OHL This Week: Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, 2026
Halloween weekend is here and the OHL welcomes a pair of QMJHL visitors on Sunday! Here are the latest happenings.
69 OHL players land on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch list
Sixty-nine OHL players are on NHL Central Scouting’s October Players to Watch list for the 2027 NHL Draft, nearly 28 per cent of all North American prospects named. Ten carry an ‘A’ rating as first-round candidates, half of all North American players in that category: forwards Ryerson Edgar, Timo Kazda, Aleks Kulemin, Easton Walos, Jaakko Wycisk, Bogdan Yakushevsky and Dima Zhilkin, defencemen Levi Harper and Cooper McAslan, and goaltender Vilmer Salen Forsberg. With eight more ‘B’-rated prospects, the OHL accounts for 18 of the 51 North Americans flagged as potential top-three-round selections. Read more
Six more OHL players added to Team CHL
Goaltender Vilmer Salen Forsberg, defencemen Levi Harper and Cooper McAslan and forwards Ryerson Edgar, Aleks Kulemin and Jaakko Wycisk have been added to Team CHL for the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Primaris, joining Saginaw’s Dima Zhilkin to give the league seven players on the roster. All 13 players named so far hold an ‘A’ rating from NHL Central Scouting. Read more
OHL talent heads to Oakville for U17 World Challenge
Eighteen OHL players will be out of their clubs’ lineups this weekend while they represent Canada at the 2026 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Nov. 1-7 in Oakville, Ont. The tournament is one of the first international stages for top prospects eligible for the 2028 NHL Draft, so keep an eye on familiar OHL names wearing the maple leaf next week. Read more
Firebirds, Frontenacs sweep as Rivalry Week delivers
The second annual OHL Rivalry Week is in the books, with all 20 clubs meeting a rival twice. The Flint Firebirds and Kingston Frontenacs were the only clubs to sweep their series, while the other eight ended in splits. Barrie’s William Schneid turned in a third-period hat trick in an overtime comeback against Owen Sound, one of several dramatic finishes across the week. Read more
Petes visit Frontenacs on Friday Night Faceoff
The Friday Night Faceoff spotlight returns to Slush Puppie Place as the Kingston Frontenacs take on the Peterborough Petes for the third time this season, live and free on FloHockey’s YouTube channel at 7:05 p.m. Kingston comes in at 9-5-0-0 after sweeping Ottawa in Rivalry Week and leads the OHL with 62 goals through 14 games. Read more
Firebirds take over No. 1 in the OHL Power Rankings
Flint (9-2-1-0) climbed to the top spot after a 3-0 week capped by Trenten Bennett’s 29-save shutout of the Soo Greyhounds. Bennett went 2-0 on the week with a 1.44 goals-against average. The Guelph Storm sit second and the Kingston Frontenacs are up four spots to No. 3. The Sudbury Wolves are fourth and the Brantford Bulldogs fifth. Read more
Firebirds crack the CHL Top 10
Flint debuted at No. 7 in the CHL’s Week 6 rankings on the strength of an eight-game point streak, while the Guelph Storm slipped to No. 3 after splitting with Kitchener. The London Knights also feature in the top 10. Read more
Dec, Bennett and Kwajah earn weekly honours
Erie’s Michael Dec is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week after eight points (six goals, two assists) in three games, including a hat trick against Niagara. Flint’s Trenten Bennett is the Mary Brown’s Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week at 2-0 with a 1.44 goals-against average and a shutout, and Sudbury’s Kash Kwajah is the Make Space OHL Rookie of the Week with three goals and an assist. Kingston Frontenacs draft pick Kayden Oliver earned Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) Prospect of the Week honours. Read more
Around the League
Leenders wins his 100th: Owen Sound goaltender Ryerson Leenders picked up the 100th win of his OHL career on Oct. 28 at home, tying Adam Dennis and Jacob Oster for seventh on the all-time wins list. Read more
Knights add Jaswal in the crease: London acquired 2008-born goaltender Arvin Jaswal and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Barrie Colts for four future picks, including Peterborough’s 2028 third-rounder and Kitchener’s 2029 second-rounder. The Pickering, Ont., native went 18-3-2-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .922 save percentage as a rookie last season and has returned to full practice after an injury. “He’s athletic, has good size and lots of promise,” Knights general manager Mark Hunter told The London Free Press. Read more
Otters extend Mallette: Erie has signed head coach Kris Mallette to a contract extension through the 2028-29 season. Read more
Trade winds around the league: The Sarnia Sting acquired defenceman Liam Spencer from the Niagara IceDogs for Erie’s 2027 sixth-round Priority Selection pick, the Erie Otters added forward Jack Torr from the Brantford Bulldogs, and the Brampton Steelheads acquired forward Tyler Cooper from Erie.
At the Rinks
QMJHL visitors arrive Sunday: Two interleague games close the weekend as the North Bay Battalion host the Val-d’Or Foreurs at 2 p.m. and the Sudbury Wolves welcome the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Bilingual Night at 2:05 p.m. The games count in both leagues’ standings. Read more
Halloween takes over the league: Costumes and candy are everywhere this weekend. The North Bay Battalion host London tonight for Hallowe’en Night presented by Rug-A-Roo, with costume prizes and candy donations collected for North Bay Fire and Emergency Services, while the Peterborough Petes welcome Brantford for Halloween. Friday brings a run of them: Brampton hosts Oshawa, the Kingston Frontenacs add candy, a bring-your-own-bucket popcorn night and a costume red carpet across the ice in the second intermission against Peterborough on Friday Night Faceoff, Kitchener welcomes Flint, Niagara hosts North Bay, the Ottawa 67’s host Brantford for their Halloween Game with Ottawa REDBLACKS player Kalil Pimpleton dropping the ceremonial puck, the Sarnia Sting run Halloween at the Hive and the Soo Greyhounds hold Dash’s Monster Mash. Saturday, the Owen Sound Attack host Halloween Madness presented by Circle K against Windsor and the Saginaw Spirit welcome Guelph for Halloween with trick-or-treating in the Jolt Celebration Club and a kids’ costume parade on the ice. Read more
Spitfires mark Remembrance Day: Windsor hosts Erie tonight for its Remembrance Day game, honouring veterans and service members. Read more
Firebirds host Hockey Scares Cancer: Flint hosts Barrie on Saturday afternoon for the 12th annual Hockey Scares Cancer game with McLaren Flint, wearing Halloween-themed specialty jerseys that will be auctioned for the McLaren Flint Foundation. Cancer survivors Amalie Pidcock and Kristy Baker drop the ceremonial puck, and fans in costume can trick-or-treat at the rink before the game. Read more
Wolves hold Shoresy Night: Sudbury hosts London on Friday at 7:05 p.m. for Shoresy Night at the Sudbury Community Arena. Read more
Spirit cue up a friend: Saginaw hosts Barrie on Friday for You’ve Got a Friend in Me Night.
Sunday brings bingo and a birthday: The Kingston Frontenacs host Brantford for a Special Olympics Bingo game, the Niagara IceDogs welcome Peterborough for Bones’ Birthday Bash with a Bones croc charm giveaway, and the Greyhounds host London for Education Worker Appreciation Night.
Alumni Notes
OHL mourns Ron Duguay: Ron Duguay, a Sudbury native who starred for his hometown Wolves before becoming one of the most popular players of his era in the NHL, died Oct. 22 at 69 after a battle with cancer. Duguay collected 361 points (131 goals, 230 assists) in 245 games across four seasons with Sudbury from 1973-74 to 1976-77, and the Wolves retired his No. 10. The New York Rangers selected him 13th overall in 1977, and he went on to 620 points in 860 NHL games with the Rangers, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. The Wolves had honoured him with Ron Duguay Night on Oct. 2. Read more
OHL mourns André Lacroix: André Lacroix, a two-time Red Tilson Trophy winner with the Peterborough Petes, died Oct. 27 at 81. Lacroix put up 239 points (85 goals, 154 assists) in 97 games over two seasons in Peterborough and became the first player to win the Tilson in consecutive years, also claiming the Eddie Powers Trophy as scoring champion in 1965-66. An original Philadelphia Flyer, he remains the World Hockey Association’s all-time scoring leader with 798 points in 551 games. Read more
Hodgson turns focus to the next generation: Former Brampton Battalion star Cody Hodgson is featured for his latest work as head coach of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA team, continuing his goal of supporting the next generation of players. Read more
Beyond the Rink catches up with Tripp: The league’s alumni series features former OHL forward John Tripp and his professional endeavours. Read more
Xhekaj scores first NHL goal: Bulldogs graduate Florian Xhekaj scored his first NHL goal in Montreal’s 2-0 win at St. Louis on Oct. 27.
Cowan makes Maple Leafs history: London Knights graduate Easton Cowan became the first Toronto Maple Leafs player aged 21 or younger to score a shorthanded goal since fellow Knights graduate Mitch Marner, and just the third Maple Leaf in 25 years to record three points in a period at that age. Read more
Games-played milestones: Cole Perfetti (Saginaw) played his 300th NHL game and Ryan Winterton (Hamilton, London) his 100th on Oct. 22, Carter Verhaeghe (Niagara) his 500th on Oct. 25, Josh Anderson (London) his 700th on Oct. 27 and goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie) his 300th on Oct. 28. Read more
Tkachuk and O’Reilly fill the scoresheet: London graduate Matthew Tkachuk had four assists in Florida’s 5-1 win at Winnipeg on Oct. 27, and Erie graduate Ryan O’Reilly had two goals and two assists in Nashville’s 6-2 win over Colorado on Oct. 25.
Jones heats up in the AHL: Niagara IceDogs graduate Ben Jones scored in five straight American Hockey League games for the Calgary Wranglers and had seven goals and nine points in seven games before being called up by the Flames. Read more
Tomasino, Boucher power Belleville: Phil Tomasino had a goal and three assists and Tyler Boucher scored twice in the Belleville Senators’ 7-3 AHL win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 23, while Martin Chromiak had two goals and an assist in Ontario’s 5-3 win at Texas. Read more
U SPORTS: Lavoie leads the way for Acadia
Former Mississauga, Niagara and Brantford forward Zak Lavoie had a big week for the Acadia Axemen, putting up five points (3-2–5) in three games. He leads Acadia in goals (6) and points (8) through seven games this season.
NCAA: Simpson blanks second-ranked Michigan State
Former Peterborough and London goaltender Michael Simpson was named Hockey East Player of the Week after a standout weekend for New Hampshire. The former Memorial Cup Most Outstanding Goaltender stopped all 14 shots he faced in Friday’s 1-0 win over second-ranked Michigan State, his second shutout in a row, then made 21 saves Saturday as the Wildcats split the series.
Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 29
London at North Bay, 7 p.m.
Brantford at Peterborough, 7:05 p.m.
Erie at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 30
Oshawa at Brampton, 7 p.m.
Flint at Kitchener, 7 p.m.
North Bay at Niagara, 7 p.m.
Brantford at Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Peterborough at Kingston, 7:05 p.m. (Friday Night Faceoff, free on FloHockey YouTube)
Barrie at Saginaw, 7:05 p.m.
Erie at Sarnia, 7:05 p.m.
London at Sudbury, 7:05 p.m.
Guelph at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31
Barrie at Flint, 2 p.m.
Windsor at Owen Sound, 2 p.m.
Guelph at Saginaw, 4 p.m. (FloHockey YouTube Game of the Week)
Sunday, Nov. 1
Windsor at Brampton, 2 p.m.
Peterborough at Niagara, 2 p.m.
Val-d’Or at North Bay, 2 p.m. (OHL-QMJHL interleague)
Brantford at Kingston, 2:05 p.m.
Flint at Sarnia, 2:05 p.m.
Rouyn-Noranda at Sudbury, 2:05 p.m. (OHL-QMJHL interleague)
London at Sault Ste. Marie, 2:07 p.m.
Ottawa at Oshawa, 6:05 p.m.
