Wandering the OHL West


By
September 4, 2019

Team by team, alphabetically, in the five member West Division of the Ontario Hockey League with training camps underway:

FLINT — Rookie forward Brennan Othmann, who the Firebirds took in the first round, second overall, at this year’s OHL priority selections draft, had a pair of goals as Flint began its exhibition schedule with a win over the Guelph Storm.

The Firebirds still have three exhibition games to play, include a pair with their arch-rival Saginaw Spirit.

SAGINAW — The reigning West Division champion Spirit has already played three exhibition games and Sault Ste. Marie product Nick Porco has three goals and an assist.

The speedy winger is poised for his third OHL season since Saginaw took him in the first round of the 2017 priority selections draft.

SARNIA — Rookie goalie Ben Gaudreau, who the Sting took in the first round, seventh overall, at this year’s OHL priority selections draft, has yet to suit up at training camp following an undisclosed injury that he sustained in May.

Gaudreau, who hails from the North Bay area community of Corbeil, told Hockey News North that the injury is healing but he’s “still not 100 per cent sure when I’ll be back (on the ice.)”

Meantime, Sarnia still has its two holdover goalies from last season in 18-game winner Ethan Langevin and former Saginaw net-minder Cameron Lamour.

SAULT STE. MARIE — The Greyhounds seem to be settling on off-season, overage acquisition Christian Propp (from the North Bay Battalion) and holdover backup Ethan Taylor as their two goalies, at least for now.

Meanwhie, local product Noah Zeppa, who has a 2002 birth date and is three years younger than Propp and a year younger than Taylor, will begin the 2019-2020 season as one of two goalies with the Chatham Maroons of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

Zeppa had a favourable showing through four days of training camp with the Greyhounds and in his exit interview with general manager Kyle Raftis and head coach John Dean, was told that they will be following him closely in Chatham.

WINDSOR — Barring any trades, the Spitfires roster is already set ahead of their September 21 regular-season opener.

Windsor quickly cut down to 22 players at training camp and Spitfires rookie general manager Billy Bowler explained why.

“We liked our roster with what was returning and the additions we’ve made in the previous months,” Bower told the Windsor Star. “The reality is, our returning players have performed.”

PHOTO: Sarnia first-rounder Ben Gaudreau, in action at the Sting rookie orientation camp back in April. (Photo by Postmedia.)


What you think about “Wandering the OHL West”

  1. Thanks for the update on Noah Zeppa, Other media will only write certain players are “released” which does nothing to inform me if they’re still in the Hounds future plans and where they’re assigned for the season.

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