London has become the first OHL team to clinch a playoff spot, but who's next?
The London Knights have clinched a playoff spot — the first team to do so this season. They have clinched with a record of 38-11-3 and 79 points.
Now that the first spot has been clinched, who's next?
Trailing the London Knights by just two points is the Saginaw Spirit, who have a record of 38-13-1. The Memorial Cup hosts have a lot riding on this season with their load up at the deadline, but they haven't been able to overtake the Knights in the standings.
On paper, Saginaw has the best team in the OHL. With Owen Beck, Matyas Sapovaliv, Hunter Haight, Michael Misa, Josh Bloom, Zayne Parekh, Jorian Donovan — the list goes on. They have a team that is capable of winning an OHL Championship, but will they be able to beat London?
With a win tonight, the Spirit will clinch a playoff spot.
Over in the East, it is the Sudbury Wolves leading the way. The Wolves are two points up on the Brantford Bulldogs. Sudbury has a record of 30-15-3, and 66 points.
The trio of Dalibor Dvorsky, David Goyette, and Quentin Musty have taken the Wolves far this year. Their centre depth is impeccable with Dvorsky, Goyette, Pharand, Villeneuve, and Giroux all natural centres. They also made some key additions on the blue line with Donovan McCoy & Noah Van Vliet.
This is Sudbury's second straight season as contenders, and it might just be time for them to put pen to paper with their current roster.
The "supposedly" rebuilding Brantford Bulldogs have had a season nothing like expected. Their young core looked like it was going to take them into a rebuilding season as bottom feeders, but instead they have been atop the league standings. Marek Vanacker, Florian Xhekaj, Nick Lardis, & Jake O'Brien have been leading the way offensively, and they have consistently found a way to outscore opponents.
Another strong contender in the West is the Soo Greyhounds. The Soo began the season red hot. They have died down a bit since, but they still remain one of the top teams in the OHL with 71 points and 3rd place in the West. They picked up Gavin Hayes & Jacob Frasca at the deadline to add to their offensive depth.
All four of these teams have the potential to be the next club to clinch an OHL playoff spot. All four are key contenders, and will look to have deep playoff runs.