By Mike Beasley /
On Thursday, Sept. 17, the puck dropped on another OHL season with the first four games of the 680-game schedule.
There were two contests in the Western Conference with the Plymouth Whalers spoiling the Windsor Spitfires opening night with a 6-5 shootout win while the Barrie
Colts spanked the Owen Sound Attack 9-1.
In the Eastern Conference, the Kingston Frontenacs edged the Niagara IceDogs 3-2 with the Peterborough Petes squeaking by the Brampton Battalion 2-1.
EARLY SEASON FAVOURITES IN THE OHL
The CHL released their initial Top Ten Rankings with the Windsor Spitfires, last year’s Memorial Cup and OHL champions in the top spot. The Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors were in the fifth position followed by the London Knights in ninth.
Honourable mention went to the Plymouth Whalers.
We shall see how this scenario plays out during the regular season and which OHL teams move in and out of the Top Ten.
PUEMPEL WINS MICKEY RENAUD AWARD
Peterborough Petes forward Matt Puempel is the first recipient of the Mickey Renaud Award. The annual award will honour a Sun County (Windsor area) player who best demonstrates determination, dedication and leadership off the ice.
Puempel was the Petes first round pick (sixth overall) in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection after playing last season for the Sun County Panthers Minor Midgets.
SNAZZY NEW LOOK FOR OHL
On Sept. 9 the CHL and the OHL unveiled its new Reebok Edge jersey designs which will be worn by its members beginning this season.
The OHL displayed their 40 new models (home and away versions) which will be on the backs of the 20 teams in 2009/10
LONGTIME OHL REF NAMED AS OFFICIATING MANAGER
After a 22-year on-ice officiating career, Mark Hicks has been named to the league’s team of officiating managers.
Hicks spent the last 13 seasons as a referee overseeing five OHL finals, three All Star games and two Memorial Cups.
Hicks will join a team of six other managers that include Ken Bodenstiel, Ken Cox, Jim Lever, David Lynch, Ken Miller and Bill Prisniak.
Together, they are responsible for the on-ice supervision and development of the OHL officials.
The OHL held its annual official camp August 21 to 22 with 90 officials participating in various on-ice session and off-ice seminars in preparation for 2009/10.
BARRIE & WINDSOR TO HOST SUPER SERIES
The OHL cities of Barrie and Windsor will play host to the 2009 Canada-Russia super series in November.
Barrie will stage Game 3 of the six game series on Thursday, November 19 with Windsor playing host on Monday, Nov. 23.
The series begins in the QMJHL with a pair of games followed by two more in the OHL before wrapping up with another two games hosted by the WHL.
SARNIA-NATIVE WEARS C FOR STING
It took sixteen years, but the Sarnia Sting can say they have a homegrown captain featured on their roster. Sarnia-native D Jordan Hiel becomes the first local boy in team history to sport the ‘C’.
Hiel’s alternates with the Sting will be Steven Reese, Kale Kerbashian and Nathan Chiarlette.
FOLIGNO FOCUSING ON GM DUTIES
Mike Foligno has decided to step down as the head coach of the Sudbury Wolves due to family commitments. Assuming coaching responsibilities will be Bryan Verrault, Fologno’s assistant coach the last six seasons and ex NHL blue-liner Jeff Beukeboom who was hired over the summer.
Foligno remains as Sudbury’s general manager.
OSHAWA ACQUIRES PLAYING RIGHTS TO LUCAS LESSIO
The Oshawa Generals have acquired the playing rights to forward Lucas Lessio from the Niagara IceDogs. Lessio was the seventh overall pick in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection.
The Generals sent the IceDogs London’s second round pick in 2010 and a conditional 15th rounder in 2011.
The 6-0, 175-pound left winger played for the OHL-Cup-champion Toronto Marlboros last season, registering 53-60-112 points in 72 games.
Lessio is currently playing for the St. Michaels’ Buzzers Junior ‘A’ team in Toronto.
REID MOONLIGHTS WITH TEAM ONTARIO
Jeff Reid, Owen Sound Attack assistant coach, was announced as the new associate coach for Team Ontario U-17 program.
Reid will serve as an assistant under head coach Jake Grimes from the Belleville Bulls.
The announcement comes after the resignation of Drake Berehowsky who stepped down after accepting a coaching position in the AHL.
Team Ontario will compete in the World U17 Hockey Championships which will be held in Timmins, Ontario from December 29, 2009 through to January 4, 2010.
PARK PARKED IN KITCHENER ONCE AGAIN
G Mavric Park is back where his OHL career started...Kitchener. The Eganville, Ont.-native played for the Rangers for a season-and-a-half beginning in 2006/07 before being traded to the Kingston Frontenacs in January 2008.
Park was originally selected by the Rangers in the 5th round of the 2006 OHL Draft.
In exchange, Kingston receives Kitchener’s fifth round pick in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection.
LONDON CONTINUES TO LOAD UP
First it was G Michael Hutchinson, now it’s D Michael D’Orazio. The London Knights love to make moves and so far this year will not be the exception.
On Sept. 16, the Knights acquired D’Orazio, a former Owen Sound Attack first rounder plus an eighth round selection in 2010. In return, the Attack pick up LW Jason Wilson and a seventh round pick in 2011. |