OHL Alumni Central

Brad Snetsinger played five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2003-04 to 2007-08. Snetsinger began his OHL career with the Mississauga IceDogs, playing his first two seasons with the club. It wasn’t until he started the 2005-06 season with the Windsor Spitfires that his junior career began to blossom.

In his first year with Windsor, his 29 goals led the team. He repeated the goal total the following season and added 33 assists for 62 points to lead the Spitfires in all three offensive categories. In his final season in the Ontario Hockey League, Snetsinger scored 37 and added 52 assists for 89 points. This total tied him for 15th overall in the OHL. He was second on the team in points behind Josh Bailey’s 96 and ahead of Taylor Hall’s 84.

Undrafted, Brad was signed to a pro contract in December, 2007 with the New Jersey Devils. His first two seasons in pro hockey were spent between New Jersey’s AHL affiliate, the Lowell Devils, and their ECHL club, the Trenton Devils. In his first year, 2008-09, he contributed to the ECHL Devils at a point per game pace with 49 points in 49 games.

This season, 2010-11, saw Snetsinger start with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL and after 26 games get traded to the Bakersfield Condors. Brad competed in the 2011 ECHL All-Star game, as did all the Bakersfield Condors. Including his points accumulated with the Grizzlies, Snetsinger is the current scoring leader on the Condors.

Brad Snetsinger was previously featured at OHL Alumni Central in a post listing the Windsor Spitfires Alumni that were active in pro hockey during the 2009-10 season.

Snetsinger is joined on the Bakersfield Condors by another Ontario Hockey League grad, Andrew Ianiero.

It’ll take a true Kingston Frontenacs fan to remember Zdenek Skorepa. Zdenek played just one season in the Ontario Hockey League, 1995-96. He appeared in 37 games for the mediocre Frontenacs, coached by Gary Agnew, and responded with 21 goals and 39 points.

Skorepa came to the Ontario Hockey League already an NHL prospect. Zdenek was taken in the fourth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils, 103rd overall. The two seasons before playing for Kingston, he was a member of HC Litvinov of the Czech Republic’s Extraliga (the country’s elite league).

Skorepa played two seasons with New Jersey’s affiliate in the American Hockey League, the Albany River Rats. He also appeared in eight games with the IHL’s Detroit Vipers in 1997-98. In 1998-99, it was back to the Czech Republic where, with exception to a 24 game stint in Russia’s RSL in 2003-04, he has been ever since.

Until the start of the 2008-09 season, Zdenek played in the the Czech elite league with Litvinov, Slavia Praha and Trinec. This his third season with KLH Chomutov in the country’s second tier. He is currently third on the team in scoring and Chomutov sits in second place in their division.

Chomutov is a city of 51,000 (80,000 in the metro area) in the northwest corner of the Czech Republic along the border with Germany.

Check out Zdenek Skorepa’s profile page at the KLH Chomutov official website.

Zdenek Skorepa appears on the OHL Alumni Big List with over 700 other Ontario Hockey League grads.

Here is the translation into English (done using Google Translate so it’s a little rough but the idea is there):

Zdenek Skorepa Duchcov was born in Teplice and its first major step was made in hockey Litvinov. After two seasons spent in the black / yellow jersey and the junior world championships, he decided to try a style of hockey overseas. A handy center was drafted in 1994, total New Jersey Devils as the 103rd overall Chance in the first team “Devil” but never received.

Lasted three seasons in the Atlantic and tested to overseas competition such as the OHL, AHL and IHL. After these three years followed by a return back to Litvinov. 1999-1900 season began in northern Bohemia, but finished by Slavia jersey. From there followed the next year to move Trinec, where he played seven long years. You just popped in the 2003/04 season, when tried his luck in the Russian Superleague. Playing for Novokužnězku played 24 games in the regular and managed as three encounters in the playoffs.

Effect of Třinec experienced attacker and earned a nomination to the team, as he played seven games without scoring any success. After a season spent in 2007/08 jersey Steelworkers Zdenek Skorepa decided to move closer to home and signed to Chomutov. After his first season of Chomutov, experienced striker launched next year with the captain’s jersey to the teat. It remained for him this season.

Questionnaire:
How did you get into hockey, who brought you to it?

“The hockey parents brought me and I was about 5 years.”
He played some of the relatives also hockey, you are a “hockey family”?

“Yes, my brother played. When he was about 18 years old and in junior and finished. ”
What was your favorite school subject except physical education?

“I do not remember (laughs). Probably not, maybe Art. ”
They were parents and school performance satisfied?

“Yes, they were.”
Your current greatest hockey experience or success?

“About a preparatory match for New Jersey.”
Who were your mentors in his youth, or who is it now?

“When I was little, so it was definitely the players from the NHL, but strictly that I had one, it’s not.”
If you could, what would you change the rules of hockey?

“Whatever the larger goal (laughs).”
Zdenek get on with the number 55, it is about your favorite number? How did you get it?

“I got him for a long time and I got him so I got to Třinec and there was free.”
Can you imagine that you are number 55 gave up and played with?

“I’m not the superstitious kind. It would probably bother me too much. ”
How did you get to Chomutov?

“Car (laughs). It was through an agent, who was in contact with management, and successfully arranged everything. ”
You are in Chomutov happy?

“That’s me.”
How do you like as Chomutov city?

“I quite like it, because I’m here from the north, so that these cities are almost the same. Is no metropolis, but a normal town. ”
What do you like sports except hockey?

“Golf.”

Blonde, brunette or redhead?

“I’m not picky (laughs).”
Sparta and Slavia (football)

“Slavia”.
Beer or wine?

“Beer.”
Coffee or tea?

“Coffee.”
Car or bike?

“Auto.”
Summer or winter?

“Summer.”
International and Czech cuisine?

“The Czech cuisine, but I love pasta in all ways, so foreign.”

Michael Swift played five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2003-04 to 2007-08. His first four seasons were played with the Mississauga IceDogs and he moved down the road with the rest of the IceDogs organization to play as Niagara for his final season. Michael served as captain with the club while in Niagara. Swift was originally drafted by the St. Michael’s Majors deep in the 2003 draft – 1oth round, 186th overall.

In Swift’s third and fourth seasons, he was the team points leader. In 2005-06, his 54 points tied him with Jordan Owens. In 2006-07, his 93 points were good enough for sole lead on the team. In his final season, Michael achieved the 100 point plateau but was second on the team in total points to Luca Caputi. The total was good enough to tie him for seventh in the league with Jack Combs of the Saginaw Spirit. However, he did lead the team in assists with 62. His 18 points in just 10 playoff games was still good for tenth in the league.

His performance in his final season earned him the Leo Lalonde Trophy as the Ontario Hockey League’s Overage Player of the Year.

Although not drafted to the NHL, he has been playing in the New Jersey Devils organization since graduation from the Ontario Hockey League. His first two seasons in professional hockey were played with the Lowell Devils of the American Hockey League. This past season, 2009-10, Swift was Lowell’s leader in goals scored with 24 and he was a close second on the team in points with 55.

This season, 2010-11, he follows the team as they move to Albany where they retain the Devils nickname.

Check out the previous posts at OHL Alumni Central featuring other Leo Lalonde Trophy winners:

Stan Drulia (OHL Alumni Classics)

Andre Benoit

Martin St. Pierre

Cory Pecker

Richard Rochefort as a member of the Augsburg Panther of Germany's DEL.

Hockey – It’s popular everywhere. Ontario Hockey League grad Richard Rochefort is one of a handful of Canadians that is bringing credibility to the Asia League Ice Hockey.

Rochefort played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 1994-95 to 1996-97. His first two seasons were played with the Sudbury Wolves and his final season was split between the Wolves and the Sarnia Sting. Richard was a steady 20+ goal scorer in each of his three seasons and had seasons of 65, 65 and 70 points.

Rochefort was drafted in the seventh round of the 1995 NHL draft by the New Jersey Devils, 174th overall. He spent five seasons, from 1997-98 to 2001-02, with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League.

Starting in 2002-03, Richard became a world traveller, toting his hockey equipment from country to country. He has played in Finland, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, Germany and Japan. This past season, Rochefort played in Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) with the Augsburg Panthers.

This upcoming season, 2010-11, Richard returns the ALIH with the Nikko Icebucks. The Icebucks have been less than marvelous over the past few seasons. They’re counting on Rochefort to help them into a top four position in the seven team league in order to move on to the post season.

Richard played previously in the ALIH for two seasons, 2007-08 and 2008-09. Both seasons were played with the Seibu Prince Rabbits which played out of Tokyo. The team is now defunct.

The ALIH official website is in English and can be found here.

The Nikko Icebucks website is only in Japanese and is not quite ready to go the for new season. The site can be found here.

Check out this previous post on the Asia League Ice Hockey.

The New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia Flyers will face off in the first round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs. Appearing in the series will be 12 Ontario Hockey League alumni, 6 from the Devils and 6 from the Flyers. The Devils feature 4 OHL grads that played at least part of their careers with the Kitchener Rangers. The Flyers are represented best by graduates of the Peterborough Petes system with 2.

Here are the 12 OHL grads playing in this series. As always, click on each player’s name to view their profile page on their current team’s official website.

New Jersey Devils

Martin Skoula played two seasons with the Barrie Colts, 1997-98 and 1998-99. A first round pick of the Colorado Avalanche, Martin played 5 seasons with the Avs before moving on to Anaheim, Dallas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and the Devils. He came over from the Penguins at the trade deadline this season.

David Clarkson began his OHL career in 2001-02 with the Belleville Bulls. In 2002-03, David was traded to the Kitchener Rangers. He was a Ranger until the end of the 2004-05 season when his OHL career came to an end. Clarkson is now in his 4th season with the Devils.

Mark Fraser was a solid, stay at home, defenseman for the Kitchener Rangers in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Mark is in his first full season with the Devils, after appearing in 7 games with the big club in 2006-07.

Patrick Davis played in the OHL from 2003-04 to 2005-06. He played for the Kitchener Rangers until midway through his final season when he was traded to the Windsor Spitfires. Patrick has appeared in 9 regular season games with the Devils over the past two seasons but is on the roster going into the playoffs.

Andrew Peters played in the OHL from 1997-98 to 1999-00. His first two seasons were with the Oshawa Generals and his last was with the Kitchener Rangers. Andrew is in his first season with the Devils after 5 with the Buffalo Sabres.

Jamie Langenbrunner played two seasons with the Peterborough Petes in 1993-94 and 1994-95. Jamie came over from the Dallas Stars during the 2001-02 season and is now the captain of the Devils.

Philadelphia Flyers

Ryan Parent played for the Guelph Storm from 2003-04 to 2006-07. A first round draft pick of the Nashville Predators, Ryan has been in the Flyers organization since graduating from the OHL.

Mike Richards was a Kitchener Ranger from 2001-02 to 2004-05. A first round pick of the Flyers, Mike is in his 5th season with the team and wears the captain’s ‘C’.

Chris Pronger played two seasons with the Peterborough Petes way back in 1991-92 and 1992-93. His NHL career has taken him from Hartford to St. Louis to Edmonton to Anaheim to Philadelphia. This is his first season with the team.

Lukas Krajicek was a Peterborough Pete for three seasons from 2000-01 to 2002-03. Originally a first round pick of the Florida Panthers, Lukas has played in Florida, Vancouver and Tampa Bay before being traded to Philadelphia during the 2009-10 season.

Daniel Carcillo was a tough customer right from the start when he began his OHL career with the Sarnia Sting in 2002-03. He played with the Sting until midway through the 2004-05 season when he was traded midway through the season to the Mississauga IceDogs. 2004-05 was his final season in the OHL. A Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick, Daniel would see his first NHL action with the Phoenix Coyotes before becoming a Flyer during the 2008-09 season.

Jeff Carter played four seasons in the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds from 2001-02 to 2004-05. A first round pick of the Flyers, Jeff has been a powerhouse for the team from the moment he graduated from the OHL.