OHL Alumni Central

Justin Hodgman of the Fort Wayne Komets accepts the trophy for IHL playoff MVP.

Ontario Hockey League grad Justin Hodgman’s streak of three playoff championships in a row may come to an end. Despite playing just twenty regular season games with the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL over the past three seasons, Hodgman played a huge role in the team winning the past three Turner Cups. Not only did Justin play an important part of the Komets victories, he was named IHL playoff MVP in his first and second seasons with the team.

Justin Hodgman played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2005-06 to 2008-09, all with the Erie Otters. His best season in the OHL came in 2007-08 when he popped 37 goals and totalled 80 points in 64 games, leading the team in goals, assists and points. In 2008-09, Justin tied with Ryan O’Reilly for the team lead in points with 66. 

Undrafted, Justin spent the 2009-10 season, his first full season in professional hockey, in three different leagues. He split the year fairly even between the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL and the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Of course, he ended the season with the Komets, just in time for the IHL playoffs.

This season, Hodgman has worn nothing but a Marlies jersey. He’s contributed 21 points in 41 games on a team that has a major uphill battle ahead if Justin is to have any chance of winning a championship. However, if he’s sent down to Toronto’s ECHL affiliate, the Reading Royals, the fourth championship in a row will surely be possible. Reading is currently sitting atop the ECHL standings.

You can find Justin Hodgman’s profile at the Toronto Marlies official website.

Bryan Helmer wrote his name into more American Hockey League history last week as he made his return to the league with the Oklahoma City Barons. Helmer eclipsed fellow Ontario Hockey League grad John Slaney’s  AHL record for the most career points by a defenseman. Slaney’s mark had stood at 519 points.

Bryan Helmer was not very well known around Ontario Hockey League rinks. Helmer played just six games with the Belleville Bulls during the 1989-90 season. For the most part, his junior hockey career was played with the Wellington Dukes of the OJHL. Yet, at the age of 40, Helmer has put in a very admirable hockey career.

Bryan already owned the all-time AHL mark for most assists and games by a defenseman. Helmer is seventh all-time among all players for total games played. He also owns the AHL record for most playoff games in a career. The past three seasons, he’s captained his club. In 2007-08, it was the San Antonio Rampage. The past two seasons, Helmer was the captain of the Calder Cup champions, the Hershey Bears. The Calder Cup victories with Hershey were his second and third after winning one with the Albany River Rats in 1994-95.

Despite playing at a lower level of junior hockey and not being drafted to a NHL club, Helmer has managed 146 games in the NHL as recent as this past season, 2009-10, with the Washington Capitals. He appeared in 12 games with the Caps. He has also played for the Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks.

After just six games with the Barons after signing on over Christmas, Helmer has ten points. It would seem there’s a lot of life in this quality d-man yet. Bryan should serve as inspiration to all young (and not so young) hockey players. He’s definitely proof that persistance is king.

Check out Bryan Helmer’s profile page at the Oklahoma City Barons official website.

Pat Maroon was lured away from the U.S.A.’s NAHL for the 2007-08 season by the ever-persuasive Hunter brothers. Maroon played just one season in the Ontario Hockey League with the London Knights and led the league’s first year players in assists (55) and points (90). He led the team in scoring that season, nearly 30 points better than the next player down the list.

Recently, Maroon was traded from the Adirondack Phantoms to the Syracuse Crunch in the American Hockey League for another player developed by the Hunters, Danny Syvret. Maroon and Syvret had previously been teammates with the Phantoms during the 2008-09 season and the start of the 2009-10 season before Syvret was moved to Syracuse.

Pat was already property of the Philadelphia Flyers before playing a game in the Ontario Hockey League. He was taken in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, 161st overall. He has played with the Flyers AHL affiliate since graduating. In his rookie season with the Phantoms, Maroon was sixth in points in the league among rookies.

Maroon had a great start to the 2010-11 season with Adirondack and was providing the team with offense that they still desperately need. However, he was released from the team after nine games after a disagreement with the club and can finally now resume his season with the Crunch. He is joined in Syracuse by another former London Knight, Leigh Salters.

The Crunch have yet to post Pat Maroon’s profile on their official site. You can still check out his profile on the AHL official website.

Danny Syvret appears in this previous post at OHL Alumni Central.

Michael Vernace played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2003-04 to 2005-06, although his first season consisted of only two games. Vernace’s entire Ontario Hockey League career was spent with the Brampton Battalion. It should be noted that although Mike played just two games in his first  season, he had a goal and assist in those two games and then played eleven playoff games with the Battalion, contributing five points.

In his final season in the Ontario Hockey League, Vernace led the league as the defenseman with the most assists with 62. His 72 points that season tied him for second on the team with Luciano Aquino but left him a great distance behind team leader Wojtek Wolski who had 128 points on the season.

Vernace was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the seventh round of the 2004 NHL draft, 201st overall. Over the past four seasons, Mike has spent his time in the American Hockey League with the exception of 24 games with the Arizona Sundogs of the Central Hockey League in 2006-07 and 12 games with the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL in 2008-09.

This upcoming season, 2010-11, Vernace will be playing for the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL. Norfolk will be Mike’s fifth AHL team in five years (Albany River Rats, Lake Erie Monsters, Chicago Wolves, Hamilton Bulldogs).

Michael Vernace has not yet appeared on the Norfolk Admirals official website.

Michael Vernace is featured in a previous post at OHL Alumni Central listing the graduates of the Brampton Battalion that played professionally during the 2009-10 season.

Chris Taylor, wearing number 12 for the Rochester Americans.

Chris Taylor has been an off and on member of the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL) since the 1999-00 season. 2010-11 could see him make some significant moves on a few of the team’s all-time stats lists.

Taylor played in the Ontario Hockey League for four seasons from 1988-89 to 1991-92, all with the London Knights. Chris contributed 378 points in 259 regular season games plus 43 points in 34 playoff games for the Knights. In his final three seasons, he was over 100 points per season and averaged 1.8 points per game.

Taylor was in the top 10 scorers in the Ontario Hockey League for each of those final three seasons. In 1989-90, Chris was tied for 7th in the league with 105 points. In 1990-91, his 128 points were second only to Eric Lindros of the Oshawa Generals. In his senior season, he came in 6th with 122 points.

Chris was drafted by the New York Islanders in the second round of the 1990 NHL draft. he would go on to play 149 NHL games with the Islanders, Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres.

Taylor took three years away from the North American game and played for the Frankfurt Lions of Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) between 2006-07 and 2008-09. This past season, he returned right back to the Amerks and contributed 61 points in 80 games while turning 38 years old in March.

Chris Taylor currently sits in 8th on the Amerk’s all-time points list. He needs a 68 point campaign to move into sole possession of 5th place. In total regular season games played, he sits in 13th spot but only needs to play 33 games to move into 10th. In doing so, he would pass the infamous Don Cherry and OHL scoring great, Norm Milley. With only 30 assists this upcoming season, Taylor would move from 5th to 3rd on the all-time list.

Check out Chris Taylor’s profile page on the Rochester Americans official website.

At 38, Chris is definitely one of the most experienced OHL grads still active in the world of professional hockey. Recently, we’ve profiled some other Ontario Hockey League alumni that are built for the long haul:

John Slaney

Paul DiPietro

Todd Elik