OHL This Week: June 27 to 30, 2019

 

A look back at both the NHL Draft, CHL Import Draft, plus all other news and notes from around the Ontario Hockey League in our last official weekly roundup for 2018-19.

25 OHL PLAYERS SELECTED IN 2019 NHL DRAFT:
The Ontario Hockey League today announced that 25 OHL players were selected in the seven rounds of the 2019 NHL Draft held this weekend at Rogers Arena representing approximately 12% of all 217 players picked by all 31 NHL clubs. 15 of the OHL’s 20 member teams developed NHL Draft talent in 2019 led by the Mississauga Steelheads and Saginaw Spirit who each produced three draft selections. The Barrie Colts, Flint Firebirds, Kitchener Rangers, London Knights, Ottawa 67’s and Peterborough Petes each had a pair of players selected. The Knights continued their record streak of players chosen annually since 1969. Read more / Photo Gallery / OHL at NHL Draft History

OHL PLAYERS HEAD TO NHL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS:
With the 2019 NHL Draft in the books, Development Camps are getting underway across the NHL this week and into the month of July. Here’s a complete look at which OHL players are attending NHL Development Camps. Read more

OHL CLUBS SELECT 28 PLAYERS IN 2019 CHL IMPORT DRAFT:
The 28th annual CHL Import Draft saw OHL teams select a total of 28 players from across 12 different countries. Among those selections were seven players already drafted by NHL clubs along with 15 2002-born players eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft. Read more

MEET THE OHL’S 2019 CHL IMPORT DRAFT PICKS:
Get to know the 28 players chosen by 19 Ontario Hockey League clubs in the 2019 CHL Import Draft process with stats, profiles, roster updates, and club comments. Read more

16 OHL PLAYERS INVITED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL SUMMER UNDER-18 TEAM SELECTION CAMP:
Sixteen OHL players have been invited to Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team Selection Camp set for July 26-30 in Calgary, Alta. The 16 OHL players are part of a larger group of 41 from across the Canadian Hockey League, a figure that also includes 16 from the Western Hockey League and nine from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Canada captured gold on home ice last year in Edmonton, Alta., defeating Sweden 6-2 in the gold medal game with a team that included 14 players who were selected in the 2019 NHL Draft last weekend. Read more

46 OHL PROSPECTS INVITED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL UNDER-17 DEVELOPMENT CAMP:
46 OHL prospects have been invited to participate in Canada’s National Under-17 Development Camp, taking place July 19-26 in Calgary, Alta. During the week-long camp, a total of 112 CHL prospects – 12 goaltenders, 36 defencemen and 64 forwards – will be split into six teams for on- and off-ice training, fitness testing, intrasquad games and classroom studies. Read more

#STORMCUPTOUR VISITS THREE DEFENCEMEN:
Guelph Storm defencemen Fedor Gordeev, Sean Durzi and Owen Lalonde each enjoyed a day with the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The blue line trio was featured in the latest stop on the Storm’s summer-long championship celebration tour. Read more

CAM HILLIS NAMED STORM CAPTAIN:
Montreal Canadiens prospect Cam Hillis has been named the 29th captain in Guelph Storm franchise history. Hillis is entering his third season with the Storm after being drafted by the club in the second round of the 2016 OHL Priority Selection.  In 93 games with the Storm, he has collected 81 points. In his rookie season, the Enniskillen, Ont. native recorded 59 points in 60 games and won the club’s rookie of the year award. Hillis played just 33 games during his sophomore season due to injury. Read more

SPIRIT NAME JARED NIGHTINGALE ASSOCIATE COACH:
The Saginaw Spirit have appointed long-time minor pro defenceman Jared Nightingale to the role of associate coach for the 2019-20 season. The 36-year-old Jackson, Michigan native was previously an assistant coach for the United States Under-17 National Team Development Program and the United States Under-17 National Team, and two years ago, broke into coaching with the Omaha Lancers in the United States Hockey League. Read more

PENNSYLVANIA PRODUCT AUSTEN SWANKLER COMMITS TO OTTERS:
The Erie Otters have received a commitment from 18-year-old former third round OHL Priority Selection choice Austen Swankler. The Irwin, Penn. native spent the 2018-19 season in the United States Hockey League beginning the year with the Waterloo Black Hawks before a November trade sent him to the Sioux Falls Stampede. The 17-year-old posted 45 points (12G-33A) in 59 games played between the two organizations and added two goals and an assist in ten playoff games with Sioux Falls on the way to a Clark Cup victory as USHL Champions. Read more

PASQUALE ZITO COMMITS TO SPITFIRES:
The Windsor Spitfires have received a commitment from 2019 second round (41st overall) selection Pasquale Zito. The 16-year-old posted 28 goals and 45 assists in 52 games with the Mississauga Rebels Minor Midgets last season. Zito was also an OHL Gold Cup standout in May, scoring the game-winning goal late in the third period to lift GTHL Blue to a 5-4, comeback victory in the gold medal game. Read more

RYAN MAST COMMITS TO STING:
The Sarnia Sting have received a commitment from 2019 ninth round selection Ryan Mast. A 6-foot-2, 190 lbs, Michigan native, Mast played last season for the Detroit Compuware U16 AAA program, where he served as assistant captain. Mast was originally selected in the ninth round (169th overall) of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. Read more

ETHAN BURROUGHS COMMITS TO ATTACK:
The Owen Sound Attack have received a commitment from 2019 second round (29th overall) selection Ethan Burroughs. Playing with the Halton Hurricanes in 2018-19, Burroughs scored 30 goals in 31 games while adding 19 assists. The Georgetown, Ont. native was recently invited to Canada’s National Under-17 Development Camp later this month in Calgary. Read more

JOSHUA SAMANSKI COMMITS TO ATTACK:
The Owen Sound Attack have received a commitment from 17-year-old free agent centreman Joshua Samanski. The German/Canadian Dual-Citizen most recently played with the Brantford 99ers in the OJHL, scoring 13 goals and 12 assists over 54 games in the 2018-19 season. Read more

OHL MOURNS THE LOSS OF MR. JOHN GARDNER:
The OHL family is mourning the loss of friend and prominent minor hockey leader Mr. John Gardner who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80. Gardner was elected to the GTHL Board of Governors in 1970 and became president of the world’s largest minor hockey league in 1975, a volunteer position he’d hold for 40 years before stepping down in 2015. Read more

BATTALION’S BUTLER RECOGNIZED BY SPECIAL OLYMPICS ONTARIO:
50th anniversary celebrations have been ongoing throughout 2018-19 and have included the presentation of 50 medallions to worthy recipients on behalf of Special Olympics Ontario.  North Bay Battalion head coach and director of hockey operations Stan Butler has been recognized in the “Star” category as an individual who believes in dedication, commitment, trust, philanthropy and whose contributions have made a lasting impact on Special Olympics.  Read more

ALUMNI NOTES:

OHL builder and three-time Stanley Cup champion Jim Rutherford named to Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019: Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, former two-time OHL champion and 1969 Memorial Cup champion will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame’s builder category in November. A goaltender with the OHA’s Hamilton Red Wings from 1967-69, Rutherford joined the Montreal Jr. Canadiens for the 1969 Memorial Cup to sweep the Regina Pats 4-0 in a best-of-seven series. Following a 13-year NHL career spent largely with the Detroit Red Wings, Rutherford served as general manager of the Windsor Compuware Spitfires, Detroit Compuware Ambassadors and Detroit Jr. Red Wings, winning OHL championships in 1988 and 1994. Read more

Spirit graduate Justin Murray signs AHL contract with Bridgeport: Saginaw Spirit overage graduate Justin Murray has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the New York Islanders. Murray, 20, collected a career-high 12 goals, 28 assists and 40 points in 67 games last season, splitting time between the Barrie Colts and Saginaw Spirit. A native of London, Ont., Murray recorded 108 points (23 goals, 85 assists) and a plus-58 rating in 260 career OHL games between Saginaw and Barrie. He served as Barrie’s captain in 2017-18. Read more

Vellucci leaves Calder Cup champion Checkers for Penguins: Mike Vellucci, a two-time OHL Coach of the Year and 2007 OHL Champion with the Plymouth Whalers, has been named the new head coach of the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.  He leaves his position in Charlotte where he served as the club’s bench boss for two seasons compiling the league’s best regular-season record (51-17-7-1) in 2018-19 en route to capturing the Calder Cup. He also won the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award (AHL Coach of the Year) for Charlotte’s historic season.

Injury may force Callahan into retirement: A degenerative back condition may force Guelph Storm graduate and Tampa Bay Lightning veteran Ryan Callahan into retirement. The 34-year-old winger was limited to 52 games due to injury this past season as he completed his 12th full NHL campaign. A former OHL champion with the Storm in 2004, Callahan rose to stardom after originally being a 15th round pick in the OHL Priority Selection. The Rochester, NY native is also a former OHL Overage Player of the Year. He’s recorded 386 points (186-200–386) over 757 career regular season NHL contests dating back to 2006-07. Read more on Callahan’s story at nhl.com.

Walker joins Coyotes as special assistant to the general manager: OHL graduate and Guelph Storm minority owner Scott Walker has been hired by the Arizona Coyotes as special assistant to general manager John Chayka. The former Storm head coach and long-time NHL forward had been director of player development with the Vancouver Canucks in 2018-19. Walker played two seasons with the Owen Sound Platers from 1991-93 before embarking on an 829-game NHL career that ended in 2010. Walker coached the Storm to an OHL Championship in 2014.

OHL grads Bell, Chaulk named assistant coaches with Belleville Senators: OHL graduates David Bell and Colin Chaulk will be joining the AHL’s Belleville Senators as assistant coaches for the 2019-20 season. Bell, who served as a long-time assistant coach in the OHL, was also head coach of the Niagara IceDogs in 2016-17 before joining the AHL’s Ontario Reign as an assistant for the past two seasons. Bell played four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s from 1994-98. Chaulk joins Belleville after four years as the head coach and VP of hockey operations of the ECHL’s Brampton Beast. He played four seasons with the Kingston Frontenacs from 1994-98 and played a lengthy minor pro career, serving as captain of the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets for several seasons.

Hajt returns to Reign: OHL Alumnus Chris Hajt returns to an assistant coaching role with the AHL’s Ontario Reign after two seasons as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres.  The 40-year-old previously served as an assistant coach with Ontario from 2015-17 and with the Manchester Monarchs during the 2014-15 season, winning a Calder Cup championship in 2015.  He spent six seasons behind the bench as an assistant with the Guelph Storm from 2008-14 winning an OHL title his final season.  As a player, Hajt was a four-year member of the Storm that also culminated with a Robertson Cup win in 1998.

Subban joins Hall in New Jersey: A summer of NHL signings and off-season movement has already begun and one of the biggest splashes took place last Saturday when the Nashville Predators sent 2013 Norris Trophy winner P.K Subban to the New Jersey Devils.  Here, the former Belleville Bull will join fellow OHL graduate and 2018 Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall on what’s developing into the league’s most intriguing rosters following an exciting NHL Draft weekend.  Subban and Hall played on opposite sides of the OHL for two seasons from 2007-09 but aligned on Team OHL at the 2008 Canada Russia Series.

CALENDAR UPDATES:

OHL Exhibition Schedule: To be announced in full on Wednesday July 3, pre-season competition is expected to commence on Thursday August 29 and include 45 games.

OHL Trading Period resumes on August 1: See a list of June transactions here.

OHL This Week returns in September: Stay up to date on all summer news and notes from around the OHL at ontariohockeyleague.com and on social media @OHLHockey & @ohlofficial, plus Facebook.com/OHLHockey.