Ontario Hockey League - Feed

Petes sign first round selection Landon Roulston

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:41:47 +0000

Peterborough Petes General Manager and Vice President of Operations Michael Oke announced that the team has signed 2026 first round pick Landon Roulston to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. “It feels awesome to join such a prestigious organization,” exclaimed Roulston. “It’s a really big step in my hockey journey and I am looking forward to getting started with this group. Now the real work begins.” Roulston, from Oakville, ON, was selected by the Petes in the first round, 13th overall, of the 2026 OHL Priority Selection. The 6’2” forward played in 33 games with the Vaughan Kings U16s of the GTHL this season. In those 33 games, he scored 18 goals and added 20 assists for 38 points, good enough for second on his team. After helping the Kings win the GTHL Championship, he scored one goal and added three assists for four points in four OHL Cup games. “We’re very excited to welcome Landon to Peterborough,” said Oke. “Landon is a big, strong, two-way forward who loves to compete. He made a strong impression both on and off the ice at Development Camp earlier in June, and is someone who possesses the skill and character that we look for in a Peterborough Pete.” This past season was Roulston’s second playing U16 hockey in the GTHL. In 2024-25, he played 26 for the Toronto Marlboros U16s, picking up 17 points. He added another two points in four games in the 2025 OHL Cup. Fans are encouraged to follow the Petes social media channels throughout the offseason for the latest news and updates.

Bulldogs sign forward Kayden Kelly

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:25:59 +0000

BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. Brantford Bulldogs President of Hockey Operations Spencer Hyman today announced the signing of 2026 2^nd round, 40^th overall selection, Kayden Kelly, from the Markham Waxers U16 to an OHL Scholarship & Development Agreement. Kelly, the Toronto, ON product, was a force for the Waxers in the 2025-26 season, leading the team in goals & points. Striking for 44 goals, including 26 in 31 OMHA league games, and amassing 76 overall points in 58 games, Kelly combined the offensive output with his high end motor and physical play, posting 110 penalty minutes. A leader on and off the ice for the Waxers, Kelly was chosen as an assistant captain for the 2025-26 season. The 6’2”/181 left-shot winger, continued his strong play in the OMHA playoffs, with 2 goals & 4 assists for 6 points across 10 playoff contests, again showing his penchant to play with sandpaper posting 22 penalty minutes. Kelly becomes the 3^rd signing from the Bulldogs 2026 Priority Selection class joining 20^th overall pick Aiden Kelly & 31^st selection Finn Ellery. “We’re excited to add Kayden Kelly to the Bulldogs.” said Hyman. “We feel he has excellent skating ability, high-end puck skills, and a terrific shot. He has all the tools to develop into a very impactful player, and we believe he’s going to be a great Bulldog.”.

IceDogs sign first round selection Max Lappan

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:13:20 +0000

By Cameron Kelcey

NIAGARA, ON – The Niagara IceDogs have signed defenceman Max Lappan, the club's first-round selection in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.

Lappan was selected ninth overall in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, becoming the first defenceman and first American-born player chosen in this year's draft.

"We were incredibly excited when Max was still available with our pick," said IceDogs General Manager Dale DeGray. "Every time our scouting staff met, we had him rated as one of the top two defencemen in the draft. We believe he's a player with tremendous upside and a bright future."

Lappan spent the 2025-26 season with 15U Honeybaked AAA, where he recorded an outstanding 132 points (24G-108A) in 89 games.

At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, the Ypsilanti, Michigan native brings an impressive combination of size, mobility and offensive instincts to the IceDogs' blue line.

"Max has a tremendous ability to slow the game down, see the ice and make very good plays with the puck," added DeGray. "With his size, skating ability and vision, I expect he'll develop into a highly successful defenceman throughout his junior career."

Athleticism runs deep in the Lappan family. His father, Zachary, is a firefighter with the Ypsilanti Fire Department and a veteran of the U.S. Army's 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. He also played tight end at Eastern Michigan University. Lappan's mother was a competitive swimmer.

Before arriving in Niagara, Lappan will represent the United States as a member of the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team at the U17 Four Nations Tournament, taking place Aug. 15-19 in Chomutov, Czechia.

The Niagara IceDogs are excited to welcome Max and his family to Dog Country and look forward to seeing him make his OHL debut this September.

Bulldogs sign import selection Adam Nemec

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:49:29 +0000

BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. Brantford Bulldogs President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Spencer Hyman today announced the signing of the team’s 13th overall selection in the 2026 CHL Import Draft Adam Němec to an OHL Scholarship & Development Agreement.

Němec, of Vsetin, Czechia, has been a standout at every level in his home nation, quickly rising through to playing at the highest level of Czech juniors for a full season as a 16-year old. Captaining his hometown VHK Vsetin U15 side as a 14-year old in the 2023-24 season, Němec dominated posting 16 goals & 18 assists for 34 points in just 16 games, his performance earned him a move up to the Vsetin U17 team playing in Czechia’s 2nd second division as a doule underager. Němec’s outstanding play didn’t stop, scoring 24 goals in 25 games while posting 49 points, adding another 7 points in 8 playoffs games.

Němec’s handiwork caught the eye of a legendary Czech program in Bílí Tygři Liberec who brought the, then, 15-year-old to their U17 program in the top Czech league for the 2024-25 season. Němec was outstanding again playing against older competition, posting 26 goals & 30 assists for 56 points across 43 games while skating to a plus-19 rating, leading his team in goals & points. Němec’s playoff performance was more of the same, scoring 4 goals & 10 assists for 14 points in 12 games, leading his team this time in assists and points. Němec earned a callup to the U20 level at just 15-years-old, posting a goal and an assist in 2 games. Starting the 2025-26 season in the U17 level the 6’1”/175 left-shot winger began a blistering pace, 9 goals & 14 assists for 23 points in just 16 games led him to being called up to Bílí Tygři Liberec U20 full time in his 16-year old season. Němec didn’t miss a beat, scoring 23 goals & 11 assists for 34 points in 33 games at the highest level of Czech junior hockey and earned his way to Bílí Tygři Liberec in the Extraliga to make his pro debut at just 16. Němec returned to the U17 level for the playoffs and again led with 9 goals & 7 assists for 16 points in just 9 games.

Representing Czechia internationally at the 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge and posting 26 points across 22 goals across all U17 international competitions, Němec is widely expected to be leading the Czech entry to the 2026 Hlinka-Gretzky prior to the 2026-27 season beginning. Němec joins fellow Czechia internationals, Ondrej Kachyna, Jan Jenik, Jan Mysak, Tomas Hamara, Adam Jiricek, Adam Benak & Vladimir Dravecky in suiting up for the Bulldogs. “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Adam Němec to the Brantford Bulldogs.” said Hyman. “Adam is a player we’ve identified as having legitimate NHL potential because of his high-end hockey sense, compete level, and ability to impact the game in all three zones. Being named captain of Czechia’s U17 National Team speaks volumes about the leadership, character, and maturity he brings both on and off the ice. Adam joins a long line of outstanding Czech players who have proudly worn the Bulldogs jersey, and we’re excited that he will continue that tradition. We can’t wait to get him to Brantford and begin helping him take the next step toward achieving his dream of playing in the National Hockey League.”.

2026 OHL In The System: L.A. Kings

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:20:44 +0000

This 32-part series will spotlight OHL players who are either signed to an NHL or AHL contract or are recently drafted, and are 25 years old or younger with 50 or fewer NHL games played. Join us for OHL in the System! The L.A. Kings are stacking their royal court with young talent. Today, we look at their prospects who are ready to rule the ice. Thomas Vandenberg (C) – Ottawa 67’s (2025-26) Selected: 4th Round, 103rd Overall (2026) OHL Career Stats: 59 GP, 25G, 25A, 50 PTS, +22 Age: 17 Selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NHL Draft, Thomas Vandenberg was one of the youngest players in this year's class. The Nepean, Ont., native enjoyed an outstanding rookie OHL season with Ottawa, recording 50 points (25-25–50) in 59 regular-season games. He also represented Canada at the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship. Alex Kostov (C) – Soo Greyhounds (2022-24), Flint Firebirds (2023-26) Selected: 6th Round, 177th Overall (2026) OHL Career Stats: 233 GP, 56G, 83A, 139 PTS, +22 Age: 20 The L.A. Kings selected forward Alex Kostov of the Flint Firebirds. The 6-foot-4 winger took a major step forward in his third draft-eligible season, becoming the first player in Firebirds history to record hat tricks on back-to-back nights, including a four-goal performance. He finished the season with a career-high 55 points (24-31–55) in 47 regular-season games. Lucas Ambrosio (C) – Erie Otters (2024-26) Selected: 7th Round, 223rd Overall (2026) OHL Career Stats: 116 GP, 5G, 28A, 33 PTS, -35 Age: 18 Selected with the final OHL pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, Lucas Ambrosio established himself as a dependable shutdown defenceman with the Erie Otters while contributing 20 points (1-19–20) in 64 regular-season games. Henry Brzustewicz (D) – London Knights (2023-26) Selected: 1st Round, 31st Overall (2025) Signed: Apr. 4, 2026 OHL Career Stats: 178 GP, 31G, 71A, 102 PTS, +16 Age: 19 A physically imposing blueliner, Henry Brzustewicz has had a standout junior career with the London Knights, capturing back-to-back OHL championships in 2025 and 2026. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, 31st overall, of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Washington, Mich., native recorded a career-high 54 points (19-35–54) in 59 regular-season games. He made his professional debut with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, where he played five games and was recently named to the U.S. Roster for the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase. Jimmy Lombardi (C) – Flint Firebirds (2023-26) Selected: 4th Round, 125th Overall (2025) Signed: Dec. 22, 2025 OHL Career Stats: 190 GP, 56G, 81A, 137 PTS, +14 Age: 19 Jimmy Lombardi has developed into one of the league’s frontline centremen, competing hard but demonstrating respect for the opposition throughout the year. He came up big in a variety of situations for Flint, scoring nine power-play goals, three shorthanded markers, and eight game-winners, and took the second-most faceoffs in the league this season with 1,544. Lombardi was a finalist for the 2026 OHL Most Sportsmanlike Player and was also a finalist in two Coaches Poll categories (best defensive forward, best penalty killer). Jan Chovan (C) – Sudbury Wolves (2025-26) Selected: 4th Round, 125th Overall (2025) Signed (ATO): Apr. 6, 2026 OHL Career Stats: 60 GP, 28G, 27A, 55 PTS, -26 Age: 19 Recently named to Slovakia's National Junior Team Summer Camp roster, Jan Chovan recorded 55 points (28-27-55) in 60 games with the Wolves while adding two goals in four playoff contests. The 6-foot-3 forward has represented Slovakia at both the 2025 and 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships. In April, he was signed to an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with the Reign. Carter George (G) – Owen Sound Attack (2022-26), Soo Greyhounds (2025-26) Selected: 2nd Round, 57th Overall (2024) Signed: Jul. 25, 2024 OHL Career Stats: 159 GP, 3.09 GAA, .909 SV%, 70-63-9-11 Age: 20 Carter George split time between the Owen Sound Attack and Soo Greyhounds this season, posting a 23-17-5 record. He also appeared in 10 OHL playoff games, going 5-5-0 with a 2.36 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Internationally, he helped Team Canada capture a bronze medal at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship this past January. He also became the first goaltender in OHL history to score two career goals. George earned his second career recall to the Kings organization at the end of April and is expected to begin the 2026-27 season with the Reign. Jared Woolley (D) – London Knights (2023-26), Kitchener Rangers (2025-26) Selected: 6th Round, 164th Overall (2024) Signed: Mar. 26, 2025 OHL Career Stats: 171 GP, 24G, 45A, 69 PTS, +86 Age: 20 Capturing his second consecutive Memorial Cup championship – this time with the Kitchener Rangers – Jared Woolley recorded a career-high 36 points (12-24–36) over 66 regular-season games. The 6-foot-5 blueliner added two goals in the Memorial Cup tournament, including one in the championship game. He is expected to make his AHL debut next season. Kristian Epperson (LW) – Saginaw Spirit (2024-25) Selected: 3rd Round, 88th Overall (2025) OHL Career Stats: 58 GP, 27G, 53A, 80 PTS, +45 Age: 20 After his lone season with the Saginaw Spirit, where he never went more than two consecutive outings without a point, Kristian Epperson completed his freshman season with the University of Denver, where he recorded 22 points (11-11–22) in 40 regular-season games and helped the club reach the Frozen Four. Kaleb Lawrence (C) – Owen Sound Attack (2019-23), Ottawa 67’s (2023-24), London Knights (2023-24) Selected: 7th Round, 215th Overall (2022) Signed: May 24, 2024 OHL Career Stats: 149 GP, 41G, 41A, 82 PTS, +18 Age: 23 Kaleb Lawrence split the 2025-26 season between the Reign and the Rochester Americans (loan). He recorded a combined three assists and 54 penalty minutes in 27 regular-season games. Francesco Pinelli (C) – Kitchener Rangers (2019-22) Selected: 2nd Round, 42nd Overall (2021) Signed: Jun. 24, 2026 OHL Career Stats: 174 GP, 81G, 110A, 191 PTS, +39 Age: 23 In his third full season with the Reign, Francesco Pinelli recorded a career-high 35 points (14-21–35) in 65 regular-season games. He added a pair of points (1-1–2), including a shorthanded goal, in five Calder Cup Playoff games and recently signed a one-year, two-way extension with the Kings. Martin Chromiak (LW) – Kingston Frontenacs (2019-22) Selected: 5th Round, 128th Overall (2020) Signed: Jun. 11, 2026 OHL Career Stats: 88 GP, 55G, 64A, 119 PTS, +15 Age: 23 After signing a one-year, two-way contract extension with the Kings organization, Martin Chromiak played his fourth full campaign with the Reign, during which he set professional career highs in games played (71), goals (28), assists (28), and points (56), leading all Reign players in each category. Chromiak also set career marks in game-winning goals (7) and power-play goals (12), which led the team in both categories and tied for third and fourth-most among all AHL skaters. He also represented Slovakia at the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championships, where he tallied six points (4-2–6) in seven games. Jan Jenik (C) – Hamilton Bulldogs (2018-20) Signed: Jul. 1, 2026 OHL Career Stats: 54 GP, 35G, 51A, 86 PTS, +4 Age: 25 Jan Jenik spent the majority of the 2025-26 season with the Belleville Senators, recording 17 points (9-8–17) in 41 regular-season games. He also suited up for two games with the Ontario Reign (AHL) after being acquired by the Kings on Mar. 12, 2026. Originally drafted in the third round (65th overall) by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2018 NHL Draft, Jenik has skated in 24 career NHL games as a member of the Coyotes (2020-24) and Ottawa Senators (2024-25), collecting a combined six points (4-2–6). Tomorrow on OHL In The System: We'll take a look at the OHL talent inside the New York Islanders organization.

Storm sign import forward Timothy Kazda

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:28:50 +0000

Guelph, ON – General Manager George Burnett has announced that the fourth overall CHL Import Draft pick Timothy Kazda has signed an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the hockey club.

The 6’1, 195 lbs winger was selected in the first round (4^th overall) by the Storm in this summer’s CHL Import Draft. Last season, the forward from Ilava, Slovakia, notched 22 goals and 19 assists for 41 points in 59 games with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League and was named to the USHL All-Academic Team. Before joining the Steel, Kazda played three seasons with Seacoast Performance Academy 14U-16U, where he amassed 136 goals and 92 assists for 228 points in only 146 games.

On the international stage, Kazda has represented Slovakia at the U16 and U18 levels; most recently this past spring at the 2026 U18 Men’s World Championship. The Slovakian winger recorded six goals and six assists through seven games and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. The 2027 NHL Draft prospect helped his country capture a silver medal at the tournament.

"I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the Guelph Storm," said Kazda. "I'm super excited to get started and meet all the guys at training camp!"

31 OHL Prospects Named to Canada’s National Under-17 Development Camp

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:01:11 +0000

TORONTO — The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will send 31 prospects to Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp, more than any other Canadian Hockey League (CHL) circuit, Hockey Canada announced Tuesday.

The OHL group headlines an 80-player field that also includes 29 players from the Western Hockey League (WHL) and 20 from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The camp runs July 17-21 at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, with players split into four teams for two days of practice and six games from July 19-21.

The roster was selected by Program of Excellence (POE) general manager Alan Millar, POE head scout Byron Bonora and U17 assistant general manager Mike Johnston (Portland Winterhawks, WHL), with input from Hockey Canada's regional scouting staff that includes Scott Grieve (Erie Otters) and Rob Simpson (London Knights). Following camp, players will continue to be evaluated through the start of the 2026-27 season before Canada Red and Canada White rosters are named ahead of the 2026 U17 World Challenge, set for Nov. 1-7, also in Oakville.

Announced last week, Team Red will be led by Director of Hockey Operations Dave Drinkill (Saginaw Spirit) and also features former Soo Greyhounds Assistant Coach Brendan Taylor along with Video Coach Ryan Lennon (Kingston Frontenacs) and Equipment Manager Brandon Grace (Sudbury Wolves). Team White will be overseen by Director of Hockey Operations Dylan Seca (Sarnia Sting) and features Head Coach Dylan Smoskowitz (Barrie Colts), Video Coach Alex Darling (Peterborough Petes) and Equipment Manager Justin Vanderlaan (Sarnia Sting). Guest Staff assisting with the execution of the U17 Development Camp include Guest Coaches Brad Flynn (Kitchener Rangers), Brayden Guy (Sarnia Sting), Goaltending Coach Nate McDonald (North Bay Battalion), Athletic Therapists Luca Paron (London Knights) and David Pandolfi (formerly Niagara IceDogs) along with a pair of OHL Alumni in Daniel Tkaczuk and Corey Locke as Skills Coaches.

Canada has won gold at the U17 World Challenge three years running. Last year in Truro, N.S., Canada White captured gold behind six OHL players, defeating a Canada Red squad that carried 11 OHL players by a 6-3 final.

OHL PROSPECTS BY TEAM - CANADA'S U17 DEVELOPMENT CAMP

Barrie Colts Lucas Matheson, D — 1st round, 17th overall (Barrie Jr. Colts, OMHA)

Brampton Steelheads Tanner Adams, F — 1st round, 3rd overall (The Hill Academy) Arjun Nanubhai, F — 2nd round, 28th overall (Mississauga Senators, GTHL)

Brantford Bulldogs Marko Mesich, G — 6th round, 107th overall (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, GTHL) Finn Ellery, F — 2nd round, 31st overall (Central Ontario Wolves, OMHA)

Erie Otters Tanner Gibson, G — 3rd round, 50th overall (Ajax-Pickering Raiders, OMHA) Colin Kennedy, F — 1st round, 2nd overall (Detroit Little Caesars)

Flint Firebirds Cole Guizzetti, F — 3rd round, 52nd overall (Upper Canada College)

Guelph Storm Declan McNally, D — 1st round, 7th overall (Don Mills Flyers, GTHL)

Kingston Frontenacs Gavin Godick, D — 3rd round, 47th overall (Don Mills Flyers, GTHL) Logan Prud'homme, F — 1st round, 10th overall (Upper Canada College) Roman Vanacker, F — 2nd round, 23rd overall (Brantford 99ers, ALLIANCE)

Kitchener Rangers Evan Fitzgerald, F — 2nd round, 41st overall (Vaughan Kings, GTHL) Braden Reilly, F — 1st round, 19th overall (Toronto Marlboros, GTHL)

London Knights Ryan Beaulieu, D — 1st round, 14th overall (London Jr. Knights, ALLIANCE)

Niagara IceDogs Finley Merrill, F — 2nd round, 32nd overall (The Hill Academy)

North Bay Battalion Owen Loftus, G — 1st round, 11th overall (Don Mills Flyers, GTHL) Alexandre Saulnier, F — 2nd round, 35th overall (Ottawa Jr. 67's, HEO)

Oshawa Generals Kane Cloutier, F — 1st round, 1st overall (Vaughan Kings, GTHL)

Ottawa 67's Andrew Laurin, F — 1st round, 18th overall (Quinte Red Devils, OMHA)

Owen Sound Attack Maxwell Fransen, D — 1st round, 8th overall (Upper Canada College) Jace Voortman, F — 3rd round, 46th overall (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, GTHL) Matthew Zilinski, F — 2nd round, 21st overall (Mississauga Senators, GTHL)

Peterborough Petes Landon Roulston, F — 1st round, 13th overall (Vaughan Kings, GTHL)

Saginaw Spirit Drew Bate, F — 1st round, 6th overall (London Jr. Knights, ALLIANCE) Kyler Lauder, F — 2nd round, 24th overall (Central Ontario Wolves, OMHA)

Sarnia Sting Adrian Sgro, D — 1st round, 4th overall (Vaughan Kings, GTHL)

Soo Greyhounds Jaden Licastro, D — 1st round, 12th overall (Toronto Marlboros, GTHL)

Sudbury Wolves Shayden Hintenberger, D — 3rd round, 44th overall (The Hill Academy) Kash Kwajah, F — 1st round, 5th overall (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, GTHL)

Windsor Spitfires Lauchlan Whelan, F — 1st round, 16th overall (Quinte Red Devils, OMHA)

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

Six present and future OHL players invited to U.S. Hlinka Gretzky Cup Selection Camp

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 20:00:20 +0000

Six present and future OHL players have been invited to USA Hockey's Hlinka Gretzky Cup Selection Camp, taking place July 23-27 at TRIA Rink in St. Paul, Minn.

The camp will determine the 23-player United States roster that will compete at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scheduled for Aug. 3-8 in Edmonton, AB, Team USA enters the tournament as the defending champion after capturing gold in 2025.

The OHL contingent includes Flint Firebirds goaltender Mason Courville, Peterborough Petes forward Gerry DiCunzolo, Saginaw Spirit forward Sawyer Schmidt, Kingston Frontenacs forward Nolan Snyder, Windsor Spitfires forward Ty Bergeron and Niagara IceDogs forward Michael Tang.

Bergeron and Tang are both set to make their OHL debuts in 2026-27 after signing with Windsor and Niagara, respectively, earlier this summer.

Courville appeared in 20 games with the Firebirds as a rookie in 2025-26, posting a 3.26 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. DiCunzolo enjoyed a productive first OHL season with the Petes, recording 23 goals and 20 assists for 43 points in 67 games. Schmidt produced 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points in 64 games with the Saginaw Spirit during his rookie campaign, while Snyder registered 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 65 games with the Kingston Frontenacs. The United States will announce its final roster following selection camp before travelling to Edmonton, where it will face Canada, Czechia, Finland, Germany, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

2026 OHL In The System: New Jersey Devils

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:45:13 +0000

This 32-part series will spotlight OHL players who are either signed to an NHL or AHL contract or are recently drafted, and are 25 years old or younger with 50 or fewer NHL games played. Join us for OHL in the System! Today, let’s dive into the New Jersey Devils’ rising stars with OHL roots. Quinn McKenzie (C) – Soo Greyhounds (2025-26) Selected: 7th Round, 222nd Overall (2026) OHL Career Stats: 65 GP, 21G, 30A, 51 PTS, +12 Age: 18 Selected in the seventh round of the 2026 NHL Draft, Quinn McKenzie emerged as the Soo Greyhounds' third-leading scorer after joining the club as a free agent in September 2025. The Cranberry Township, Pa., native recorded 51 points (21-30–51) in 65 regular-season games. Trenten Bennett (G) – Owen Sound Attack (2024-26) Selected: 4th Round, 99th Overall (2025) OHL Career Stats: 33 GP, 3.69 GAA, .901 SV%, 10-14-1-1 Age: 20 6-foot-8, 207-pound goaltender Trenten Bennett spent parts of the past two seasons with the Owen Sound Attack, appearing in 33 regular-season games. During the 2025-26 campaign, the 2006-born netminder posted a 9-15-1 record with a 3.93 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage in 27 games before being acquired by the Flint Firebirds in June. Cole Brown (LW) – Hamilton/Brantford Bulldogs (2021-25) Selected: 6th Round, 164th Overall (2023) OHL Career Stats: 241 GP, 75G, 97A, 172 PTS, -10 Age: 20 After finishing his OHL career with a career-best 33 goals and 70 points in 67 games for the Brantford Bulldogs, Cole Brown moved on to the University of Notre Dame, where he recorded 21 points (6-15–21) and 94 penalty minutes in 35 regular-season games as a freshman. Amadeus Lombardi (C/LW) – Flint Firebirds (2020-23) Signed: Jul. 3, 2026 OHL Career Stats: 134 GP, 63G, 98A, 161 PTS, +32 Age: 23 Recently acquired from the Detroit Red Wings, Amadeus Lombardi spent the past three seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, recording a career-high 42 points (16-26–42) in 47 regular-season games in 2025-26. He is expected to make his Utica Comets debut this fall. Tomorrow on OHL In The System: We'll take a look at the OHL talent inside the L.A, Kings organization.

Spitfires sign defenceman Sam Wathier

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:31:43 +0000

WINDSOR, ON - The Windsor Spitfires are proud to announce the signing of defenceman Sam Wathier (Wat-te-eh) to the Red, White and Navy! The Spitfires selected Wathier with the 96th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. A dual Canadian-American citizen from Casselman, Ontario, and Des Moines, Iowa, Wathier stands 6’4” and weighs 207 pounds. Wathier played his minor hockey in Canada with the Eastern Ontario Wild of Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO). During his 2023–24 draft season, he recorded 3 goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 30 games. Following his selection by Windsor, Wathier joined the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP). He appeared in 90 games across both the NTDP and the USHL’s NTDP Juniors program, recording 13 assists. Internationally, Wathier represented Team USA at the 2024-25 U17 World Hockey Challenge, appearing in five games. In 2025-26, Wathier continued his development with the NTDP, playing for both the U17 and U18 teams, as well as the USHL’s NTDP Juniors squad. He played 42 games and recorded 3 points before his season was cut short by injury. “It feels great to be a Spitfire” Wathier said. “It is an honour to represent this historic franchise, and I am excited for the opportunity. I can’t wait to play in front of the amazing fans!” Bill Bowler spoke on Wathier putting pen to paper. “Sam is a big body that covers a lot of ice” GM Bill Bowler said. “He defends with a purpose and has untapped offensive upside. We welcome Sam and his family to Windsor.”