A look at seven 67's prospects that have a shot at making the roster to start the season.
A look at seven 67's prospects that have a shot at making the roster to start the season.
In the regular coarse of events, every OHL team makes changes before entering a new season. Overaged players move on, trades are made and new draft picks make their entrance onto the OHL stage.
It can therefore be expected that the 2024-25 Ottawa 67's roster will be rather different than last year given the changes that have already occurred and those that may yet come.
Overage players Samuel Mayer, Braeden Kressler and Jacob Maillet will be moving on with their hockey careers having aged out of Major Juniors.
Additionally, Ottawa completed a trade with Kingston last week that swapped Finnish forward Tuomas Uronen for several draft picks.
Finally, each team is only allowed to carry four overaged (2004-born) players this upcoming season. Of those four, they can only start three in any given game. Last year's team had seven 2004-born players on the roster.
Here are some of the players to watch when the 67's camp gets started in towards the end of August.
Jaeden Nelson - '07 Goalie - Navan Grads CCHL
The 67's drafted Nelson with the first pick in the fourth round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. The young goaltender spent last season in the CCHL where he won the Boggart Cup with the Navan Grads. Not only did the team win, but Nelson amassed a long list of personal accolades while setting the league on fire.
"Jaeden is extremely poised and confident in the net," said Navan Head Coach Marty Abrams. "He has a knack for making the big save at the right time and thrives under pressure."
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Nelson won 25 of the 37 games he played in while averaging only 2.57 goals against and recording a .921 save percentage. Very impressive numbers for a 16-year-old.
He played two games for Ottawa last season but failed to register a win.
Both Ian Michelone and Collin Mackenzie are 2004-born goaltenders. Given how well Nelson performed at the Junior A level, he will have every chance to fight for a spot on next year's goalie tandem.
Kaleb Dietsch - '07 Defenseman - Ottawa Jr Senators CCHL
The barber poles selected Dietsch with the 46th pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. He spent part of last season playing for the Ottawa Jr Senators in the CCHL.
At 6'2, Dietsch is a big defender with great skating ability and defensive skills. He makes a great first pass to help his team exit the zone, and can tough it out physically in front of his own net.
In 28 games at the Junior A level he scored two goals and added six assists for eight points.
Dietsch played in seven games with the 67's last season and did not register a point.
There may be some space available on the Ottawa D-corps next year. Thomas Sirman, Derek Smyth and Matthew Mayich are all overaged players. With a solid effort in training camp, Dietsch could win himself a depth role on the team.
Chase Yanni - '07 Forward - Ottawa Jr Senators CCHL
The 67's took Yanni with the last pick in the third round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. Yanni played most of last season with the Ottawa Jr Senators in the CCHL.
Yanni's raw skill is very impressive. He has slick hands and a strong shot. He has good straight away speed, though he could add a bit more quickness and jump to his game.
Yanni struggled with some injuries in the middle of the season, but in 25 games played he scored six goals and added seven assists for 13 points in the CCHL.
Towards the end of the OHL season, Yanni got into more games with the 67's. In 10 games, he scored one goal and had four points.
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The forward seemed to hit his stride as the season went on and rapidly improved in the second half.
Given his usage last season, and a solid showing at the upcoming training camp, Yanni may have the inside track to a roster spot at the beginning of next season.
Shaan Kingwell - '07 Forward - Navan Grads
Kingwell went to Ottawa with the 222nd pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. He is a skilled forward with a nose for the back of the net. He has solid hands and performed very well for Navan last season.
"Shaan brings tremendous skill and offense to the lineup," said Abrams. "He makes the players around him better and is a great teammate."
Kingwell had a tremendous rookie season with Navan and likely would have been named rookie of the year had it not been for teammate Jaeden Nelson.
He led all CCHL rookies in scoring with 22 goals and 16 assists in 52 games. At the Centennial Cup, Kingwell scored four goals in five games before Navan was eliminated.
The skilled forward can clearly score. Abrams commented that like many elite goal scorers, the puck seems to follow Kingwell around at times .
Kingwell's impressive CCHL season will ensure that eyes will be on him during the 67's training camp. The biggest thing working against him may be that he is slightly undersized at 5-foot-11.
Nathan Amidovski - '08 Forward - Barrie Colts U-16 AAA
The 67's selected Amidovski with the 11th overall pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. At 6'2 he is a big forward with great offensive instincts and scoring ability.
Amidovski signed a development agreement with the team back in April shortly after the draft.
The left winger's size is the first thing that stands out. At 6-foot-2 he is likely to continue to grow. Better yet, Amidovski understands how to use his size to drive the net and shield the puck.
His next best attribute is his speed, which when combined with his size makes him a very dangerous player.
"Nathan projects well at the next level," said Director of OHL Central Scouting Darrell Woodley in a profile on the young forward. "He's got all the physical aspects and the skill."
Last season in Barrie, he scored 40 goals and added 29 assists for an impressive 69 points in 33 games played.
The first-round pick definitely has a strong chance of making the team come training camp due to his size and ability.
Kohyn Eshkawkogan - '08 Defenseman - North York Rangers U-16 AAA
Eshkawkogan was the second player selected by Ottawa in the first-round of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. After being selected 21st overall, the right-handed defender signed a development agreement with the team in May.
At 5-foot-10, Eshkawkogan is small for an OHL defender. He has been described as an efficient defender with excellent skating ability by 67's GM James Boyd.
In 76 games played with the North York Rangers last season, he scored 13 goals and added a staggering 52 assists. At the OHL Cup he played in six games scoring one goal and six assists.
As a defender, Eshkawkogan will have to overcome his size. If he can prove that he can physically compete with older and larger players, the team will benefit from his puck movement and skating ability.
Jordan Perrier - '08 Forward - Ottawa Valley Titans U-16 AAA
In the second-round of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection, the 67's selected Ottawa-native Jordan Perrier.
"He is an elite skater and shooter," said Perrier's former coach Jordan Johnson. "When he plays against higher-level competition, his pace of play, energy and two-way game shows."
It's always exciting to see a local player with a chance to make the team. Perrier's offense and skating ability are strong assets that the team will be interested in.
In 29 games played last season, Perrier scored 16 goals and added 28 assists for 44 points.
Perrier thrives in high-pressure situations. During the playoffs he scored seven goals and added eight assists for 15 total points in 11 games. Similarly, at the OHL Cup, he scored two goals and a total of six points in just four games.
If Perrier leans on his natural skill and showcases his drive and compete level, then he has a chance to make the 67's opening roster.