Faces of the OHL races
There is a sundry of races for playoff seedings in both the Western Conference and Eastern Conference of a uniform, balanced Ontario Hockey League. And there are faces who could be major difference makers down the stretch of the ’24-25 OHL season into the playoffs.
SPITFIRE ENGINES. After finishing in 19th place among the 20 teams of the OHL in ’23-24 the Windsor Spitfires have clearly reversed course in ’24-25. Not only have the Spitfires all but clinched top spot in the West Division but they are within range of the perennial powerhouse London Knights for first place in the Western Conference and the overall standings of the OHL.
To be sure, there are many who are saying that they are surprised by the dramatic turnaround that Windsor has shown from last season to this — as in no one expected the Spitfires to be anywhere near as good as they have been this deep into the ’24-25 campaign.
But let it be noted that it was way before the start of this season — late August to be exact — when yours truly noted in this space that the Spitfires were poised to go from the West Division outhouse of ’23-24 to the penthouse in ’24-25.
At any rate, these Spitfires are legitimate led by general manager Billy Bowler, head coach Greg Walters and a cast of top notch talent featuring the likes of potential 100 point scoring, NHL drafted forwards Liam Greentree and Ilya Protas as well as a very under-rated defenseman in Anthony Cristoforo and a much better than average goalie in Joey Costanzo.
The Spitfires have been set up for success for not only this ’24-25 season but the ’25-26 term as well.
Meantime, not only have the Spitfires already more than doubled their win total from last season to this one, they just might be primed for a spring playoff run of multiple rounds. The best may be yet to come. Who knows what this spring’s playoffs will hold for the ascending Spitfires?
GOOD KNIGHTS. Here we go again. The reigning OHL champion London Knights are once more at the top of the league standings.
Several of London’s best players have already been drafted into the National Hockey League in the early rounds — forwards Easton Cowan, Sam O’Reilly and Denver Barkey and defensemen Sam Dickinson and Oliver Bonk just to name five.
The beat goes on in London with a Knight vision of ongoing success. And did we mention the ageless, incomparable Dale Hunter as the supervisor on the Knight shift?
Yes, here we go again.
SPIRIT IS LURKING. Reigning Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit has moved on from some key components who assisted the ride to national glory last spring. But Saginaw still has the parts as a top four team in the Western Conference and thus get a valued home ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
Superstar forward Michael Misa, he of the 50 goals and 100 plus points as the OHL scoring leader, is just one impact player. (Can you believe he was snubbed by Team Canada for the recent World Junior Hockey Championships?) Besides Misa, two others in particular that the Spirit has are stud defenseman and Calgary Flames first rounder Zayne Parekh and San Jose Sharks second round steal Igor Chernyshov, who is an electrifying forward. And just for good measure there is overage forward Calem Mangone, who is as dependable as it gets in the OHL.
WHAT A DAY IN FLINT. Of all the quality goalies in the OHL there may not be one who is more valuable to his team than Nathan Day of the Flint Firebirds. This is a big kid who just be able to steal a first round playoff series for the Firebirds.
A workhorse goalie who has good size and an equal compete level, Day was in the net for 25 of Flint’s 30 wins in ’23-24 and 20 of 22 this season. Basically, it is Day to Day in Flint.
YOUNG PUPS IN SOO. Aside from overage goalie Nolan Lalonde and productive, veteran 2005 birth year forwards such as Marco Mignosa and Justin Cloutier it is a fountain of youth that is the straw that stirs the drink — and who might help prevent a disastrous second playoff miss in the space of three seasons in Sault Ste. Marie.
The Greyhounds are currently in a dog fight with the Owen Sound Attack and Guelph Storm for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, while still within range of Flint and the Sarnia Sting. For whatever reason — coaching, perhaps? — the Greyhounds are not even the modest .500 team that they should be at this stage of the season.
But a playoff spot is at stake and the Hounds have an exceptional group of 2007 birth year players such as forwards Brady Martin and Travis Hayes as well as defenseman Chase Reid. Martin and Reid are point per game players and along with Hayes are fan favourites in Sault Ste. Marie.
It says here that with Lalonde in form in the net and with a mix of old and young stalwarts such as Mignosa, Cloutier, Martin, Hayes, Reid and import forward Noel Nordh, the Greyhounds have more than what it takes to fend off Owen Sound and Guelph for a playoff spot. But will they?
And if the Hounds do not make the playoffs — it would be their second miss in three seasons under aforementioned head coach John Dean — then a coaching change just may be in the works for the Red and White.
EASTERN BLOCK. Mere percentage points stand between the top four teams in an Eastern Conference where the margin for error is razor thin.
To be sure, there is very little difference from among (alphabetically) the Barrie Colts, Brantford Bulldogs, Kingston Frontenacs and Oshawa Generals.
If the race between the fearsome foursome comes down to goaltending we give the edge to Brantford with the under-rated Ryerson Leenders and to Kingston with overage veteran Charlie Schenkel. And if it comes down to coaching let us say advantage to the same two teams with head masters Jay McKee in Brantford and Troy Mann in Kingston.
As far as impact players, there are three game breakers in particular who are all NHL draft picks including OHL goal scoring leader Nick Lardis in Brantford, Beckett Sennecke in Oshawa and Jacob Battaglia in Kingston.
Meanwhile, do not discount the Niagara IceDogs led by their hulking forward Ryan Roobroeck or the surging Brampton Steelheads and presumptive 2025 NHL top end, first round draft pick forward Porter Martone.