OHL Alumni Central

An Ontario Hockey League grad was the Southern Professional Hockey League’s most valuable player in 2010-11, the SPHL’s seventh season of existence. Matt Auffrey led the first year Augusta RiverHawks to a second overall finish and a trip to the President’s Cup finals. Augusta bowed out to the Mississippi Surge in three games (best of five series).

Matt Auffrey of the Augusta RiverHawks.

Matt Auffrey played two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, 2005-06 and 2006-07. His first season was spent in a Kitchener Rangers uniform after coming across the border from the University of Wisconsin. In his second year in the OHL, Auffrey played with Kitchener, the Brampton Battalion and Kingston Frontenacs. he scored a respectable 24 goals in his first season and 27 in his second.

Matt came to the OHL already an NHL prospect of the Anaheim Ducks. Auffrey was taken in the sixth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, 172nd overall. Since leaving the Ontario Hockey League, Matt has played in the AHL, ECHL, IHL and SPHL.

With Augusta in 2010-11, Matt was the team captain and led in offense. His 49 assists was the second most in the league and his 70 points ranked third. In the playoffs, he was fifth in scoring. His efforts were good enough to be selected the SPHL’s MVP as well as being a member of the First All-Star Team.

In Augusta’s second season in the SPHL, they currently sit in first place overall in the nine team league. Chugging along at a point per game pace, Auffrey has a lot of help in the offensive department this year with four players ahead of him in team scoring.

The SPHL has grown in stature since 2004-05 and would seem to be a healthy hockey league. Some interesting rulebook differences to be found in the SPHL include 3 on 3 overtimes and no limitations on stick blade curves.

The Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) have loaded up with seven players that have played at least a game in the Ontario Hockey League. Only two are returning players. Fayetteville is coming off a disappointing 2010-11 season when they finished seventh out of eight teams in the league and did not qualify for the post season. The FireAntz made it to the SPHL finals in 2008-09 and won the league championship in 2006-07.

Matt Hache played goal in the Ontario Hockey League for three years from 2005-06 to 2008-09. He spent his first two seasons with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and his last with the Sarnia Sting. For the past two years, Matt has played for Nipissing University. This is Hache’s first season with Fayetteville.

Matt Smyth played defense in the OHL from 2002-03 to 2005-06. His first three years were with the Owen Sound Attack and his final season was with the Belleville Bulls. Smyth has played on several teams in the Central Hockey League since 2007-08 and is in his first season with Fayetteville.

Jesse Biduke played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2004-05 to 2006-07 with the Oshawa Generals, Ottawa 67′s and Kingston Frontenacs. Biduke didn’t play for the FireAntz in 2010-11 but was a member of the team the season before.

Chris Leveille played twelve games over three seasons with the Guelph Storm from 2004-05 to 2006-07. This is Leveille’s fourth season with the FireAntz and has been a SPHL All-Star the past two seasons.

Kyle McNeil played four games with the Peterborough Petes in 2006-07 before switching to the QMJHL. Kyle is playing his first season with Fayetteville after playing with the Brantford Blast this past year.

Josh McQuade played just one game for the Peterborough Petes in 2007-08, scoring a goal in his only OHL game. Fresh off a season with the Western Mustangs of the OUA, this is McQuade’s first season with Fayetteville. It should be noted that in 2009-10 with the Brantford Golden Eagles of the GOJHL (Jr. B), Josh scored 64 goals and assisted on 86 more for 150 points in 51 games.

Bobby Reed played sparingly with the North Bay Centennials for two seasons, 1997-98 and 1998-99. This is Reeds third season with the FireAntz. He wore the ‘A’ on his jersey in 2010-11.

Matt Zultek played for the Ottawa 67s of the Ontario Hockey League for 4 seasons from 1996-97 to 1999-00. His best season with Ottawa was 1998-99 when he put in 33 goals and added 33 assists for 66 points in just 56 games. That season, Matt would play in just 9 of the team’s playoff games as the team won the J. Ross Robertson Trophy as league playoff champions followed up by a Memorial Cup win on home ice. Matt was the hero of the 67s Memorial Cup final game against the Calgary Hitmen, scoring the game-tying goal to force overtime then scoring the game winner.

Drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 1997 NHL draft, 15th overall, Matt was put back in the pool and was drafted again in 1999 by the Boston Bruins in the second round, 56th overall. Matt would never see an NHL game.

This season, Matt is with the Mississippi Surge of the Southern Professional Hockey League. His 47 goals in just 52 regular season games was best on his team and good for second in the league. His 31 power play goals were by far the best in the SPHL. His 303 shots on net was first in the league and he was second in 3 star selections.

Click here to view Matt Zultek’s profile page on the Mississippi Surge official website.