On Monday, the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL announced the signing of Finnish forward Oscar Hemming.
Just barely 17 years old and already 6’4” and 190 lbs, Hemming is sure to be a physical presence and he has some offensive abilities as well.
“Oscar is a high end player and one of the top Finnish players in the age group,” said Kitchener GM Mike McKenzie. “He brings a unique blend of size, physicality, hockey sense and scoring. We are really excited to welcome Oscar and the Hemming family to the Rangers and look forward to seeing him develop in a Ranger uniform.”
At the recently completed Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Hemming had four goals and six points, leading the fourth-placed Finns in each category. After the tournament, The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy ranked him 21st out of prospects available for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Hemming is the younger brother of Emil Hemming, the Dallas Stars’ first-round pick in 2024 who played last season with the Barrie Colts. It’s unclear at this point whether the elder Hemming will return to the OHL this season, but the Rangers and Colts are scheduled to meet on Oct. 25 in Kitchener and on Jan. 2 in Barrie. Those two games might give fans a chance to see the sibling rivalry in action.
Despite being two years younger, Oscar already has a two-inch height advantage over 19-year-old Emil.
“He has a better shot and those things, but I think I have the physicality advantage and a better hockey IQ than him,” Oscar smirked when asked during the Hlinka Gretzky Cup to compare himself to his brother.