OHL This Week: October 16 to 19, 2025

Rivalry Week is upon us!
Rivalry Week is finally here as familiar foes face-off across the league with home-and-home sets throughout the weekend! Read more

Spitfires visit Sting in Rivalry Week edition of OHL Friday Night Faceoff
The OHL’s top-ranked Windsor Spitfires are in Sarnia for this week’s Friday Night Faceoff streaming for free on FloHockey’s social media and YouTube platforms.

Seventeen OHL players selected to represent Canada at U17 World Challenge
Canada has claimed gold at each of the last two U17 World Challenge tournaments, and 17 OHL players will go for a third from November 2-8 in Truro, Nova Scotia. A total of 44 Canadian Hockey League players have been selected to represent either Canada Red or Canada White at the annual tournament. Read more

Bulldogs’ Jay McKee named Assistant Coach for 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge
Brantford Bulldogs head coach Jay McKee will be behind the bench as an Assistant Coach for Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge taking place next month in Calgary and Lethbridge, Alberta. Read more

Attack, Greyhounds inside Top-5 on latest OHL Power Rankings
The Owen Sound Attack and Soo Greyhounds are both making strong early season impressions, finding themselves inside the Top-5 of this week’s edition of the OHL Power Rankings. Read more

Bulldogs lead latest CHL Top 10 Rankings
The Brantford Bulldogs are the #1 ranked team in the latest CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Bulldogs are the lone OHL team that has yet to lose in regulation, sporting a record of 6-0-1-1. The Windsor Spitfires (3) and Kitchener Rangers (6) are also included on the list. Read more

Bulldogs’ Jake O’Brien named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
Seattle Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien of the Brantford Bulldogs is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, scoring four times while adding four assists as the Bulldogs went 3-0. Read more

Firebirds’ Mason Vaccari named Mary Brown’s Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week
Mason Vaccari of the Flint Firebirds is the Mary Brown’s Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week, posting back-to-back shutouts in victories over Kitchener and Oshawa. Read more

Knights’ Jaxon Cover named OHL Rookie of the Week
NHL Draft eligible London Knights forward Jaxon Cover is the OHL Rookie of the Week, producing a goal and three assists over a pair of victories. Read more

IceDogs prospect Caden Bell named GOHL Prospect of the Week
Niagara IceDogs prospect Caden Bell of the St. Catharines Falcons is the GOHL Prospect of the Week, recording three goals, two assists and five points across three victories. Read more

Vote for the OHL Plays of the Week presented by Dairy Farmers of Ontario
This week’s candidates for the OHL’s Top Play presented by Dairy Farmers of Ontario include entries from Brantford’s Marek Vanacker, Sudbury Wolves teammates Nathan Villeneuve and Kieron Walton, Owen Sound Attack duo Michael Dec and Cole Zurawski as well as Sault Ste. Marie’s Quinn McKenzie. Watch & Vote

Reviewing the OHL Saves of the Week
The latest round of OHL Saves of the Week features the work of Guelph’s Colin Ellsworth, Ottawa’s Ryder Fetterolf, Owen Sound’s Trenten Bennett, Peterborough’s Easton Rye and Brampton’s Zach Bowen. Watch

 

League News:

Attack remembers former Fan Club president Helen Lewis: The Owen Sound Attack lost a long-time supporter this week as long-time Attack Pak Fan Club president Helen Lewis passed away on Monday while listening to the teams’ game in North Bay. Helen was a huge junior hockey fan serving as the Fan Club President for both the Owen Sound Platers and the Owen Sound Attack for 27 years, from 1991 to 2018, when a medical condition made it extremely difficult to continue. Read more

 

Transactions:

Greyhounds acquire defenceman Jack O’Brien: The Soo Greyhounds have made a move to bolster the blueline, acquiring defenceman Jack O’Brien from the Sarnia Sting in exchange for an 11th round pick in 2028. O’Brien played one game with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints to begin the season after suiting up with the Sting for 40 games in 2024-25, recording seven points (2-5–7). The native of Kennebunk, Maine came to the OHL via the BCHL’s Cranbrook Bucks, where he produced seven points (1-6–7) in 23 games during the 2024-25 season.

Steelheads sign forward Lucas Demiglio: The Brampton Steelheads have signed free agent forward Lucas Demiglio to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. The younger brother of current Steelhead Julian Demiglio is a 16-year-old, late 2008-born forward from Stouffville, Ont. He has three points (1-2–3) through 11 games with the OJHL’s Stouffville Spirit so far this season. Read more

Firebirds sign forward Darian Anderson: The Flint Firebirds have signed Brighton, Mich. native Darian Anderson to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. The 18-year-old forward comes from the USHL’s Lincoln Stars, where he produced 16 points (5-11–16) over 44 games last season. Anderson scored in his Firebirds debut on Saturday. Read more

IceDogs sign overage forward Cole Cooksey: The Niagara IceDogs signed 2005-born forward Cole Cooksey to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement on Thursday. The Toronto product is committed to Merrimack University (NCAA) and has one goal through his first give games in Niagara after coming over from the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks where he recorded 36 points (12-24–36) in 53 games last season.

 

Around the Rink:

Storm host Winter Wear Drive on Friday: The Guelph Storm host the 9th annual Oosterveld Heating and Air Conditioning Winter Wear Drive on Friday when they play host to the Owen Sound Attack. Winter wear is more than winter coats. Donations of new winter gloves, warm socks or toques can also make a big difference during the upcoming months for those in need in the Guelph community. Read more

Wolves host Hot Dog Night on Friday: The Sudbury Wolves have a fun one on Friday, hosting Hot Dog Night as they return home to the Sudbury Community Arena to face the Soo Greyhounds. Don’t miss the hot dog eating competition during the second intermission!

Firebirds host First Responders Appreciation Night: The Flint Firebirds salute their local first responders as all Police, Fire and EMS employees will receive a free ticket with proof of employment displayed at the Dort Financial Center box office window. There will be a Battle of the Badges Charity Game played between Police and Fire starting at 4:30pm.

IceDogs celebrate 80 years of junior hockey history on Saturday: The Niagara IceDogs will be wearing special jerseys designed by St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe on Saturday when they play host to the Erie Otters. The game will be an ode to the rich hockey history of the city of St. Catharines, one that includes the Fincups (1976-77), Black Hawks (1962-76), Teepees (1947-62) and Falcons (1943-47). The jerseys will be auctioned off post-game with 100% of proceeds going to Community Crew, a Niagara-based charity that has grown from a small lunch program in 2015 to a region-wide initiative delivering over 4,500 healthy lunches weekly to 1,500+ children across 36 Niagara schools. Read more

Spirit host Pride Night on Saturday: The Saginaw Spirit host their annual Pride Night on Saturday at the Dow Event Center when they play host to the rival Flint Firebirds. Saturday’s game will feature a post-game skate with the players, one that is free and open to anyone who attends the game. Only individuals with skates will be permitted on the ice.

Greyhounds host Wolves for 80’s Night on Saturday: The Soo Greyhounds are turning back the clock on Saturday night when they play host to the Sudbury Wolves for 80’s Night as GFL Memorial Gardens. Brace yourself for another era as two rivals go head-to-head!

Spitfires host Sting on Country Night at WFCU Centre: The Windsor Spitfires host their annual Country Night on Saturday, with fans receiving a free Country Night t-shirt while supplies last. Catch Tecumseh’s own Carson Janik providing pre-game musical entertainment in the fan zone when doors open at 5:30pm.

 

Alumni News:

Schaefer, McDavid meet Thursday night: A pair of first overall NHL Draft picks and Erie Otters franchise cornerstones meet in the NHL for the first time on Thursday night as Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers visit Matthew Schaefer and the New York Islanders at 7:30pm. The two Erie stars share an interesting connection in that each has had to overcome a broken collarbone in their young careers. Stefen Rosner has the full story at nhl.com.

Harley among top producing defencemen in season’s opening weeks: Mississauga Steelheads graduate Thomas Harley has five points (1-4–5) through his first three games of the 2025-26 NHL season as he’s tied for the league lead in points by a blueliner. The 24-year-old is embarking on his third full season with the Stars after being selected by Dallas with the 18th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft. Harley played for the Steelheads from 2017-20.

Jordan Staal one goal from 300: Former Peterborough Petes star Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes sits at 299 career NHL goals entering Thursday night’s road matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. The 37-year-old from Thunder Bay, ON is in his 20th NHL season after originally being selected by Pittsburgh with the 2nd overall pick of the 2006 NHL Draft. Staal won an OHL championhship in Peterborough in 2006.

Post-Secondary Weekly Round-Up: The latest NCAA and U SPORTS headlines include Kitchener Rangers graduate Tristan Malboeuf turning heads with the Laurier Golden Hawks, Guelph Storm alumnus Ryan McGuire riding a four-game goal-scoring streak for the St. FX X-Men as well as Sudbury Wolves graduate Kocha Delic and Brantford Bulldogs alumnus Matteo Drobac of Miami-Ohio receiving NCHC Player of the Week honours. Read more

 

Upcoming Schedule:

Thursday, October 16
Oshawa at Peterborough, 7:05pm

Friday, October 17
Brantford at Brampton, 7:00pm
Niagara at Erie, 7:00pm
London at Kitchener, 7:00pm
Ottawa at Kingston, 7:05pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Sudbury, 7:05pm
Windsor at Sarnia, 7:05pm (Friday Night Faceoff on FloHockey)
Owen Sound at Guelph, 7:07pm

Saturday, October 18
Brampton at Brantford, 4:00pm
Oshawa at Kingston, 4:05pm
Erie at Niagara, 7:00pm
Saginaw at Flint, 7:00pm
Guelph at Owen Sound, 7:00pm
Ottawa at Peterborough, 7:05pm
Sarnia at Windsor, 7:05pm
Sudbury at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm
North Bay at Barrie, 7:30pm

Sunday, October 19
Erie at Brampton, 2:00pm
Barrie at North Bay, 2:00pm
Kitchener at London, 2:00pm
Kingston at Ottawa, 3:00pm
Flint at Saginaw, 5:30pm
Peterborough at Oshawa, 6:05pm