OHL This Week: January 2 to 4, 2026

Happy New Year! We turn over the calendar for the second half of the OHL season, with the first 2026 edition of OHL This Week.

Colts visit Rangers in Friday Night Faceoff
Back-to-back OHL Goaltender of the Month Ben Hrebik and the Barrie Colts are in Kitchener to face the Rangers, who ride into the new year atop the Midwest Division standings. Watch for free across FloHockey’s social media and YouTube accounts at 7:00pm. Read more

Canada faces Slovakia in World Junior Quarterfinal
Canada’s National Junior Team hits the ice at 8:30pm ET in Minnesota tonight, taking on Slovakia in quarterfinal play. Canada is a perfect 4-0 to this point in the tournament, chasing their first medal since winning back-to-back gold in 2022 and 2023. Visit iihf.com

2025 OHL Year in Review
Records, milestones and more! Take a look back at the year that was with the OHL’s 2025 Year in Review. Read more

Patterson, Hrebik, Cristoforo and Malhotra named Top Performers for December
The OHL announced Top Performers of the Month for December on Thursday, highlighting Niagara’s Riley Patterson, Barrie’s Ben Hrebik, Windsor’s Anthony Cristoforo and Brantford’s Caleb Malhotra. Read more

OHL spotlights Academic Players of the Month for December
The OHL announced Academic Players of the Month for December on Thursday, with Oshawa’s Colin Feeley, Niagara’s Ryerson Edgar, Kitchener’s Alexander Bilecki and Sarnia’s Chase Gaughan taking honours for their respective divisions. Read more

Thirty-one past and present OHL players competing in 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship
A total of 31 past and present OHL players are included on rosters for the 2026 World Juniors currently being held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Read more

OHL Plays of the Season (So Far) presented by Dairy Farmers of Ontario
The League’s top plays of the first half include contributions from Sarnia’s Ben Pickell, Kitchener’s Tanner Lam, Windsor’s Cole Davis, Erie’s Michael Dec and Sault Ste. Marie’s Brady Martin. Watch

OHL Saves of the Season (So Far)
Check out the top saves from the first half of the OHL season, with entries from Ottawa’s Ryder Fetterolf, a pair from Saginaw’s Stepan Shurygin, Sarnia’s Evan Maillet and Brampton’s Zach Bowen. Watch

London Jr. Knights surge on OHL Cup Top 10 Rankings after conquering Marlboros tournament
The ALLIANCE’s London Jr. Knights are up to third on this week’s OHL Cup Top 10 Rankings, reigning supreme at the Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic. London defeated the Toronto Marlboros in the Championship Final. Read more

December’s GOHL prospect round-up
Highlighting top performers from across the GOHL, official development league of the OHL, throughout the month of December. Read more

 

League News

Ethan Czata named IceDogs’ captain: Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Ethan Czata is the 20th captain in Niagara IceDogs history. The 18-year-old Czata gets the ‘C’ after Kevin He was dealt to the Flint Firebirds last week. Czata has 15 goals, nine assists and 24 points over 31 games in this, his third OHL season.

Islanders prospect Jesse Nurmi returns to Knights: The London Knights have another Memorial Cup champion back in their lineup. Finnish winger Jesse Nurmi has returned from the New York Islanders organization after recording two points (1-1–2) over 12 games with the ECHL’s Worcester Railers. Nurmi was New York’s fourth round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He posted 31 points (9-22–31) over 58 games last season.

Matthew Andonovski returns to Rangers: The Ottawa Senators have reassigned defenceman Matthew Andonovski to the Kitchener Rangers. Andonovski, who wore the ‘C’ in Kitchener last season, played in three games with the AHL’s Belleville Senators this season. He was Ottawa’s fifth round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Andonovski put up 21 points (6-15–21) over 65 games for the Rangers last season. He owns a career OHL plus/minus of plus-99.

Ryan Hutchison officiates final OHL game on New Year’s Eve: After 18 seasons in the OHL, referee Ryan Hutchison is hanging them up. He worked his 667th and final assignment on New Year’s Eve in Windsor alongside Joe Monette and linesmen Brandon Flood and Phil Nadeau. Hutchison’s final game came in the city where it all began. He worked his first OHL game at the old Windsor Arena back in 2003. Read more

 

Transactions

OHL Trade Deadline approaching on January 9: The 2025-26 OHL Trade Deadline is right around the corner, scheduled for Friday, January 9th at 12:00pm. The League’s trade deadline for overage players is Thursday, January 8th at 12:00pm.

Rangers acquire Canucks prospect Gabriel Chiarot: The Kitchener Rangers have added experience on the wing, adding Vancouver Canucks prospect Gabriel Chiarot in a trade with the Brampton Steelheads. The Trout receive eight draft picks and the rights to forward Adam Valentini in exchange. Chiarot has recorded 25 points (15-10–25) through 33 games in his third OHL season. The former seventh round pick from Hamilton was chosen by Vancouver in the sixth round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Read more

Firebirds add Jets prospect Kevin He in trade with Niagara: The Flint Firebirds continue to load up, adding Niagara IceDogs veteran Kevin He to their forward ranks in a trade announced on Sunday. He joins defenceman Darcy Dewachter and two draft picks joining the Firebirds while forward Chase Hull and a collection of future draft picks go back the other way to Niagara. Read more

Forwards Hopkins, McLean swap sides in Storm/Frontenacs trade: The 2027 Memorial Cup host Guelph Storm acquired a big name centre in Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Tyler Hopkins from the Kingston Frontenacs, while the Fronts gain an intriguing offensive producer in sophomore forward Alex McLean. Read more

Knights and Sting swap former first round picks in Hawery, Brown: 402 rivals the London Knights and Sarnia Sting made a one-for-one trade announced Sunday, with the Knights acquiring 2007-born winger Ryan Brown in exchange for 2008-born forward Logan Hawery. Both players are former first round OHL Priority Selection choices. Read more

Firebirds acquire defenceman Jude Bray: The Flint Firebirds have picked-up defenceman Jude Bray in a trade with the Brantford Bulldogs, sending a fourth round pick in 2027 back to Brantford. Bray has produced 13 points (4-9–13) over 17 games with the BCHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders this season. Read more

Bulldogs sign blueliner Cameron Merrick: The Brantford Bulldogs have signed 18-year-old free agent blueliner Cameron Merrick to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement, with the 6-foot-2 rearguard committing for the 2026-27 season. Merrick, who hails from Saline, Michigan, is currently playing for Minnetonka High School in Minnesota. Read more

 

Alumni News

From the O to the Pros – OHL Alumni Weekly Round-Up: Checking out this week’s top stories in the professional ranks including Connor McDavid joining Mario Lemieux in some interesting history, Steven Stamkos becoming the 22nd NHL player to reach 600 career goals, Igor Chernyshov’s strong showing in San Jose, and Denver Barkey bursting onto the scene in Philadephia. Read more

Tomasino dealt to Flyers: Former Niagara IceDogs and Oshawa Generals forward Philip Tomasino has been traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. Originally a first round pick by the Nashville Predators in 2019, Tomasino spent the two seasons in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. In 14 games with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton Penguins this season, he’s produced 15 points (5-10–15). Tomasino’s career NHL totals include 34 goals, 61 assists and 95 points over 218 games between Nashville and Pittsburgh. The Penguins acquired defenceman Egor Zamula in the deal with Philadelphia.

Katchouk traded to Wild: Soo Greyhounds graduate Boris Katchouk is a member of the Minnesota Wild organization. The 27-year-old was involved in a trade between the Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning organizations, as Katchouk moves on after starting the season back where he got drafted in 2016. Through 21 games, Katchouk recorded 10 points (4-6–10) with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. He’s appeared in 179 career NHL contests, producing 15 goals, 21 assists and 36 points.

Injured Strome taking reps in Bears broadcast booth: Former OHL champion Matthew Strome is getting some experience behind the microphone. Currently sidelined with a lower body injury, Strome has been wearing the headset alongside Hershey Bears senior manager of hockey communications and broadcasting Zack Fisch. Strome, 26, played four seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs from 2015-19, following in the footsteps of older brothers Ryan (Barrie/Niagara) and Dylan (Erie) who graduated to pursue NHL careers. Read more at theahl.com

Nine OHL graduates selected for Canada’s Olympic roster: A total of nine former OHL players will wear the maple leaf at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy. An additional five hockey operations staff members who had previous involvement in the OHL are also named to the roster. Read more

Trio of former OHLers named to U.S. National Team for 2026 Olympics: Former OHL forwards Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers/Saginaw, Plymouth), J.T. Miller (New York Rangers/Plymouth Whalers) and Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers/London Knights) have been named to the United States roster for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Read more

Three OHL grads selected for Sweden’s Olympic Winter Games roster: OHL graduates Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche/Kitchener Rangers), Rickard Rakell (Pittsburgh Penguins/Plymouth Whalers) and Rasmus Andersson (Calgary Flames/Barrie Colts) will represent Sweden at the 2026 Olympics in Turin, Italy. Read more

Two OHL alumni to compete for Finland at 2026 Olympics: Former OHL Goaltender of the Year and Red Tilson Trophy recipient Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo Sabres/Sudbury Wolves) will join Olli Maatta (Utah Mammoth/London Knights) in suiting up for Finland at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Read more

 

Upcoming Schedule

Friday, January 2nd
Barrie at Kitchener, 7:00pm (Friday Night Faceoff on FloHockey)
Flint at London, 7:00pm
Windsor at Niagara, 7:00pm
Ottawa at Kingston, 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Sarnia, 7:05pm
North Bay at Sudbury, 7:05pm
Brantford at Guelph, 7:07pm

Saturday, January 3rd
Windsor at Erie, 7:00pm
Brampton at Flint, 7:00pm
Peterborough at Owen Sound, 7:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Saginaw, 7:05pm
Niagara at Barrie, 7:30pm

Sunday, January 4th
Sudbury at North Bay, 2:00pm
London at Oshawa, 2:05pm
Peterborough at Guelph, 2:07pm
Brampton at Saginaw, 5:30pm