springfield Thunderbirds, he accumulated 27 goals and 19 assists in 172 games. The son of former Kingston Frontenac and a long-time OHL official and referee Joel Washkurak has represented Canada at both the IIHF World Under 17 Hockey Challenge and the IIHF World Under 18 Hockey Championships.
Jan Jenik (C) — Hamilton Bulldogs (2018-20)
Signed: July 4, 2024
OHL Career Stats: 54 Games Played | 35 Goals | 51 Assists | 86 Points
Age: 23
Originally selected in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Arizona Coyotes, Jan Jenik signed a one-year contract with the Senators on July 4, 2024. The Nymburk, CZE. Native spent the last four seasons in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners, tallying 36 points in 55 games this past season. Jenik has appeared in 22 NHL games with the Coyotes, recording four goals and two assists. Selected sixth overall by the Flint Firebirds in the 2018 Import Draft, the 23-year-old forward played two seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs, registering 86 points in 54 regular season contests. Jenik represented Team Czechia at the 2019 and 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Matthew Andonovski (D) — Kitchener Rangers (2021-24)
Signed: July 3, 2024
OHL Career Stats: 175 Games Played | 7 Goals | 45 Assists | 52 Points
Age: 19
The Senators fifth round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Matthew Andonovski signed an entry-level contract with the club on July 3, 2024. The 19-year-old blueliner has spent the past three seasons with the Kitchener Rangers and established major career highs in goals (seven), assists (25) and points (32) while pacing OHL players with a plus-58 plus/minus rating over 65 regular-season games in 2023-24. He also led the Rangers with 124 penalty minutes. A native of Markham, Ont., Andonovski has spent his entire OHL career in Kitchener and has recorded 52 points over 175 career games after being selected by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.
Luke Ellinas (LW) — Kitchener Rangers (2023-24)
Selected: 104th overall, 2024 NHL Draft
OHL Career Stats: 67 Games Played | 16 Goals | 17 Assists | 33 Points
Age: 18
Selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, Luke Ellinas was the sole OHL player to hear his name called by the organization. Registering 33 points in his rookie season with the Kitchener Rangers after being selected by the Barrie Colts in the second round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, the Toronto, Ont. native continues to develop on the ice. Ellinas spent the 2022-23 season with the North York Rangers of the OJHL where he tallied 23 points in 44 regular season contests.
Michael Simpson (G) — Peterborough Petes (2021-23), London Knights (2023-24)
Signed (AHL): June 27, 2024
OHL Career Stats: 144 Games Played | 2.94 GAA | 0.904 SV% | 78-50-6-4
Age: 21
Coming off a 2023-24 OHL Championship with the London Knights, Michael Simpson signed a one-year AHL deal with the Belleville Senators on June 27, 2024. A two-time OHL champion, the 21-year-old from London, Ontario is fresh off a second consecutive trip to the Memorial Cup after playing in the tournament last season with the Peterborough Petes. Simpson played in 48 games with a record of 34-10-1, a 2.61 GAA, and a .905 SV% this past season before leading the Knights to a 16-7-0 record in the OHL playoffs, with a 2.80 GAA and .918 SV%. Over his four years in the OHL, Simpson played in 144 games, compiling a record of 78-50-7, with a 2.94 GAA and a .904 SV%. In 2022-23 he had the OHL’s most shutouts (5), was named the OHL Playoffs MVP and was selected as a third-team all-star. In 2023-24 Simpson had the league’s best GAA (2.61), the lowest team GAA and was named to the OHL’s second all-star team.
Jamieson Rees (C) — Sarnia Sting (2017-20)
Signed: June 21, 2024
OHL Career Stats: 122 Games Played | 33 Goals | 80 Assists | 113 Points
Age: 23
Originally selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round (44th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Rees was acquired by the Senators via trade on March 14. The 23-year-old forward signed a one-year extension with the club on June 21, 2024. A native of Hamilton, Ont., Rees appeared in 51 games during his fourth professional season in 2023-24 while splitting playing time between the AHL’s Springfield Falcons, the Charlotte Checkers and the Belleville Senators registering eight points. Rees won a Calder Cup as an AHL champion with the Chicago Wolves in 2022. Selected by the Sarnia Sting ninth overall in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection, Rees registered 113 points in 122 games over three seasons.
Djibril Toure (D) — Sudbury Wolves (2022-24), Windsor Spitfires (2023-24)
Signed: September 21, 2023
OHL Career Stats: 102 Games Played | 13 Goals | 21 Assists | 34 Points
Age: 21
Signed as a free-agent by the Senators on September 21, 2023, Djibril Toure closed out his overage OHL season between the Sudbury Wolves and Windsor Spitfires, tallying 18 points in 45 games played during 2023-24. Originally signed by the Wolves in 2022, the 21-year-old blueliner from Dorval, QC. played two season in the OHL, totaling 13 goals, 21 assists and 34 points in 102 career contests.
Donovan Sebrango (D) — Kitchener Rangers (2018-20)
Acquired: July 9, 2023
OHL Career Stats: 118 Games Played | 13 Goals | 43 Assists | 56 Points
Age: 21
Originally selected in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, Donovan Sebrango was acquired by the Senators on July 9, 2023 in trade that involved the exchange of Alex DeBrincat. Concluding his fourth season in the AHL, the Kingston, Ont. native has tallied 25 points in 170 career games spent between the Grand Rapids Griffins and Belleville Senators. Additionally, Sebrango has appeared in 27 EHCL games between the Toledo Walleye and Allen Americans, totaling 14 points in 27 career contests. Chosen by the Kitchener Rangers in the second round of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection, the 21-year-old blueliner spent two seasons in the OHL, recording 56 points in 118 regular season games.
Tyler Boucher (RW) — Ottawa 67’s (2021-23)
Signed: December 30, 2022
OHL Career Stats: 45 Games Played | 17 Goals | 14 Assists | 31 Points
Age: 21
Selected by the Senators 10th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Tyler Boucher signed an entry-level contract with the club on December 30, 2022. Originally chosen by the Ottawa 67’s in the seventh round of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, the Scottsdale, AZ. Native played two seasons in the OHL, tallying 31 points in 45 games played. The 21-year-old forward spent the 2023-24 season with the AHL’s Belleville Senators where he registered five points in 21 regular season contests.
Jorian Donovan (D) — Hamilton/Brantford Bulldogs (2021-24), Saginaw Spirit (2023-24)
Signed: September 24, 2022
OHL Career Stats: 185 Games Played | 28 Goals | 85 Assists | 113 Points
Age: 20
Following in his father’s (Shean Donovan) footsteps, Jorian Donovan was selected by the Senators 136th overall at the 2022 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old Richmond, Ont. native signed an entry-level contract with the club on September 24, 2022. Selected by the Hamilton Bulldogs in the first round of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Donovan hoisted the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions with the franchise during the 2021-22 season. Spending three seasons with the Bulldogs, the blueliner was traded to the Saginaw Spirit midway through 2023-24, helping the Memorial Cup host be crowned CHL champions. Over 185 regular season contests, Donovan has tallied 113 points throughout his OHL career. Donovan represented Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championships.
Tomas Hamara (D) — Kitchener Rangers (2022-24), Brantford Bulldogs (2023-24)
Signed: July 15, 2022
OHL Career Stats: 175 Games Played | 7 Goals | 45 Assists | 52 Points
Age: 20
The Senators third round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Tomas Hamara put pen to paper with the club on July 15, 2022. Selected by the Kitchener Rangers in the 2022 Import Draft, the 20-year-old blueliner has played two seasons in the OHL between the Rangers and the Brantford Bulldogs, tallying 52 points in 175 regular season contests. Hamara has also found success on the international stage, representing his home country, Czechia, at back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championships, winning a bronze medal in 2024.
Leevi Meriläinen (G) — Kingston Frontenacs (2021-22)
Signed: June 14, 2021
OHL Career Stats: 53 Games Played | 3.29 GAA | 0.891 SV% | 31-16-4-1
Age: 21
Selected by the Senators in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Leevi Meriläinen signed a three-year entry-level contract with Ottawa on June 14, 2021. The Finnish netminder spent the 2023-24 season with the AHL’s Belleville Senators (10-9-1) and the ECHL’s Allen Americans (9-4-0). Representing Finland at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, Meriläinen was selected by the Kingston Frontenacs in the 2021 Import Draft. The 21-year-old spent one season in the OHL, playing to a 31-16-4-1 record along with a 3.29 goals-against average and .891 save percentage.
Monday’s edition of In The System, features the Seattle Kraken organization!
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