OHL This Week: January 9 to 12, 2020
Canada wins World Junior gold, the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game just a week away, and lots to tell you about across the Ontario Hockey League. Let’s dig into the OHL This Week!
10 PAST AND PRESENT OHL PLAYERS CAPTURE WORLD JUNIOR GOLD WITH CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM:
The Ontario Hockey League is proud to recognize 10 past and present OHL players in addition to a number of hockey operations staff members returning from the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship with gold as members of Canada’s National Junior Team, following a 4-3 win over Russia Sunday in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
READ MORE • PHOTO GALLERY
OHL’S WORLD JUNIOR GOLD MEDALISTS HONOURED IN TORONTO:
Eight of the OHL’s Canadian World Junior Hockey Championship gold medalists were honoured prior to puck drop in Toronto on Wednesday as the Maple Leafs took on the Winnipeg Jets. The players dropped the ceremonial face-off for OHL graduates John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets.
WATCH
OHL TRADE DEADLINE PASSES ON FRIDAY:
The 2019-20 OHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. All transactions have been posted on the League’s Media Notes page.
FULL DETAILS
KUBOTA CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME RETURNS TO ONTARIO IN HAMILTON:
The 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game returns to Ontario on Thursday January 16th in Hamilton as 40 of the Canadian Hockey League’s top draft eligible players bring fans and scouts out to see a best-on-best competition. The 25th annual showcase will be held in Ontario for the 13th time.
READ MORE • RED & WHITE ROSTERS
WOLVES’ BYFIELD NAMED CAPTAIN OF TEAM RED FOR 2020 KUBOTA CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME:
Canadian National Junior Team gold medalist Quinton Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves will wear the ‘C’ for Team Red at the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Byfield currently ranks tied for 12th in CHL scoring with 22 goals and 35 assists for 57 points in just 30 games.
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7 OHL PLAYERS INCLUDED IN SPORTSNET’S 2020 NHL DRAFT PROSPECT RANKINGS FOR JANUARY:
With the World Juniors wrapped up and the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game right around the corner, Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino has unveiled his latest 2020 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings, a list of 31 players that dropped on Wednesday. A total of seven OHL players are included on the list including four names in the Top-10.
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67’s, SPITFIRES, STORM AND PETES IN KIA CHL TOP 10:
The Ottawa 67’s are the new number one team in the Canadian Hockey League, unseating the Sherbrooke Phoenix after they spent 10 consecutive weeks in the top spot. The 67’s are in the midst of a remarkable 16-game winning streak that dates back to November 16th. Joining them in the Top 10 are the Windsor Spitfires, Guelph Storm and Peterborough Petes while the Kitchener Rangers and Saginaw Spirit both received an honourable mention.
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CHEMISTRY AND CONFIDENCE: ON WHAT’S CLICKING FOR THE OTTAWA 67’s:
The number one team in this week’s Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings, the Ottawa 67’s are in the midst of a franchise record 16-game winning streak. Sarah Jean Maher explores what’s making the Ottawa 67’s so successful.
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ICEDOGS’ LODNIA AND TOMASINO NAMED TO VAUGHN CHL TEAM OF THE WEEK:
Niagara IceDogs teammates Ivan Lodnia and Philip Tomasino have been named to the Vaughn CHL Team of the Week for Dec. 30 to Jan. 5.
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RANGERS’ INGHAM NAMED OHL ‘ON THE RUN’ PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Los Angeles Kings prospect Jacob Ingham of the Kitchener Rangers is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the week ending January 5th. Ingham receives the honour for the second time this season, turning aside 108 of the 112 shots that came his way as the Rangers defeated Erie, Saginaw and Guelph.
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68,767 TEDDY BEARS TOSSED IN 2019-20:
Ontario Hockey League fans gave generously again this season donating over 68,000 Teddy Bears in support of over 60 charitable organizations throughout OHL communities serving families and children in need at Christmas.
WATCH
WAWANESA OHL PLAYS OF THE WEEK – JAN. 8, 2020:
Four displays of offensive mastery and a sensational save! Take a closer look inside the Wawanesa OHL Plays of the Week that include Saginaw’s Cole Perfetti with a nice pass to get things going, Niagara’s Jake Uberti going end-to-end, IceDogs Josh Rosenzweig with a sprawling paddle save, North Bay’s Luke Moncada with another shorthanded stunner and Flint’s Evgeniy Oksentyuk pulling-off the ‘Michigan’ in Michigan.
WATCH
VAUGHN SAVES OF THE WEEK – JAN. 7, 2020:
It’s time for a fully loaded version of Vaughn Saves featuring 11 different OHL goaltenders! The Saginaw Spirit duo of Marshall Frappier and Tristan Lennox both get some screen time and they’re joined by Sarnia’s Ethan Langevin, Kitchener’s Jacob Ingham, Guelph’s Owen Bennett, Niagara’s Josh Rosenzweig, Oshawa’s Zachary Paputsakis, London’s Brett Brochu, Hamilton’s Zachary Roy, Barrie’s Jet Greaves and Flint’s Anthony Popovich.
WATCH
FIREBIRDS’ OKSENTYUK REPRESENTS OHL IN CHL SHOWDOWN:
Flint Firebirds forward Evgeniy Oksentyuk is the OHL’s representative in this week’s CHL Showdown featuring one great play from all three leagues. The Belarusian winger’s “Michigan Move” last weekend went viral over social media and will be sure to garner plenty of votes this week.
WATCH & VOTE
THREE MORE OHL MILESTONE MOMENTS:
OHL rookies Martin Chromiak (Kingston Frontenacs), Daniel Michaud (Oshawa Generals) and Oliver Smith (Barrie Colts) each scored their first career OHL goal this past week.
WATCH
OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR WEEK 6 TOP 10 RANKINGS:
The 25-4-2 Quinte Red Devils continue to lead the OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Minor Midget Top 10 Rankings while the ALLIANCE’s Hamilton Huskies climbed two spots from number eight to number on six on the sixth edition of the weekly list. The GTHL’s Mississauga Senators are also on the rise, climbing two slots to number eight.
FULL RANKINGS
OHL WEEKEND NOTEBOOK: JAN. 6, 2020:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Here are 10 of the leading stories from this past weekend.
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#PLAYERS FIRST: CENTRALLY ADMINISTERED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM:
Since 2008, OHL member teams have invested a total of $25.7 million toward scholarships for their alumni through the centrally administered OHL Scholarship Program. OHL graduates Kris Bennett and Josh Burnside share the smooth and straightforward process they enjoyed when accessing their earned OHL scholarships.
FACT OF THE WEEK • ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
BATTALION APPOINTS LUKE MONCADA CAPTAIN:
The North Bay Battalion announced Thursday that 19-year-old forward Luke Moncada has been named captain of the club. The 19-year-old fourth-year veteran currently leads the OHL with six shorthanded goals this season, contributing to a total of 33 points (20-13–33) over 39 games.
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NHL DRAFT PROSPECT NICK MALIK COMMITS TO GREYHOUNDS:
The Soo Greyhounds have received a commitment from draft eligible 17-year-old Czech netminder Nick Malik who they selected in the 2019 CHL Import Draft. Malik has spent most of this season with HC Frydek-Mistek of the Czech2 league. Through 18 games played he has compiled an 11-7-1 record to go along with a 2.46 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.
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CAPITALS PROSPECT MARTIN JOINS STORM:
The Guelph Storm will add Washington Capitals prospect Martin Has to the blue line after acquiring him from the North Bay Battalion on Friday. The 6-foot-4 Czech defenceman made his OHL debut with the Battalion on January 9th after representing the Czech Republic at the 2020 World Juniors.
READ MORE
ROGERS HOMETOWN HOCKEY TOUR COMES TO VAUGHAN:
After stopping in Cobourg, Ont., the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour visits Vaughan this coming weekend. Hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone will tell more great stories throughout the weekend.
VISIT HOMETOWNHOCKEY.COM FOR FULL COVERAGE
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY – CHL COORDINATOR, DIGITAL:
The Canadian Hockey League is accepting applications for the position of Coordinator, Digital, until Friday January 17th. The CHL’s Coordinator, Digital will play an integral role in the day to day digital activities of the CHL. The two main functions of this job will be managing the CHL’s new mobile app and acting as lead on the CHL’s fan engagement platform known as “CHL Fanbase”.
FULL DETAILS AT CHL.CA
OHF ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR OHF SCHOLARSHIP:
Each year, the OHF awards $1000 scholarships to 30 outstanding young people who display commitment both at the arena and in the classroom.
APPLY NOW AT OHF.ON.CA
COMMUNITY CORNER:
IceDogs to honour Akil Thomas ahead of Thursday’s game: The Niagara IceDogs will celebrate World Junior gold medalist Akil Thomas before facing off against the Hamilton Bulldogs Thursday night. Thomas scored the go-ahead goal for Team Canada in their 4-3 win over Russia, helping them capture gold in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The IceDogs will also be thanking Thomas for the past three and a half seasons with the team.
Retro Y2K Night in Peterborough this Thursday: As the Petes host the Owen Sound Attack this Thursday, they’ll also be taking fans back 20 years with Y2K-themed contests and music throughout the night.
MORE INFO AT GOPETESGO.COM
67’s present Dunder Mifflin Night: The Ottawa 67’s are gearing up for their Office-themed Dunder Mifflin Night this Friday when the Guelph Storm come to town. The players will be sporting Office-themed jerseys, there will be Office-themed trivia during the intermissions, and a special Office-themed menu will even be available.
FULL DETAILS AT OTTAWA67s.COM
Wolves to wear Physician-themed jerseys in support of Health Sciences North Foundation: The Wolves have partnered with the Health Sciences North Foundation for this Friday’s game against the North Bay Battalion, in which the players will sport wear special physician-themed jerseys. The jerseys will be auctioned off following the game, and proceeds will go towards new MRI scanners at Health Sciences North.
VISIT SUDBURYWOLVES.COM FOR MORE INFO
Hamilton Bulldogs’ Bell Let’s Talk Game this Saturday: Hamilton’s tilt against the Sarnia Sting this Saturday is also the Bulldogs’ Bell Let’s Talk Game, aimed at raising awareness to mental health, providing information from experts, breaking the stigma, and offering fans opportunities for involvement.
Colin Campbell Banner Raising in Peterborough on Saturday: The Petes will also pay tribute to alumnus Colin Campbell ahead of Saturday’s puck drop when the Ottawa 67’s come to town. Campbell played from 1970-73 and went on to have a seasoned NHL career as a player, coach, and executive. Saturday will also be the team’s annual Saves 4 CF night. CF Warrior Ashlynne McGuigan, along with her mom and Candace, the Vice President of Peterborough’s Cystic Fibrosis Canada chapter, will take part in the ceremonial puck drop. The players’ throwback T.P.T. replica jerseys will be available for online auction following the game with proceeds going toward Saves 4 CF, and jersey t-shirts will also be available both at the Petes Store and online.
VISITGOPETESGO.COM FOR MORE
Petes launch Pink the Rink Campaign: The Petes announced earlier this week that they had officially launched their 11th annual Pink in the Rink fundraising campaign in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society Peterborough and District Community Office. Mike Marton and Ian Armstrong were named chairmen for this year’s campaign in September, and a fundraising goal of $72,000 has been set. A special jersey has been created to honour those affected by cancer, and a $20 donation to the Canadian Cancer Society allows fans to add the name of someone who has or has had cancer to be printed on. Fans will also be able to bid on and purchase commemorative game-worn jersey during a live auction following the conclusion of Feb. 1’s Pink in the Rink game against the Oshawa Generals, which will also mark the end of the campaign. Petes players will be attending various events throughout the city during the campaign, and all funds raised will go towards research for women’s cancers including ovarian, cervical, uterine, and breast.
VISIT GOPETESGO.COM FOR FULL CAMPAIGN DETAILS
Soo Greyhounds Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Party: The Soo Greyhounds will be celebrating season ticket holders this Tuesday at their Appreciation Party held in the GFL Memorial Gardens’ Angelo Bumbacco Room. The event is exclusive to season ticket holders and will provide opportunity to mingle with players, staff, and other season ticket holders.
MORE INFO AT SOOGREYHOUNDS.COM
Skate with the IceDogs: The Niagara IceDogs are hosting their third community skate of the season on Tuesday. Following their practice at Beamsville Arena from 5-6pm on Jan. 14, fans are invited to join the players on the ice for photos, autographs, and an hour of skating. There will be Tim Hortons hot chocolate on site, as well as a jersey raffle, and chuck-a-puck with proceeds benefiting the West Niagara Flying Aces.
ALUMNI NOTES:
Williams makes return to Hurricanes: OHL graduate Justin Williams has announced his return to the Carolina Hurricanes. The 38-year-old forward from Cobourg, Ont. who skated with the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers from 1998-2000 announced earlier this season that he’d be stepping away from the game temporarily. Now the Canes’ captain and three-time Stanley Cup champion is ready to return to the ice after signing a one-year deal with the club. Williams has appeared in 1,244 career NHL contests, recording 786 points (312-474–786) along the way. He’s earned himself the nickname ‘Mr. Game 7’ for his clutch contributions throughout his career in the NHL Playoffs. Williams got his start with the Whalers back in 1998 and was a first round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2000 NHL Draft.
Scheifele named NHL’s second star of the week: Barrie Colts graduate Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets is the NHL’s second star of the week, recording eight points (3-5–8) over three contests. The 26-year-old from Kitchener, Ont. has 49 points (21-28–49) over 44 games in this, his seventh season in Winnipeg. Scheifele played three seasons in Barrie from 2010-13, helping the Colts win an Eastern Conference title in 2013. He recorded 217 points (84-133–217) over 158 career regular season games. He was Winnipeg’s first round (7th overall) pick in the 2011 NHL Draft.
Verhaeghe scores first NHL hat-trick: Niagara IceDogs graduate Carter Verhaeghe had a night to remember on Tuesday, scoring his first career NHL hat-trick as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Vancouver Canucks 9-2. The 24-year-old Waterdown, Ont. native made his NHL debut earlier this season and has nine points (5-4–9) over 29 games with the Bolts this season. Verhaeghe has spent the past four seasons in the pro ranks after skating with the IceDogs over four seasons from 2011-15. The former Niagara captain amassed 224 points (83-141–224) over 262 games in his OHL career.
O’Leary named head coach of Moose Jaw Warriors: Guelph Storm graduate Mark O’Leary has been named head coach of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. O’Leary, 34, will work under former Storm general manager Alan Millar who serves as GM of the Warriors. The product of Owen Sound, Ont. is in his eighth season with the Warriors franchise, being promoted from the role of associate coach with the club off to an 11-23-2-0 start to the season. O’Leary played three OHL seasons between Mississauga and Guelph from 2003-06, reaching the OHL Championship Series with the IceDogs as a rookie. He went on to play five seasons in the minor pro ranks before moving behind the bench.
Doggett named U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian: Windsor Spitfires graduate Slater Doggett has been named a U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian for the 2018-19 season. The 25-year-old forward, who is spending the 2019-20 season in the Italian pro ranks, completed a four-year tenure with the Queen’s University Men’s Hockey program and was named OUA East Most Valuable Player with 34 points (21-13–34) over 25 games. Doggett excelled off the ice, earning the OUA East Division Randy Gregg Award for his involvement in the Autism Mentorship Program (AMP) as well volunteering his time with Nightlight Kingston, an initiative that serves those who are less fortunate. Doggett spent three seasons in the OHL between Kingston and Windsor from 2012-15, recording 93 points (35-58–93) over 182 career regular season games.
READ MORE AT GOGAELSGO.COM
Sproviero named OUA Athlete of the Week: Sarnia Sting graduate Franco Sproviero has been named OUA Male Athlete of the Week, recording five points over the weekend to help the Western Mustangs to high-scoring wins over the Waterloo Warriors and York Lions. The 21-year-old Sproviero has 24 points (9-15–24) over 15 games in this, his rookie season in the U SPORTS ranks. The Sarnia, Ont. product played parts of five seasons with the Sting, registering 135 points (46-89–135) over 214 career regular season games.
KEY MATCHUPS:
Guelph Storm at Ottawa 67’s
Friday, January 10th
With Nico Daws back in tow, the Guelph Storm will take to the capital city on Friday to square off against the CHL’s top team.
The 67’s have won 16 straight, and will have big defender and World Junior gold medalist Kevin Bahl back in the lineup.
Leading Storm scorer Pavel Gogolev, who sits second among OHL skaters in points, skates in on a 12-game point streak that has seen 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points. Though both were held scoreless in last Sunday’s tilt with the Kitchener Rangers, Montreal Canadiens prospect Cam Hillis (2-3-5) and Eric Uba (2-3-5) are both coming off five-point weekends.
67’s scorer Joseph Garreffa looks to extend an 18-game streak in which he’s amassed 41 points (15-26-41). Top NHL Draft prospect Marco Rossi flew into the league’s top scorer slot last week with 69 points, and also holds a current second-best point streak with 43 points in his last 17 games.
Ottawa netminder Cedrick Andree continues to boast impressive numbers with a .921 save percentage and 2.27 goals-against average, second only to Daws’ .939 save percentage and accompanying 2.06 goals-against average.
The Storm will be hungry to get back in the win column, having dropped their last two matches at the hands of the Owen Sound Attack and Kitchener Rangers.
This will be the second and final matchup between both teams. Their first tangle, the season opener for both squads, ended 3-2 in a shootout and in favour of the Barber Poles.
Windsor Spitfires at Kitchener Rangers
Sunday, January 12th
Two surging Western Conference teams in the Kitchener Rangers and Windsor Spitfires will take to the ice Sunday afternoon for what is sure to be a good one.
With five straight wins in the bag and 52 points on the year, the Spits were able to reclaim their spot at the top of the Western Conference following wins over the Soo Greyhounds, the Sudbury Wolves, and the North Bay Battalion in last weekend’s three-in-three.
Nashville Predators pick and leading Spits scorer Egor Afanasyev has been on a roll with 18 points (9-9-18) in his last 11 straight games. Also noteworthy is third year winger Daniel D’Amico’s six point weekend that included five goals in his team’s 10-4 blowout over the Soo Greyhounds last Friday. Teammate Will Cuylle, a Spitfires sophomore, also put up a hat trick in the win.
Kitchener has been a force to be reckoned with as well, having won 12 of their last 14 games since Mike McKenzie took over as interim head coach in late November. The Rangers sit tied with the Guelph Storm for first in the Midwest Division with 49 points to their name.
Rangers goaltender Jacob Ingham, who was named OHL “On the Run” Player of the Week for Dec. 30-Jan. 5, has played an integral role in his team’s newfound success. The 19-year-old Los Angeles Kings prospect currently owns an 11-1 record with a 1.49 goals-against average, a .951 save percentage, and a pair of shutouts since December 1st. He totaled 108 saves in 112 attempts between the pipes in a trio of wins against Erie, Saginaw, and Guelph last week.
Last year saw an even 2-2-0-0 record on the year for both teams, and the clubs’ five year history shows fairly even numbers as well. Windsor holds a 9-8-0-1 tally over the course of the last five seasons, while Kitchener stands at 9-5-3-1. The Rangers have claimed both games between the clubs this season, and Sunday’s tilt will be the third of four.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Thursday January 9th:
Hamilton at Niagara – 7:00pm
Mississauga at North Bay – 7:00pm
Owen Sound at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Oshawa at Windsor – 7:05pm
Sudbury at Barrie – 7:30pm
Friday January 10th:
Saginaw at Flint – 7:00pm
Owen Sound at Kingston – 7:00pm
Guelph at Ottawa – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Sarnia – 7:05pm
North Bay at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Mississauga at Soo – 7:07pm
Niagara at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Barrie at London – 7:30pm
Saturday January 11th:
Sarnia at Hamilton – 4:00pm
Niagara at Erie – 7:00pm
Windsor at Flint – 7:00pm
Guelph at Kingston – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Peterborough – 7:05pm
London at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Kitchener at Barrie – 7:30pm
Sunday January 12th:
Sarnia at Erie – 2:00pm
Windsor at Kitchener – 2:00pm
Owen Sound at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Mississauga at Sudbury – 2:05pm
London at Soo – 2:07pm
Peterborough at Oshawa – 6:05pm
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