OHL Top Performers for November

Wednesday December 2, 2015

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in November 2015, including forward Dylan Strome and defenceman Travis Dermott of the Erie Otters, Mississauga Steelheads rookie Alexander Nylander and Barrie Colts goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood.

OHL Player of the Month – Dylan Strome (Erie Otters):
Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome is the OHL Player of the Month for November after he tallied 10 goals, 21 assists and 31 points in 12 games. Strome had points in 11 of his 12 contests, with nine multi-point performances including a pair of five point games in wins on November 6th against the Peterborough Petes and November 28th against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Strome was named one of the three stars of the game six times, earning first star recognition twice while being named the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending November 8th and the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending November 15th. In addition, Strome was an impressive 67% in the faceoff circle throughout the month of November helping the top ranked Otters win 11 of their 12 games.

Strome, an 18 year-old from Mississauga, ON, was selected by the Coyotes with the third overall pick of the 2015 NHL Draft. The 6’3″, 194Ib. centreman is currently second in OHL scoring after finishing tied for the CHL scoring lead with 45 goals, 84 assists and 129 points in 68 games last year. Strome currently has 16 goals, 35 assists and 51 points in 23 games this season, just two points behind Otters teammate Alex DeBrincat. Strome was one of eight OHL forwards recently invited to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp that gets underway on December 10th in Toronto.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Travis Dermott (Erie Otters): 
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Travis Dermott is another Erie Otters standout who receives recognition this month, being named the OHL’s Defenceman of the Month for November. Helping his club to a league-best 11 wins last month, Dermott led OHL blueliners with one goal, 14 assists and 15 points in 12 games including three multi-point efforts. The 5’11”, 207Ib. rearguard recorded three assists in a 7-2 win over Peterborough on November 6th, four helpers in a 6-4 win over Oshawa on November 13th and a goal and two assists in a 6-5 loss to Flint on November 22nd. Dermott currently leads all OHL defencemen in scoring this season with two goals, 23 assists and 25 points in 27 contests.

A native of Newmarket, ON, Dermott was Toronto’s second round (34th overall) selection in the 2015 NHL Draft. The mobile defender is in his third OHL season and comes off a sophomore campaign in 2014-15 that included eight goals, 37 assists and 45 points in 61 games. Dermott was one of four OHL defencemen recently invited to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp that gets underway on December 10th in Toronto.

OHL Rookie of the Month – Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads):
For the second straight month, Mississauga Steelheads winger Alexander Nylander is the OHL Rookie of the Month. The Swedish forward matched his October output of 18 points with seven goals and 11 assists in November to go with a plus/minus rating of plus-7. Nylander had points in 10 of his 13 outings, recording two four point efforts with two goals and two assists on November 15th against Sudbury and three goals and a helper on November 20th against North Bay. Nylander currently leads all OHL rookies in scoring by a margin of 19 points with 17 goals, 22 assists and 39 points in 28 games this season.

A native of Södertälje, Sweden, Nylander was Mississauga’s first round, 12th overall pick in the 2015 CHL Import Draft. He helped Sweden claim silver at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament this past summer, scoring two goals, four assists and six points in five contests. He is eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft and was one of 11 OHL players listed as first round candidates by NHL Central Scouting in their November ‘Players to Watch’ list.

Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts): 
New Jersey Devils prospect Mackenzie Blackwood of the Barrie Colts is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for November. Blackwood played to an 8-2-0-0 record supported by a 2.00 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage with one shutout. The 6’4″, 215Ib. netminder made 27 saves, recording his second shutout of the season to open the month on November 1st before proceeding to make at least 33 saves in three straight victories from Nov. 6 – 14. Blackwood made a season-high 39 saves in a 5-3 win over Saginaw on November 22nd. The Thunder Bay, ON, native limited opponents to one goal or less in six of his 10 November appearances helping the Colts take over first place in the Central Division standings.

New Jersey’s second round (42nd overall) selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, Blackwood has appeared in 23 of Barrie’s 25 games this season, playing to a 16-7-0-0 record while leading the league with a .930 save percentage. He is currently second in both goals-against average (2.39) and minutes played (1,513). Blackwood was one of two goaltenders recently invited to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp that gets underway on December 10th in Toronto.

2015-16 OHL Top Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
November – Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
October – Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Defenceman of the Month:
November – Travis Dermott (Erie Otters)
October – Vili Saarijarvi (Flint Firebirds)

Rookie of the Month:
November – Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads)
October – Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads)

Vaughn Goaltender of the Month:
November – Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts)
October – Lucas Peressini (Kingston Frontenacs)