Exceptional status granted
Shane Wright, a 2004 birth year forward, has been granted exceptional player status and is thus eligible for the April 6, Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]North Bay via New Liskeard
Justin Brazeau has written quite a story since the North Bay Battalion took the 6-foot-6, 225-pound right winger in the 13th round of the 2014 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft from the New Liskeard Cubs of the Great North Midget Hockey League.
…[read more]Four points for Cam Baber
Rookie forward Camaryn Baber had the most prolific game of his young Ontario Hockey League career on Saturday night. The Sault Ste. Marie product assisted on four goals as the Saginaw Spirit cuffed the Kingston Frontenacs 7-1.
…[read more]NOJHL to OHL to NHL deals
Goalies Evan Cormier and Ken Appleby have both gone from tending twine in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League to signing National Hockey League contracts.
…[read more]Saginaw takes Soo to school
Sault Ste. Marie product Nick Porco potted his 20th goal of the season and added an assist as the Saginaw Spirit out-scored the Soo Greyhounds 5-3 tonight en route to a well-deserved Ontario Hockey League victory.
…[read more]Porco in pursuit of 20 goals
Saginaw Spirit already has five players with more than 20 goals this season. And having found the back of the net 19 times, Sault Ste. Marie product Nick Porco is closing in on a 20-goal season for Saginaw.
…[read more]High on the 2019 OHL draft
Flint Firebirds or Kingston Frontenacs will have the first overall pick at the upcoming 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. Either Flint or Kingston will finish in last place overall in the 20-member OHL and which ever team does will choose first at the April 6 priority selections draft.
…[read more]Branch on the rebuild ranch
Having to rebuild an Ontario Hockey League team is nothing new for Flint Firebirds general manager Barclay Branch. In his first and prior gig as an OHL general manager, Branch was at the helm of the Sudbury Wolves rebuild.
…[read more]Saginaw extends its coach
Chris Lazary has been rewarded for the coaching job that he has done for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. The 36-year old Lazary has had his contract extended through the 2020-2021 season.
…[read more]Dog days in Niagara
Despite being an Eastern Conference championship contender this season, the Niagara Ice Dogs are in big trouble with the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Spirit extends GM
Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League has confirmed that it has extended the contract of general manager Dave Drinkill for two more seasons beyond the current one.
…[read more]Northern exposure
No less than six players from the Great North Midget Hockey League — who are all members of Team NOHA (Northern Ontario Hockey Association) — are poised to be selected within the top three rounds of this year’s Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, multiple sources have determined.
…[read more]Come up and see the north
Contrary to what many of the scouts in southern Ontario might think, we do have indoor hockey rinks in northern Ontario towns such as Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, New Liskeard, Timmins and Kapuskasing. Not only that, we also have our share of good hockey players up north.
…[read more]Baber shows rising Spirit
Sault Ste. Marie product Camaryn Baber is fresh from his most productive weekend in his young Ontario Hockey League career. The 2001 birth-year center had a pair of one-goal, one-assist games to spark the Saginaw Spirit to a sweep of the Flint Firebirds.
…[read more]First star, Camaryn Baber
A regular spot in the lineup is giving Sault Ste. Marie product Camaryn Baber the opportunity to produce for the Saginaw Spirit.
…[read more]Old characters of the O
I am not saying that the average coach in today’s Ontario Hockey League is boring. (Even if my friend George Burnett of the Guelph Storm — who is the dean of OHL coaches — defines dullsville.) It is just that the OHL of today seems to be lacking the colourful characters of yesterday.
…[read more]Wright pick for the OHL
Smart, splendid, skilled skater Shane Wright has applied for exceptional player status ahead of this year’s Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Saginaw winger is winged
Northeastern Ontario product Danny Katic is on the injured list and will be lost to the Saginaw Spirit for an indefinite period, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Coach under surprise Attack
Saying that he is “not a big change guy”, Owen Sound Attack general manager Dale DeGray nonetheless fired head coach Todd Gill earlier today and replaced him with erstwhile assistant Alan Letang.
…[read more]Spirit rises to 30th win
Saginaw Spirit has surpassed its victory total from the 2017-2018 Ontario Hockey League season and in the process solidified its hold on third place in the Western Conference.
…[read more]Guaranteed ice time clauses
Ever wonder why certain players in the Ontario Hockey League get more ice time — as in, on the top power play unit, for example — at the expense of others who are just as deserving?
…[read more]Soo trio on Team NOHA
Three members of the Soo Minor Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League have been named to the Team NOHA squad that will compete at the upcoming OHL Cup and OHL Gold Cup showcase events, Hockey News North has learned.
…[read more]NHL scouts like Firebirds
Flint Firebirds may be in last place in the Ontario Hockey League but it is a testament to their young talent that four of their players are ranked on the latest Central Scouting list of the National Hockey League.
…[read more]Saginaw adds to its bench
Veteran bench boss Darren Rumble has joined the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League as an assistant coach for the balance of the 2018-2019 season.
…[read more]Flint in good draft shape
The upcoming 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft has plenty of plum potential for the Flint Firebirds.
…[read more]There’s a new ‘A’ in Flint
Seasoned skater Jack Phibbs has joined the leadership group of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League as an alternate captain.
…[read more]Best of the Minor Birds
Soo Minor Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League figure to have two players chosen within the higher rounds of the 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Modest movement in Flint
Barring a miracle on ice, Flint Firebirds are going to miss the Ontario Hockey League playoffs for a second successive season. But the last-place team in the Western Conference is showing steady signs of improvement.
…[read more]Fearsome foursome
London Knights, Soo Greyhounds, Saginaw Spirit and Guelph Storm are set up for what should be a furious fight for supremacy in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]North Bay to Hamilton
Northern Ontario product Payton Vescio is headed south to the Hamilton Bulldogs. North Bay Battalion dealt the 2001 birth year defenseman to the reigning Ontario Hockey League champions at today’s trade deadline.
…[read more]Wolves add another vet
Making his second trade of the week, Sudbury Wolves general manager Rob Papineau has added another 1999 birth year skater.
…[read more]Spirit rising under Lazary
A coaching change appears to be working for the Saginaw Spirit. The latest win for Saginaw, a 3-1 victory over the reigning Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton Bulldogs tonight, has the Spirit rising under new bench boss Chris Lazary.
Read moreRetro night in Hamilton
Reigning Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton Bulldogs held a retro night on Saturday. And as part of the attraction for the game against the visiting Sarnia Sting, the Bulldogs invited members of the 1976 OHL and Memorial Cup champion Hamilton Fincups to be part of the festivities. …[read more]
Ready for a run in Saginaw
Saginaw Spirit seems serious about taking a shot at Ontario Hockey League supremacy. The addition of Team Canada right winger Owen Tippett in a swap with the Mississauga Steelheads has solidified Saginaw as it sets sights on the stretch run of the 2018-2019 season. …[read more]
Top story: Hamilton over Soo
To be sure, it was an upset of epic proportions. Thus, it gets the nod from Hockey News North as our top story from the year 2018. …[read more]
Saginaw snags Ryan McLeod
Saginaw Spirit, with a record of 11-2-2 in its last 15 outings, has further strengthened itself with the acquisition of high-end forward Ryan McLeod via Ontario Hockey League trade with the Mississauga Steelheads. …[read more]
Two assists for Cam Baber
Speedy Saginaw Spirit center Camaryn Baber had a helping hand in an Ontario Hockey League win over the Flint Firebirds tonight. The Sault Ste. Marie product assisted on two goals as Saginaw breezed past Flint with a resounding 9-1 triumph. …[read more]
New Firebird has high IQ
Potential prime-time pivot Cody Morgan is getting another shot at putting his supreme skill set to use after being acquired by the Flint Firebirds from the Windsor Spitfires in a New Year’s Day deal. …[read more]
Wheeling, dealing in Flint
Flint Firebirds general manager Barclay Branch has ushered in 2019 by completing a pair of Ontario Hockey League trades. …[read more]
Soo has overage trade chips
Should Soo Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis opt to recover some of the many high draft picks that he has dealt over the past few years he could use any of the team’s three overage skaters as valuable trade chips. …[read more]
Surging Spirit sweeps into 3rd
Riding the crest of a three-game weekend sweep and with a record of 7-0-1 in its last eight outings, the Saginaw Spirit has surged into third place in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. …[read more]
Kingston via French River
Marshall Frappier is getting another shot at playing in the Ontario Hockey League. The 2000 birth year goalie, who had been tending twine for the French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League this season, has had his OHL rights transferred from the Sudbury Wolves to the Kingston Frontenacs, as Hockey News North was first to report. …[read more]
Spirit lurks in win over Soo
Saginaw Spirit skulked out of Sault Ste. Marie tonight with a steal. Despite being out-skated and out-chanced for a good part of the match, Saginaw out-scored the Soo Greyhounds en route to a 4-2 victory as Ontario Hockey League play resumed following the Christmas holiday break. …[read more]
A flurry of OHL trades
No sooner was the trade freeze in the Ontario Hockey League lifted today that three separate transactions were finalized, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
OHL champs on the market
Ontario Hockey League teams in search of title glory could be in position to acquire players who have a championship background with the Hamilton Bulldogs. …[read more]
Is there more to the Spirit?
How will the Saginaw Spirit set its roster for the second half of the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season? The only person who probably knows the answer to that question is Saginaw general manager Dave Drinkill. …[read more]
Looking at Noah Zeppa
Having just turned 16 years of age earlier this month, Noah Zeppa is one of the youngest major midget goalies in Ontario. And despite being bypassed at the 2018 priority selections draft, Zeppa has had the practice experience of facing Ontario Hockey League shooters this season. …[read more]
Top to bottom in the OHL
Officially, the Ontario Hockey League is closed for business until December 28. That is when the regular season schedule resumes and the Christmas freeze on trades is lifted. …[read more]
No break for OHL managers
Even when there are no games scheduled, there are games being played behind the scenes. For example, I doubt if there is a general manager in the Ontario Hockey League who is not plotting ahead of the looming January 10 trade deadline. …[read more]