The 2026 OHL playoffs are down to four teams. Let's preview each matchup of this season's conference finals.
The 2026 OHL playoffs started with 16 teams and now we’re down to four. It was a quick second round, where the Flint Firebirds and North Bay Battalion were swept. The Soo Greyhounds and Ottawa 67’s didn’t fare much better, both losing in five games.
Now, each conference’s first and second seeds will be playing for a spot in the OHL Finals, getting one step closer to the Memorial Cup.
Eastern Conference Final: Brantford Bulldogs vs Barrie Colts
The Brantford Bulldogs have been a very strong team at all positions all season. The offense is constantly a threat, with five players scoring one point per game.
The Bulldogs are able to take big leads in games at any moment and are able to score clutch goals when games are close. That offense is led by Caleb Malhotra, who has a team leading eight goals in eight games.
The defense is strong, limiting opponents to only two goals in most games this post-season. The goaltending is a brick wall, as starter and Buffalo Sabres prospect Ryerson Leenders has the best playoff goals against average with 1.84 and a stellar .923 save percentage in seven games.
Brantford had the best regular season record in the OHL for a reason and that is showing in their 8-0 playoff record. It will take a lot for the Barrie Colts to be able to take the Bulldogs down but they have the tools to do so.
Cole Beaudoin, prospect of the Utah Mammoth, has a league leading 23 points this post-season. Meanwhile, Emil Hemming, prospect of the Dallas Stars, has 17 points which is tied for third in the league.
Barrie has the best power play in these playoffs, converting almost half the time with a 48.5% success rate with the extra attacker which only adds to their offensive threat.
Backstopping the Colts is Ben Hrebik, who’s been strong in the net. He’s had a 2.34 GAA and a .923 SP in nine games.
The Colts will likely have a fire under them, as they try to have a better performance than what they showed last season when they were swept by the Oshawa Generals in the east final.
Game 1 gets underway on Wednesday in Brantford.
Western Conference Final: Kitchener Rangers vs Windsor Spitfires
The Kitchener Rangers are back in the west final and they’re looking to not get swept again like they were last season by the London Knights. Fortunately, they have the power to make that happen.
Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O’Reilly is tied with Nathan Aspinall of the Flint Firebirds in playoff goal scoring with 10 goals in nine games. Close to him is teammate Dylan Edwards who has eight goals in nine games.
In fact, every Ranger is a scoring threat as all but one skater that have played eight or more games this post-season have at least one point to their name.
Kitchener has a strong defense as well, especially on the power play. The team’s 87% on the penalty kill is the third best in the playoffs.
Unfortunately for Kitchener, the second best penalty kill percentage belongs to the Windsor Spitfires at 88.5%. Windsor has also allowed the second fewest goals this post-season with 16.
The Spitfires’ defense only improves when their starter Joey Costanzo is added to the conversation. The OHL goaltender of the year finalist has a 2.00 GAA and a .919 SP in eight games.
Windsor isn’t all about defense though, as they have scoring talent across their roster. There is only one skater that’s played all eight games that doesn’t have at least one point in these playoffs. The scoring is led by Philadelphia Flyers prospect Jack Nesbitt who has six goals and nine points along with New York Rangers prospect Liam Greentree who has five goals and 10 points.
Kitchener hosts Game 1 on Friday.