Well it's November, so it's the time of year where the OJHL sends four squads to the premier Junior 'A' all-star tournament in Ontario known as the "Eastern Canada Cup"...the 'Eastern' Part changing depending on which part of Ontario the tournament is played. For a second year in a row, the 2016 version is going to be in Cornwall's Cornwall Civic Complex, the home of the CCHL's Colts.
So as you may or may not be aware, I love talking about players, and specifically ones in the OJHL...so here is my preview of each of the four teams the league is sending to the event running form Nov. 14-16.
You can find all the rosters by clicking here
Team OJHL Oates
Coaches: Jeff Angelidis and Michael Henrich (both from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens).
This team has a lot of question marks for me, but just because it isn't the most star-laden squad, does not mean it doesn't have a shot. It is often the team that gels and comes together the quickest that has the most success at these events, so that will be the key for an Oates team with only three '96 birth years.
One thing this squad most definitely has is an excellent group of defencemen. I have heard whispers that Josh Allan isn't 100 per cent, but especially if Trenton's best D-man is there, wow, what a group. Cobourg's best defender Brennan Roy is as smooth and creative as they come in the entire league, while Burlington's Matt Watson is not talked about anywhere near enough relative to his elite talent. Auston Cho is lighting it up with a loaded Georgetown defence corps, and he'll have the solid Matthew Thom along with him on this squad as well.
Up front, Kingston's Danny Bosio has a lot of skill and has done a lot of heavy lifting for the Vees so far this season, so watch for him to play some great, free hockey over the tournament. Angelidis can turn to a speedy, and very north-south oriented all Whitby Fury line in Luke Keenan, Ryan Heeps, and Ryan Taylor, but the rest of the group, which is quite young, will be looking to make a name for itself. I've liked Buffalo's Christian DiFelice for a while, look for him to be a bit of a sleeper if this team goes far.
I honestly cannot comment on their goaltenders, as I have not seen Logan Gauthier of Whitby play, and I have not personally seen Chris Janzen of Trenton face anything close to a difficult game. Go form an opinion guys!
Team OJHL Nieuwendyk
Coaches: Dave Demarinis (Pickering Panthers) and Jon Campbell (Lindsay Muskies)
This is a very well-balanced team and I like it a lot. Beware of Nieuwendyk! Still, like I said before, they still need to come together.
The best part of this forward group is it's variety. They have lots of grit - including perhaps the league's best defensive forward in Josh Dickinson from Georgetown, and Cobourg's Matt Carroll who is no fun to play against - and even more skill. Whitby's Nik Coric is electric, and the ready-made Trenton line of Lucas Brown, Liam Morgan, and Michael Silveri has rarely been stopped, blending great talent with great chemistry (especially Brown and Morgan). Brendan Locke and Ryan Casselman from Cobourg can also light the world on fire, and watch out for one of my favourite sleepers in the whole league, the big 16-year-old Mitchell Hewitson from Mississauga, to wow some people when he gets the chance. Good luck stopping this group of forwards!
With all those forwards and Trenton's Lou DiMatteo, one of the OJHL's premier passers and puck movers, on the back end, Nieuwendyk should have an unbelievable power play. I would love to see DiMatteo play beside the Toronto Jr. Canadiens' Gianfranco Cassaro back there; with DiMatteo's passing and Cassaro's cannon, look out! The Patriots' Ryan Wells and Nik Kalpousos (the latter of whom's health has been a question mark), and Whitby's monster Reilly Smith are all well-rounded, while Andrew Cordssen-David is a rugged, physical presence. The forwards are more spectacular, but the D look rock solid; which sounds good to me!
In net the club is set with the OJ's second best goaltender, in my humble opinion, in Wellington's Connor Ryckman. The league's third-best save percentage is very athletic, and very competitive; so look for him to play their big games while Milton's Will Rawski has a chance to show what he can do.
Team OJHL Coffey
Coaches: Mark Jooris and Kirby Tokarski (both of the Burlington Cougars)
This is a team with excellent goaltending, and some awesome forwards especially, so don't bat an eyelash if Coffey goes far as well.
The thing that makes Coffey as dangerous as any team in the tournament is Stefano Durante, Cobourg's No. 1, and in my opinion (and in my people's opinion), the league's best. The numbers back me up on that too: he has a 1.53 GAA and a .941 save percentage. If they go to the other guy, Cossimo Lazzarino from St. Mike's, they are still in excellent hands. Lazzarino has been on fire lately and has a save percentage around .935...so hard to go wrong there.
As good as the Oakville Blades trio of Ryan Foss, Christian Rajic, and Drew Worrad are - and they are elite talents in this league - they haven't actually played much together the last couple of years. Foss' line with Jackson Bales and Bryce Misley have dominated this season, but those two are on different squads in the tournament, so it'll be interesting to see what Jooris does with those three. Chemistry he can absolutely count on to dominate can be found in the Wellington Dukes line of Brayden Stortz, Nic Mucci, and Brent House; the first two of those three lead the league in scoring at the moment. Stortz can light a game up at will, and having that kind of chemistry instantly will be invaluable. One sleeper forward I'd love to keep my eye on is Stouffville's Josh Argier, who was so electric in midget for the Whitby Wildcats a couple years ago. Laine McKay of Markham was awesome at the CJHL Top Prospects game a couple seasons ago too, so he could be another intriguing sleeper.
The D-corps is an interesting group, led undoubtedly by Stouffville star Max Novick, who I feel like has been in the league forever. He is a great skater that is great at improvising, and can play in his own end as well. Georgetown's Griffen James and Jacob Payette are both massive human beings that are pretty smooth puck movers too, while Matt Kellenberger of Oakville, and former Blade and current Orangeville Flyer Michael Mannera can be exciting offensive players. This group just needs to be solid, because Durante and Lazzarino are both pretty spectacular in my opinion.
Team OJHL Hawerchuk
Coaches: Joe Washkurak (Mississauga Chargers) and Garrett Rutledge (Oakville Blades)
I'm not one for predicting the winners of tournaments, but whatever happens, I guarantee this team will be a ton of fun to watch. I know I have used the word electric for a couple of players in this tournament already - well, this squad has a bunch that qualify in that category.
Oakville's Bryce Misley and Jackson Bales have both been flying most of this season, and with Bales' work rate and Misley's dynamic ability and cannon of a shot, it's a great combination. There are all sorts of fun options for Joe and Ruts to decide on here, with St. Mike's smooth, puck-protecting star Cam Wright, and Georgetown's Jack Jacome, he of incredible tenacity, speed, and hands, as a compelling combo as well. North York's monster Kegan Blasby and new Trenton forward Chris Sekelyk have played a bunch together and are as unstoppable as they come in the league when it comes to power forwards, and I expect the talents of Aurora's Mel Melconian and Newmarket's Alex Ierullo to shine through as well. A lot of hockey in a short span for JRC's star 16-year-old Jack McBain, who is presently away with Hockey Canada; but there will be intense, and well-earned, attention on him if he's on the ice. There is a lot to like up front here. Lucas Condotta, Markham's captain, provides a lot of grit and character as well, and is my choice for sleeper up front on this squad.
A power-play pairing of St. Mike's Mark Paolini and Wellington's Justin Bean is pretty mouth watering. Those two guys are tremendously creative and are lighting it up offensively, while playing big, tough minutes as well. Toronto Jr. Canadiens captain Sal Filice is steady, as is Cobourg Cougars' big man Sam Dunn, so it's an interesting group on the back end as well. A lot of offense, and a lot of steady.
Oakville's Brendan McGlynn has been excellent so far this season, as has Stouffville's youngster Hunter Jones (who like McBain is away with Hockey Canada at the moment); so some pretty capable hands in goal here as well.
Notes:
- I don't mean to leave anyone out on purpose: I only try to talk about what I feel I actually know myself instead of guessing.
- There are lots of possibilities that guys will decline to go, because of injury or for whatever reason, so if someone that I mentioned doesn't show up, don't shoot the messenger.
