Spits ship trio to LaSalle
They are worthy of playing in the Ontario Hockey League. But given that the Windsor Spitfires are an OHL team deep in talent, goalie Jake Windbiel, defenseman Grady Spicer and forward Ian Inskip have been shipped to the LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League to begin the ’25-26 season.
Big goalie in Mount Brydges
Mount Brydges Bulldogs of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League have signed sizeable puck stopper Joshua Purtill ahead of the looming ’25-26 season.
GWG for Spitfires draft pick
Spitfires draft pick Ty Dubreuil made a decisive impression in his first ever Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League game as a 2009 birth year forward.
Brantford boosts its depth
Rookie general manager Spencer Hyman has added another building block to the Brantford Bulldogs. Hyman has acquired 2008 birth year forward Ryan Chamberlain from the Sarnia Sting for an eighth round draft pick.
Hartsburg has Erie feeling
Chris Hartsburg is back in the Ontario Hockey League after a four year hiatus — and with the Erie Otters, no less. The 45 year old Hartsburg, who manages the local arena and the minor hockey association in Erie, has been hired by the OHL Otters as a part time skills development coach.
Rose lands in Port Stanley
Bryan Rose is returning to the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League as a head coach after an absence of five years. Rose has been hired to take command of the deck duties with the Port Stanley Sailors.
Back with Mount Brydges
A goalie, a defenseman and a forward are among the veterans who have confirmed a return to the Mount Brydges Bulldogs ahead of the ’25-26 Provincial Jr. C Hockey League season.
Brantford eyeing Oshawa
It was the Oshawa Generals — arch rivals no less — who put a halt on the Ontario Hockey League playoff run of the Brantford Bulldogs last spring. And it is Oshawa that Brantford will be out to unseat as Eastern Conference playoff champions this season.
Mount Brydges deals for DD
Dylan Dundas has been acquired by the Mount Brydges Bulldogs from the Dorchester Dolphins for Nolan Burnside in an exchange of 2004 birth year forwards between the two Provincial Jr. C Hockey League teams.
Want to assist in Mount B?
Mount Brydges Bulldogs of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League are looking to fill a number of positions within the organization.
Brantford bumps up Burnell
Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League have boosted 27 year old Owen Burnell from his sole role as video coach to assistant coach on the staff of veteran bench boss Jay McKee.
Mount B has schedule start
Mount Brydges Bulldogs of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League have confirmed both their 2025 exhibition schedule and their ’25-26 regular season home opener.
Former 3rd rounder to Flint
Better late than never. Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have confirmed the signing of 2007 birth year defenseman — and future Harvard University commit — Luka Graziano to a standard player agreement.
Mount Brydges adds d-man
Point producing defenseman Logan Vandierendonck has been acquired by the Mount Brydges Bulldogs from the Lucan Irish in a three player Provincial Jr. C Hockey League transaction.
Young blood of the Bulldogs
They have star power on the frozen stage with a sweet seven side of National Hockey League draft picks who are all poised to play prominent roles in ’25-26. And the Brantford Bulldogs also have some fledgling Ontario Hockey League talent that is braced to bloom.
Espanola via U18 Spitfires
Matthew Spencer is heading north to play junior hockey. The 2008 birth year forward, who played at the Under 18 level with the Windsor Jr. Spitfires of the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario in ’24-25, has signed with the Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League ahead of the ’25-26 season.
Spitfires pick to the NOJHL
He is smart and skilled with blazing speed and prime potential. And Ty Dubreuil will be one of the youngest players in the Northern Jr. Hockey League come the looming ’25-26 season. Dubreuil, who was a 14th round pick by the Windsor Spitfires at the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, has signed with the reigning NOJHL champion Sudbury Cubs, Hockey News Windsor has confirmed.
Gage Evans back in LaSalle
Sault Ste. Marie product Gage Evans has been reacquired by the LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League from the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Plum players in Brantford
A flock of frenzied fans who follow the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League figure to focus on a freight full of National Hockey League draft picks come the ’25-26 season.
Espanola works to recruit
Espanola Paper Kings are a small market team in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. But despite a northern location — Espanola is about 40 miles northwest of Sudbury — the Paper Kings have been able to recruit multiple players from other parts of Ontario and into New York ahead of the ’25-26 season.
Four OHL teams to regard
Okay, it is summer time and the living is easy. But for those with any sort of relationship with the Ontario Hockey League, we remind you that the restless hands of time are ticking towards the start of another season. So whether your OHL connect is up north in Sault Ste. Marie, into the southwestern Ontario region of Windsor, in the mid Michigan area of Flint, or where the Bulldogs bark in Brantford, we have words of (some) wisdom to write ahead of the ’25-26 season on four teams to watch.
Flint increases its net worth
Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have added a pair of proven puck stoppers to their pool of goalies. The recent additions to the Flint net are OHL veteran Mason Vaccari and 2025 National Hockey League draft pick Evgeny Prokhorov.
Import draft: 3 OHL teams
The three round, 2025 Canadian Hockey League import draft is in the books. And following is a Hockey News Windsor focus on three Ontario Hockey League teams — alphabetically, the Brantford Bulldogs, Flint Firebirds and Windsor Spitfires — and what they were able to come away with from the recent CHL import draft.
Brantford Bulldogs have bite
Woof. Woof. There is fresh Ontario Hockey League ownership in Brantford led by Stuart Hyman and his sons Zach Hyman (of National Hockey League fame, in photo at left) and Spencer Hyman. All star head coach Jay McKee has a new three year contract. Not only that, the cast of players — old and young — has the Bulldogs set up rather well.
Summer breeze blows in Flint
Prevailing winds of seasonal change have been shifting through the Michigan based Ontario Hockey League town of Flint. In addition to multiple player signings of top 2025 draft picks and high end free agents and the acquisition of a veteran goalie, the Flint Firebirds have upgraded their coaching staff.
Windsor’s Makaric has Spirit
Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League has brought aboard the well prepared Kyle Makaric as a new assistant coach. A Windsor product, the 36-year old Makaric has an extensive coaching background.
NHL pick bolsters Brantford
First year general manager Spencer Hyman continues to build up the Brantford Bulldogs ahead of the ’25-26 Ontario Hockey League season. Already projected to be a contender, the Bulldogs have been further bolstered via multiple off season acquisitions by Hyman, the latest being the signing of free agent defenseman Edison Engle, who was picked by the Winnipeg Jets in the sixth round of the recent National Hockey League draft.
OHL stars in NHL first round
Wow! The Ontario Hockey League issued its own statement of strength in the opening round of the 2025 National Hockey League Draft. To be sure, it was a plum performance by the OHL as no less than nine players were snapped up, including the first and second overall selections.
Ryder Boulton to Brantford
He is one of the toughest players in the Ontario Hockey League. And he is on his way to the Brantford Bulldogs via the London Knights.
Essex juniors via BioSteel
Area products Ethan O’Neil and Tomas Kniaziew will be staying within Essex County to continue their hockey development paths — and again as teammates — come the ’25-26 season.
Reyth Smith goes to the Dogs
Windsor product Reyth Smith is on the move in an off season Ontario Hockey League trade. The 6 foot 2, 175 pound forward with a 2007 birth date has been dealt by the North Bay Battalion to the Niagara IceDogs for a pair of future draft picks.
Flint a firm fit for free agent
He has hockey bloodlines that flow deep through his father and grand father. And 2008 birth year defenseman George Komadoski can potentially play the next three or four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League for the Flint Firebirds.
Frank Evola is off to Niagara
Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League are losing their trusted director of scouting to the rival Niagara IceDogs. Hockey News Windsor has learned that Frank Evola, who has been with the Spitfires since 2017, is headed to Niagara as its new general manager.
Flint Firebirds are 3 for 3
One. Two. Three. Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have now signed their top three picks from the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft — a forward, a defenseman, and a goalie.
Local options for Spits pick
Windsor product Luke St. John will most likely get to stay home — or close to it — for a ’25-26 season of development.
Net gain for OHL Firebirds
Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have signed young goalie Mason Courville as a potential heir apparent to workhorse veteran Nathan Day.
Flint firms up first rounder
Flint Firebirds have signed 2009 birth forward Charlie Murata to an Ontario Hockey League standard player agreement. Murata was taken by Flint with the eighth pick in the first round of the 2025 OHL priority selections draft from the Don Mills Flyers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League.
Late round long shots
There is a premise among those who have a real feel for the game that it does not matter what round a player is picked in a particular Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. Zeroing in on just two prime examples of late round OHL draft picks from the past few years who have advanced to regular duty and beyond are 2007 birth year defenseman Rylan Fellinger of the Flint Firebirds and 2004 birth year forward Noah Morneau of the Windsor Spitfires.
73’s off to league finals
What has been a 24 game spring playoff run for the Essex 73’s will continue into yet another round. The 73’s are off to the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League finals for the first time in 10 years.
Essex 73’s up 3-1 on NH
Karson Beuglet scored twice, Brogan Colquhoun made 27 saves and the Essex 73’s skated to a 3-2 win over the New Hamburg Firebirds in Game 4 of their Provincial Jr. C Hockey League semi final playoff series.
Essex takes series lead
A 3-1 road victory in Game 3 has given the Essex 73’s a 2-1 lead in their best of seven Provincial Jr. C Hockey League semi final series with the New Hamburg Firebirds.
Essex ties playoff series
Captain Gabriel Piccolo’s second period goal stood up as the game winner as the Essex 73’s evened their Provincial Jr. C Hockey League semi final series with the New Hamburg Firebirds at one game apiece.
Gibson gets game winner
Oshawa Generals have moved into the driver’s seat in their second round Ontario Hockey League playoff series with the Brantford Bulldogs. LaSalle product Andrew Gibson (in photo at left) scored the winning goal in Game 5 of the best of seven Eastern Conference semi final to give no. 4 seed Oshawa a 3-2 series lead over no. 1 seed Brantford.
Essex 73’s drop opener
New Hamburg Firebirds have taken a one game to none lead on the Essex 73’s in their Provincial Jr. C Hockey League semi final playoff set. …[read more]
Open camp in Espanola
Espanola is where defenseman Conor Walton, currently in his second season with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, developed during the ’22-23 campaign. And those same Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will be holding an open tryout camp on Saturday, April 26. …[read more]
Jr. Spits are OHL picks
Three players from the Windsor Jr. Spitfires of the Under 16 level Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario were picked at the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. …[read more]
Jr. Spits to Ottawa 67’s
Local lad Reid Hayes has become an Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft pick of the Ottawa 67’s. The 6 foot, 160 pound, right hand shooting centre was Ottawa’s third round pick at the 2025 OHL priority selections process. …[read more]
Essex in a clean sweep
How sweep it is! Essex 73’s are the undisputed champions of the Western Conference of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League. …[read more]
Essex pounds Petrolia
An 11 goal explosion has the Essex 73’s within a game of winning the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League Western Conference playoff title. …[read more]
Essex 73’s are up two
A pair of clear cut victories have given the Essex 73’s a 2-0 series lead over the Petrolia Flyers in their best of seven playoff set. …[read more]
Essex ousts Lakeshore
The season is over for the reigning Provincial Jr. C Hockey League champion Lakeshore Canadiens. Arch rival Essex 73’s scored their third straight road win of the series on Tuesday to take the best of seven West Stobbs Division final over Lakeshore four games to two in front of more than 1,000 fans at the Atlas Tube Centre. …[read more]
OHL tops NHL rankings
To be sure, it an elite group of high end prospects from the Ontario Hockey League for the 2025 National Hockey League draft. The OHL leads the way with three skaters in the top five of The Sports Network’s latest NHL Draft rankings as compiled by TSN’s director of scouting Craig Button. …[read more]
Season is over in LaSalle
The pause and the subsequent planning for next season has started for the LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
LaSalle Vipers need a win
It is win or pack it in for the season. LaSalle Vipers are facing elimination in their opening round, Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League playoff series with the Stratford Warriors. …[read more]
LaSalle down two games
Back to back losses on the road and at home have the sixth seed LaSalle Vipers trailing the third ranked Stratford Warriors two games to none in the opening round of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League playoffs. …[read more]
End of run for Bulldogs
A thriller of a 12 game playoff push by the Mount Brydges Bulldogs ended on Tuesday with yet another one goal loss to the top seed Petrolia Flyers. …[read more]
Yeck of a playoff series
Petrolia Flyers and Mount Brydges Bulldogs are five games into a second round seesaw of a playoff series in the West Yeck Division of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League. …[read more]
Mount B packs ’em in
An overflow crowd of 369 fans packed Tri-Township Arena on Sunday night and watched as the Mount Brydges Bulldogs evened their hotly contested series with the Petrolia Flyers at a game apiece. …[read more]
Bulldogs still barking
Gone are the fifth seed North Middlesex Stars. Up next for the fourth seed Mount Brydges Bulldogs are the West Yeck Division winning Petrolia Flyers as the stage is set for Round Two of the Provincial Jr. Hockey League playoffs. …[read more]
Mount B on to Petrolia
Two teams that stood a mere four points apart in the final regular season standings will face off in the second round of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League playoffs. …[read more]
Say hey to Nathan Day
Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have a new leader for most career wins by a goalie in a franchise history that dates back to 2015. …[read more]
Home ice for Mount B
They are locked in a third place tie with the Port Stanley Sailors in the West Yeck Division of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League. And home is where the Mount Brydges Bulldogs will be this weekend. …[read more]
CHL grads to D1 NCAA
Adrian Gedye of Pinnacle Hockey Management is one family advisor/certified player agent whose clients are taking full advantage of the new rule that makes Canadian Hockey League players eligible to play for Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association programs effective the ’25-26 season. …[read more]
Admirals in the median
Amhertsburg Admirals are betwixt and between in the West Stobbs Division of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League with just five games to play on the regular season slate.
…[read more]
Mount B on a good run
Four straight victories have the Mount Brydges Bulldogs within three points of first place in the hotly contested West Yeck Division of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League. …[read more]
Return of David Matsos
Good player. Good coach. Good guy. Add it all up and David Matsos is back in the Ontario Hockey League, this time as an assistant coach with the Sarnia Sting. The now 51-year old Matsos won a Memorial Cup as a hard working forward with the 1993 Soo Greyhounds. He later had OHL success as a championship associate coach with the 2018 Hamilton Bulldogs that followed winning ways as an assistant with the Windsor Spitfires. …[read more]
Essex, Lakeshore are 1-2
A mere four points separate the Essex 73’s and Lakeshore Canadiens atop the standings of the eight teams of the West Stobbs Division of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League. …[read more]
Bulldogs of West Yeck
Mount Brydges Bulldogs are one of six teams of the eight member West Yeck Division of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League who are well above the .500 mark at the Christmas holiday break.
Firebirds at mid season
Four successive wins — including two straight over their despised arch-rival Saginaw Spirit — have lifted the Flint Firebirds to the .500 level with the Ontario Hockey League at the Christmas holiday break.
Momentum in Mount B
There is little room for error within the eight member West Yeck Division of the Provincial Jr. C Hockey League as just six points separate the top six teams.
Jake the Viper snake
Spitfires plum goalie prospect Jake Windbiel is standing tall and answering the call through his first 15 games with Windsor’s junior B affiliate team in nearby LaSalle.
Max on track in LaSalle
Signed Spitfires forward prospect Max Brocklehurst has shrugged off a sluggish start and is lighting it up with the LaSalle Vipers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League. He now has seven goals, nine assists, 16 points in 15 games for Windsor’s affiliate team in nearby LaSalle.
London goon suspended
Enough is enough, it would seem. The Ontario Hockey League has given London Knights fringe forward Ryder Boulton an eight game suspension in the aftermath of a recent slashing major on Saginaw Spirit star defenceman Zayne Parekh.
Win, win for Windbiel
Spitfires goalie prospect Jake Windbiel is showing significant progress through his first 10 games with Windsor’s junior B affiliate team in nearby LaSalle.