OHL This Week: December 28 to 31, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League

The Ontario Hockey League returns for the second half tonight with nine games on the Thursday night schedule. Here’s a look across the league as the 2023 calendar year winds down.

24 OHL players competing at IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship:
A total of 24 OHL players, part of a larger group of 62 CHL players, are competing in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship currently being held in Gothenburg, Sweden. Read more

World Juniors Daily:
Stay up to date as OHL players compete in the 2024 World Juniors taking place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Read more

Greyhounds’ Allard continues compelling story at 2024 World Juniors:
Soo Greyhounds forward Owen Allard continued his compelling 2023-24 campaign after he scored in each of Canada’s first two games of the 2024 World Juniors. After injury kept him out for all but 14 games last season, Allard has excelled this year with the Greyhounds where he’s tallied 14 goals and 30 points in 29 games. Read more

Spitfires hire Kris Newbury as Assistant Coach:
The Windsor Spitfires announced that Kris Newbury has been hired as an assistant coach. He will join interim head coach Casey Torres, video coach Johnathan Moran, skating coach Kathy McLlwain and culture & high performance coach Brian O’Reilly on the club’s coaching staff. Newbury, 41, enters the organization after a two-year stint as an assistant coach for the Trenton Golden Hawks in the Junior A ranks, and a year as the head coach of the Greater Kingston Gaels U-15 & the Quinte Red Devils U-16 teams. Read more

Bulldogs sign GOJHL top prospect Briir Long:
The Brantford Bulldogs have signed forward Briir Long to an OHL Scholarship & Development Agreement. Long, a North Bay, Ont. product, recently skated in the GOJHL Top Prospects showcase in Ayr representing the St. Thomas Stars where the offensively gifted forward has posted an incredible 24 goals and 14 assists for 38 points in just 30 games in his first-year of junior eligibility. Read more

Best of the First Half – Top-10 Plays:
Let’s look back at the top plays, with appearances from Brantford’s Marek Vanacker, Guelph’s Vilmer Alriksson, Wil McFadden and Jett Luchanko, Oshawa’s Rasmus Kumpulainen, Mississauga’s Zander Veccia and Porter Martone, London’s Ruslan Gazizov, Saginaw’s Hunter Haight and Ottawa’s Will Gerrior. Watch

Best of the First Half – Top-10 Saves:
Surveying the finest saves of the first half of the OHL season, with contributions from Sault Ste. Marie’s Andrew Gibson, Barrie’s Ben West, Erie’s Ben Gaudreau, Flint’s Nathan Day, Oshawa’s Jacob Oster, Kingston’s Mason Vaccari, Mississauga’s Ryerson Leenders and Jack Ivankovic, Saginaw’s Nolan Lalonde and Windsor’s Ian Michelone. Watch

Best of the First Half – Top-5 Performances:
Taking a closer look at the Top-5 Performances of the first half of the 2023-24 season! See appearances from Peterborough’s Owen Beck, Sudbury’s Quentin Musty, Windsor’s Liam Greentree, Kitchener’s Antonino Pugliese and Owen Sound’s Deni Goure. Watch

Best of the First Half – Top-5 Overtime Winners:
Get your popcorn ready for the Top-5 overtime winners of the first half of the season! See exciting displays from Kingston’s Gabriel Frasca, Guelph’s Vilmer Alriksson, Brantford teammates Nick Lardis and Marek Vanacker aloing with London’s Ruslan Gazizov. Watch

Best of the First Half – Top-5 Rookie Goals:
Scrolling back to see the Top-5 rookie goals of the first half of the 2023-24 OHL season! See contributions from Niagara’s Ryan Roobroeck, Saginaw’s Jacob Cloutier, Niagara’s Ethan Czata, Barrie’s Shamar Moses and Guelph’s Wil McFadden. Watch

Eight 2024 OHL Draft prospects to represent Canada at Winter Youth Olympic Games:
A total of eight players eligible for the 2024 OHL Priority Selection have been named to Canada’s roster for the upcoming 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games to be held in Gangwon, South Korea from January 27-31. The Youth Olympic Games are the world’s largest multi-sport event for high-performance young athletes aged 15–18. It will be the fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games and the first in Asia, and will have a fully gender-balanced sporting program with seven sports, 15 disciplines and a total of 81 events. Read more

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Otters, Knights, Spitfires, and IceDogs to host New Years Eve festivities:
It’s New Years Eve across the League! Close out 2023 with your favourite OHL teams as the Erie Otters, London Knights, Windsor Spitfires, and Niagara IceDogs prepare to host NYE games filled with activations, prizes and family fun. Visit team websites for more information!

Storm busy in the community in first half of season:
The Guelph Storm and their loyal fans did some great things in the community throughout the opening half of the season. Check out their first half run-down at guelphstorm.com.

Colts surprise local Timbits teams during practice:
Barrie Colts players Connor Punnett, Cole Beaudoin, Riley Patterson and Shamar Moses surprised two local Timbits hockey teams at a recent practice. Watch

ALUMNI NOTES:

OHL mourns the loss of Joe Holody:
The Ontario Hockey League is mourning the loss of former Guelph and Owen Sound Platers owner and founder Joseph (Joe) Holody, who passed away on Wednesday, December 27 at the age of 96. Holody, along with the late Ray McKelvie, are responsible for bringing Major Junior hockey to Owen Sound, moving the then Guelph Platers to the Scenic City prior to the 1989-90 season.  The Holody family would eventually sell the team following the 1999-2000 season to a group of Owen Sound business owners and supporters that operate the team today. Read more

OHL mourns the loss of Dr. Jacob Holub:
The Ontario Hockey League is mourning the loss of a well-known physician in the Sudbury community and an ardent supporter of the Sudbury Wolves Hockey Club for many years. Former Wolves team doctor Dr. Jacob Holub passed away last week at the age of 69. The Wolves dedicated a recent win over the Flint Firebirds to Holub, who served the team for several seasons. Read more

Matt Strome plays 200th professional game:
Former Hamilton Bulldogs captain and 2018 OHL Champion Matt Strome reached a milestone on Saturday night, playing in his 200th professional career game. Selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2017 NHL Draft, Strome has registered 200 points between his time spent in the ECHL and the AHL. Playing in his sixth American Hockey League season, the Mississauga, Ont. native has appeared in 19 games with the Hershey Bears this season, recording seven assists. Originally selected eighth overall by the Bulldogs in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection, Strome spent four years in Hamilton, tallying 247 points (115-132-247) over 260 games played.

Blake Murray named ECHL Player of the Week:
Former Sudbury Wolves forward Blake Murray has been named the ECHL Player of the Week, recording four goals, three assists, and seven points over three games played. Registering 16 points (8-8-16) this season spent between the Norfolk Admirals, Florida Everblades, and Allen Americans, Murray has recorded 68 points (32-36-68) over 111 ECHL contests after being selected in the sixth round by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2019 NHL Draft. Sudbury’s first round (seventh overall) pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection, Murray spent three seasons in the OHL, tallying 166 points (86-80-166) over 186 games played.

Four OHL graduates representing Canada at 2023 Spengler Cup:
Four OHL graduates have been named to Canada’s entry for the 2023 Spengler Cup that takes place from December 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland. The 25-player roster consists of a total of 17 CHL alumni as Canada pursues its 17th championship at the annual tournament. The Canadian team is coached by former OHL star, Memorial Cup champion and long-time NHL coach Bruce Boudreau, who is currently an advisor with the Niagara IceDogs. Read more

Paul Maurice coaches 1,800th NHL game:
Former Detroit Jr. Red Wings head coach and 1995 OHL champion Paul Maurice reached an outstanding milestone on Wednesday night, coaching in his 1,800th NHL contest as the Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Bench bossing his 25th NHL season, Maurice has split his professional coaching career between the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and Florida Panthers. At age 43, Maurice became the youngest coach in NHL history to coach 1,000 games, reaching the milestone on November 28, 2010. Maurice played for the Windsor Spitfires from 1984-87, later becoming Assistant Coach for the Spits from 1987-90.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

– All games streaming on OHL Live
– Radio and TV broadcast information

Thursday, December 28th
Peterborough at Kingston – 7:00pm
Sudbury at Barrie – 7:00pm
Windsor at Mississauga – 7:00pm
Ottawa at North Bay – 7:00pm
Erie at Guelph – 7:00pm
Niagara at Owen Sound – 7:00pm
Brantford at Oshawa – 7:05pm
London at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Saginaw– 7:05pm

Friday, December 29th
Peterborough at Mississauga – 7:00pm
Flint at Kitchener – 7:00pm
Sarnia at London – 7:00pm
North Bay at Sudbury – 7:05pm

Saturday, December 30th
Kingston at Ottawa – 3:00pm
Barrie at Brantford – 4:00pm
Guelph at Flint – 7:00pm
Niagara at Erie – 7:00pm
Kitchener at Owen Sound – 7:00pm
Windsor at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Sudbury at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm

Sunday, December 31st
Oshawa at North Bay – 1:00pm
Mississauga at Peterborough – 2:05pm
Sarnia at Windsor – 2:05pm
Saginaw at Sault Ste. Marie – 2:07pm
Brantford at Erie – 4:00pm
Flint at London – 4:00pm
Guelph at Niagara – 6:00pm
Owen Sound at Barrie – 7:30pm

Monday, January 1st
Kitchener at Oshawa – 2:05pm
Ottawa at Kingston – 4:00pm