Rising OHL stars make their mark

Wednesday November 18, 2015

By Josh Sweetland/OHL

Ontario Hockey League standouts didn’t disappoint in the 2015 CHL Canada Russia Series this past week, with several rising to the top of their game on a big stage.

With several roster spots on Canada’s National Junior Team up for the taking, strong performances from goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts) and forwards Spencer Watson (Kingston Frontenacs) and Mitch Marner (London Knights) were just a few of the highlights from Team OHL victories over Russia in Owen Sound and Windsor.

• PHOTO GALLERY
• WATCH: Meet the captains
• WATCH: Travis Dermott morning skate in Owen Sound
• WATCH: Cristiano DiGiacinto warmups in Windsor
• WATCH: Game 3 Highlights
• WATCH: Game 4 Highlights

Thursday’s Game 3 in Owen Sound saw Blackwood turn aside 25 shots to record the first full-game shutout by an OHL goaltender since 2006 in a 3-0 victory. Watson scored twice and added an assist while Arizona Coyotes first round pick Dylan Strome (Erie Otters) also found the back of the net.

With competition in the crease intense as always in advance of the World Junior Hockey Championship, Blackwood’s performance will be sure to resonate with the brass at Hockey Canada.

“Blackwood was great early on in Game 3,” said Hockey Canada Director of Player Personnel Ryan Jankowski. “He made some great saves during the 5-on-3 penalty kill to keep the team in the lead. He really set the table for them and once they were able to get a lead he held down the fort.”

Erie Otters captain Dylan Strome kicked off an ironman weekend on Thursday in Owen Sound, burying a goal in the first game of a stretch of four in as many nights. His efforts over the weekend earned him CHL Player of the Week recognition.

“The thing that impressed me most about Dylan over the span of the entire weekend was that he still managed to score two goals and add two assists in his fourth game on Sunday,” Jankowski said with a laugh. “His goal in Owen Sound was just a terrific shot and he’s clearly taken big strides in the past year.”

A fellow 18 year-old, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mitch Marner left a strong impression on Jankowski in Game 4, earning player of the game honours with an assist while driving possession for Team OHL in a 2-1 victory in Windsor.

“Mitch is a special player,” he noted. “His skills and ability to make players around him better is definitely high-end and he’s a lot of fun to watch. His ability to create offence doesn’t go unnoticed.”

A year of development can go a long way as evidenced by the improved performances from several 2015 NHL Draft picks competing in their second CHL Canada Russia Series.

“Young players like Travis Konecny (Ottawa 67’s), Marner and Strome all had a tough time in the game as 17 year-olds last year,” Jankowski recalled. “This year you can really see the difference. They’re all standout players now who were dominant for Team OHL over the course of these past two games.”

Goaltenders Blackwood, Michael McNiven (Owen Sound Attack) and Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes) stopped 46 of the 47 shots they faced, tying an OHL record of one goal allowed accomplished in 2003 and 2010.

Team OHL now holds an all-time record of 22-3-1 in the event.

Hockey Canada’s evaluation process continues over the course of the next month as they decide who will receive an invitation to the Canadian National Junior Team Selection Camp before finalizing a roster for the 2016 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Helsinki, Finland that begins on December 26. 

Returning winger Lawson Crouse and six other OHL stars won gold with Canada at the World Junior tournament last year, and if the CHL Canada Russia Series has been any indication, a promising class of gold medal hopefuls is on the rise in the Ontario Hockey League.