NEWS

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) today announced its 2019-20 OHA Top Prospects.

Four of the six players are NCAA Division 1 bound skaters from the Ontario Junior Hockey League:

 

OHA TOP PROSPECTS – 2019-20

RYAN ALEXANDER - TOP PROSPECT - FORWARD

St. Michael’s Buzzers (OJHL)

In 2019-20, Ryan Alexander (Toronto, Ont.) showed the OJHL why he is one of the most dynamic and skilled players in the league. Alexander, 17, starred and won silver with Team Canada East at the 2019 World Jr. A Challenge in British Columbia and finished the regular season with 58 points (18G/40A) in 45 games. His point total placed him third in scoring on the St. Michael’s Buzzers. Alexander continued to be productive at the 2019 OJHL All-Star celebration, where he had three points (2G/1A) for Team Shore in the OJHL All Star Prospect game, tying four other players for most points at the All-Star game. The 5’10” 180 pound forward was later selected to play in the CJHL Top Prospects Game and was ranked 161st by NHL Central Scouting for the upcoming NHL Draft. Alexander helped the Buzzers to a first-round sweep of the Toronto Patriots where he scored seven points (2G/5A), which led all forwards in points. The Toronto, Ont. native has committed to Arizona State University and he will begin playing NCAA Division I hockey in 2021-22. He was also a third-round pick of the OHL Erie Otters in 2018. 

 

RYAN TVERBERG - TOP PROSPECT - FORWARD

Toronto Jr. Canadiens (OJHL)

In his first full OJHL season, Ryan Tverberg (Toronto, Ont.) had a huge impact and was a big reason the Toronto Junior Canadiens finished first in the OJHL’s South Division. Tverberg finished fourth in scoring on a veteran team, with 51 points (26G/25A) in 47 games. The 17-year-old Toronto native was selected to play in the first-ever OJHL All Star Celebration Prospects Game, scoring one goal for Team Shore, in November. He also played as an AP for the Junior Canadiens in 2018-19. This past season, Tverberg played in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Prospects game, held in Hamilton, Ont. He was also on the silver-medal winning Team Canada East at the 2019 World Jr. A Challenge in British Columbia. The 5’11” 170 pound centre is committed to Harvard University for the 2020-21 season. Tverberg is draft eligible and was ranked the 140th North American Skater by NHL Central Scouting in its final rankings. Tverberg appeared in each edition of the rankings throughout the season. He was also selected 229th overall by the Hamilton Bulldogs in the 2018 Ontario Hockey League draft.

 

COLE O’HARA - TOP PROSPECT - FORWARD

North York Rangers (OJHL)
Cole O’Hara (Toronto, Ont.) was one of the North York Rangers top players this season and he co-led the team in points with 64 (21G/43A). His 64 points had the 18-year-old forward tied for 13th in League scoring. O’Hara’s Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) career began with the North York Rangers in 2018-19. O’Hara was ranked 170th in NHL Central Scouting’s final draft rankings. His rookie season in the OJHL saw him contribute 11 goals and 42 points. O’Hara, a right winger, played for Team Canada East at the 2019 World Jr. A Challenge in British Columbia where he tallied two goals and one assist in five games. For a consecutive season, O’Hara was named to the OJHL’s First Team All-Prospect team. In 2018-19, O’Hara was named a Second Team All-Prospect. He was drafted 198th overall by the Hamilton Bulldogs in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection draft and was also taken 142nd overall by the Tri-City Storm in the 2019 USHL Entry Draft. 

 

BRENDAN KENNETTE - TOP PROSPECT - DEFENCEMAN

Burlington Cougars (OJHL) 

Brendan Kennette (Belle River, Ont.) played a big role on the Burlington Cougars blueline in 2019-20, scoring 24 points (5G/19A) in 45 games. Kennette was also part of Team Canada East who won silver at the 2019 World Jr. A Challenge in British Columbia. The 6’1” 190 pound defenceman was selected as an OJHL All Star Prospect for this year’s All-Star Celebration and was one of six defencemen chosen to play on Team East in the CJHL Prospects Game in Hamilton, Ont. Kennette, an OJHL rookie, has committed to Sacred Heart University where he will be playing Division I NCAA hockey beginning in the 2021-22 season. Kennette is a draft eligible defenceman heading into the 2020 NHL Draft. NHL Central Scouting ranked the 17-year-old defenceman on its watch list several times throughout the 2019-20 season. Kennette was also drafted in the ninth round of the 2018 OHL draft by the Sarnia Sting. In 2018-19, Kennette suited up for the Greater Ontario Hockey League’s (GOJHL) Sarnia Legionnaires. With the Legionnaires the top prospect defenceman put up 22 points (5G/17A) in 46 games and was second on the team in points by a defenceman. 

 

LOGAN MAILLOUX - TOP PROSPECT - DEFENCEMAN

London Nationals (GOJHL) 

Logan Mailloux (Belle River, Ont.) had a monster rookie season in the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOJHL). He played his 16-year-old season with the Western Conference’s London Nationals and led the team in points, assists and goals by a defenceman in his first season with the club and also finished fourth in team scoring with 68 points (18G/50A). His impressive point total also placed Mailloux second in points and goals by a defenceman in the entire GOJHL. Mailloux’s production led all GOJHL rookie blueliners and placed him second in points by a rookie in the league. The 17-year-old defenceman is a top eligible prospect for the 2021 National Hockey League (NHL) draft and he was selected 33rd overall by the London Knights in 2019 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection Draft. Mailloux suited up for four OHL games with the Knights in 2019-20 (0 goals/0 assists). The 6’3” 214 pound defenceman was the recipient of the Roy Bruhlman Memorial Award as Western Conference Rookie of the Year, recipient of the Phibbs Inc. Award as Most Outstanding Rookie Defenseman in Western Conference and was named Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month for December. 

 

DIXON GRIMES - TOP PROSPECT - GOALTENDER

Listowel Cyclones (GOJHL) 

Dixon Grimes (Guelph, Ont.) had a fantastic rookie season in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) and is the first GOJHL goaltender to be named the OHA’s Top Prospect - Goaltender since Tyler Wall (Leamington Flyers) in 2015-16. Grimes, 17, is the son of former GOJHL head coach and current coach of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Jake Grimes. In 2019-20, Grimes went 14-9-1 with a 2.15 goals-against average (G.A.A) and .917 save percentage (Sv%) as a 16-year-old. A 2.15 G.A.A ranked him fourth and .917 Sv% had him placed 11th among GOJHL goaltenders in those statistical categories. His impressive numbers earned him a position on Team Collins at the GOJHL Future Stars Game, where he made eight saves on 10 shots to help Team Collins earn a 10-9 win. At season’s end, Grimes was named to the Midwestern Conference All-Rookie Team. In addition to his GOJHL accolades, the 6’3” 208 pound netminder was selected in 10th round, 196th overall by the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft in 2019. 

Photo credits: Ryan Alexander, Ryan Tverberg & Brendan Kennette – Courtesy of Tim Bates/OJHL Images; Logan Mailloux – Courtesy of the OHL; Dixon Grimes – Courtesy of the Listowel Cyclones.

 

Recent Winners - OHA Top Prospects Awards

2015-16
Tyler Wall (G) - Leamington Flyers
Ryan Da Silva (D) - Stouffville Spirit
Sam Dunn (D) - Cobourg Cougars
Josh Dickinson (F) - Georgetown Raiders
Jack Jacome (F) - Georgetown Raiders
Liam Morgan (F) - Trenton Golden Hawks

2016-17
Hunter Jones (G) - Stouffville Spirit
Joey Berkopec (D) - Burlington Cougars
Matthew Kellenberger (D) - Oakville Blades
Finn Evans (F) - St. Michael’s Buzzers
Philip Lagunov (F) - Burlington Cougars
Bryce Misley (F) - Oakville Blades

2017-18
Jett Alexander (G) - North York Rangers
Declan Carlile (D) - Wellington Dukes
Colton Kalezic (F) - Toronto Patriots
Dustyn McFaul (D) - Pickering Panthers
Kaleb Pearson(F) - Stratford Warriors
Mason Snell (D) - Wellington Dukes

2018-19
Mitchell Weeks (G) - Newmarket Hurricanes
Zachary Uens (D) - Wellington Dukes
Kosta Manikis (F) - Toronto Jr. Canadiens
Noah Beck (D) - St. Michaels Buzzers
Ryan McAllister (F) - Komoka Kings
Ty Glover (F) - Buffalo Jr. Sabres

 

OHA AWARDS SCHEDULE 

June 2 – OHA Top Prospects

June 3 – Donald Sanderson Memorial Award

June 4 – BJ Monro Memorial Award

June 5 - Officiating Awards