Early season impressions
Three or so weeks into the ’25-26 Ontario Hockey League regular season have led to a writer’s collection of noteworthy scribbles.
…[read more]Flint is fired up for a reason
At times, a win can be just a win. But when the win comes against a team’s arch rival — and on the road in their barn, in front of more than 4.900 fans — then the win has extra meaning. Take the Flint Firebirds, for example.
…[read more]Okay, so here we go in the ‘O’
For those who have any sort of play or say or way or pay or hey relative to the 20 teams of the Ontario Hockey League, the OHL is seemingly set up for a ’25-26 season of hope and nope.
…[read more]Cole Dubowsky is traded
Seeking some grit and grind at the forward position, the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League have secured Sudbury product Cole Dubowsky from the Barrie Colts for a future 11th round draft pick.
…[read more]Hounds add athletic staffers
Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League have brought aboard both a physiotherapist and player performance specialist ahead of the looming ’25-26 season.
…[read more]Hartsburg has Erie feeling
Chris Hartsburg is back in the Ontario Hockey League after a four year hiatus — and with the Erie Otters, no less. The 45 year old Hartsburg, who manages the local arena and the minor hockey association in Erie, has been hired by the OHL Otters as a part time skills development coach.
…[read more]On to a few good rivalries
The restless hands of time are ticking towards the start of the ’25-26 hockey season. And while little can be done about certain self absorbed, self serving minor hockey coaches and managers who treat the game as though it is a special sanctuary for them, their kids, their friends and their kids — at the expense of others — here’s to a good season ahead for all of the good folks of the game.
…[read more]Huckson heading to Flint
Free agent defenseman Colton Huckson — who has a late December, 2008 birth date — is slated to attend the upcoming Ontario Hockey League training camp of the Flint Firebirds. Mike Oliverio, who is the head scout for the OHL Firebirds, confirmed to Hockey News North that Huckson, who is a Sault Ste. Marie product, has been invited to Flint for next week’s camp.
…[read more]OHL award for Tim Lukenda
The Ontario Hockey League has singled out Soo Greyhounds president and governor Tim Lukenda as the inaugural recipient of the David Branch Leader of the Year award.
…[read more]NOJHL Cubs sign OHL pick
He is smart and skilled with blazing speed and plum potential. And Ty Dubreuil will be one of the youngest players in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League come the looming ’25-26 season. Dubreuil, who was a 14th round pick by the Windsor Spitfires at the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, has signed with the reigning NOJHL champion Sudbury Cubs, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Paper Kings ink OHL pick
Owen Smith will continue his hockey development by staying up north. A 2009 birth year forward who was taken in the 11th round of the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft by the North Bay Battalion, Smith has signed with the Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League ahead of the ’25-26 season.
…[read more]Mid July in Hound Town
The feedback that I have personally received relative to the Soo Greyhounds retaining John Dean with a new two year contract extension has not been at all flattering to the veteran head coach of the Red and White.
…[read more]Hounds extend John Dean
Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League have opted to retain veteran head coach John Dean via new two year contract. The deal extends through to, and including, the ’26-27 OHL season.
…[read more]Downturn of hockey up north
Once upon a time, teams in the Ontario Hockey League were all in on players from the north. And not just from the bigger northern communities of Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay and Timmins.
…[read more]Maple Leafs land Fellinger
The improbable story of Wawa born defenseman Rylan Fellinger continued at the 2025 National Hockey League draft. A distant 13th round pick by the Flint Firebirds from the Under 18 Soo Jr. Greyhounds at the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, Fellinger became the NHL property of the Toronto Maple Leafs when they took the 6 foot 4, 200 pound defenseman in the sixth round.
…[read more]OHL stars in NHL 1st round
Wow! The Ontario Hockey League issued its own statement of strength in the opening round of the 2025 National Hockey League Draft.
…[read more]Martone an NHL 1st rounder
Philadelphia Flyers have made 6 foot 3, 210 pound power forward Porter Martone of the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League a first round National Hockey League draft pick. Philadelphia took the October 26, 2006 birth year skater with the sixth overall pick of the 2025 NHL draft.
…[read more]Martin an NHL 1st rounder
Nashville Predators have made hard working Soo Greyhounds forward Brady Martin a first round draft selection. Nashville took the 2007 birth year skater with the fifth overall pick of the 2025 National Hockey League draft.
…[read more]Building it up in Brantford
There is new Ontario Hockey League ownership in Brantford led by Stuart Hyman and his sons Zach Hyman and Spencer Hyman. All star head coach Jay McKee has a new three year contract. There is lineup strength from standout goalie Ryerson Leenders to defenseman Owen Protz to proven forwards Sam McCue, Marek Vanacker and budding superstar Jake O’Brien, not to mention up and coming spark plug Nik Rossetto.
…[read more]Another Greyhound signing
Soo Greyhounds have inked their second first round pick from the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft in American-born forward Ryan Kaczynski.
…[read more]Brett Rossetto is a Steel
Hamilton Steel of the Under 15 AAA level of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association has signed 2011 birth year standout Brett Rossetto away from the U15 AAA Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association.
…[read more]Flint inks first round pick
Flint Firebirds have signed 2009 birth forward Charlie Murata to an Ontario Hockey League standard player agreement. Murata was taken by Flint with the eighth pick in the first round of the 2025 OHL priority selections draft from the Don Mills Flyers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League.
…[read more]Overcoming the odds
There is a premise among those who have a feel for the game that it does not matter what round a player is picked in a particular Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Hounds take Gavin Killoran
He is a developing forward who turned a productive season with the Soo Under 18 Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League into becoming an Ontario Hockey League supplemental draft pick of his hometown Soo Greyhounds.
…[read more]NOHA falls far behind
It was the worst showing ever by the Northern Ontario Hockey Association as only five players from the NOHA’s Great North Under 18 Hockey League were picked at the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Soo boy to Owen Sound
Center Adam Pszeniczny of the Soo Under 16 Jr. Greyhounds has become the first player from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association to be picked at the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Chitaroni a top OHL pick
Northern boy Brock Chitaroni has become the property of the Ottawa 67’s who took the skilled centre in the first round, third overall, of the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Prospects of the Great North
On average, there are 12 to 15 players from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association’s Great North league who become picks every year at the annual Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]NHL deal for Flint goalie
Workhorse goalie Nathan Day of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League has signed an entry level contract with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League.
…[read more]Hounds in a dog fight
It is like playoffs before the actual playoffs. As in three teams — the Soo Greyhounds, Owen Sound Attack and Sarnia Sting — are in a frantic race for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]New to OHL 70 goal club
Nick Lardis of the Brantford Bulldogs has become the first Ontario Hockey League player to score 70 goals in a season since John Tavares — now of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League — did so back in the 2006-2007 campaign as a member of the Oshawa Generals.
…[read more]Spirit of the LSSU Lakers
There will sometime soon be a significant Memorial Cup presence at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Forward Calem Mangone and goalie Andrew Oke from the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League will take their considerable experience — that includes being key components on the 2024 Canadian Hockey League national championship team — to the LSSU Lakers effective the 2025-2026 Central Collegiate Hockey Association season.
…[read more]Faces of the OHL races
There is a sundry of races for playoff seedings in both the Western Conference and Eastern Conference of a uniform, balanced Ontario Hockey League. And there are faces who could be major difference makers down the stretch of the ’24-25 OHL season into the playoffs.
…[read more]Milestone for Mangone
An improbable story continues. Sault Ste. Marie product Calem Mangone has achieved a significant landmark as a fourth year forward with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Be-leaf in Anthony Stolarz
David Maciuk recalls the time when he had to beg a tier two junior hockey team to sign little known goalie Anthony Stolarz. Now 31 years of age and a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 6 foot 6 Stolarz has since forged a lengthy National Hockey League career as the quintessential backup goalie.
…[read more]Rossetto feels the roar
He is small but smart. He has speed to go with skill. And up against players who are anywhere between one and four years older than him has been part of the adjustment for 2008 birth year forward Nik Rossetto, a promising Sault Ste. Marie product and rookie skater with the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Whiz kid Wicklander
Brantford Bulldogs have a potential steal of an Ontario Hockey League draft pick prospect in their possession in the person of forward Kaden Wicklander of the Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]NOJHL czar was OHL star
He is tried, tested and true to his northern Ontario roots. Over time, he has gone from star player in the major junior ranks to a long serving commissioner of a reputable junior A hockey league. And Rob Mazzuca has done so by staying close to home.
…[read more]Hope for the OHL Hounds
They control their playoff destiny. Soo Greyhounds currently have occupancy of a post season position within the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]A first for Charlie Schenkel
Overage goalie Charlie Schenkel returned to fine form on Friday in picking up his first win as a member of the Kingston Frontenacs.
…[read more]John Dean: stay or go?
He has been the head coach of the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League since 2018. And it can be argued that John Dean has been given the resources by general manager Kyle Raftis and team ownership to have ongoing regular season and playoff success.
…[read more]OHL trade deadline rehash
It was like a gust of a winter blizzard over the span of a few days. More than 15 deals got done just ahead of the annual Ontario Hockey League trade deadline, several of which can be termed significant.
…[read more]Overage goalie exchange
Soo Greyhounds have cashed in on overage goalie Charlie Schenkel in a big way. Not only are the Hounds adding overage goalie Nolan Lalonde from Kingston but they are also getting three future draft picks from the Frontenacs in return for Schenkel.
…[read more]Matsos is back in the O
Good player. Good coach. Good guy. Add it all up and David Matsos is back in the Ontario Hockey League, this time as an assistant coach with the Sarnia Sting. The now 51-year old Matsos won a Memorial Cup as a hard working forward with the 1993 Soo Greyhounds. He later had OHL success as a championship associate coach with the 2018 Hamilton Bulldogs that followed winning ways as an assistant with the Windsor Spitfires.
…[read more]Hounds trade Gibson
Soo Greyhounds are moving towards the future. The trading of Team Canada world junior defenseman Andrew Gibson to the Oshawa Generals is a major indicator that the Greyhounds are looking more to time ahead than the present.
…[read more]Happy New Year, Evan
Garden River First Nation product Evan Headrick made his long awaited Ontario Hockey League debut for the Kitchener Rangers on New Year’s Eve. And what a baptism celebration it was.
…[read more]Firebirds at mid season
Four successive wins — including two straight over their despised arch-rival Saginaw Spirit — have lifted the Flint Firebirds to the .500 level with the Ontario Hockey League at the Christmas holiday break.
…[read more]OHL trade winds blowing
The annual January 10 trade deadline is looming. And there is no shortage of guesswork and supposition making its way in and around the Ontario Hockey League rumour mill.
…[read more]D1 deal for Tyson Doucette
Sault Ste. Marie product Tyson Doucette of the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League has committed to Colgate University for the ’25-26 season. Colgate is a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association program.
…[read more]