A quick stop in Kitchener before a trade to North Bay. Bert Templeton. The Punch-up in Piestany. A 7-game OHL final versus Oshawa. And all of that before a pro career that saw him play more than 500 NHL games, including a wild season where he played for a team in every division in the league. The well-travelled Dave McLlwain joins the show. The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending .
And then there were four. One of us is crushing this year's playoff predictions, one of us is a little behind. Plus, several OHL'ers stand up to be counted at the U18's, it's London vs The World, and we've got some surprising Performers of the Week.
He played in the Soo. He coached in the Soo. And in between those milestones, he skated in almost 600 NHL games, was one of the longest-serving captains in Minnesota North Stars history, and picked up a couple of gold medals with Team Canada at the World Juniors. Enjoy this episode with Craig Hartsburg, which includes one of the greatest references to Gordon Lightfoot you're ever likely to hear.
Another OHL draft is in the books, a Coach of the Year is named, the West is set, and the East adds some excitement. We're almost down to the final four, which promises some of the best hockey we've seen all season.
He scored one of the biggest goals in Peterborough Petes history. He was a part of, arguably, the best OHL championship ever, a 7-game thriller that ended in overtime. And everywhere he's played -- junior, USports, and pro -- he's won a championship. Now, Mike Martone is watching his son come through the OHL, and he still makes his home in the community that adopted him when he was a Pete. Hop aboard the Nostalgia Express and pick up some new stories from the game's biggest names, and biggest mo...
The deeper into the playoffs we go, the greater the focus on officiating. We have fines! But were they justified? Saginaw has a hill to climb, the Colts and Petes steal home ice, and our Performers of the Week. The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending .
From his home in the Maritimes to the Ontario Hockey League and the start of a promising hockey career that was only cut short by injury (that didn't stop him from playing against Joe Sakic at the old Colisee, though). If you ask him now, Jake Grimes will tell you that coaching is the next best thing to being on the ice. Grimes is well-known for spending considerable time alongside George Burnett, from Belleville to Guelph. But there are also stops in Peterborough and in the Q before settling wh...
A first round of predictions that was almost as successful as the 8th seeded Kitchener Rangers were in Round One. Okay, maybe not that successful but, along with our predictions, the Rangers gave us an historic storyline. So did the OHL's Office of Discipline. We've got one more Prospect of the Week for you as we look ahead to June's NHL draft and, yes, of course we're now predicting the winners in Round Two.
Second overall into the O. Sixth overall into The Show. And former Sudbury Wolves defenceman Adam Bennett has a boatload of stories from the OHL's Lindros era, the D partner that made him successful, playing in the old Chicago stadium, and the knee injury that derailed his promising career. Today, Bennett draws on all of that experience to help players with the mental side of the game. It will be hard to have a bad day of your own after listening to this.
The first weekend of the playoffs is in the books and we're all clear on the clear surprise so far, right? We talk about that, playoff discipline, a bizarre decision from the Commissioner's office, pay-to-play, the 2024 Memorial Cup hosts and, yes, even our Prospects of the Week. There's a lot to cover and a lot more fun before this first round is finished.
With Brantford coming back to the OHL, we turn this week to a former Alexander. But not just any former Alexander. No, we're turning to the guy whose billet brother was Bob Probert, the guy who jumped from Brantford to the NHL as a 19-year old, and the guy who insists Harold Ballard is mostly a misunderstood character and, really, a nice guy! Anyone who cut their teeth watching NHL hockey in the 1980s is sure to know the name Allan Bester, and the former Alexanders, Leafs, Wings, and Stars goali...
We preview the first round of the playoffs. What, you need more?? Fine, we also talk about a remarkable comeback/collapse, the practice of "resting players," our Prospects of the Week, and the significance of the number 900 (and one).
From Oshawa to the Soo to a pro career that included stops in Nashville, Dallas, and Toronto. And, really, that's only the beginning. If you were to Google Nathan Perrott's name today, he'd be described as "a Canadian professional boxer." While it's true that Perrott punched his way through junior and the pros, there was more to the player than his penalty minutes. What he's really doing today is fire fighting, and taking every opportunity to share his old hockey stories in an effort to grow the...
Yup, we talk about fighting. And neither of us is convinced that what we'll hear from the Q this summer will really be a "ban" in the strictest sense of the word. In spirit, though? Well, that's a different story, and you can listen to hear the entire thing. We also highlight the player who may well be too good for this league right now, the team that looks the most dangerous as the playoffs approach, and feature our Prospects of the Week.
The Attack weren't always the Attack. The team originally relocated to Grey County as the Platers but when the nickname changed, the player who led that first Attack team in scoring was Shawn Snider. He came from the Soo Greyhounds and would finish his career in Sudbury before going on to win a national championship with St. FX. From there, it was off to the pros -- where Cory Pecker's name kept popping up. Snider can now be found behind the bench, coaching some of the brightest lights in the ga...
It's all about discipline and the consistency with which it is applied. We discuss the possibility of reducing the workload of the disciplinarians and broadening our perspectives when it comes to handing out suspensions. Plus, defining the slew foot, assessing The Misfits, updating arenas, and our Prospects of the Week.
He was a first overall pick into the Ontario Hockey League and his junior career took him to Toronto, Guelph, and London. But that was just the beginning. Drafted by Washington, he didn't sign and was drafted a second time by Colorado where he joined an Avalanche team that featured the likes of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. After bouncing around the AHL, it was off to Europe for several years. And if you ask Charlie Stephens today, he'll probably say that he's not yet officially retired because ...
The surging Guelph Storm make for a crowded Western Conference, everything you needed to know about instant replay in the OHL, the Erie Otters go the distance during an 8-game road trip, we answer your emails (to address noise in arenas and a new home for the Sudbury Wolves), and our Prospects of the Week. The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending .
He holds the Ottawa 67's rookie record for goals in a season with 44. In his last junior season, he won the OHL scoring title with 166 points ... in just 52 games. He's regarded as one of the Top 50 Ottawa 67's in franchise history. And that's just the beginning for Jim Fox, who was drafted 10th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 1980, played almost 600 NHL games, and then moved into the broadcast booth where he remains today. From his blue collar beginnings in Coniston, Ontario to the bright l...
Questionable hits leave no question about a lack of respect, milestones in Barrie, supporting Indigenous hockey, a small pet peeve about peeing-on-demand after a game, getting more bums into more seats, a listener's vision for a realigned league (hint: it's pretty damn good), and our Prospects of the Week. There's a lot to cover as we enter the final four weeks of the regular season.
He racked up more than 300 penalty minutes over a four-year OHL career, while playing for three different teams. And then he made one of the most abrupt U-turns you can imagine. Cameron Lizotte, OHL champion (Erie) and Toronto Maple Leafs training camp attendee, is now an award-winning fashion designer. Oh, and he makes all of his own clothes. And if you think that's the only story, you haven't heard anything yet. The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending ....
The incredible Zayne Parekh, how Hardie will top them all in Mississauga, Butler's perfect script in Erie, the impact of playing without Misa and Wright, our Prospects of the Week...and is the OHL's model franchise the one you'd least expect to be the OHL's model franchise? Here's looking at you, Soo, as we inch closer to the playoffs. The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending .
He's one of only a handful of players who suited up for each of the Canadians, Raiders, and Frontenacs teams in Kingston. And with a maverick owner in his first year, Geoff Schneider saw his share of strange things as he tried to adapt to the OHL. Not only did he stick around, he thrived, eventually earning the 'C' in Kingston, establishing a franchise record for the fastest two goals scored, and leaving us all wondering if the 1990 Memorial Cup would have been different...if only those pesky Be...
A coaching change in Kitchener, the "Battle of the Ottawa River" leaves too many teams on the shore, simplifying the 3 Stars, and our Prospects of the Week. Tune in for the best takes about what's going on around the league, and let us know what you think by sending us an email: ohlpodcast@rogers.com. The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending .
If you look at the 1981 NHL entry draft, you'll see only one name selected ahead of this week's guest. Dale Hawerchuk went first overall to Winnipeg, and then Doug Smith was selected by the Los Angeles Kings. That fact alone speaks to the whirlwind that was Smitty's career, from being one of the highest scorers with the Ottawa 67's, to being an impact player in the NHL. He even set up the game-winning goal in the Miracle on Manchester, the Kings' playoff comeback over Edmonton that remains to th...
Brantford welcomes the Bulldogs, refs have bad nights, too, and Niagara draws a crowd ... just not in the Media Room. The Inbox is open after you hear this rant! The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending (http://www.mattsmithgoaltending.com/).
It's hard to describe exactly who Scott Clark is because his career is just so varied. A prairie boy who interned with the Regina Pats, then attended Durham College in Oshawa, and then embarked on a front office career with the Gens, Greyounds, Gens (again), Hockey Canada, and so much more. Today, Clark is in the collectibles game! But if it's one thing we're sure of, it's that Clark can spin a yarn. A really entertaining yarn, including being in the room when the offer was made to the Soo for t...
Butler is back. The OHL's stars shine at the Top Prospects Game. A couple of teams forgot what they did at the trade deadline. And our Prospects of the Week (weirdly, we go to the same team...just not the same player). The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending (http://www.mattsmithgoaltending.com/)
He followed in his father's footsteps not only in name but in hockey, emerging as a talented player in Windsor before really blooming in Plymouth. But that was where head coach Pete DeBoer delivered the message Smith wasn't yet ready to hear, the trade to Kitchener, and the downward spiral. Smith also followed in his father's footsteps of addiction, and ruined his chances of making it to the NHL. It's a brutally honest story that has a storybook ending and, as it turns out, Smith isn't done teac...
Are today's athletes coddled? How do coaches extract maximum discipline and adherence to a system or culture if bag skates are frowned upon? We discuss these questions while also diving into a discussion about treating coaches as people, teams who found value at the trade deadline, responses to your emails, and our Prospects of the Week. The OHL Podcast is presented by Matt Smith Goaltending (www.mattsmithgoaltending.com)....
