OHL talent excels at 2025 NHL Scouting Combine

A number of draft eligible OHL players excelled in physical testing at the 2025 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, New York this past week.

The OHL produced one first place finish from Simon Wang of the Oshawa Generals. While other names like Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters, Kieren Dervin of the Kingston Frontenacs, Jack Nesbitt of the Windsor Spitfires, Ethan Czata of the Niagara IceDogs, Malcolm Spence of the Erie Otters and Cameron Reid of the Kitchener Rangers all made high appearances on the results of a few different tests. 

A total of 19 OHL players attended the annual event that included a total of 90 players participating. The NHL Combine gave the 32 NHL teams physical and medical assessments of the top prospects ahead of the 2025 draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on June 27-28.

Here’s a look at OHL players finishing in the top-25 results of each respective exercise:

Aerobic Fitness: VO2max (ml/kg/min)
6. Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires) – 61.8
10. Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds) – 60.7
15. Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters) – 59.3
16. Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs) – 59.1
19. Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs) – 58.7
23. Luca Romano (Kitchener Rangers) – 57.8

Agility & Balance: Pro Agility – Left time (sec)
6. Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires) – 4.25
T-10. Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts) – 4.33
T-16. Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs) – 4.35
T-22. Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads) – 4.39

Agility & Balance: Pro Agility – Right time (sec)
11. Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires) – 4.37
T-16. Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs) – 4.41
T-21. Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts) – 4.42
T-23. Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters) – 4.43

Anaerobic Fitness: – Mean Power Output (watts/kg)
T-11. Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs) – 11.7
T-15. Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters) – 11.5
T-17. Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters) – 11.4

Anaerobic Fitness: – Peak Power Output (watts/kg)
4. Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters) – 16.6
T-5. Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters) – 16.4
8. Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads) – 16.3
T-10. Kristian Epperson (Saginaw Spirit) – 16.0
T-13. Simon Wang (Oshawa Generals) – 15.8
T-21. Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs) – 15.4

Anaerobic Fitness: – Fatigue Index
2. Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers) – 34.5
10. Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs) – 41.3
11. Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds) – 43.3
T-15. Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires) – 45.6
20. Tyler Hopkins (Kingston Frontenacs) – 48.1
22. Luca Romano (Kitchener Rangers) – 48.4

Anthropometry: Wing Span (inches)
1. Simon Wang (Oshawa Generals) – 82.25
5. Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires) – 80.00
8. Aleksei Medvedev (London Knights) – 79.50
T-19. David Bedkowski (Owen Sound Attack) – 77.75

Force Plate: Vertical Jump (inches)
2. Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs) – 25.10
3. Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters) – 24.51
T-6. Simon Wang (Oshawa Generals) – 24.01
T-19. Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs) – 21.35
T-21. Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads) – 21.34
T-21. Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads) – 21.34
25. Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers) – 20.95

Force Plate: No Arm Jump (inches)
3. Simon Wang (Oshawa Generals) – 21.25
5. Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs) – 21.03
15. Luca Romano (Kitchener Rangers) – 18.81

Musculoskeletal: Bench Press 50% of Body Weight – Power
6. Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs) – 7.56
8. David Bedkowski (Owen Sound Attack) – 7.41
12. Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts) – 7.03
15. Kristian Epperson (Saginaw Spirit) – 6.83
20. Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs) – 6.71

Musculoskeletal: Horizontal Jump (inches)
10. Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads) – 112.0
T-12. Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs) – 110.5
T-12. Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs) – 110.5
24. Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters) – 107.5

Musculoskeletal: Left Hand Grip (lb)
2. Simon Wang (Oshawa Generals) – 170
T-10. Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters) – 151
T-17. Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads) – 149
T-20. Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers) – 145
T-20. Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires) – 145
22. Tyler Hopkins (Kingston Frontenacs) – 144
T-24. Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds) – 142

Musculoskeletal: Right Hand Grip (lb)
T-2. Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires) – 165
T-5. Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads) – 162
8. Simon Wang (Oshawa Generals) – 161
T-11. Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers) – 160
25. Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters) – 144

Musculoskeletal: Pull-Ups Consecutive (max #)
T-5. Cameron Reid (Kitchener Rangers) – 14
T-5. Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs) – 14
T-11. Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts) – 13
T-11. Kristian Epperson (Saginaw Spirit) – 13
T-14. Luca Romano (Kitchener Rangers) – 12
T-14. David Bedkowski (Owen Sound Attack) – 12
T-22. Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires) – 11

For full results from the 2025 NHL Scouting Combine, visit nhl.com.