OHL This Week: October 12 to 15, 2023
We’re getting into mid-October and every OHL team has lost at least once. It’s shaping up to be a competitive season! Here’s your weekly look across the league.
Watch Spirit Rising, Episode 1 on demand on OHL Live:
Follow the Saginaw Spirit on their journey to the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow. Produced by the OHL, Spirit Rising tracks the Spirit throughout the 2023-24 season, with episode one taking in the bid experience and the thrill of learning the CHL’s annual national championship would be coming to Saginaw. Watch
Schedule announced for 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow:
The Spirit will open the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow on home ice, taking on the champions of the Western Hockey League on Wednesday, May 24th. Full schedule
Greyhounds’ D’Intino named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week:
Jordan D’Intino of the Soo Greyhounds is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording seven points, including four goals and three assists over three contests. Read More
Steelheads’ Leenders named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
Ryerson Leenders of the Mississauga Steelheads is the OHL Goaltender of the Week for a second straight week, going 2-0 with a shutout, a 0.50 goals-against average and .981 save percentage. Read more
OHL Weekend Notebook:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Read more
Battalion on the rise in Week 2 edition of OHL Power Rankings:
Throughout the season, the OHL Power Rankings will usher in a new week of action each Monday, with the top 16 teams in the Ontario Hockey League jostling for position headed into the 2024 OHL Playoffs. Read more
Knights, Spirit, Greyhounds and Battalion included in Week 2 edition of CHL Top 10 Rankings:
The London Knights, Saginaw Spirit, Soo Greyhounds, and North Bay Battalion are included in the Week 2 edition of the CHL Top 10 Rankings. Read more
Steelheads’ Martone takes top honours in OHL Plays of the Week presented by FPS Payment:
The second edition of OHL Plays of the Week presented by FPS Payment features highlight reel contributions from Kingston’s Chris Thibodeau, Oshawa’s Beckett Sennecke, Ottawa’s Luca Pinelli, Windsor’s Oliver Peer and Mississauga’s Porter Martone. Watch
Wolves’ Vondras headlines second edition of OHL Saves of the Week:
The second edition of OHL Saves of the Week features big saves from Sudbury’s Jakub Vondras, Peterborough’s Liam Sztuska, Niagara’s Owen Flores, Sarnia’s Nick Surzycia and Sault Ste. Marie’s Charlie Schenkel. Watch
OHL Milestone Moments:
Tracking 10 milestone moments from across the OHL last week, with first goals and a first career shutout that will always be remembered. Watch
Colts’ Akey signs with Oilers:
The Edmonton Oilers have signed 2023 second round NHL Draft selection, Beau Akey of the Barrie Colts, to a three-year entry-level contract. Read more
NHL Debut – Storm’s Matthew Poitras:
Following an impressive preseason with the Boston Bruins in which he tallied three goals and five points in as many games, Guelph Storm forward Matthew Poitras continued to turn heads in his NHL debut on Wednesday, recording an assist. Read more
Paul Flache takes over as Head Coach of Firebirds:
The Flint Firebirds announced that Paul Flache will be taking over head coaching duties from Ted Dent. Flache joined the staff prior to the season for his second stint in Flint. He was an Associate Head Coach for the Firebirds during the 2017-18 season and prior to returning, spent the past three years with the Atlanta Mad Hatters of the USPHL, most recently as the team’s Head Coach and General Manager. Read more
OHL coaches Dean, Milley selected for duty at 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge:
Hockey Canada announced that OHL coaches John Dean (Soo Greyhounds) and Norm Milley (Ottawa 67’s) have been selected to work as coaches at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge that will take place next month in Charlottetown and Summerside, PEI. Dean will serve as head coach of Team Canada White while Milley has been named an assistant coach of Team Canada Red. Read more
Leafs first round pick Easton Cowan back with Knights:
The Toronto Maple Leafs reassigned forward Easton Cowan to the London Knights on Wednesday following a strong preseason showing. Cowan, who was selected by Toronto with the 28th overall pick of this past summer’s NHL Draft in Nashville, recorded a goal and two assists, averaging 16:43 of ice time across four NHL preseason games. Read more
Maple Leafs prospect Braeden Kressler returns to Firebirds:
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Tuesday that they’ve returned forward Braeden Kressler to the Flint Firebirds for his overage season in the OHL. Kressler recorded 52 points in Flint last season. Read more
Knights sign Sawyer Boulton:
The London Knights have signed forward Sawyer Boulton to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. The 6-foot, 209lb. forward started the 2023-24 season with the Rochester Jr. Americans where he’s scored five points in 10 games. Read more
Knights sign Rene Van Bommel:
The London Knights have signed forward Rene Van Bommel to an OHL OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Van Bommel, a native of Strathroy, ON was the 217th overall pick in the 11th round of the 2022 OHL Priorty Selection. Van Bommel spent the 2022-23 season with the Elgin Middlesex Canucks U18 AAA, recording 52 points in 40 games. Read more
67’s hire Mackenzie Koop as new Athletic Therapist:
In junior hockey, every departure creates a new opportunity for someone else, and in this instance, it’s Mackenzie Koop, the fresh face filling the recently opened role as the Athletic Therapist for the Ottawa 67’s. Read more
Opening night in Brantford a big success for Bulldogs:
Brantford Bulldogs owner Michael Andlauer spoke with play-by-play voice Reed Duthie at the intermission in Brantford on Saturday, revisiting a busy offseason for both himself and the Bulldogs franchise ahead of their home-opener. Watch
Kevin Hastings honoured prior to final OHL game:
Kevin Hastings was honoured prior to his 1,038th and final OHL regular season game on Friday night in London. He was accompanied by OHL Director of Officiating Conrad Haché, along with other members of his final crew in referees Sean Reid and Jason Faist along with linesman Dustin McCrank. Watch
Habits created now will help Spirit later this season:
The Saginaw Spirit are off to a 3-1 start, creating habits they hope can lead to an OHL championship and Memorial Cup glory come spring-time. Read more
Barrie Colts U16 AAA crowned champions of Wendy Dufton Memorial Tournament:
In dominating fashion, the U16 Barrie Jr. Colts came out on top this past weekend at the annual Wendy Dufton Memorial Tournament in London, Ont. What is widely considered one of the major weekends on the U16 AAA calendar, this year’s tournament featured a total of 32 teams from across the province and the United States. Read more
COMMUNITY CORNER:
OHL celebrates 10th season of CMHA Talk Today program:
The 2023-24 OHL season is well underway, one in which the League is celebrating a special milestone in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association. The OHL and CMHA collaborated to create the Talk Today program at the outset of the 2014 season. It has developed into one of the most comprehensive mental health awareness and suicide prevention programs for amateur sports in Canada. Talk Today promotes the mental health of young athletes and spreads awareness about the benefits of positive mental health throughout communities across the country. Read more
Greyhounds to host Dash’s Monster Mash on Friday:
Prepare for a ghoulishly good time as the Soo Greyhounds celebrate Halloween in style at the GFL Memorial Gardens on Friday night. Dash’s Monster Mash is back, and it’s bigger and spookier than ever! The evening will consist of a costume parade and trick or treating on the concourse as the Greyhounds host the Ottawa 67’s.
Firebirds to host Hockey Fights Cancer night on Saturday:
The Flint Firebirds are set to host their Hockey Fights Cancer night on Saturday. The Firebirds will be wearing a specialty “Hockey Fights Cancer” jersey throughout the game. There will also be a live jersey auction following the game with proceeds benefitting the McLaren Flint Foundation.
ALUMNI NOTES:
197 OHL graduates named to NHL Opening Night rosters for 2023-34 season:
A total of 197 OHL graduates have been included on NHL Opening Night rosters to begin the 2023-24 regular season. The schedule opened on Tuesday with three games getting the campaign underway. Read more
228 OHL graduates included on U SPORTS men’s hockey rosters to begin the season:
A total of 228 OHL Alumni are included on U SPORTS men’s hockey rosters with seasons getting underway across this past week. Read more
U SPORTS Report:
A total of 228 OHL alumni are playing in the U SPORTS men’s hockey ranks this season. Throughout the year the U SPORTS Report will keep tabs on former OHL names doing great things in the OUA, AUS and Canada West ranks on the road to the 2024 U SPORTS University Cup to be held from March 14-17 in Toronto, Ont. Read more
Generals honour franchise great Dave Andreychuk:
The Oshawa Generals paid tribute to franchise great and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Dave Andreychuk on Friday, raising his #9 banner to the rafters at the Tribute Communities Centre ahead of puck drop. Watch
Gabriel Landeskog, Ben Fanelli, and Ben Thomson return to the Aud:
Stanley Cup Champion Gabe Landeskog will be joined by former Rangers teammates, Ben Fanelli and Ben Thomson as they return to the Aud on Friday night. All three will participate in a ceremonial puck drop, and will participate in an autograph signing prior to the start of the game in Subscriber’s Lounge as the Rangers kick off their Alumni Weekend. Read more
Costantini signs with ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions:
Following the past three seasons in the OHL, Marco Costantini has signed an ECHL deal with the Trois-Rivieres Lions. The Hamilton, Ont. native won an OHL championship with the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2022, and graduated from the OHL with a regular season record of 65-41-3-2 with a 3.18 goals-against average and .898 save percentage over 126 contests.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
– All games streaming on OHL Live
– Radio and TV broadcast information
Thursday, October 12th
Ottawa at North Bay – 7:00pm
Erie at Niagara – 7:00pm
London at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Kingston at Windsor – 7:05pm
Friday, October 13th
Peterborough at Brantford – 7:00pm
Barrie at Kitchener – 7:00pm
Kingston at London – 7:00pm
Owen Sound at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Flint at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Ottawa at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Mississauga at Guelph – 7:30pm
Saginaw at Oshawa – 7:30pm
Saturday, October 14th
Saginaw at Mississauga – 4:00pm
Kingston at Niagara – 7:00pm
Guelph at Flint – 7:00pm
Windsor at Erie – 7:00pm
Brantford at Peterborough – 7:05pm
London at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Oshawa at Barrie – 7:30pm
Sunday, October 15th
Windsor at Kitchener – 2:00pm
Ottawa at Sudbury – 2:05pm
Erie at Mississauga – 4:00pm
North Bay at Oshawa – 6:05pm
