The Guelph Storm are looking to bounce back after a challenging season, where they finished second-last in the league with a record of 21-38-9. They also allowed the second-most goals against, with a total of 301. The organization is hopeful that their young players are prepared to improve, and they have provided additional support through the 2025 CHL Import Draft.
Guelph originally held the fifth overall pick in the import draft earlier this month, but made a deal with the Flint Firebirds to acquire their second-round import pick, along with one second (2027), two thirds (2026 & 2028), and a sixth-round (2026) OHL draft pick.
On Wednesday, the organization announced that their two selections from the import draft earlier this month have been signed to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.
With the 66th overall selection, Guelph selected forward Simon Belohorsky from Czechia. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he’s already a big kid, considering he won’t be turning 17 until Oct. 18. Seeing as he is a late 2008 birthdate, Belohorsky is another two years out from his NHL draft season, eligible in 2027.
The Czech forward had a fantastic season in the U17 Czechia league, recording 42 points (25 goals, 17 assists) in only 24 games for Bili Tygri Liberec U17 during the 2024-25 season. He finished second on his team in goals by just one, despite playing 19 games fewer than promising 2009-born forward Adam Nemec.
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Belohorsky finished with a 1.75 points per game, tied for fourth-best in the league. He also spent time in the U20 Czechia league, recording 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 10 games for Bili Tygri Liberec U20. Additionally, he represented his country at the 2024 U17 World Challenge and was held pointless through four games.
Belohorsky’s older brother, Matous, had a brief one-year stint with the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL back in the 2015-16 season, after he was drafted 52nd overall by the club in the 2015 CHL Import Draft.
The Storm used their second pick in the second round (84th overall) to select Ukrainian forward Mykhailo Haponenko. He joins North Bay Battalion forward Ihnat Pazii as the only two Ukraine-born players in the OHL for the upcoming season.
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The Kharkiv, Ukraine native played his 2024-25 season over in Norway. He recorded 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists) in 28 games for Forus/Sandnes — a team predominantly made up of Ukrainian players — in the U20 division, and 8 points (2 goals, 6 assists) in 4 games for Stavanger Oilers in the U18 division.
Haponenko, 17, led his U20 team in scoring, finished fourth in the league, and had the highest points per game (1.71) amongst players with a minimum of 20 games played. His late November 2007 birthday makes him eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound left-shot forward played at two international events this past year for his country. He played at the 2024 IIHF U18 Division 1 A World Championship, tying three other teammates for most points with 6 (2 goals, 4 assists) in 5 games, en route to an impressive second-place finish.
Haponenko also played at the 2025 IIHF U20 Division 1 B World Championship, recording 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) in 4 games. He missed Ukraine’s fourth game of the tournament after having served a one-game suspension for boarding in their game against Italy two days prior. Ukraine went 5-0 in the tournament, earning promotion to the Division 1 A for 2026.
Russian defenseman Daniil Skvortsov is expected to return next season to the Storm lineup, and the signings of Belohorsky and Haponenko finalize Guelph’s import player roster for the 2025-26 season.
(Top photo credit: Terry Wilson/OHL Images)
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