OHL This Week: October 1 to 4, 2026
October is here and the OHL season is rolling! Here are the latest happenings.
191 OHL graduates named to NHL Opening Night rosters
All 20 OHL clubs are represented among the 191 graduates who opened the NHL season on active rosters, part of 400 CHL alumni that make up 47.9 per cent of all players in the league. The London Knights lead all CHL clubs with 30 alumni, followed by the Erie Otters with 16, and every NHL club has at least three OHL graduates, led by the San Jose Sharks with 12. Saginaw’s Nikita Klepov, last season’s OHL rookie of the year and scoring champion, made Anaheim’s opening roster, while Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer is back with the New York Islanders. Read more
Movember named official men’s health partner of the OHL
The league has partnered with Movember to bring its Breaking the Ice mental health program to all 20 clubs, with players and staff from every team trained in August to deliver the Got Your Back workshop inside their own dressing rooms. “Breaking the Ice adds a piece we haven’t had — a conversation led by the players themselves,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. Read more
Petes visit Frontenacs on Friday Night Faceoff
The Friday Night Faceoff spotlight moves to Slush Puppie Place as the Kingston Frontenacs host the Peterborough Petes in an East Division rivalry matchup, live and free on FloHockey’s YouTube channel at 7:05 p.m. The clubs rank third and fifth in the league in goals scored. Read more
Oulahen to coach Team CHL at CHL USA Prospects Challenge
North Bay Battalion head coach and assistant general manager Ryan Oulahen will lead Team CHL at the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Primaris, a two-game series against the U.S. National Under-18 Team on Dec. 1-2 in Chicoutimi and Quebec City. The Newmarket, Ont., native reunites with the staff that went 5-0 to win gold at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, his third gold medal at that event. Read more
Steelheads to wear Royals colours in Cornwall
Brampton will take the ice in throwback Cornwall Royals jerseys for both Seaway Shootout games at the Cornwall Civic Complex, facing Ottawa on Oct. 16 and Kingston on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. The sweaters feature the design the Royals wore from 1969 to 1992. “Seeing the Royals colours back on the ice at the Civic Complex is a fitting way to honour the players, fans and volunteers who made Cornwall one of the great junior hockey markets in the country,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. Read more
Bulldogs surge in the OHL Power Rankings
The Brantford Bulldogs climbed five spots to No. 4 after running their record to a club-record 5-0 start, while the Guelph Storm moved up to No. 2 and the unbeaten Sudbury Wolves to No. 3. The Sarnia Sting (No. 10), Kitchener Rangers (No. 11) and Soo Greyhounds (No. 12) all gained ground. Read more
Novotny, Salen Forsberg and Kelly earn weekly honours
Peterborough’s Adam Novotny is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week after six points (three goals, three assists) in three games in his season debut week, Brantford rookie netminder Vilmer Salen Forsberg is the Mary Brown’s Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week at 2-0 with a .925 save percentage, and Bulldogs rookie Aiden Kelly is the Make Space OHL Rookie of the Week with five points in three games. London prospect Jack Samek of the London Nationals is the GOHL Prospect of the Week after a six-point game. Read more
Roobroeck hits 100 as milestones pile up
Guelph’s Ryan Roobroeck scored the 100th goal of his OHL career on his 19th birthday, Sarnia’s Dracen Campbell collected four assists against Ottawa for his first OHL points and Niagara’s Connor Haffner made 41 saves for his first OHL win. Brantford’s 5-0 start is a franchise first, and Sudbury’s 4-0 opening is the Wolves’ best since 1994-95. Read more
Around the League
67’s and Sting show support for Mayich: The Ottawa 67’s will wear former defenceman Matthew Mayich’s initials on their helmets for the rest of the season, debuting the decals Sept. 27 against the Sarnia Sting, who added the initials to their helmets as well. Mayich has been in hospital since the end of August following an off-ice training incident. “The entire Ontario Hockey League is thinking of him and pulling for him, and we are keeping his family close in our thoughts,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. Read more
Spirit extend Drinkill through 2028-29: The Saginaw Spirit have signed general manager Dave Drinkill to a two-year contract extension running through the end of 2028-29. Now in his 12th season with the club, Drinkill is Saginaw’s longest-tenured and winningest general manager with 341 regular-season victories. “He has built one Memorial Cup champion and is on his way to building another top contender this season,” said Spirit president and managing partner Craig Goslin. Read more
Farwell returns as the voice of the Rangers: Mike Farwell will call every Kitchener Rangers home and away game on FM 98.5 (CKWR) for the rest of 2026-27, starting Friday against Saginaw. “Mike has a strong connection to our team’s history, our fans and the Waterloo Region community,” said Rangers chief operating officer and governor Joe Birch. Read more
Petes add Hankai on the blue line, Koprowski in the crease: Peterborough acquired 19-year-old defenceman Camron Hankai from Brantford for a 2028 fourth-round pick and a 2029 sixth-round pick. The Simcoe, Ont., native and Bowling Green commit had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 36 games last season and served as a Bulldogs assistant captain. Ahead of game time on Thursday, the Petes announced the addition of 19-year-old netminder Matthew Koprowski in a trade with the Owen Sound Attack, sending a conditional 15th round pick the other way. Read more
Karmiris to make long-awaited Petes debut on Thursday: Missing the entirety of the 2025-26 season as a result of a pair of knee surgeries, overage forward Lucas Karmiris will make his Peterborough Petes debut at home to the Erie Otters on Thursday. The former first round OHL Draft pick by Mississauga back in 2022 last suited up for the Brampton Steelheads in 2024-25, recording 35 points (13-22–35) over 40 games.
Greyhounds hand Hayes the C: Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Travis Hayes was named captain of the Soo Greyhounds, with Spencer Evans and Quinn McKenzie serving as full-time alternates and Jordan Charron and Callum Croskery splitting home and road duties. The Westland, Mich., forward is in his fourth season with the Hounds and is closing in on 200 regular-season games with the club. Read more
At the Rinks
Clubs salute first responders and military: The Barrie Colts host Niagara tonight for First Responders/Military Night, and the Windsor Spitfires welcome North Bay for First Responders Night.
Petes deal out trading cards: Peterborough hosts Erie tonight for the first Trading Card Night of the season, handing out an Adam Novotny draft card.
Count Frontenac makes his return to Kingston: The Kingston Frontenacs turn back the clock Friday against Peterborough for Y2K Night and the debut of their new Count Frontenac third jersey, with alumni Anthony Stewart and Ethan Werek on hand for the puck drop and autographs. The cream Count Frontenac sweater is back out Sunday against Erie for Jackpot Game Day presented by Pokeworks. Read more
Wolves honour Duguay: The Sudbury Wolves mark Ron Duguay Night on Friday against the Niagara IceDogs. Fans will have the opportunity to meet former Wolves captain Ron Duguay and Wolves Alumni players who were teammates of Ron Duguay for a special autograph session beginning at 5:30 p.m. before the game.
Sting open at home on Friday: The Sarnia Sting host their home opener Friday against the Soo Greyhounds. The Sting were hosts of a grand opening event of their new restaurant, District 94, this week at Progressive Auto Sales Arena. Read more
Oktoberfest at The Aud headlines busy Friday: The Kitchener Rangers host Saginaw on Friday for Oktoberfest, while the Oshawa Generals run Country Night against Ottawa and the Guelph Storm welcome Windsor for Paws, Pucks and Subarus presented by Pfaff Subaru in support of the Upper Credit Humane Society.
Saturday brings a full slate of theme nights: The Brampton Steelheads host Saginaw for Women in Sports, the Barrie Colts follow their Thursday game with Rock & Roll Night against Sarnia, the Flint Firebirds host the Greyhounds for Dort Financial Family Night and the Owen Sound Attack welcome Windsor on Blue Mountain Night.
Attack close the weekend with Family Sunday: Owen Sound hosts Brantford on Sunday for Family Sunday presented by Investment Planning Counsel, with free small popcorn for the first 200 kids, two jersey giveaways and a post-game skate with the team.
Firebirds look ahead to 810 Wednesday: Flint wraps up the issue week at home against Kitchener on Oct. 7 for 810 Wednesday.
Alumni Notes
Silovs, Robertson lead Penguins’ opening-night rout: Barrie Colts graduate Arturs Silovs turned aside all 19 shots he faced as the Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0 on Sept. 30, his second consecutive opening-night shutout after a 3-0 win at Madison Square Garden to start last season. Peterborough Petes graduate Nick Robertson scored twice in the win, making his Penguins debut.
Bouchard makes history in Edmonton’s opener: London Knights graduate Evan Bouchard put up five points on three goals and two assists in the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-5 overtime loss to Vancouver on Sept. 29, becoming the first defenceman in NHL history with five points in a season opener. His hat trick was the first by an NHL defenceman on opening night since Mark Howe in 1980.
Former OHL top scorer David Goyette dealt to Philadelphia: The Seattle Kraken and Philadelphia Flyers announced a trade on Thursday sending former Eddie Powers Trophy recipient David Goyette to Philadelphia in exchange for 22-year-old winger Devin Kaplan. Goyette, a former Sudbury Wolves captain, played three OHL seasons from 2021-24, finishing with 117 points (40-77-117) in his final season. He was Seattle’s second round (61st overall) pick in 2022 and spent the past two seasons with their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Kaplan, a product of Boston University, played with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2025-26.
Spooner calls it a career: Ottawa native Ryan Spooner has announced his retirement from professional hockey. The forward spent his junior career with the Peterborough Petes, Kingston Frontenacs and Sarnia Sting before Boston selected him in the second round of the 2010 NHL Draft. Spooner recorded 167 points (48 goals, 119 assists) in 325 NHL games with the Bruins, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks, then spent more than seven seasons in Europe, finishing with HK Dukla Trencin of the Slovak Extraliga.
Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 1
Niagara at Barrie, 7 p.m.
Erie at Peterborough, 7:05 p.m.
North Bay at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2
Brampton at Brantford, 7 p.m.
Saginaw at Kitchener, 7 p.m.
North Bay at London, 7 p.m.
Peterborough at Kingston, 7:05 p.m. (Friday Night Faceoff on FloHockey)
Ottawa at Oshawa, 7:05 p.m.
Sault Ste. Marie at Sarnia, 7:05 p.m.
Niagara at Sudbury, 7:05 p.m.
Windsor at Guelph, 7:07 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 3
Erie at Ottawa, 3 p.m.
Saginaw at Brampton, 4 p.m.
North Bay at Brantford, 4 p.m.
Sault Ste. Marie at Flint, 7 p.m.
Windsor at Owen Sound, 7 p.m.
Sarnia at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 4
Flint at London, 2 p.m.
Brantford at Owen Sound, 2 p.m.
Erie at Kingston, 2:05 p.m.
Kitchener at Guelph, 2:07 p.m.
Sarnia at Oshawa, 6:05 p.m.
