He went from southern Ontario to Sault Ste. Marie, where he fell in love with the OHL's northernmost market. But like so many others, he went to school down East and hasn't looked back since. When you listen to Jason Denomme, the Maritime accent is so distinct you'll have to remind yourself that he's actually from Kitchener. Even though he's a back-to-back OHL champion, Denomme might best be remembered as being one of the guys in the Eric Lindros deal.
Jan 20, 2023•45 min•Ep. 215
If I had a nickel for every fan that shouted, "Fire the coach!" ... well, I'd have a lot of nickels. So, sure, if you shout it that often, every now and again the team will do what you're shouting at the team to do. But that doesn't make every fan right, every time they yell for a coach to be fired, does it? This is a long way of saying that I have a lot to say about the temperature right now around the struggling Kitchener Rangers. And Dan is right there with a counterpoint to every rant. Plus,...
Jan 17, 2023•41 min•Ep. 214
From a championship Petes team to the Knights, Wolves, Quebec Nordiques and, yes, even the Wheeling Nailers. Suffice to say, John Tanner got around. But he could also stop the puck. And over a career that covered that much geography, you know "Tans" has got some stories to share about the coaches he played for and the characters he played with (though, listening to this, you might come to the conclusion that it's Tanner himself who is the character). The best of the bunch might be the story of h...
Jan 13, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 213
The deals are done, but the analysis is just beginning. And let's face it...nobody can decide "winners" and "losers" in the hours after the deadline passes. Hell, that would take months to determine, if not a full season. Still, Mike and Dan don't shy away from telling you who they think is now best-positioned for a deep run, and they run some numbers to tell the stories of some other teams. Because numbers never lie, right?
Jan 10, 2023•53 min•Ep. 212
Oshawa-Peterborough is probably the most storied rivalry in OHL hockey and not many players can say they competed on both sides of it. But that's just the beginning of Brian Drumm's story. Drumm holds a record that many believed to belong to Wayne Gretzky or Bobby Orr. And even though he was born in and then played in Oshawa, it was with the Petes that Drumm had his greatest success, including an OHL championship, Memorial Cup final, and chance encounter with Darren McCarty. Prepare for stories ...
Jan 06, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 211
The trade deadline is one week away. OHL'ers are making noise at the World Junior Championship. And the league has a problem with slew footing. It's not that the players are engaging in dirty play, it's that the crackdown on slew footing is having unintended consequences. And it's not a good look for the league. We cover it all on our first podcast of 2023.
Jan 03, 2023•46 min•Ep. 210
Talking openly about mental health, analyzing big trades, assessing Canada's chances at the WJC, retiring Commissioners, reimagining schedules, gifting for Christmas, our Prospects of the Week ... and the story about David Branch you haven't heard before. Oh, and a partridge in a pear tree. Enjoy our final episode before Christmas!
Dec 20, 2022•57 min•Ep. 209
It's a celebration of a half-century's worth of major junior hockey in the Nickel City. But there's so much more behind the Sudbury Wolves, including appearances by Gerry Cheevers and Don Cherry. There's also a championship, albeit more than 90 years ago, and not the coveted Memorial Cup the teams in the OHL compete for today. Maybe the 50th year will be the Wolves' year? Author Scott Miller does a deep dive into the ups, downs, and quirks of an important northern franchise in his book 'Leading ...
Dec 16, 2022•52 min•Ep. 208
World Junior rosters begin to take shape (we're happy for a kid in Ottawa but still concerned about a slight in Sarnia), the Battalion get deeper in the East while we wait for someone in the West to blink, and a couple of D highlight our Prospects of the Week.
Dec 13, 2022•34 min•Ep. 207
OHL championships and Memorial Cups are so elusive because junior hockey runs in cycles. Over the course of a typical 4-5 OHL career, you'd be lucky to play for a championship once. So, you'd better make the most of that opportunity to capture that coveted title. But things were different for Mark Matier. He played three years with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, during which he won two OHL championships and a Memorial Cup under the guidance of Ted Nolan. The memories of those championship runs...
Dec 09, 2022•57 min•Ep. 206
Remembering Ray, a gruesome injury, a goalie fight (!), running up scores, racking up points, dealing Hunter Haight, and our Prospects of the Week.
Dec 06, 2022•43 min•Ep. 205
He led the 1999 Memorial Cup in scoring and captured the junior hockey championship with that Ottawa 67's team. He carried his "rookie duties" as a badge of honour at every stage of his hockey career. But while recovering after a series of injuries, reality set in for Justin Davis. Was everything he went through actually "normal?" And if it was, why was that considered normal within the culture of the game? The soul-searching led to a full-blown memoir called 'Conflicted Scars: An Average Player...
Dec 02, 2022•52 min•Ep. 204
A premier franchise is performing below expectations, East beasts get beat this weekend, Saginaw is not only hot but the city wants to host the Memorial Cup, the Shane Wright surge, and our Prospects of the Week. Oh, and Cooperalls. Because, Cooperalls.
Nov 29, 2022•42 min•Ep. 203
A storied pro hockey career means, years later, you have a ton of stories to tell. And after crossing paths with Sakic, Sundin, Selanne, and Arbour, you can bet the stories have some star power. But Iain Fraser's story is really more like a lifetime of friendships forged with both teammates and opponents. These friendships continue to this day and just ask anyone about "Fraz" (I asked several people) and watch their face light up. "Smart player who played both ends of the ice so well" and "one o...
Nov 25, 2022•49 min•Ep. 202
Come for the Ryan Callahan speech, stay for the analysis of mouth guard misconducts, big names being moved, fired coaches, and our Prospects of the Week. Lots to chew on in this episode! Just make sure it's not your mouth guard...
Nov 22, 2022•44 min•Ep. 201
His OHL career started with an historically bad team. But even that team, which set a record for single-season futility, taught him the value of a tight-knit group. He'd go on to win an OHL championship, play for some influential coaches, and collect more than a few stories along the way. This episode also features our first-ever cameo, as a former teammate drops in on Adam Colagiacomo to surprise him. "Colly" is still working in the game today, coaching kids and giving them life lessons from hi...
Nov 18, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 200
A lot to discuss this week, including the Brennan Othmann trade, knowing the environment so you know the player, the Bulldogs getting booted from their home rink, NHL teams that got steals in June, our Prospects of the Week...and that time we almost hit a moose near North Bay. It's just another week in the life of the OHL!
Nov 15, 2022•48 min•Ep. 199
The first ever selection made by the expansion Belleville Bulls, Dan Quinn would go on to become a 1st rounder to the NHL. He played for Larry Mavety in Belleville but also Wayne Gretzky...who he would later play *against* in the legendary Battles of Alberta in the 1980s. A close friend of Steve Yzerman, Quinn would also play with Mario Lemieux. From draft interviews at a McDonald's just off the highway to running sandy horse tracks as part of his training, Dan Quinn brings it all on this week's...
Nov 11, 2022•53 min•Ep. 198
A fired coach, our favourite unis, and Erie takes a turn as the top tweeter of the week. Plus, using Shane Wright as an example of why we love the OHL as much as we do, and our Prospects of the Week both hail from the East.
Nov 08, 2022•32 min•Ep. 197
Marc Crawford. George Burnett. Geoff Ward. Those were just a few of the coaches he played for. After a whirlwind career that saw him bounce around the OHL, the now-GOJHL, the Colonial League, and Europe, Matt McGuffin is mature enough to admit that his fondness for "off-ice activities" may have held him back on the ice. Except maybe for that one year in Muskegon...but you'll have to listen to the pod to hear the story. McGuffin is well-travelled as a player and then a scout, making friends along...
Nov 04, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 196
We give Michael Misa his due, and then remember there are rookies not named Misa in the OHL this season. Plus, a stick tap to the people behind teams' social media accounts, trying to figure out the 3 Stars, the place we'd like to see host the 2024 Memorial Cup, and our Prospects of the Week.
Nov 01, 2022•37 min•Ep. 195
He was the 4th overall selection in the 2010 OHL draft, going from his home in the Niagara area to the league's smallest market in Owen Sound. And Jarrod Maidens would cap his rookie season with what is still the biggest goal in Attack franchise history. His sophomore season was marred by injury and despite repeated attempts to return to the game, Maidens was never again the player he once was. That didn't stop the Ottawa Senators from drafting him in the 3rd round in the 2012 NHL draft but Maid...
Oct 28, 2022•46 min•Ep. 194
It's still early...but maybe not too early to be pretty excited in one city (or two?) and pretty concerned in another. Plus, Michael Misa is figuring things out fast (maybe not McDavid fast but still plenty fast compared to his "exceptional" peers), rivalries can extend off the ice and behind the scenes, answering your emails, and introducing the Prospect of the Week. Everything you need this week in the Ontario Hockey League in one, convenient place.
Oct 25, 2022•36 min•Ep. 193
Not too many players can boast a junior career that had stops in both the OHL and the WHL...but Dave Lylyk can. The eventual Taylor Cup champion can also boast about being coached by the likes of Ted Nolan, Bert Templeton, and Craig Hartsburg. Lylyk is the kind of guy you might call a "suitcase" so it should be no surprise that we caught up with him on the road to hear his stories from the game.
Oct 21, 2022•58 min•Ep. 192
Three weeks into the OHL season and the Niagara Ice Dogs have as many wins as the Guelph Storm, Kitchener Rangers, and London Knights combined. Just the way we figured it would be going, right? For what it's worth, the Ice Dogs have also made almost as many trades so far this season (19) as their entire division has wins (20). Again, just like we predicted. Join us as we skate around the OHL's Mid-worst Division, check in on the beasts of the East, and give an early nod to the guy who looks pois...
Oct 18, 2022•27 min•Ep. 191
He played for the so-called "Yankees and Red Sox" of the Midwest Division. He went to the league's head office. He put out fires. And now, for the first time in his hockey career, he's concerned with ticket sales and how to put "bums in seats." Yet somehow, it seems like Joe Birch's story is just beginning. Have a listen to how he ended up where he is, and the passion he still has for the junior game.
Oct 16, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 190
Two weeks into the OHL season and everything makes sense, right? Ottawa is on top, London and Kitchener are at the bottom. and a Pinelli (just not the NHL-drafted Francesco) is tied for the league lead in goals. We discuss the early returns, finally discover the identity of Dan's cousin, rant about what's missing in Ottawa (and shouldn't be), and wonder where the balance of power lies in the OHL these days.
Oct 11, 2022•32 min•Ep. 189
From the Toronto area to the Sudbury Wolves to the Kitchener Rangers to the NHL ... to broadcast television? That's the way it's worked out for Frankie Corrado and, by all indications, it's working out just fine, thank you very much. From his "welcome to the OHL" moment to the pranks that involved the stuffed wolf in Sudbury, to making the transition to television, Frankie brings plenty of laughs to the podcast and hints at a bright broadcasting future ahead.
Oct 07, 2022•51 min•Ep. 188
After what feels like an eternity, we have games. Meaningful, regular season games. And even some East versus West action! It's a wonderful feeling and to celebrate it, we welcome Joey Battaino (VP, Communications and Broadcasting, Saginaw Spirit) and Terry Doyle (Host, OHL Radio and the voice of Sarnia Sting hockey on Your TV) to the pod. We can't talk about #OHLOpeningWeek without mentioning Michael Misa, Goaltender of the Week Benjamin Gaudreau, and more. Like Joey's story about the first tim...
Oct 04, 2022•41 min•Ep. 187
Two of the league's longest-serving broadcasters just so happen to be working for teams that are forever linked in OHL history. In 1989, the Guelph Platers moved to Owen Sound, bringing major junior hockey to Grey County and leaving the Royal City without a team for the first time since 1968. When the Platers arrived in Owen Sound, it opened a broadcasting opportunity for Fred Wallace, the only voice the team has ever known (they became the Attack in 2000). Meantime, in Guelph, major junior hock...
Sep 30, 2022•56 min•Ep. 186
