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Generals Goaltender Registers 100th OHL Win
Overage goaltender Jacob Oster went into the Generals' final regular-season game just one win shy of achieving a historic feat. At the end of the game, he left the arena as the sixth goaltender in OHL history to record 100 wins during their career.
Oster, who was born in Manotick, Ont. grew up in the Ottawa area playing under Hockey Eastern Ontario. The Guelph Storm ended up drafting him in the fifth round of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.
In the two years he played for Guelph, he recorded 25 wins before being traded to Oshawa during the 2022-23 season.
While he started his career in Guelph, Oshawa is where he made his name. The Generals have leaned heavily on Oster over the last two seasons, putting him between the pipes on 113 of 136 possible occasions. He won a total of 67 games for the Generals in that time while maintaining a save percentage above .900 and a goals-against average below 3.00.
His play earned him the OHL Goaltender of the Year award during the 2023-24 season when he backstopped Oshawa to the finals of the OHL Playoffs.
Oster's 100th win came against the Peterborough Petes in a game where he made 31 saves on 33 shots while allowing just two goals. 2007-born forward Owen Griffin, who is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, scored his first OHL hattrick, helping the Generals win by a score of 5-2.
With the regular season over, Oster and the Generals will start their playoff run on Friday. They will play the Brampton Steelheads in what could be one of the most explosive series in the first round.
The series promises not only the high-flying offense of players like Porter Martone, Beckett Sennecke, Calum Ritchie and Carson Rehkopf, but also a goaltending duel between Oster and Jack Ivankovic.
Statistically, Oster has a slight edge over Ivankovic. The 2.81 goals-against average he averaged during the regular season is slightly higher than Ivankovic's 3.05. Similarly, Oster's save percentage of .904 is just barely ahead of Ivankovic's .903.
Only time will tell which of the two goaltenders will come out ahead in the coming series. Whether the Generals win or not, Oster's name will go down in the OHL history books as being part of a very small group of players to get 100 wins during their career.
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Maple Leafs Prospect Easton Cowan Catching Fire As Playoffs Loom
The rain is pouring in Toronto as the Maple Leafs navigate the challenges of establishing their identity and securing victories following the NHL trade deadline.
Fortunately for their fans, the organization decided to retain their number-one prospect, Easton Cowan, who has been catching fire as the OHL playoffs approach.
Cowan's historic 65-game regular season point streak ended on Feb. 7, against the Peterborough Petes. After that, he had just five points in his next six games, an underwhelming stat line for the reigning regular season and playoff MVP.
What's scarier than the London Knights in the playoffs? How about their top forward getting hot offensively right before the big dance?
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Despite London losing 8-5 to the Windsor Spitfires on Sunday, which was a massive win for Windsor where they put their stake in the ground for being the top team, Cowan extended his point streak to nine games.
During this recent nine-game stretch, Cowan has registered nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points and is +6. Eight out of the nine games have been multi-point performances.
There have been multiple big-game performances by the Maple Leafs prospect as well while on his recent heater.
Cowan scored a hat trick and netted the overtime game-winner against the Oshawa Generals on Mar. 2, marking a rematch of the 2024 OHL Finals. He scored one goal on the powerplay, another while shorthanded, and the third at even strength, leading the Knights to a 4-3 victory.
Cowan followed up that game with a two-goal night against the top team in the East, Brantford Bulldogs, on Mar. 5. Once again, he scored a goal on the powerplay and one shorthanded.
Lastly, Cowan recorded back-to-back four-assist performances against the Sarnia Sting and Guelph Storm on Mar. 9 and Mar. 11. Six of the eight assists in those two games were primary helpers.
Cowan is up to 29 goals and 39 assists for 68 points in 45 games on the season. It hasn't been an MVP-like season for the Maple Leaf prospect, but it's no surprise to see him start to elevate his game with the playoffs right around the corner.
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Anaheim Ducks Top Prospect Suspended For Slew Foot
The Ontario Hockey League suspended one of the league's most skilled forwards, and it's a suspect decision at best.
Oshawa Generals' star winger Beckett Sennecke — Anaheim Ducks' third overall pick from the 2024 NHL draft — received a match penalty for a slew foot in the second period against the Ottawa 67's on Friday, Mar. 14.
After Sennecke finished his hit behind Ottawa's net, he re-engaged in the board battle but took out 67's defenseman Matthew Mayich from behind, which the referees deemed was a slew foot.
The play can be seen in the video below.
This was very timid and far from egregious compared to other slew foot infractions. It's still a reckless play, but probably only worthy of a two-minute minor for tripping.
The OHL disagreed and assessed an automatic two-game suspension to Sennecke.
A match penalty is usually only given when the player's infraction on the play resulted in an injury. Mayich got up a little gingerly, but he skated off on his own power and was not injured on the play.
The Generals' forward's two-game suspension was an odd call. Regardless, because Sennecke was ejected from the game before the ten-minute mark in the second period, he served one game of his suspension that night.
Oshawa was already shorthanded to start the game, missing star centerman Calum Ritchie and defenseman Andrew Gibson. They would go on to lose 3-2 to the 67's.
The Generals were without Sennecke for their Sunday tilt against the Sudbury Wolves. They missed his offensive flair, but pulled out the 3-2 win to stay within reaching range of the Brantford Bulldogs for first in the East as we enter the last week of regular season play.
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Sharks Prospects Thriving In The OHL
Brighter days lie ahead for San Jose Sharks fans based on the performance of four of their prospects in the OHL this season.
There hasn't been a ton to cheer about in San Jose this season as the Sharks sit last in the NHL. Most fans are choosing to concentrate on the emergence of young stars like Macklin Celbrinni, William Eklund and Will Smith.
For those looking for more information on the Sharks prospects look no further than the OHL! Of the 18 picks San Jose made at the last two NHL Drafts, four played in the OHL this season.
Quentin Musty - Sudbury Wolves - 2023 First-Round Pick
Musty finished the 2023-24 OHL season fourth in league scoring and second on the Wolves with 102 points in 53 games. Disappointingly, the team flamed out in the first round of the playoffs resulting in a coaching change.
Coming into 2024-25 Musty was adamant that he would not play for Sudbury, demanding a trade.
Ultimately, there was no trade, and Musty joined the team in November. In 32 games, Musty has scored a stunning 29 goals and a total of 58 points. His 1.8 points per game would result in 123 points over the course of a full season which would easily land him in the top-10 scorers in the OHL.
At 6-foot-2, Musty is an elite offensive player with a laser for a shot and excellent hands. Due to his speed, he is a player who can hurt opposing teams all over the ice with his skill set.
While he can be devastating on the powerplay, he also excels at scoring at even strength with more than half of his points coming at even strength during his draft year.
At 19, he complements the young core in San Jose, and is a guy who will complement San Jose's young core extremely well and provide them with size and scoring.
Kasper Halttunen - London Knights - 2023 Second-Round Pick
Halttunen started the season in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda and performed admirably in the six games he played. The right-handed forward scored two goals and added two assists during his time with the Barracuda.
The Finnish forward has spent the last two seasons in London playing under Head Coach Dale Hunter. In 91 OHL games, Halttunen has 98 points maintaining an average of 1.08 points per game.
He also plays on London's top powerplay unit where he delivers explosive one-timers from the left side of the ice.
The big forward also comes with the ability to play a heavy game, bullying his opponents with his size and delivering crunching hits.
During last year's playoffs, this style served him well resulting in 17 goals and nine assists in 18 games on the way to an OHL Championship.
Even at this early stage in his career, Halttunen has played in a lot of big games. In 2021 he helped Sweden win a bronze medal at the U-18 World Junior Championship, before helping the U-20 team win a silver at the last World Junior Championship.
Overall, Halttunen brings a unique combination of skill and physical play that could make him an effective power forward in the NHL. He could be an excellent depth player for the Sharks in the future.
Sam Dickinson - London Knights - 2024 First-Round Pick
The eleventh overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft lit the world on fire to start the OHL season. He was not only the top-scoring defenseman in the league going into the break, he was a top-five scorer as well.
Since the World Juniors, Dickinson's torrid scoring pace has cooled slightly resulting in a total of 27 goals and 55 assists through 51 games played. He is second in scoring amongst OHL defenders trailing only Zayne Parekh.
This total far exceeds the 70 points he scored in 68 games last season. Impressively, only 12 of his goals come on the powerplay meaning that more than half of his goals were scored at even strength.
The 6-foot-3 defender could be the whole package. He excels at joining the rush while his hockey IQ and puck moving skills are excellent. He can also play a physical game while shutting down the opposing team's top scorers.
Though plus-minus is a flawed stat, Dickinson leads the league with a plus-61 on the season. It's also the highest plus-minus in the CHL.
Dickinson has the potential to be a number one defender on an NHL team. While he isn't there yet, he could be ready to make an impact in the NHL in the coming years.
Igor Chernyshov - Saginaw Spirit - 2024 Second-Round Pick
The Russian forward joined Saginaw in the second half of the year and has taken the league by storm. In just 18 games Chernyshov has 17 goals and 27 assists for a stunning 44 points.
He's averaged 2.44 points per game during his extremely short tenure in the OHL. At that pace he would score 64 goals and a total of 166 points in a single season.
For context, that kind of a season would place Chernyshov third in the rankings for most points in a single OHL season. Only John Goodwin (1980-1) and Doug Gilmour (1982-3) scored more points in a single season.
However, all of this is irrelevant as Chernyshov was unavailable for the beginning of the year due to injury.
At 6-foot-3, Chernyshov is another big forward with tons of offensive potential. He plays an uncomplicated game that is augmented by strong hands and a strong shot.
Interestingly, he played in the KHL last season and is still adjusting to the smaller ice in North America. It should be noted that playing in the KHL at 18 is a big accomplishment.
Ultimately, these are four players Sharks fans should be excited about. They have played huge roles on their OHL teams and shown up big time on scoreboards throughout the season.
If they continue to develop, these players could be joining a young Sharks group in the near future. Not only are they all skilled, but they are all big, which will help them adjust to playing against NHL players.
It remains to be seen how they will develop, but if they do, they will help usher in a new era in Sharks history.
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The OHL's Deadliest Duo: Ilya Protas and Liam Greentree
This OHL season we have witnessed individual players hit some incredible milestones in terms of points. Look no further than 2007-born forward Michael Misa who is on pace to finish the season with 135 points which would make him the 12th highest scoring 12-year-old in OHL history.
Meanwhile, Nick Lardis' 70 goals places him seventh on the all-time list in terms of goals scored in a single OHL season. If he manages to hit 76 (which he is on pace to do), he will take fifth place away from none other than John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While we've devoted ample time to covering these achievements, there are others that deserve a bit more attention. Namely, who is the deadliest forward tandem in the OHL right now?
That question has one emphatic answer: Ilya Protas and Liam Greentree of the Windsor Spitfires.
With 45 goals apiece, the pair have scored a combined 118 points for their team with Greentree leading the pair by just two assists. A more balanced partnership you couldn't find.
"They're very dynamic together," said Spitfires Head Coach Greg Walters. "We're lucky to have both of them."
Ilya Protas
Protas, a 6-foot-5 Belarussian forward, is in the midst of his first OHL campaign after playing for Des Moines in the USHL last season.
During his rookie campaign in Des Moines, Protas finished third in rookie scoring with 51 points in 61 games. The Washington Capitals selected the big forward with a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
"Ilya plays up the middle," said Walters. "He has a very high end hockey sense and an NHL stick away from the puck ... He's very mature defensively and is very patient."
Walters uses Protas in all situations, putting him out both on the power play and penalty kill. Due to this kind of usage, Protas averages over 22 minutes a night, which is the second most on the team.
Now in just under 60 OHL games, Protas has recorded 108 points which is just under a two point-per-game average.
"My goal was kind of around this number," said Protas. "I didn't really expect I would get there, but I am happy I did."
In talking about Protas, Greentree was quick to describe their play on ice as dynamic.
"We know each other's game and play off each other," said Greentree. "When I'm not having a good night, he definitely brings me up and the same is true the other way."
Based on this season, Protas looks to be an absolute steal for Washington in the draft. His size, skill and hockey sense could easily mean he becomes an impact player at the next level.
Liam Greentree
Greentree, a 6-foot-4 forward, was the LA Kings' first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. He's currently in the midst of his third season with Windsor and his second season as team captain.
"Liam is a powerful, rugged forward who fights and has a great shot," said Walters. "His 200-foot game has come so far since the start of the year. We're really proud of him."
The Oshawa native leads the tandem in points with 110 points in 60 games, which is just under a two-point-per-game average. This total is already 20 points higher than his 90 point finish last season.
The young star has 24 points in his last 10 games, meaning he has averaged 2.4 points per game during that time. That is a better points per game than Misa (1.8) in the same time period.
"We had chemistry right away," said Protas. "What I saw right away was his offensive potential ... He protects pucks and creates offensive opportunities."
Like Protas, Greentree plays big minutes for Windsor in all situations. He averages just under 22 minutes a night.
Greentree's rugged style of play is one of the things Kings fans will love about this young player. He has no fear going into corners and doing whatever is necessary to win games for his team. While this does result in him averaging roughly two penalty minutes per game, it also has a heavy impact on opposing teams.
Looking Ahead
These two big young forwards are wrecking balls that go to work creating offense all over the ice while helping their team to keep pucks out of their net. Together, they have done so much to help Windsor reach their current heights.
Their 90 combined goals accounts for 32.6 percent of Windsor's total goals this season. It's remarkable that both players are on pace to finish the season with 50 goals.
The only tandem of forwards that comes close to their production is Nick Lardis and Patrick Thomas, who are a handful of points behind the Windsor duo.
Whatever team comes up against the Spitfires in the playoffs will undoubtedly need to come up with a plan to deal with Protas and Greentree or risk having them run rampant.
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Follow all OHL news at https://thehockeynews.com/ohl/GraemeNov 29, 2024
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