Latest news with #OHLPrioritySelection
Ottawa Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Kohyn Eshkawkogan reflects on adjustment to OHL, cultural sharing
Kohyn Eshkawkogan's rookie season in the OHL was very much an education, both for the Manitoulin Island product and for the Ottawa 67's. Article content A skilled defenceman and a proud member of M'Chigeeng First Nation, Eshkawkogan not only proved to be a stellar student of the junior game, but also took on the role of teacher by introducing his coaches and teammates to his Anishinabek culture and history. Article content Article content Eshkawkogan was named recently as a member of the OHL First All-Rookie Team, as chosen by general managers across the 20-team league. Article content Article content 'It was an honour,' said the 16-year-old rearguard, reached earlier this week at his residence in Vaughan. Article content 'It was good recognition, but I've still got lots of work to do to get to the end goal I want to, which playing in the NHL.' Article content He's certainly off to a strong start. A standout for the Manitoulin Panthers and the Nickel City Sons minor hockey organizations before making the move south to suit up for the Mississauga Reps and the North York Rangers AAA rep squads, the son of Kevin Eshkawkogan and Melissa Biedermann was Ottawa's first-round pick, 21st overall, in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection — the first player from Manitoulin to hear his name called in the opening round of the long-running draft. Article content One of the youngest players in his draft class with a mid-November birth date, the right-shooting 5-foot-11, 180-pounder was undaunted by the step up in competition. He suited up for 52 games in 2024-25, recording four goals and 16 assists. Article content Article content 'I would say one of the steps I took was the speed of my game, getting faster with the league, and also understanding where guys are going to be and reading the play to make plays,' Eshkawkogan told The Sudbury Star. Article content 'It took me about two weeks to feel comfortable, to get used to the speed of the game and after that, I felt that I was able to play there.' Article content He credited the Ottawa staff, led by decorated veteran Dave Cameron, and his older teammates for helping him adjust to the pace and physicality of major-junior play. Article content 'The coaching staff and the group valued me as a player and as a person,' Eshkawkogan added. 'Once they're comfortable with you and they trust you, you should have no problem.' Article content Among several highlights were his naming to the Canada Red roster for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in November, during which he recorded two assists in four games to help secure a silver medal, as well as his recognition as the OHL's East Division Scholastic Player of the Month for December. A two-week road trip around Christmastime allowed for some additional bonding time with teammates.
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Kingston Harris commits to Sudbury Wolves
Article content Article content A player hailed as one of the highest-value picks in this year's OHL draft, forward Kingston Harris plans to continue to demonstrate his worth while wearing a Sudbury Wolves jersey. Article content Rob Papineau, the Wolves' vice-president of hockey operations and general manager, announced on Monday that Harris, a sixth-round choice in the OHL Priority Selection back in April, had committed to the club. Article content The fourth player to sign with Sudbury from the 2025 draft class, after first-round selection Brayden Bennett and second-rounders pick Vladimir Provorov and Parker Smith, Harris signed after a standout showing at the Wolves' prospect orientation camp in May. Article content Article content 'We were thrilled to be able to draft Kingston where we did,' Papineau said in a media release. 'He is one of the most skilled players from this year's draft. He has a great attitude about being a Wolf and had a dominant development camp, where he led in scoring. We lookforward to Kingston's development and future as a Sudbury Wolf.' Article content Article content A six-foot, 165-pound Oakville native who played for the Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA squad this past season, Harris had 17 goals and 20 assists in 30 regular-season games in the Greater Toronto Hockey League. Article content The 16-year-old centreman demonstrated his speed, skill and finishing ability once again at last month's camp, turning heads with a goal and two assists in the first scrimmage, then no fewer than four markers and a single helper in the second contest. Article content The Wolves also described Harris 'as a powerful forward who uses his skill and speed to create offence off the rush and cycle.' Article content 'His scanning and vision in the offensive zone allows him to see passes and plays developbefore others. He plays both sides of the puck effectively and uses his size effectively to notonly knock players off pucks but also shield pucks when on offence.' Article content
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Sudbury Wolves sign OHL second-rounder Parker Smith
Article content Article content A forward praised for raising his level of play in big games, hard-hustling Parker Smith will look to do the same for the Sudbury Wolves in the future. Article content Article content Rob Papineau, the Wolves' vice-president of hockey operations and general manager, announced on Monday that Smith, a second-round pick in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection this past April, had signed a scholarship and development agreement with the team. Article content Smith became the third player from this year's draft class to sign with the Wolves, following first-round selection Brayden Bennett and fellow second-round pick Vladimir Provorov. Article content Article content 'We are very happy that Parker has committed to the hockey club,' Papineau said in a media release. 'Parker followed up an outstanding season with a strong development camp. We are excited for his future with the team.' Article content Article content A 5-foot-10, 160-pound native of Waterloo, Smith was selected 38th overall this spring after a standout season with the Waterloo Wolves of the Alliance Hockey U16 AAA league. After recording 20 goals and 24 assists in only 28 regular-season games, he led Waterloo with 12 points in six playoff contests. Article content Papineau and company described the 16-year-old as 'a great goal-scoring winger who plays a physical game and loves getting under the skin of the opposition.' Article content 'He plays with a relentless will factor and compete level that translates both on and off thescore sheet,' the Wolves added. Article content
Ottawa Citizen
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
North Bay Battalion wrap their development camp on Sunday
The North Bay Battalion's three-day development camp ended on a high note Sunday, with officials of the Ontario Hockey League club pleased with the level of competition and the guidance provided. 'We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish,' general manager John Winstanley said after 33 participants started heading home. 'We gave a lot of information to the families and the players, and overall we got to see some really good hockey. 'This is really just for them to get their feet wet and see what this is all about. Come the end of August, when all of our veteran players are back, this ramps up pretty significantly, so the message to them is, 'Now you understand what this is about. Take the summer to get stronger, faster, work on the things that we talked about,' and we look forward to seeing them after a really crucial summer of them getting better,' says Winstanley. Adam Dennis, director of hockey operations, echoed those sentiments and cited the high level of play ahead of training camp, which opens in August. 'I thought it was a major success. We said training camp was going to be one of our most competitive ever. I really thought that this was one of our more competitive development camps,' says Dennis. Among the many who excelled at Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens were defenceman Carter Kunopaski, the Battalion's second-round pick in the OHL Priority Selection in April, and forward Ryder Cali. 'When I first got here, everybody was so welcoming, and throughout the whole weekend it's just been amazing,' said Kunopaski, a Pakenham, Ont., resident who played in 2024-25 with the Ottawa Valley Titans U16s. 'All the people are so nice, and it's been a great experience. 'I'd say I'm a defenceman who can play both sides of the puck, offensively and defensively. I'm a physical player. I like to be a leader on and off the ice, and I can play in any situation.' Cali, a first-rounder, 18th overall, last year to the Soo Greyhounds, declined to report and was declared defected before being traded to North Bay on Sept. 13 and seeing action in five games with the Troops in midseason. Cali played primarily with the junior A Milton Menace, completing their playoff run last Wednesday night. He made a verbal commitment to Harvard University of Cambridge, Mass., before the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I council voted Nov. 7 to permit former Canadian Hockey League players to compete. 'Deciding to come to North Bay was a great option,' says Cali, a resident of Penetanguishene, Ont. 'I'm happy that I got traded here and I'm happy it all worked out the way it did, to get the best of both worlds.' Matt Marquardt guided Team White to a 6-2 victory in the intrasquad game, avenging a 6-5 loss Saturday night in the first such meeting. Fellow assistant coach Bill Houlder ran the Team Green bench for the three 20-minute periods as coach Ryan Oulahen again observed from the stands. Green defenceman Karter Buchmann didn't play after the first period, when he was shaken up against the boards and glass. Buchmann was a 13th-round pick in the Priority Selection in April from the North Bay Trappers U18s. GAME RECAP Six different players scored a goal apiece for White, with Kunopaski netting what proved to be the winner. Starting goaltender Cole Vreugdenhil earned the victory, with Logan Coates playing the second half. Forward Cam Warren, the Battalion's first-round pick in April, scored his first camp goal in the win. Lineups White: Cole Vreugdenhil, Logan Coates, Carter Kunopaski, Richard Wang, Sam Weedmark, Kent Greer, Aydin Beharie, James Rosenberg, Isaac Tracze, Dylan Nobili, Cameron Lockhart, Cam Warren, Jax Pereira, Parker Vaughan, Ewan McChesney, Maverick Hill. Green: Gavin Zepp, Kyle Karwowski, Oskar Konobelj, Colton D'Amico, Karter Buchmann, Dylan Rousselle, Grady Jalbert, Sam Rivet, Javian Nei, Ryder Carey, Lincoln Edwards, Quinn Kipfer, Ben Maharaj, Owen Head, Ryder Cali, Alex Kontos, Cole Worsfold-Bonneville. White goals: Hill, Pereira, Kunopaski, McChesney, Warren, Greer. Green goals: Cali, Rousselle.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Peterborough Petes Take Kaden McGregor With First-Overall Pick
The Peterborough Petes kicked off the 2025 OHL Priority Selection by selecting Kaden McGregor with the first overall pick in the draft. It was a big moment for McGregor, who will go down in Pete's history as the only first-overall selection made by Peterborough to date. McGregor is the latest recipient of the Jack Ferguson Award, which is given out to the first-overall pick in the OHL Priority Selection. He joins a long line of first-overall selections, including Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos and Oilers' superstar Connor McDavid. The Ottawa native spent the year playing for the Ottawa Valley Titans in the HEO. He had a thunderous season, scoring 38 goals and adding 44 assists for a total of 82 points in just 29 games. He capped off the strong season by taking the OHL Cup by storm, scoring three goals and eight assists in five games during the tournament. OHL Playoff Primer: Round Two It's a busy night in the OHL tonight, with four games taking place as we kick off the second round of the playoffs. All four of the second-round series will play game one simultaneously in what promises to be an exciting night of junior hockey. McGregor has great skill and hockey sense that is backed up by an incredible work ethic and desire to win, according to OHL Director of Central Scouting Darrell Woodley. He joins a Peterborough group that continued to rebuild this season while developing strong young talent, including Aiden Young and 2024 fourth-overall selection Colin Fitzgerald. They were one of the youngest teams in the OHL this season and adding an elite talent like McGregor will undoubtedly help them take steps forward. Peterborough fans will undoubtedly be very excited to watch their brand new first-overall selection join the team next season.
