2006 OHL Priority Draft Selections--Where are they now?

A lot of folks have been asking about last summer's priority draft selections and wonder where they are playing and how they are doing. The following is a report on the first 6 rounds of selections for each team. (Stats are as of Thursday afternoon.)

Barrie Colts

1st round--Stephan della Rovere (LW) has 9 points in 39 games with the Colts. della Rovere has been selected to play for Team Ontario in the 2007 Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon later this month.

2nd round--Alex Hutchings (C) has 4 points in 27 games with the Colts.

3rd round--Brian Lashoff (D) has 7 points in 34 games with the Colts.

4th round--Michael Hutchinson (G) is with the Colts, and has played in 10 games, winning 5, losing 3. Hutchinson has a 2.31 GAA and a .931 save percentage in these games.

5th round--Corey Trivino (C) plays on the OPJHL Stouffville Spirit, and is second on the team in scoring with 58 points in 49 regular season games. Like della Rovere, Trivino has been chosen to play on the Ontario team at the winter Games in the Yukon this month.

6th round--Nick Avgerinos (D) plays on the OPJHL Toronto Junior Canadiens. In 42 regular season games, he had 8 points and 18 PIM. Avgerinos has grown 2 inches since being drafted last summer, and now stands 6'1", 185.


Belleville Bulls

1st round--Shawn Lalonde (D) In 53 games with the Bulls, Lalonde has 24 points, 67 PIM, and a +7 plus/minus rating.

2nd round--Matthew Tipoff (RW) also plays for the Bulls. In 35 games, he has 2 points.

3rd round--Edward Pasquale (G) plays in net for the Bulls., and has appeared in 7 games for the OHL team, with a 4-1 record. He has a 3.10 GAA and a .917 save percentage. Pasquale was chosen for the U-17 Ontario team that will participate in the 2007 Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon later this month.

4th round-no selection

5th round--David Mathers (LW) plays for the OPJHL Cobourg Cougars. In 42 regular season games, Mathers has 19 points, including one game winning goal.

6th round--Paul Clancy (D) plays for the OPJHL Newmarket Hurricanes. Clancy has 4 assists and 42 PIM in 46 games.

6th round--Marc Cantin (D) has played 3 games for the Bulls this season (0 points, +2 plus/minus), but has spent most of the season with the OPJHL Lindsay Muskies. In 40 regular season game with the Muskies, Cantin has 16 points, 60 PIM and 2 shot-handed assists. He should be ready for full-time play in the OHL next season.

Brampton Battalion

1st round--Cody Hodgson (C) is a top OHL rookie. With 42 points in 55 games, Hodgson ranks ninth among OHL rookies in total points. Hodgson will also be playing on the U-17 team in the Winter Games in the Yukon later this month.

2nd round--Michael Lomas (LW) is a member of the Battalion. In 54 games this season he has 19 points, 47 PIM, and a -4 plus/minus.

3rd round--Matt Zarbo (C) has continued to play on the Boston Junior Bruins, of the EJHL, this season. Zarbo has played in 34 regular games, and has recorded 15 points, including 1 game winning goal.

4th round--Ben Alavie (D) played 10 games this year with the OPJHL Aurora Tigers and is still listed on their roster. He has not played since November, and in the games he played, Alavie had 1 assist.

5th round--Patrick Killeen (G) has been a member of Brampton's OHL team since the start of the season. Although recently sidelined with mono that could have him out of action for up to 6 weeks, Killeen has played in 7 games, and has a record of 1 win and 3 losses. In his OHL appearances, Killeen has a 6.42 GAA and .825 save percentage.

6th round--Cameron Flint (RW) has chosen to play lacrosse over hockey, and last month was selected first overall in the Ontario Lacrosse Ass'n 's Junior "A" draft.


Erie Otters

1st Round--Mitch Gaulton (D) has played 47 games with the OHL Otters this season. In that time, he has amassed 14 points and 49 PIM. Gaulton has been chosen to play in the Winter Games in the Yukon for Team Ontario in a couple of weeks time.

2nd round--no selection

3rd round--Brian Shaw (D) has also played with the Otters the entire season. In 51, games Shaw has 2 assists and 41 PIM.

4th round--no selection

5th round--Mitch Forbes (RW) has been playing in the OHL with Erie this season. In 44 games, Forbes has registered 3 assists.

5th Round--Matthew Cadieux (G) has played most of the season with the Marham Waxers AAA midget team. However, when one of the OPJHL Markham Waxer netminders was hurt, Cadieux was called upon to fill in. He played 40 minutes of 1 game in December, allowing 2 goals against in 22 shots.

6th round--Anthony Luciani (RW) has played on the OPJHL Huntsville Nuskoka Otters in 2006-07. In 42 regular season games, Luciani had 14 points, 35 PIM. Of his 6 goals during the season, 3 were on the power play; 3 were game winners.

6th round--Marc Rubino (LW) has played with the Mississauga Ice Dogs major midget team (GTHL) season. In 19 regular season games, Rubino recorded 24 points, 57 PIM, and a plus/minus of 0.

Guelph Storm

1st round--Anthony Nigro (C) is a member of the OHL team this season. In 48 games, Nigro has 13 points, 22 PIM, and a +5 plus/minus rating. Nigro was one of the players chosen to participate in the Winter Games in the Yukon later in February.

2nd round--Patrick Moran (D) is also a member of the OHL Storm. In 32 games this season, Moran has no points, 45 PIM and a -3 plus/minus.

3rd round--Kyle Steckley (RW) has played for the Fort Erie Meteors of the Golden Horseshoe Junior B League for most of this season. In 37 games with Fort Erie, he has 24 points and 58 PIM. Steckley plays in all situations, and has 2 power play and 2 shorties in 2006-07. He also has been called up twice to play for the Storm, once in December and again 2 weeks ago. In 6 games with Guelph, he has no statistics.

4th round--Cody St. Jacques (G) has appeared in 12 games for the OHL Guelph Storm. He has a record of 4-2, while accumulating a 3.86 GAA and a save percentage of .866.

5th round--Travis Gibbons (D) played in 2 games with the OHL team thus far this season. Both games were in November and he did not register any points or PIM. He has spent a majority of the 2006-07 season with the Midwestern Ontario Junior B Hockey League Guelph Dominators. In 19 games with the dominators, Gibbons has 7 points (including 2 power play goals) and 40 PIM.

6th round--Tyler Carroll (LW) has played for the Strathroy Rockets of the Western Ontario Junior B League. In 47 games with Strathroy, Carroll has recorded 21 points (including 4 power play goals and 3 power play assists) and 94 PIM.


Kingston Fronts

1st round--Josh Brittain (LW) has played with the Fronts the entire OHL season. In 46 games with Kingston, he has 15 points, 32 PIM, and an excellent -2 plus/minus.

2nd round--Nathan Moon (RW) is the leading rookie scorer on the Fronts. In 48 games, he has 35 points, a 0 plus/minus and 34 PIM. Moon has been chosen to represent Ontario on the U-17 team that will be playing in the Winter Games in Whitehorse later this month.

3rd round--Bobby Mignardi (C) has played in 46 games for the Fronts. He has recorded 4 points, and accumulated 22 PIM.

4th round--no selection

5th round--Matt Hoyle (G) is the star goaltender for the OPJHL Oakville Blades. He is 22-7-1 during the regular season, and has won both games for the Blades thus far in the OPJHL playoffs. During 30 games in the regular season, Hoyle achieved a 2.59 GAA and .906 save percentage for Oakville. He has risen his game during the playoffs and is a player to watch as we head toward the 2008 NHL entry draft. An OPJHL all-star this season, the high school junior is being heavily recruited by NCAA teams.

6th round--Zachary McGillis (LW) has played for the Valley East Cobras Midget AAA team of the Great North Midget League during 2006-07. In 31 games this season, McGillis has 34 points, plus 112 PIM (30 of which are for misconduct).


Kitchener Rangers

1st round--Nazem Kadri (C) has played for the OHL Rangers all season. Kadri has 15 points in 53 games, while maintaining a +7 plus minus. Kadri has been rewarded for his fine play this season by his selection to the U-17 team that will be playing in the Winter Games in the Yukon later this month.

2nd round--Mike Mascioli (C) was a member of the OHL team earlier this season, and in 12 games, he had no points, a -3 plus/minus and 6 PIM. He has also played for the Kitchener Dutchmen of the Midwestern Ontario Junior B League. With the Dutchmen, Mascioli had 0 points in 12 games, but he accumulated 88 PIM in that time.

3rd round--Jamie Commerford (LW) is a member of the London Nationals of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League for the 2006-07 season. In 32 games, he has 14 points, including 2 game winning goals. Commerford plays in all situations and has an assist on a shorthanded goal scored by teammate Sean Mullin last month.

4th round--Philip Varone (C) has been a member of the OHL team, but has only played 13 games this season. Varone has 4 points (1 G, 3 A), and is -2.

5th round--Mavric Parks (G) has been between the pipes for the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Junior A Hockey League. Currently, Parks is second in the league with 31 games played, 24 wins, 2.47 GAA, and a .914 save percentage.

6th round--Matt Martello (C) has been with Kitchener since early January. In 13 games, he has 6 points, a +1 plus/minus and 14 PIM. Prior to signing with the OHL team, he had played for Lake Superior State University. While at Lake Superior State, Martello had 1 goal and 7 assists.


London Knights

1st round--Philip McRae (C) has played with the Knights for the entire season. In 53 games, he has recorded 10 points and 27 PIM, while maintaining a -10 plus/minus. McRae is currently playing for the United States team in the 4 nations Tournament in Slovakia.

2nd round-- no selection

3rd round--Tucker Hunter (C) has spent the season as a member of two Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League teams, first the London Nationals and most recently, the Petrolia Jets. He was totally ineffective in 12 games with the Nationals, but after he went to Petrolia in late October, his season turned around. In 32 games with the Jets, Hunter has 23 points, including 4 power play goals and 5 power play assists. Over the last months, he has also played 8 games for the OHL London Knights, recording 1 goal (last week) and 1 assist.

4th round--Kale Kerbashian (C) has played for the Fort Williams First Nations North Stars of the Superior International Hockey League. In 36 games with Fort Williams, Kerbashian has 47 points and 78 PIM. Kerbashian signed a contract with the OHL Knights late last year and is expected to join the team full-time in the fall of 2007.

4th round--Kevin Bodker (D) has played in 29 games with London. In those games, he has registered 3 points, a -3 plus/minus and 26 PIM.

5th round--Tyler VonEnglebrechten (C) has spent the season with Markham Waxers Major Midget of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association. He was recently named to the OMHA ETA all-star team and played in the February 3rd game.

6th round--Garrett Hunter (LW) plays for the Petrolia Jets of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League. Hunter has 10 points in 33 games with the Jets.


Mississauga Ice Dogs

1st Round--Alex Pietrangelo (D) is one of the top rookie defensemen in the OHL this season. A potential top 5 selection in the 2008 NHL entry draft, Pietrangelo has 44 points in 54 games, with an astonishing plus/minus of +39 (the best plus/minus rating on the team). A player to watch over the next 2 years, Pietrangelo has been chosen to play for Team Ontario in the Winter Games in the Yukon later this month.

2nd round--Josh Dadic (LW) is a member of the Mississauga Chargers of the OPJHL this season. In 43 regular season games for the Chargers, Dadic had 16 points and 66 PIM. Playing both on the power play and penalty kill, Dadic can be used effectively in all situations.

3rd round--Chris Van Laren (D) has played on the North Bay Skyhawks of the Northern Ontario Hockey Ass'n. In 34 games with the Skyhawks, Van Laren has 15 points and 87 PIM.

4th round--Chris DeSousa (C) has played 46 games with the Brampton Capitals of the OPJHL (41 points, 80 PIM, 2 game-winning goals). In 3 playoff games thus far this past week, he has 2 points. DeSousa has also played 6 games for the OHL Ice Dogs, registering 1 assist, 2 PIM, and a -1 plus/minus.

4th round--Barry Sanderson (C) has played in 47 games for the OHL Mississauga team this season. His statistics include 6 points, 12 PIM, and a -4 plus/minus.

5th round--no selection

6th round--Dylan MacEachern (LW) has spent the majority of this season as a member of the Milton IceHawks of the OPJHL. With 32 points in 44 games, MacEachern was tied for second in scoring on the team. He registered 10 power play and 2 short-handed goals on the year. In the 3 playoff games that Milton has played over the last week, MacEachern has 3 assists. MacEachern thus far has played in one game with the OHL Ice Dogs late last month. In it, he registered 2 PIM.


Oshawa Generals

1st round--Michael Del Zotto (D) is a leading member of the OHL team this year. With 54 points in 53 games, he is the top rookie on the team. He has been chosen to play for the province later this month in the Winter Games that will be held in the Yukon.

2nd round--Dean Howard (C) has played for the OHL team this season. In 50 games, Howard has 11 points and only 2 PIM.

3rd round--Anthony Peters (G) has played for the Generals for the entire season. In the 11 games in which he has appeared, Peters is 1-5, with a 5.68 GAA and a .825 save percentage.

4th round--Marco Franchini (C) has spent most of the season as a member of the Lindsay Huskies of the OPJHL this season. He has also played in 1 game for the OHL Generals (no stats). In 48 regular season games for the Huskies, Franchini had 44 points, including 11 power play goals and 1 shortie. Thus far in 3 post-season games with the Huskies, Franchini has 2 assists.

5th round--Chris Leeming (RW) is a member of the Windsor Junior Spitfires Major midget team (Alliance Major Midget) this season. I am attempting to get his stats for the season, and will update this when and if I receive them.

6th round--Robert Czarnik (RW) is a member of the US U-17 NTDP team this season. At the end of 2006, Czarnik had 7 points in 27 games, with 49 PIM. His PIM total is second highest on the team.


Ottawa 67s

1st round--Tyler Cuma (D) has 18 points in 52 games with the OHL team (42 PIM, +3 plus/minus). The big defenceman will join Team Ontario in the Winter Games in the Yukon later this month.

2nd round--Cody Lindsay (C) will also be in Whitehorse with Team Ontario at the end of February. The leading rookie on the 67s' team, Lindsay has recorded 25 points in 53 games (35 PIM, +4) since the start of the season.

2nd round--Thomas Nesbitt (RW) is a third member of the OHL team. Nesbitt has played in 50 OHL games this season, and registered 11 points.

2nd round--Matt Ribeiro (LW) has played in 25 games for Ottawa this season, with 3 points, 12 PIM, and a -7 plus/minus.

3rd round--Jarred Seymour (D) is a big guy, and getting bigger all the time. Now listed 2 inches above his 6'3" draft size, Seymour has been toiling in the Greater Toronto Hockey League this season, as a member of the Toronto Marlboros' major midget team. Seymour is an Australian national.

4th round--Matthew MacDougall (D) has played for the Smith Fall Bears of the Central Junior Hockey League for most of the season. Another player who has grown 2 inches in the past year, MacDougall recorded 15 points in 45 CJHL games this season, while accumulating 42 PIM. He also has played in 2 games for the 67s thus far this season, the last one 2 weeks ago (0 points, -1 plus/minus).

5th round--Stefan Salituro (C) was a member of the St Mike's Buzzers of the OPJHL until late November of this season. In 18 games with the Buzzers, Salituro recorded 6 points. Since then, he has played in 7 games for the Vaughan Vipers, registering 8 points in that time.

6th round--no selection


Owen Sound Attack

1st round--Michael D'Orazio (D) has played with the OHL team this season. He has 11 points in 53 games, with 67 PIM. D'Orazio has been chosen to play for Team Ontario in the Winter Games later this month.

2nd round--no selection

3rd round--Brandon Burlon (D) has played for the St. Mike's Buzzers of the OPJHL this season. In 45 games for the Buzzers, Burlon has 23 points, including 4 power play and 1 game-winning goal. Burlon was also chosen to play for his province later this month in the Yukon.

4th round--Guy Carteciano (LW) has played in 13 games this season for the OHL Attack. With no points and a 0 plus/minus, it has not been a very productive OHL season for the young winger. However, he has also played with the Owen Sound Greys of the Midwestern Junior Hockey League. In 37 games with the Greys, he has 25 points, including 7 power play and 2 shorthanded goals.

5th round--no selection

6th round--Mike Farrell (C) has played with the OHL team for the entire season thus far. In 47 games, he has recorded 3 points.

6th round--Wayne Simmonds (LW) has been one of the more successful draft selections thus far. Simmonds impressed in training camp and has been a member of the OHL Attack since the beginning of the season. In 54 games, he has 29 points and 93 PIM.


Peterborough Petes

1st round--Zach Bogosian (D) has been an member of the OHL club all season. In 55 OHL 2006-07 games, Bogosian has recorded 27 points, 53 PIM, and has +9 plus/minus rating.

2nd round--no selection

3rd round--Daniel Ciampini (LW) is a member of the Don Mills Flyers Major Midget AAA club in Toronto. No further information is available at this time.

4th round--Jamie Doornbosch (D) has played 4 games with the OHL team this, and did not generate any statistics.

5th round--Jason Missiaen (G) has played for the OHL Petes this season. Missiaen's assignment to back-up Trevor Cann, one of the top prospects for this year's NHL draft has been a tough one, but Missiaen has done a good job. He has appeared in 9 games and won 1, with a 4.71 GAA and a .890 save percentage. However, in the 2 games in which has played thus far this month, Missiaen has a GAA of 1.92 and a save percentage of .938.

6th round--Mike Ryan (C) is with the Peterborough Stars of the OPJHL for the 2006-07 season. The Stars' third leading scorer, Ryan has 39 points in 46 games.


Plymouth Whalers

1st round--Vern Cooper (RW) has played 43 games for the OHL Whalers this season. He diminutive winger has recorded 10 points and 22 PIM, while maintaining a +7 plus/minus.

2nd round--no selection

3rd round--Tom Kane (D) is a member of the Thunder Bay Bear Cats of the Superior International Junior Hockey League. On a team with a tremendous amount of penalty minutes (including one player with 306 PIM thus far this season), Kane has 7 points in 35 games with 127 PIM.

4th round--Jordan O'Neill (D) mans the blueline for the Ajax Attack of the OPJHL. O'Neill played in 34 regular season games, has 16 points, a plus/minus 0, and 29 PIM.

4th round--Steven McDonald (RW) is playing for the Toronto Red Wings of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. The major midget statistics are not available for the season.

5th round--Chad Rutkowski (LW) is a member of the Belle Tire AAA Major Midget team of the Midwest Elite Hockey Team for the 2006-07 season. In 18 games, Rutkowski has 10 points (including 3 power play goals) and 38 PIM.

6th round--no selection


Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds

1st round--James Livingston (RW) is a member of the OHL team. In 53 games this season, Livingston has and 87 PIM. An aggressive gritty player, who the Greyhounds hope to develop into a power forward, Livingston has already established himself as never backing down from a fight.

2nd round--Sean Jones (LW) has also played for the Greyhounds this season. In 37 OHL games, Jones has 6 points and 17 PIM.

3rd round--Brett Perlini (C) is a member of the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northen Ontario Hockey League. Perlini is the team's leading scorer with 43 points in 38 games. He was named the NOHA Player of the Week in November, and is currently 7th in the league in total points. UPDATE: Perlini scored a hat-trick in Friday night's game, taking him to 46 points for the season.

4th round-Chris Dunham (C) plays for the OPJHL Pickering Panthers. In 49 regular season games this season, Dunham recorded 40 points, including 4 power play and one short-handed goals.

5th round--Dylan King (D) is a teammate of 3rd round pick Perlini on the Soo Thunderbirds. In 38 games, King has 16 points and 43 PIM.

6th round--Jake Carrick (R) is a member of the Markham Majors Midget AAA team. No stats are available at this time.


Saginaw Spirit

1st round--Nick Crawford (D) has played 49 games with the Spirit this season. He has registered 7 points, 26 PIM, and has a +8 plus/minus rating.

2nd round-no selection

3rd round--TJ Brodie (D) has played 16 games with the OHL team this season (2 A, +4), however, he has spent most of the season as a member of the Western Ontario Hockey Ass'n's Leamington Flyers. With 46 points in 43 games, Brodie is the team's leading scorer, and tied for second in the league. He also is the team leader in PIM, with 104.

4th round--Andrew Clouthier (C) was the first forward taken by the Spirit last spring, and he has spent the entire year as a member of the OHL team. In 50 games, Clouthier has 4 points and a - 5 plus/minus rating.

5th round--Ryan Green (C) has been a member of the WOHL Leamington Flyers during the 2006-07 season. In 34 games with the Flyers, Green has 9 points, and 24 PIM.

6th round--no selection


Sarnia Sting

1st round--Steven Stamkos (C) was the first overall pick in last spring's draft, and most likely he will repeat that when it comes time for the NHL draft in 2008. Not only is Stamkos a member of the OHL team this season, he s its best player. In 55 games thus far this season, he has 85 points, is +12 plus/minus, with only 48 PIM. Stamkos is 7th overall in scoring in the league, and third among rookies. Named OHL Rookie of the Month for December, Stamkos has been selected to play in the Winter Game sin Whitehorse, Yukon later this month.

2nd round--Dalton Prout (D) is a member of the Sting this season. In 39 games this season, Prout has recorded 2 points and 24 PIM.

2nd round--Peter DiSalvo (G) was recalled by the Sting n December to replace Sebastien Dahm, who returned to Europe to play in the WJCs. When Dahm was traded away at the deadline last month, DiSalvo stayed with the team. In 5 games, he is 0-3, with a 4.78 GAA and .853 save percentage. Prior to his call-up, DiSalvo played for the WOHL Chatham Maroons. While with the Maroons, he appeared in 6 games, was 1-3, and had a 5.23 GAA and .859 save percentage.

3rd round--no selection

4th round--Brent Sullivan (D) plays for the Brockville Braves of the Central Junior Hockey League. Already verbally committed to Clarkson University for the 2008-09 season, Sullivan has recorded 24 points (including 2 game-winning goals) in 46 games in the regular season with the Braves.

5th round--Chase Clark (LW) is the leading scorer on the Alvinston Flyers of the Great Lakes Junior "C" League, with 52 points in 37 games.

6th round--no selection


Sudbury Wolves

1st round--Jared Staal (RW) has been a member of the OHL Wolves for the entire 2006-07 season. Although he does not get much ice time, Staal has appeared in 53 games, with 3 points and 14 PIM.

2nd round--Justin Larson (C) has also been a member of the OHL team this season. In 38 games, he has 3 points and 10 PIM.

3rd round--JK Gill (LW) has played with the OHL team the entire season. In 42 games, he has 8 points and 30 PIM.

4th round--Kyle Tarini (RW) has played with the OHL Wolves in 35 games. He has been often scratched during the season, but in the games in which he has played, Tarini recorded 2 points and 24 PIM.

5th round--Alain Valiquette (G) has appeared in 1 game for the OHL Wolves this season, however, for most of the season Valiquette has played for the Sudbury Junior Wolves of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. In 16 games for the Junior Wolves, Valiquette was 9-4, with a .906 save percentage and a 3.10 GAA.

6th round--Devon Montgomery (D) is a member of the Kanata Stallions of the Central A Junior Hockey League. In 24 games, Montgomery has 7 points and 32 PIM.


Toronto St. Mike's Majors

1st round--Dylan O'Neil (C) is a member of the OHL team this season. In 41 games, he has 5 points and has a -13 plus/minus rating.

2nd round--Tim Billingsley (D) is also on the roster of the OHL team this season. In 38 games, he has registered 6 points and is -11.

2nd round--Cameron Gaunce (D) has spent the 2006-07 season as a member of the Markham Waxers of the OPJHL. In 45 regular season games with the Waxers, Gaunce recorded 14 points and 68 PIM. Since the playoffs began, he has registered 2 assists in 4 games.

3rd round--Tyler Allen (RW) has played for the OHL Majors this season. In 37 games, he has 3 points.

3rd round--Christopher Carrozzi (G) is a top netminding prospect who has served in a backup role in Toronto for the entire season. Carrozzi has appeared in 20 games, and is 5-6-1. His 4.22 GAA and .896 save percentage were sufficient to convince the powers that be that he should be on Team Ontario that will be in the Winter Games in the Yukon later this month.

4th round--Jeffrey Vanderlugt (C) is a member of the Toronto Junior Canadiens (GTHL) this season. I have not been able to obtain his stats for this season.

5th round--no selection

6th round--Kevin Bobczynski (LW) plays for the Thunder Bay Kings AAA Major Midget Team of the Thunder Bay Junior B League. In 35 games, Bobczynski has 26 points, and 38 PIM.


Windsor Spitfires

1st round--Greg Nemisz (C) has played for the OHL Spitfires for the entire season. The team is not known for its defencive abilities, and this is reflected in Nemisz's stats, however, overall, he has had an excellent season thus far. In 50 games, he has 25 points, with 21 PIM.

2nd round--Adam Henrique (C) was recently named to Team Ontario to represent the province in the upcoming Winter Games in the Yukon. He is a top rookie in the league, scoring 40 points in 56 games. With one of the best plus/minuses among the regulars on the team, Henrique plays on both the power play and the penalty kill.

2nd round--Thomas Battani (C) was traded to the Barrie Colts on January 3rd with Mike Weber ad a 5th round selection in 2007 in exchange for Blake Parlett, a second round selection in 2008 and a second round pick in 2010.

2nd round--Mark Cundari (D) was also selected to participate in the Winter Games in the Yukon later this month. Cundari has been with the OHL team this season. In 55 games, he has 15 points and 116 PIM. UPDATE: Cundari has 4 points in the last 3 games this weekend.

3rd round--no selection

4th round--Eric Wellwood (C) has played 11 games with the OHL team (3 points) after signing with the team on January 11. Prior to joining Windsor, Wellwood was a member of the Tecumseh Chiefs Junior B team of the Western Ontario Hockey League. In 34 games with Tecumseh this season, Wellwood recorded 20 points, including 3 power play and 3 short handed goals.

5th round--Matthew Hackett (G) was recently been recalled to play for the OHL team (and as of February 17th, sent down again). Most of the season, Hackett has been between the pipes for the St. Thomas Stars of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League. In 16 games with St. Thomas, Hackett is 7-7, with a 3.94 GAA and a .899 save percentage.

5th round--Devon Quarrell (D) is a member of the Thunder Bay Kings AAA Midget club of the Thunder Bay Junior B League. In 48 games with the Kings, Quarrell has 26 points and a +19 plus/minus rating.

6th round--Ian Fairgrieve (RW) plays for the Fort Erie Meteors of the Golden Horseshoe Ontario Junior B League. He has registered 22 points in 45 games and accumulated 116 PIM (which is the highest number on the team).

More on Colbert and Oshawa

As most CHL News readers already know, March 20th has been declared Stephen Colbert Day in Oshawa, Ontario. Colbert, a late night television host that won a bet with Oshawa Mayor John Gray, told the mayor that he wanted to collect on the bet by having the city celebrate a day named for Colbert on the mayor's birthday. Mayor Gray has obliged, however, Colbert has not yet agreed to attend the big celebration that Oshawa has planned. To try to persuade Colbert to come to Oshawa, the city has posted a petition that those who are interested can sign. Please sign up and let Colbert know that we would be honoured to have him come to Canada and celebrate him and the CHL.

The petition can be found at: www.oshawa.ca/colbert/

WHL Announces Player of the Week

The WHL announced that Kootenay Ice winger Curtis Billsten is its Player of the Week for the week from 2/5-2/11. In 4 games during that time, Billsten recorded 9 points (4 G, 5 A). He is having an excellent February (after a very unproductive January). The 20-year-old Billsten is 6th on the Ice in total points this season (46 points in 56 games, while maintaining a +11 plus/minus), with 12 points in Kootenay's 6 games this month. Not really an NHL prospect, Billsten is most likely headed for the ECHL next season.

Tuesday's QMJHL News

On Monday morning, the Q announced its offensive and defensive players of the week. Both players came from the same team, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

The offensive Player of the Week is Nova Scotia native James Sheppard. In 4 games between February 5th through 11th, Sheppard had 11 points (3 G, 8 A), including 1 game-winning goal. In his third-season with the Screaming Eagles, Sheppard, drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (9th overall) of the 2006 NHL draft, is the team's second leading scorer.

The defensive Player of the Week is second year Cape Breton netminder Ondrej Pavelec. In three starts, Pavelec registered three wins while posting a 2.00 GAA and a .924 save percentage. Pavelec, a native of the Czech Republic, represented that country in the recent U-20 WJCs in Sweden and is a property of the Atlanta Thrashers (2nd round, 41st overall, 2005). For the season, Pevelec has appeared in 31 games, and achieved a 2.82 GAA and .902 save percentage, which is second overall in the league (behind Lewiston's Jon Bernier).

Honourable Mentions this week went to the PEI Rocket's David Laliberte (unsigned 2004 Philadelphia draft selection, now a free agent), Cape Breton's Robert Slaney, and Acadie-Bathurst Titan's overager Thomas Beauregard for offensive player of the week. For defencive player of the week, honourable mention weregivenn to these blueliners: rookie T.J. Brennan of the St. John's Fog Devils, 2007 NHL draft-eligible Alex Grant of the St. John Sea Dogs, and Jean-Claude Sawyer of Cape Breton (unsigned 2004 Minnesota draft selection).

Monday OHL News

Barrie--After a really horrible showing on Friday night, the Colts all-star netminder Andrew Perugini had an outstanding game yesterday. Perugini faced 30 shots in Barrie's 1-0 win over Kingston, and gained his third shutout of the season and the second this month. Its been an up and down month for the 18 year-old netminder, and although the Colts have already won a berth in the playoffs, each game is important for Perugini, who was bypassed in the NHL entry draft last year, but is hoping that an NHL team will select him this coming June.

Belleville--After Kevin Lalande (CAL, 5th Round, 2005) was named the CHL Goaltender of the Week last Wednesday, he had a horrendous Saturday night against the Saginaw Spirit. In a much anticipated match-up of 2 OHL powerhouses, the Spirit stopped the Bulls 9-game win streak and shut out Belleville. The 7-0 drubbing was the worst home shutout loss in Bulls franchise history. But the sign of an excellent netminder is if he can shake off a poor game and have an excellent game at the next opportunity. And that Lalande did. Last night, the Bulls fell to the Oshawa Generals by the score of 3-0, but Lalande was spectacular between the pipes. Facing 45 shots, he made some spectacular saves. Lalande showed character and perseverance in the loss last night, 2 characteristics that the Bulls management and the Calgary Flames are looking for as the team heads into the playoffs.

Brampton--Three weekend games, and 3 losses, but there were a couple of bright spots for the Battalion. First winger Luke Lynes (WAS, 4th round, 2006) has been putting the puck in the net with incredible regularity, and this weekend was no exception. In Saturday night's game against London, he had 4 goals (which tied the club record), and would have been the hero of the game, were it not for the late-game natural hat-trick of London's Sergei Kostitsyn. Saturday night's 6 goal output, on top of Friday's 5 goals against Kingston, was a very positive sign in what has been a very difficult year for the Battalion. If Brampton can start to tighten up its defence, it may have some positive game experience to take into next season.

Erie--Another team that lost all its games this weekend, the Erie Otters had even less to work with than the Battalion. One of its top stars, winger Nick Palmieri, was missing from action. Palmieri was in Europe playing for the United States U-17 team in the Vlad Dzurilla Four Nations Cup. The United States team won the annual competition against national teams from Germany, Slovakia and Switzerland on Saturday. Palmieri contributed an assist in the championship game, in which the US defeated Slovakia by the score of 5-1.

Guelph--The Storm were grateful to have the day off yesterday, after they too were defeated in 3 games this weekend. Its was downhill after a very close game with London on Thursday night, in which the Knights came up with an overtime goal to defeat Guelph 4-3. The Storm had not been behind all night (Mike McLean's 2 goals had looked like they were enough), when the Knights' Pat Kane struck, twice--first in the third period, and then one minute into overtime he put the puck past Thomas McCollum and the game was over. After being blown out by Saginaw on Friday, the Storm travelled to Peterborough on Saturday. Peterborough, which had just come off a win over Sarnia on Friday night, defeated Guelph in a shootout. So the Storm picked up 2 points on the weekend, but the team must pick up its play to have any hope of going anywhere in the post-season.

Kingston---This weekend the Fronts were still recovering from the disciplinary action taken by the league on 4 of the players that participated in the January 27th altercation with the Belleville Bulls (plus a 3-game suspension for Fronts' head coach Bruce Cassidy). Justin Wallingford and Bobby Bolt were each given 5-game suspensions, and both sat out the Thursday and Friday night games. Peter Stevens and Klye Bochek received 8 and 10 game suspensions, respectively, and will not be back until next weekend. Without some of their physical forces, it was a tough weekend for the Fronts, but the team managed to pull out 2 of the 3 games it played. It was a great weekend for Bobby Hughes (CAR, 4th round, 2006), who scored his 100th career OHL goal. And an even better weekend (points-wise) for Chris Stewart (COL, 1st round, 2006), who had 3 goals, 4 assists, and a +3 in the 3 games. With 14 points in 5 games this month, Stewart should be on the short list for Player of the Month if he continues this kind of production.

Kitchener--The Rangers won both of their games this weekend (should I add "of course"?). In 14 games since the turn of the year, Kitchener is 11-3. So what has changed on the team since early in the year? One big thing, the addition of Steve Downie (PHI, 1st round, 2005). With 21 points in the 11 games since his trade, Downie has made the Rangers very hard to beat. The team is 7 points behind London in the Midwest Division, with 2 games in hand. There is an outside chance of overtaking the Knights, but it is the playoffs that the Rangers really are looking toward. That said, right now, the Rangers are the hottest team in the league, and there are 2 head-to-head matchups with London coming up before the end of the season.

London--The Knights are rolling along too, winning all 3 of their contests this weekend. Like the Rangers, London has only lost 3 games since he first of the year. But the Knights have so many guns, it is hard to point to just one or two guys as the critical links. Certainly the triumverate of Pat Kane (ho just won his second top prospect award), Sam Gagne, and Sergei Kostitsyn (MON, 7th round, 2005) account for most of the goals on the team, however, there are many other role players on the roster that are integral to the team's success. One of the newest is rookie Justin Taylor, who was acquired by the Knights in a trade with Kingston on January 1, 2007. Obtained in exchange for a 5th round 2008 selection in the priority draft, Taylor had not played a day in the OHL when traded. But now, 6 weeks later, he has played 18 games and has 11 points; he is an energy player, and to watch over the next few months.

Mississauga--Another team that won all 3 games this weekend, but the Ice Dogs had a harder time of it than either the Knights or the Rangers. In fact, yesterday's game against Saginaw went to a shootout. In one of the lowest energy or skill games that I have seen by good teams since the start of the year, both teams were horrible on passing and skating. Yes, each was recovering from travel the night before, as well as long weekend, but what a nightmare to watch. That said, two Ice Dogs players caught my eye. First Jadran Beljo, who missed the open net in the third period of yesterday's game for what would have been the winning goal. That was one of Beljo's sole mistakes in the game though. He was all over the ice; good positioning and hustle. The other player who it is hard not to notice was Alex Pietrangelo (pronounced Peterangelo). Although he did not put any points on the board yesterday, he is an excellent skater, who has a presence on the ice. He does need to add some grit, but he is a top prospect for next year's NHL Draft. It is a pleasure watching him think on the ice.

Oshawa--There was a scary moment in the second period of last night's game when John Tavares was on all fours in front of the Belleville Bulls net, writhing in pain. He could hardly get off the ice, but miraculously he was back to start the third. As it turned out, he injured his ankle and it was nothing serious, but at first it was thought to be another injury to his knee, and everyone in the OHL was holding his or her respective breath. Oshawa went on to defeat the Bulls 3-0, but that was secondary to the potential injury to Tavares, who is the future (and the present) of the OHL.

Ottawa--The 67s split their 2 games this weekend, and are just maintaining a 3 point lead above the Petes to stay out of the cellar of the Eastern Division. Winger Matthieu Methot was the 67s best player this weekend. With 2 goals against his ex-teammates in Barrie, Methot played an inspired game on Friday night. If he could only keep this energy up all season, he would have NHL teams all over him.

Owen Sound--Comfortably in the playoffs, but not really among the best teams in the league, the Attack are one of the teams who are in reality waiting for next year, hoping that their priority draft selections will be ready to play and that some of their players move on. That Owen Sound is not going anywhere was very evident this weekend, beating only the cellar-dwelling Windsor in the 3 games the team played. I believe that the addition of Phil Oreskovic and Howie Martin in exchange for draft selections at the deadline was a mistake. Owen Sound should have been a seller not a buyer.

Peterborough--The Petes won 2 of 3 games this weekend, and despite some of the worst firepower in the OHL, the team has found a way to put some goals on the board. Yesterday's loss in Toronto was embarrassing, but, in all, the team should be very proud at how well its done over the last month and a half. Gone are Ryder and Downie, but the team has so many draft picks this coming year and next, the Petes will be a powerhouse in about 2-3 years. Right now, the struggling team's best players are the highly touted netminder Trevor Cann (a top prospect in this season's NHL draft), and two recently acquired forwards, Yves Bastien and John Armstrong (CAL, 3rd round, 2006). All 3 have at least one more year with the Petes and will be the core of the team's rebuilding process.

Plymouth--The Whalers have won 5 in a row (including all 3 this weekend), and are unquestionably one of the best teams in the league. The best player for Plymouth this weekend was centre Chris Terry. Terry had 3 goals and 3 assists and a +5 plus/minus this weekend. A slow starter this year, Terry is having his best month. He has a lot of talent and should be on the NHL teams' radar screen come June.

Saginaw--Despite a shootout loss to Mississauga last night (and a rather lackluster performance in the game overall), this was a good weekend for the Spirit. Two 7 goal games led to 2 victories on Friday and Saturday nights, the more impressive against the mighty Belleville Bulls on Saturday. The Spirit shutout the Bulls 7-0 on 2 goals by winger Tomas Zaborsky (NYR, 5th round, 2006). Zaborsky was injured in the first period of last night's game on a good open ice hit and did not return to the game, but he has played really well since returning from the WJCs in mid January.

Sarnia--The Stinig got 3 points in as many games this past weekend. In yesterday's win, it was rookie phenom Steven Stamkos that really put the game away for the Sting. Stamkos' first 2 goals of his hattrick were important first goals of the game. Stamkos is another great player eligible for the 2008 NHL draft, who you definitely should see while you can in the OHL.


Saulte Ste. Marie--The Greyhounds have won 5 in a row, including three games this weekend. Although the last 4 of the 5 games were against weaker teams, last weekend's win over Saginaw was a beauty. Of particular note of late is the play of defenceman Josh Godfrey, who has at least one point in every game this month, including 7 points and +4 rating this weekend. Look for him to be selected in one of the later rounds of the NHL draft this June.

Sudbury--The Wolves should have been sellers at the trade deadline, but instead chose to add Justin Donati to the lineup. They are a team that will limp into the playoffs, with quite a bit of talent individually, and but as a team they are going nowhere. Sudbury won only 1 of its 3 games this weekend, and it is a shame that the team will make any early exit from the post-season. The interesting thing about the team is that it has a lot of firepower that seems to have been lost. If I were Mike Foligno, I would be telling everyone to shoot at the net. Take every shot you can, one has to go in eventually.

Toronto--The Majors won 1 of 3 game this past weekend. This is no surprise as St. Mike's traded away its best player at the deadline. Justin Donati and a draft pick were sent to the Wolves for Jesse Messier, American U-18 NTDP Justin Vaive, and a couple of 2008 selections. If Vaive plays anywhere in Canada it will probably be in Toronto (his family lives in Oakville). However, Vaive has already committed to Miami of Ohio for next fall, so unless he decides that he hates college, the rights to him are a moot point. Messier however is an excellent player, who was not a good match for Sudbury. His style is a better match with that of the Majors' management, and he already has 13 points in as many games since the trade. On the rise with St. Mikes' too is Tim Billingsley, a 1990 birthdate, who has 6 points in the last 7 games.

Windsor--The Spitfires are another struggling team. It has not won a game in February yet, although they got a point yesterday in a shootout loss to Plymouth. There is no one player that really has stood out to me this weekend, but I look forward to the day when I can single someone out as having played very well over the weekend.

WHL News

In news from Brandon, this past week, the team named Ryan Reaves (STL, 5th Rd, 2005) the Wheaties' Player of the Month (for the month of January). The 19-year old big winger recorded 2 goals and 3 assists (+3 plus/minus) in 13 games during the month. In 3 games thus far this month, Reaves has no points and is plus/minus 0. Drafted by St. Louis in 2005 as a possible power forward who could finish while dominating physically on the ice, Reaves is still a work in progress.

Also last week, the CHL announced that Everett's Zach Hamill the CHL Player of the Month. A former first round Silvertips bantam draft selection (2003), the 18-year old Port Coquitlam, BC native recorded 6 goals and 18 assists in 12 games in January, while maintaining a +11 plus/minus. Currently, second overall in WHL scoring, Hamill has benefitted from a late September 1988 birthdate (which delayed his eligibility make for the NHL draft until this coming spring). The extra year in which to prove himself has really helped improve his stock among NHL teams. Currently, Hamill is expected to be either a late first round or early second round pick.

The CHL Player of the Week award also went to a WHL skater this past week. Lethbridge's Mitch Fadden was chosen for the award, based upon his offensive production for the week. It included 3 goals and 1 assist in a 5-4 loss to the Regina Pats on January 30, then another hat trick and an 1 assist in a 6-5 shootout win over the Brandon Wheat Kings on January 31. Finally, Fadden scored a goal and 3 assists in a 7-5 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors on February 2. Fadden is currently 10th overall in scoring for the league.


Many folks are aware that Kelowna's netminder Kris Westblom (MIN, 3rd round 2005)was injured in last Saturday night's game against Vancouver. The results of the MRIs done this week show that surgery on Westblom's left knee is not required. However, Westblom is most likely done for the year and Kelowna (who is fighting for the last playoff spot in the division) would normally be really hurting between the pipes. But the young rookie Torrie Jung has stepped right in. Jung is 2-1 since Westblom was injured, all with less than a 2.00 GAA and close to a .950 save percentage.