OHL Alumni Central
Find Out Where Your Favourite OHL Grads Are Playing
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Aug 22
This week’s edition of SSSFS is dedicated to shameless self-promotion. I’m going to link you up with some of the hockey related articles I have at online zines. They’re not all based on the Ontario Hockey League but they are about hockey. Some may even be interesting!
1976-77 Montreal Canadiens: The Best NHL Team Of All-Time?
In 1976-77, the Montreal Canadiens made NHL history. Many team records that were set that year still stand today. Team records that still stand include most points (132), most wins (60), most goals for (387) and fewest losses (8). The record for fewest losses still stands today as an NHL record and must be considered unbreakable with the addition of overtime and shootouts which have eliminated ties.Every sports fan knows which teams have dominated league championships through history. The Yankees in baseball. The Steelers in football. The Celtics and Lakers in basketball. The Canadiens in hockey. But, does anyone know which teams are the greatest losers? Does anyone know which teams have been the bridesmaids in their respective league championships the most often? Does anyone really care? Well, if you do care read on. After all, this is the kind of useless trivia that can start a conversation at boring get-togethers.The Spengler Cup Invitational Hockey Tournament In Davos, Switzerland
The Spengler Cup is an invitational ice hockey tournament that is held in Davos, Switzerland each year between Christmas and New Year’s. The trophy donated by Doctor Carl Spengler of Davos was awarded for the first time in 1923. That year it was awarded to Oxford University, a team that had Lester B. Pearson on the roster. Pearson would later become Prime Minister of Canada.When it comes to producing professional grade hockey goaltenders, often it is Quebec’s QMJHL that is the world leader. The Ontario Hockey League does still produce some top notch goalies, though. Many OHL netminders move on to the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Four of these OHL grads have made a mark for themselves in the ECHL record books.The world of hockey has always been represented greatly by graduates of the Ontario Hockey League. The East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) is no exception to this. There are currently ten OHL alumni holding or sharing scoring records in the ECHL.It the modern age of the NHL with 30 teams competing for 16 playoff spots, it is inconceivable that a team could win the Stanley Cup with a losing record during the regular season. In the modern era, teams with a better than .500 record often do not even make the playoffs.As with any collectible of value, eventually fakes will begin to circulate. The most valuable hockey card today is an O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card. It is valued at up to $1500 in mint condition. The highest price it has ever fetched to date is $80,000. Of course, there are many fakes out there.It is often argued who the best National Hockey League teams of all-time are. It is hard to compare the 1930 Boston Bruins with the 1977 Montreal Canadiens when the rules, conditions, equipment, training and number of teams change at a constant pace.As with most sports leagues, the OHL (OHA Major Junior A) has had many franchise changes in its history. The league is fairly stable now with 20 teams that are in no real threat of shutting down or moving.Since 1968-69, the London Knights have provided the hockey world with some of the best junior hockey and junior hockey players. Known for the NHL stars they’ve produced like Darryl Sittler, Dennis Maruk, Craig Simpson, Jason Allison, Dino Ciccarelli, Brendan Shanahan and more recently Rick Nash, Corey Perry, Steve Mason and Patrick Kane. The Knights are also known for the tough guys they’ve produced over the years.Adult pickup hockey, or shinny, is still growing exponentially in Canada. Once a sport that was played as a youth and hardly ever played after the age of 19, now is so popular with adults that some arenas in major cities have been built specifically for adult hockey. In saying that, there are a lot of adults that are picking up the game for the first time in their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond. Like any sport, many non-participants have been long time fans of the game and have watched their favourite pro team on the television for years. -
Jul 4
We’re calling this the ‘Early Bird’ version of the OHL Alumni in Europe for 2010-11 E-book. It’s a list of the OHL Alumni in a handy profile format that have committed and signed on with elite teams in Europe for the 2010-11 season.
The download is in PDF and is completely free to use and distribute.
Stay tuned in September for a much more complete version as more and more players figure out where they’ll play in the upcoming season. Also, a North American version is also on the way.
Just click the button below to download.
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Mar 19
The Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (the reincarnated version) began play in the 1997-98 Ontario Hockey League season. The team moved from St. Michael’s College to Mississauga for the 2007-08 season after the Hershey Centre was vacated by the Mississauga IceDogs.Originally, the team played out of the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto but then moved into the cozy arena at St. Michaels College. The team currently has 47 products still playing in professional hockey at some level throughout the world. Seven of the 47 are playing at the ultimate level, the NHL.
There are Majors alumni playing in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Russia, United States and Canada. See below for a full list. Please note that the list doesn’t include players currently in the Canadian or American university systems. If you know of someone that is missing from the list or if you see information that is not correct, by all means, please let us know!
Player Team League Bootland, Darryl Kalamazoo Wings ECHL Boyce, Darryl Toronto Marlies AHL Budaj, Peter Colorado Avalanche NHL Caria, Matt Florida Everblades ECHL Chiodo, Andy Elmira Jackals ECHL Clutterbuck, Cal Minnesota Wild NHL Corupe, Kenny Bolzano HC Italy Daugavins, Kaspars Binghamton Senators AHL DiBenedetto, Justin Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL Donati, Justin Binghamton Senators AHL Donati, Tyler Elmira Jackals ECHL Ellis, Matt Buffalo Sabres NHL Fata, Drew Providence Bruins AHL Gallace, Steve Cortina SG Italy Guenther, Joe Amarillo Gorillas CHL Haley, Michael Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL Halischuk, Matt Lowell Devils AHL Haskins, Tyler Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL Klein, Kevin Nashville Predators NHL Kwiet, Rob Providence Bruins AHL Lakos, Andre Chelyabinski Traktor KHL Lakos, Philippe Vienna Aust Lehman, Scott Chicago Wolves AHL Lukes, Frank Litvinov CHP HC Czech McCaffrey, Chad Freiburg EHC 2.GBun McIver, Nathan Manitoba Moose AHL Mikhnov, Andrei Tolvatti Lada KHL Minard, Chris Springfield Falcons AHL Misita, Lorne Pensacola Ice Flyers SPHL Mrazek, Jaroslav Sparta Praha Czech Nie, Ryan Kalamazoo Wings ECHL O’Brien, Shane Vancouver Canucks NHL Ouzas, Michael Las Vegas Wranglers ECHL Patton, Geoff Fayetteville FireAntz SPHL Pelech, Michael Ontario Reign ECHL Peralta, Sal Ontario Reign ECHL Peters, Justin Albany River Rats AHL Pinizzotto, Jason Schwenningen ERC 2.Gbun Popovic, Mark Atlanta Thrashers NHL Power, Colin Wheeling Nailers ECHL Rebernik, Chris Pensacola Ice Flyers SPHL Reynolds, T.J. Charlotte Checkers ECHL Sparre, Kris Iserlohn Roosters DEL Stephens, Charlie Krefeld Penguins DEL VanderVeeken, Jamie Rapid City Rush CHL Wilson, Ryan Colorado Avalanche NHL Woollard, Chad Corpus Christi Icerays CHL Check out these other lists of OHL alumni playing in professional hockey:
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Mar 5
The Sarnia Sting became an OHL franchise in 1994-95 after moving from Newmarket, where they were called the Royals. Previous to that, the franchise was located in Cornwall where they were also called the Royals.The Sting have been quietly successful since moving to Sarnia and have been a big producer of professional grade hockey players. Currently, there are 67 Sarnia Sting alumni playing at various levels of professional hockey throughout the world. Six of those players are playing at the ultimate level, the NHL. Keep in mind that to be considered an alumnus, a player need only play one game with the team.
Sarnia Sting grads can be found playing in 9 different countries throughout the hockey world – Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Russia, Sweden and, of course, Canada and the United States. The list is as follows:
Player Team League Alcombrack, Jeff Corpus Christi Icerays CHL Arniel, Jamie Providence Bruins AHL Boulton, Eric Atlanta Thrashers NHL Brown, Sean Klagenfurt AC Austria Buturlin, Alexander Moscow Spartak KHL Carcillo, Daniel Philadelphia Flyers NHL Carroll, Ken Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs CHL Clune, Richard Manchester Monarchs AHL Dahm, Sebastian Bloomington Prairie Thunder IHL Davey, Bobby Victoria Salmon Kings ECHL Del Monte, Ryan Cincinnati Cyclones ECHL Delmore, Andy Grand Rapids Griffins AHL DiBenedetto, Justin Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL DiDiomete, Devin Hartford Wolf Pack AHL Fitzpatrick, Chanse Johnstown Chiefs ECHL Fraser, Jamie Houston Aeros AHL Fritsche, Dan Syracuse Crunch AHL Gillies, Trevor Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL Haddon, Steve Colorado Eagles CHL Haley, Micheal Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL Hecimovic, John Zagreb Medvescak KHL Austria Heerema, Jeff Zagreb Medvescak KHL Austria Johnson, Jamie Rochester Americans AHL Karhunen, Tomi Karpat Finland Katic, Mark Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL Kell, Trevor Trenton Devils ECHL King, Colt Rapid City Rush CHL Larman, Drew Providence Bruins AHL Lefebvre, Marc Edinburgh Capitals EIHL Letang, Alan Zagreb Medvescak KHL Austria Letowski, Trevor Astana Barys KHL Martin, Matt Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL Mashinter, Brandon Worcester Sharks AHL McMorrow, Sean Belfast Giants EIHL Mizzi, Preston Freiburg EHC 2.Gbun Munce, Ryan Charlotte Checkers ECHL Neal, Michael Idaho Steelheads ECHL Nemirovsky, David Astana Barys KHL Newbury, Kris Grand Rapids Griffins AHL Nie, Ryan Kalamazoo Wings ECHL Nikiforov, Vladimir Utah Grizzlies ECHL Olimb, Mathis Vastra Frolunda HC Goteborg SEL Painchaud, Chad Victoria Salmon Kings ECHL Pelech, Matt Abbotsford Heat AHL Perugini, Andrew Stockton Thunder ECHL Plekhanov, Andrei Moscow Dynamo KHL Pospisil, Tomas Trinec Ocelari HC Czech Power, Aaron Fassa HC Italy Pszenyczny, David Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs CHL Reed, Harrison Albany River Rats AHL Rochefort, Richard Augsburg Panthers DEL Rybin, Maxim St. Petersburg SKA KHL Sarno, Peter Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams DEL Sim, Jonathan New York Islanders NHL Sisca, Daniel Valpellice Italy Stals, Juris Quad City Mallards IHL Stamkos, Steven Tampa Bay Lightning NHL Tenute, Joey Frankfurt Lions DEL Tuzzolino, Nick Alaska Aces ECHL Van Buskirk, Parker South Carolina Stingrays ECHL Van Buskirk, Ryan Florida Everblades ECHL Van Ryn, Mike Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Versteeg-Lytwyn, Mark Fayetteville FireAntz SPHL Ward, Steve Charlotte Checkers ECHL Wilson, Kelsey Salzburg EC Austria Wilson, Ryan Colorado Avalanche NHL Yarema, Brendan Ljubljana Olimpija Austria -
Feb 26
This is last post in our focus over the past four days on the Erie Otters. The team moved from Niagara Falls, where they were known as the Thunder. The Otters first season in the Ontario Hockey League was 1996-97 and at the time were the 2nd team in the league located outside of Ontario.
To date, the team’s best season by far was 2001-02. The Otters won the OHL championship and went on to make a respectable appearance at the Memorial Cup. There are currently 35 Erie alumni playing professional hockey throughout the world, including 11 in the NHL.
The 35 current pros are:
Player Team League Alexeev, Nikita Kazan Ak-Bars KHL Beech, Kevin Corpus Christi Icerays CHL Berti, Adam Gwinnett Gladiators ECHL Blunden, Mike Syracuse Crunch AHL Bonello, Brad Fassa HC Italy Boyes, Brad St. Louis Blues NHL Campoli, Chris Ottawa Senators NHL Colaiacovo, Carlo St. Louis Blues NHL Connolly, Tim Buffalo Sabres NHL Coultice, Noel Bloomington PrairieThunder IHL Gazdic, Luke Texas Stars AHL Greene, Chris Mississippi Surge SPHL Guenther, Joe Amarillo Gorillas CHL Hisey, Rob Springfield Falcons AHL Hodgman, Justin Toronto Marlies AHL Janus, Jaroslav Norfolk Admirals AHL Kidd, Josh Manchester Monarchs AHL Lee, Brian Coventry Blaze EIHL Liambas, Michael Bloomington PrairieThunder IHL MacLean, Brett San Antonio Rampage AHL McMillan, Darren Klostersee EHC GerObl Merlini, Derek Tulsa Oilers CHL Montador, Steve Buffalo Sabres NHL Munro, Adam Novosibirsk Siber KHL O’Connor, Sean Fort Wayne Komets IHL O’Marra, Ryan Springfield Falcons AHL O’Reilly, Ryan Colorado Avalanche NHL Palmieri, Nick Lowell Devils AHL Peluso, Anthony Peoria Rivermen AHL Perras, J.F. Arizona Sundogs CHL Regan, Eric Bakersfield Condors ECHL Rekis, Arvid Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams DEL Robinson, Jason Coventry Blaze EIHL Rupp, Michael Pittsburgh Penguins NHL Valiquette, Steve New York Rangers NHL To check out the other recent posts on Erie Otters alumni, click on the following links:
Michael Liambas now with the IHL’s Bloomington Prairie Thunder.
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