On Monday, the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL) signed forward Liam Kilfoil to a tender agreement for the 2023-24 season. Kilfoil becomes the eighth tender in Saints team history, and the first since 2015.
The native of Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada, has split duties this season with the Buffalo Regals and Salisbury School. In 25 games for Buffalo, Kilfoil recorded 16 goals and 36 points. In another 26 games for Salisbury, he added six goals and 15 points.
Kilfoil recently competed for Team New Brunswick in the Canada Winter Games, where he recorded four goals and eight points in six contests.
Per league rules, the USHL allows each of its 16 member teams to tender up to two players that are eligible for the upcoming Phase 1 USHL Draft this spring. However, as a result of tendering Kilfoil, Dubuque will surrender its first-round pick in the draft. This year’s USHL Draft is scheduled to take place on May 2nd.
Speaking to Dubuque’s official team website, Fighting Saints president of hockey operations and general manager Kalle Larsson shared his thoughts.
“We are thrilled that Liam Kilfoil has decided to continue his development in Dubuque,” said Larsson. “We feel strongly that he fits our profile of what it means to be a Fighting Saint. Our scouting staff have tracked Liam closely since his U14 season, and we have watched him multiple times in various settings with and against both players his age and older competition.”
Kilfoil went on to praise the organization as well.
“It’s always been my goal to get a tender in the USHL,” added Kilfoil. “We started talking maybe mid-way into the Salisbury season. They (Dubuque) expressed interest in maybe doing a tender. Since then, I’ve been connected with Kalle [Larsson] and we went through the process of how it would work out. We talked about Dubuque and the role I would have on the team. I had Dubuque as the top option after seeing the history of the organization.”
The final day for USHL teams to receive signed tenders is April 29th. Each tendered player will be on their respective team’s roster the next season, and must play at least 55 percent of the team’s regular season games.
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With the 15O, 16U and 18U Massachusetts-based youth hockey teams already securing their spots at USA Hockey Nationals, only the 14U division remained undecided. From March 3-5, the Boston Jr. Eagles, Neponset Valley River Rats, South Shore Kings, Assabet Valley Patriots, Valley Jr. Warriors, East Coast Militia, North Suburban Wings and Top Gun all took part in the state tournament.
Going undefeated, the 2008-born Boston Jr. Eagles earned their spot to represent their state with a thrilling overtime victory in the championship game against Neponset.
The Jr. Eagles kicked the tires off on their pool-play schedule with a big victory over Top Gun. They then went on to collect two more wins against the Jr. Warriors and Patriot Hockey to finish preliminary-round play at 3-0-0. Their incredible ability to score was on display, tallying 29 goals while just allowing two.
Early tournament success led to a semifinal matchup with South Shore. In the regular season, the two teams had previously met three times, with the Jr. Eagles winning twice. It would be a similar script once again as they downed the Kings, 3-1, to move on to the championship game.
The River Rats were waiting for the Jr. Eagles in the title match. Skating to a 3-0-0 record themselves, they outscored their opposition 14-2. The two teams only played each other once before, back in August in a 2-0 win for Neponset. In what would be a close-fought game, overtime was needed following a scoreless regulation frame. Draped by a defender, Noah Survilas skated into the zone and whipped a low shot in from the left circle, securing the victory.
U14 Elite win 1-0 in OT over the @NVRiverRats in the @Mass_Hockey State title game on a Noah Survilas snipe! #GWG #NattyBound @fedhockey pic.twitter.com/60CLKPuikw
— Boston Junior Eagles (@BostonJrEagles) March 6, 2023
They join the following teams who have also earned automatic bids to USAH Nationals:
Boston Jr. Eagles (Massachusetts)
Pittsburgh Vengeance (Mid-American)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Los Angeles Jr. Kings (Pacific)
Neponset Valley River Rats (Massachusetts)
Pittsburgh Penguins Elite (Mid-American)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Los Angeles Jr. Kings (Pacific)
Boston Little Bruins (Massachusetts)
Cleveland Barons (Mid-American)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Anaheim Jr. Ducks (Pacific)
Boston Jr. Eagles (Massachusetts)
Culver Academy (Mid-American)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Anaheim Jr. Ducks (Pacific)
The Mid-American districts – consisting of teams from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia – had bids awarded to two teams from Pittsburgh, one from Ohio and one from Indiana.
The Pittsburgh Vengeance went undefeated among fellow ‘08 squads at the Mid-American district playoffs. While they were led by prolific scorers such as Sean Miller (8A), Rhys Medved (4G, 2A) and Caden Harvey (6G), their netminders were the true stars.
Tyler O’Keefe and Giovanni Scally were virtually unbeatable across four games. Alternating time between the pipes, O’Keefe helped the team get off to a hot start in a 7-0 win against the Cleveland Barons. Over the next two games, Scally collected a shutout and O’Keefe notched his second. Setting up a championship game against fellow Steel City foe, No. 15 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.
Pens Elite took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission before the Vengeance tallied four unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead after the second. Drew Grasser would score in the third to cut into the lead, but it wasn’t enough to mount a full comeback attempt.
The Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 2007-born roster fared better than their ‘08 counterparts in the championship game, besting the Esmark Stars 4-0. After handling the South Hills Panthers, Ohio Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Vengeance, their final test was Esmark.
Like the Pens Elite, Esmark had skated to a 3-0-0 record in pool play. However, their skill level was no match for that of the Penguins Elite. Through their four games, the Pens Elite were led by Jacob Cloutier’s seven goals and 12 points. Holding onto a 2-0 lead in the third period, Cloutier cemented his club’s win by adding two more goals for the 4-0 lead. Jake Shingles also stopped all 18 shots he faced for the shutout.
15U are MidAm District Champions. Congratulations and good luck @usahockey Nationals! #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/WOH1U8sGMX
— Penguins Elite (@PghPensElite) March 5, 2023
The Cleveland Barons began their road to the championship game at Mid-Atlantic districts against the Esmark Stars. The Barons secured a 4-2 win, their first of four consecutive victories to win the 16U division. The Stars kept things close, erasing a 2-0 deficit with two quick goals in the third period. The Barons would regain their lead shortly after that before Troy Hunka put away any hope of a comeback with a late goal in regulation for a 4-2 lead.
After dispatching the South Hills Panthers and Ohio Blue Jackets, a rematch was in the cards against the Stars for the division championship. It would be another close battle, with both goals coming in the second period from Ryan Rucinski and Mykyta Yalovyi. With overtime underway, Dan Ramirez scored at 13:25 to put the Stars away for good. He would finish as the second leading scorer for the Barons behind Landon Watson (1G, 4A), collecting three goals and four points. Hbleb Subach did all he could for the Stars in net, turning aside 47 of 49 shots that came his way.
Culver Academy and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite have had numerous tilts this season. Entering district playoffs for the 18U division, they had played each other three previous times with Culver coming out on top each time. Those contests were close, so it was not a surprise that overtime was needed to figure out a winner for this matchup.
The story of the game was goaltending, as Culver had a 75-41 shot advantage. Eliott Pratt, goaltender for Pens Elite. Despite the loss, Pratt recorded 71 saves on 75 shots, easily the most impressive goaltending performance of the weekend. Vaughan Makar’s 38 saves in the other crease in Culver’s winning effort was also impressive. Zach Zhang recorded the heroics for Culver in the extra frame, where he netted the game-winning goal, which was also his second of the game.
USA Hockey District playoffs will continue this week. Michigan, New England, Rocky Mountain, Southeastern, Central District, New York District and Atlantic playoffs will take place this week. WHH will have continued coverage of each of the 12 USA Hockey District playoffs, as well as Nationals next month!
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For the first time since Dec. 7th, No. 10 Avangard Omsk boosted themselves into the Top 10 in Russia among the 2007 World Rankings. Winners of their last 10 games, a two-game sweep of Metallurg Magnitogorsk was just the lift the club needed to be back among the best-of-the-best of their birth year.
The club is mainly led by the prolific forward trio of Rodion Kazantsev (10G, 20A), Nikita Kharionov (14G, 15A) and Artem Kitchenko (10G, 17A). What has helped is the last lines of defense between the pipes that Avangard is equipped with. Between Alexander Federov and Danai Shaikov, the team has been able to skate to a 22-4-0 record. Federov has posted a 1.96 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. Shaikov has suited up in slightly more games, recording an even more pristine 1.61 goals-against and .939 save percentage.
With upcoming games against teams such as Traktor Chelyabinsk and Yugra-Yukior, these players will be vital for Avangard to continue its success. The more victories that can be piled up in their remaining tilts can only help to solidify Metallurg’s position down the home stretch of the 2022-23 season.
SKA St. Petersburg found themselves maneuvering their way up the Russian standings in not one but two different birth years in the latest rankings. A true testament to their program depth and ability to continually develop players throughout their youth hockey journey.
First, ‘08 SKA slid up from No. 8 to No. 5, thanks in large part to four decisive victories. A run that was highlighted by a 5-0 shutout over No. 10 SKA Strelna. At 31-0-1, the lone blemish in their record thus far was a tight 1-0 shootout loss to Dynamo St. Petersburg.
‘09 SKA St. Petersburg was also up to No. 7 after handling the SKA Silver Lions and Dynamo Junior St. Petersburg. Both teams were outscored 15-1 and the wins extended a current four-game winning streak for the club.
Another team that benefited from success against teams in close proximity to them were the ‘09
No. 23 Toronto Marlboros. They bested No. 1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens in a hard-fought 1-0 game before finding their offensive footing in a 7-0 shutout against the No. 9 Canadian-ranked Toronto Red Wings.
In fact, in their previous two meetings with the Jr. Canadiens, they were also victorious. Not many teams have beaten the Jr. Canadiens this year once, let alone three times. Two shutouts against Top-10 opponents, one of which is the top team of the birth year will surely build confidence for the team towards the end of the season and into the GTHL playoffs.
Be sure to check out the complete world rankings, including Top 10s by country and World Top 25s for each of the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
On Wednesday, the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) signed Lev Katzin to a tender agreement for the 2023-24 season. Kaztin is the fifth overall tender in the history of the Gamblers and first since 2013 when they signed Brent Gates, Jr.
Gamblers Tender Katzin ‼️ The Green Bay Gamblers are proud to announce we have signed forward Lev Katzin to a tender. Katzin is the first tender signed by the Gamblers since 2013. Welcome to Green Bay Lev! #GoGamblers pic.twitter.com/Dhmrfg3VQD
— Green Bay Gamblers (@GamblersHockey) March 1, 2023
The USHL allows each of its 16 member teams to tender up to two players that are eligible for the upcoming Phase 1 USHL Draft this spring. However, as a result of tendering Katzin, the Gamblers will surrender their first-round pick in the draft. Other players born in 2007 will make up the eligible options for teams when they make their selections on May 2nd.
Clearly, the scouting staff for the Gamblers saw something special in Katzin for them to be willing to part with their first-round pick. With the season that Katzin has had up to this point, it is easy to see why.
The left-shot forward has split his duties this season between St. Andrew’s College and the No. 2 Toronto Marlboros U16 club, which plays in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL). A dynamic and skilled two-way center, he has scored 42 goals and 120 points in 64 games this season. Stellar play that has propelled the Marlies to a 55-10-0 record and a consistent spot among the top-tier programs in the World Rankings. In fact, they were just named WHH’s top Canadian team for the month of February.
Speaking on the Gamblers’ website, Head Coach and General Manager Michael Leone shared his thoughts on the signing.
“We are thrilled to add a player of Lev’s caliber to our group for next season and beyond,” said Leone. “He’s intelligent and dynamic; a winning hockey player with the character and values that embody the Green Bay Gamblers organization and all we stand for.”
The Gamblers sit tied with the Youngstown Phantoms for second place in the Eastern Conference with 55 points. They are aiming for a strong finish to their season to get back to the playoffs; a spot where they missed out last year. An organization known for fostering elite talent, with notable alumni such as Blake Wheeler, Casey Mittelstadt and Anders Lee.
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With the 2022-23 regular season beginning to wind down, teams across youth hockey are emptying the tanks before hopeful playoff runs. The ‘07 Toronto Marlboros and Tappara are on our teams of the month list for the second time. The Los Angeles Jr. Kings were one of the busier U.S. ‘08 clubs. Nacka HK and CSKA Moscow solidified their spots at the top of their respective ‘07 and ‘09 birth years as well. WHH takes a look at a few programs across all countries and birth years that established themselves among the best of the best in youth hockey.
It was a jam-packed month for the 2008-born No. 23 Los Angeles Jr. Kings. Suiting up in 14 contests across regular season, playoff and district play, they took care of business with wins in each matchup.
After opening the month with a 4-0-0 record, their next task was the Tier-1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL) playoffs. In the 14U division, they rattled off five consecutive victories for the championship. Their run culminated in a hard-fought 5-3 victory over No. 25 Dallas Stars Elite. Tyus Sparks and Noah Davidson were the main point getters for the team, each collecting 12 points.
After a few days to recuperate, the Jr. Kings were back in action at the Pacific District playoffs with the hope of nabbing a spot at the upcoming USA Hockey Nationals. It was here they found the win column in another five straight games, outscoring opponents 31-4.
Next up will be a trip to Nationals, but as an added bonus they will have some company. The 15O Jr. Kings earned a trip as well, after securing their division. The Los Angeles program will be well-represented on the national stage later this month.
For the second time this season, the ‘07 No. 2 Toronto Marlboros have skated to ‘Team of the Month’ honors for Canada. Having last earned the honor in December, the Marlies continued to run the table in their birth year, going 7-0-0. Three of those victories came against ranked teams, twice over the No. 10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens and a 5-3 win vs. against No. 22 Mississauga Rebels.
With the GTHL playoffs around the corner, the Marlboros will look to build upon their current seven-game win streak.
Impressing in February was ‘07 No. 13 Nacka HK with a 5-1-0 record. The team did not have a light schedule, lacing up the skates against four powerhouses in the Top 10 of Sweden. After winning their opening 8-5 showdown with No. 3 Swedish-ranked Djurgårdens IF in thrilling fashion, they followed it up with another win over Trångsunds IF.
Despite a slight setback in a 3-2 loss to No. 8 Viggbyholms IK, they rebounded with solid showings against world-ranked No. 19 Täby HC, Almtuna IS and No. 5 Södertälje SK.
Ruben Westerling may be the club’s overall leading scorer with 16 goals and 32 points, but Neo Hirsch and Olle Därth had a month to remember. Across all six contests, Hirsch compiled four goals and 11 points to go along with Därth’s six goals and 10 points.
Like the Marlboros, ‘07 No. 15 Tappara is another program to be featured on our Teams of the Month list for a second time. Tappara was included in our list from November. Dropping the puck in seven games, Tappara skated to a 6-1-0 record, with a lone ‘blemish’ being a 5-4 loss to No. 5 Ilves.
Other than that, Tappara fared quite well against some top competition from Finland. They kicked off their schedule with the defeat to Ilves, but wasted no time in getting back on track with a 3-2 win against No. 10 KalPa. Following that, five more wins over No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo, Pelicans, No. 7 TPS, a second victory against KalPa and finishing off with Jokipojat.
It certainly didn’t hurt having the top two scorers of the group, either. Joonas Rajala and Eetu Orpana have each collected 30 points in 13 and 12 games, respectively. Orpana alone tallied in the team’s last five games of the month, garnering 3 goals and 10 points alone. Both players also spent time last month with the Finnish National Team at the 3 Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic.
No. 3 CSKA Moscow went a perfect 5-0-0 in February, highlighted by wins against No. 4 Spartak Moscow and No. 14 Atlant Mytishchi. The five victories combined with the four they ended January with give the club an impressive nine-game streak currently.
Nazar Privalov, the teams’ leading scorer, was on fire across all matches. Unable to be slowed by any opponent, he struck for six goals and nine points. Privalov has found the scoresheet in every game dating back to Jan. 22.
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The 2008-born No. 23 Los Angeles Jr. Kings, fresh off stellar showings at the T1EHL Playoffs and Pacific Districts, enjoyed a pleasant bump in the rankings. Downing some of the best teams their birth year has to offer provided the Jr. Kings a track to maneuver their way up the Top 10 U.S. teams. A run of play highlighted by holding off No. 25 Dallas Stars Elite in the 15O division TIEHL title game.
After falling out of the top spot in our last rankings, No. 1 Little Caesars is back at the top of the ‘07 Top 25 thanks to crucial victories over No. 17 Shattuck-St. Mary’s and No. 10 U.S.-ranked Compuware by a combined 19-0. Since their last loss — a 2-1 overtime defeat to No. 20 Long Island Gulls back on Feb. 2 — they have rattled off six consecutive wins.
But they are not the only team back in first place. Pittsburgh Penguins Elite settled back in as the No. 1 squad among 2011 programs by taking care of business against fellow Top 10 opponents. With recent wins against No. 2 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, No. 8 Rochester Coalition and a two-game split with No. 5 Little Caesars, Pens Elite has proven once again they are the team to beat in the age group. With an impressive week of their own, the South Shore Kings nabbed the No. 10 spot, having beaten the likes of the Jr. Rangers twice and No. 9 Philadelphia Hockey Club.
No. 9 Anaheim Jr. Ducks and No. 10 Philadelphia Hockey Club are back in the ‘09 Top 10 after extended absences. With wins over No. 8 Dallas Stars Elite and No. 2 St. Louis Blues, the Jr. Ducks bolstered their resume enough to be back among the elite after spending the last rankings out on the bubble. Not seeing a spot in the Top 10 since back on Sept. 28th, Philadelphia slid back in as winners of their last 12 as well.
No. 8 Jokerit held their own in three major ‘07 matchups, including a two-game set against No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo. Lauri Kouhia and Rasmus Kämäräinen each collected four points in a 5-2 victory in the first tilt against K-Espoo. In the second, Kouhia and Kämäräinen notched multi-point games once more, but Jokerit dropped a thrilling 6-5 decision in the shootout. The team rebounded with a winning effort against No. 9 Ässät, 6-3 the next time out.
In the 2008 age group, No. 7 Kärpät Musta raised eyebrows with multiple Top 10 victories. First, they dispatched No. 8 Kärpät Valkoinen, 6-3. Next, a 4-1 winning effort against No. 9 KalPa. Taking care of the teams previously ahead of them usually leads to good things, and Musta is a prime example of that fact.
Not to be outdone, but there was one other Finnish club that worked its way back into the Top 10 among ‘08s. KJT Haukat Blue, absent from the Top 10 since Nov. 9th, paved their way back in with three wins; two of them against ranked programs. Handling No. 6 Pelicans Turkoosi and No. 1 HIFK, provided enough of a lift to get them into a No. 10 placement.
Be sure to check out the complete world rankings, including Top 10s by country and World Top 25s for each of the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
The youth hockey season is nearing its end, and USA Hockey Nationals are on the horizon. Teams from across the U.S. look to win their respective district playoffs in order to earn one of the 12 automatic bids to the national tournament, slated to begin on March 29th.
Two of those bids have already been awarded at each of the 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U age groups. And, over this past weekend, four more teams punched their ticket to nationals by winning the Pacific District playoffs.
The Pacific District bids — which consists of youth hockey teams from Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington — were awarded to two teams from the Anaheim Jr. Ducks organization and two teams from the Los Angeles Jr. Kings organization.
They join the following teams who have also earned automatic bids to USAH Nationals:
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Los Angeles Jr. Kings (Pacific)
Neponset Valley River Rats (Massachusetts)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Los Angeles Jr. Kings (Pacific)
Boston Little Bruins (Massachusetts)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Anaheim Jr. Ducks (Pacific)
Boston Jr. Eagles (Massachusetts)
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota)
Anaheim Jr. Ducks (Pacific)
The No. 25-ranked ‘08 team in the world, Los Angeles Jr. Kings displayed their talent and depth with a 5-0-0 showing among fellow 2008-born teams. Outscoring opponents in the round-robin stage by a combined 13-2, they continued their torrid pace by besting the California Wave and Team Alaska to cement their championship.
The high-flying trio of Brendan Russell, Tyus Sparks and Noah Davidson were standouts. Each collected eight points for the Jr. Kings, with Sparks and Davidson doing most of their damage in the semifinal and championship games.
The ‘07 Los Angeles Jr. Kings made quick work of a four-game schedule that saw them best teams such as the San Jose Jr. Sharks, California Golden Bears and Las Vegas Jr. Golden Knights. Luke Norcross led all players with four goals and seven points, tallying three of them on the power play. Additionally, 11 players totaled at least two points across four games. Norcross would also finish first among all players in the division in points.
However, special teams — especially the penalty kill — is where the team really had their time to shine. Killing off 13 of 15 penalties, the penalty killing unit was also able to collect a shorthanded goal as well. On the man advantage, the Jr. Kings found the back of the net four times across 15 opportunities. Seven players recorded at least one power-play point, with Norcross leading the charge with three (2G, 1A).
The power play unit would also secure the team the division championship. In the final game against the Jr. Sharks, the score was knotted at 1-1 in the third period. With Griffin Brown in the box for interference, Timofei Runtso finished off a passing play with Benjamin Kaven to put the Jr. Kings up 2-1 with 8:48 left. The tally would stand as the game-winning goal, as the Jr. Sharks were unable to find the equalizer for the remainder of regulation.
A fitting ending for the No. 7 ranked team in the country.
One team separated themselves from the other 2006-born teams at the Pacific District playoffs. It was the Anaheim Jr. Ducks.
After the round-robin stage of games, the top five scorers all hailed from the Jr. Ducks, with Tanner Hendricks topping the list with eight points. He would add three more points in the semifinal and championship games to push his point total to 11 (3G, 8A). Closely behind him were Ty Ziadi (3G, 7A) and Colin Frank (5G, 4A).
When a team’s penalty kill is better than others power play, odds are that the club is destined for good things. That is what happened with the Jr. Ducks and their run to the 16U division championship. While scoring one power-play goal, they flipped the script on the penalty kill by notching four short-handed goals. Three of which came in their opening game against the Las Vegas Jr. Golden Knights.
In the title tilt, they faced off against the Junior Ice Dogs, who they defeated in the round-robin stage by a 3-2 final. The second time around, things would not be as close. Frank and teammate Brendan Dunphy each recorded multi-point performances en route to a 4-0 victory. Goaltender Jack Kavetsky also stopped the 22 shots he faced as well.
After a rocky round-robin performance that saw them go 1-0-2, the Anaheim Jr. Ducks rallied in their semifinal and championship appearances to take the 18U division title.
Opening their schedule with a large win against the Las Vegas Jr. Golden Knights, it seemed as if the road to the championship game might be a cakewalk for the Jr. Ducks. However, they proceeded to drop consecutive games in overtime and a shootout. The pendulum quickly shifted to a potentially early exit instead.
They bounced back with a 4-2 win against Team Alaska to put the Jr. Ducks into the finale against the San Jose Jr. Sharks. There, they took a 1-0 lead into the third period before the offense really picked up.
Each side would strike twice in the final frame, with Makar Klochkov notching a goal and an assist. Owen Crudale backstopped his squad with 34 saves to help the Jr. Ducks nab their second district trophy of the weekend.
USA Hockey District playoffs will continue over the next two weeks. Michigan, Mid-American, 14U Massachusetts and Atlantic qualifiers will take place this week. WHH will have continued coverage of each of the 12 USA Hockey District playoffs, as well as Nationals next month!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
Team Ontario was crowned as the country’s U16 national champion at the bi-annual 2023 Canada Winter Games. Some late-game heroics from one of the province’s top prospects sparked Ontario to score three unanswered goals, en route to a gold medal.
2007-born Ryan Roobroeck scored a third-period goal, and followed it up with a primary assist on a power-play goal less than three minutes later. Those strikes dug Team Ontario out of a 2-0 deficit, and ultimately, forced overtime in the championship game against Team Saskatchewan. Then, 7:59 into the extra period, it was Matthew Schaefer scoring the game-winning and tournament-clinching goal for Team Ontario.
The big names and top prospects showed up at a tournament that featured some of the best 2007-born players in the country.
Projected to be one of the top picks in the upcoming 2023 OHL Priority Selection, Ryan Roobroeck finished the Canada Winter Games with eight points. Five of those points came in the final two games against arguably the toughest competition in the tournament. He posted a hat trick against British Columbia in an 8-5 win in the semifinals. Then, Roobroeck followed that up with a two-point performance in the championship game over Saskatchewan.
He was outdone by teammate William Moore, who finished with nine points. Moore is also projected to go high in the OHL Priority Selection, as are many others from the tournament representing Team Ontario.
Halton Hurricanes defenseman and Team Ontario captain Matthew Schaefer may have helped his draft stock as well. He recorded at least one point in five of six games, including two in the semifinal and the aforementioned overtime winner in the championship.
Jack Ivankovic made 48 saves in the semifinal and stopped 20-of-22 shots faced in the championship. He won all four of his starts for Team Ontario and finished with a 3.15 goals-against average and .900 save percentage.
As many as 14 different youth hockey organizations were represented by champion Team Ontario at the 2023 Canada Winter Games. William Moore, Jaeden Nelson and Matheas Stark will return to the No. 1 ranked ‘07 team in the country, the Toronto Marlboros. The remaining 17 skaters were a collective from across Ontario’s major leagues like ALLIANCE (four), Greater Toronto Hockey League (five), Hockey Eastern Ontario (six) and Ontario Minor Hockey Association (five).
No. 4 ranked London Jr. Knights were one of five clubs with multiple players to win gold. Ryan Roobroeck and Parker Snelgrove are part of a Jr. Knights team that has won 43 games this season. Forward Nico Addy has spent this season with No. 5 Toronto Jr. Canadiens, while Tyler Hopkins and Matthew Schaefer play for No. 6 Halton Hurricanes. The Southern Tier Admirals and Mississauga Senators — both ranked in the top 10 as well — were represented by Dryden Allen and Jack Ivankovic, respectively as well.
Gavin McKenna put on a record-breaking performance for Team Yukon. The first overall pick in the 2022 WHL Draft scored an astounding 31 points in six games. That broke a 28-year-old record of 27 points previously held by Francois Methot. McKenna’s teammate Jase Johnstone was a benefactor of that offensive production as well. The Pacific Coast Hockey Academy forward scored 20 points in as many games. The tandem led all skaters in the tournament by a significant margin.
McKenna will return to his South Alberta Hockey Academy (SAHA) team where they currently sit in third place in the U18 division. The 5-foot-11 forward leads the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) in scoring with 36 goals and 73 points in 25 games this season. He also played in 11 games for the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Medicine Hat Tigers; the maximum number of games 2007-born players are eligible to play in ‘22-23. In that stretch, McKenna recorded eight points.
On top of championship runs and record-breaking performances, the 2023 Canada Winter Games featured plenty of other impressive outings from top prospects.
Bishop Kearney Selects forward Ty Peddigrew scored 13 points while representing his home province of Newfoundland & Labrador. His six goals in the tournament tied with Quebec’s Émile Guité and British Columbia’s Benjamin Kindel for third overall.
Goaltender Logan Edmonstone started five of six games for Team Saskatchewan. In the playoff rounds, he stopped 90-of-96 shots to post a .917 save percentage. That was the highest amongst goalies in the tournament.
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. We have some early matchups this week. Atlant Mytishchi and Spartak Moscow kick things off with an ‘09 Top-10 tilt on Monday. Toronto Marlboros and Toronto Jr. Canadiens tangle in a premier matchup between 2007s in Canada on Tuesday. The week concludes with TPS dropping the puck in an ‘08 meeting with Tappara Sininen on Saturday.
No. 1 Toronto Marlboros (54-10-0) have been one of the best 2007-born teams all season long. It is rare that they have an off night, let alone multiple ones against one particular team. The No. 10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (42-11-4), however, have figured out a way to best the Marlboros twice this season.
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| Tuesday, February 28 @ 8:15 PM EST Herbert Carnegie Centre |
With each side in full control of all aspects of their game, this one is shaping up to be a true heavyweight battle. There must be something in the water in Toronto, because the Jr. Canadiens and Marlboros can seemingly score at will. With goal differentials of plus-226 for the Marlboros and plus-122 for the Jr. Canadiens, it’s clear goals won’t be hard to come by.
The Marlboros will be out to prove that they deserve their No. 1 status, but another loss to the Jr. Canadiens could certainly place some doubt in fans’ minds. A third win for the Jr. Canadiens would be a very nice listing on their resume and may even have World Rankings implications further down the road.
Pete’s Pick: Probably the most even matchup out of the games we’ve highlighted this week, and it honestly could go either way. I think the Jr. Canadiens will put up a heck of a fight, but the added motivation from the Marlboros to not drop another decision to their fellow Toronto foe gives them the 4-3 win.
Craig’s Pick: The Marlies’ William Moore, Matheas Stark and Jaeden Nelson, and Jr. Canadiens Nico Addy will have to shift gears quickly. Saturday, they were teammates for Team Ontario at the 2023 Canada Winter Games. Just three days later, they’re opponents in Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) play. Makes for an interesting dynamic in the fourth matchup of the season. I give the Marlies a significant edge, 5-2 to tie the season series two wins apiece.
No. 10 Atlant Mytishchi (22-11-1) will look to even up its season series against No. 4 Spartak Moscow (28-6-2) in the final regular season meeting on Monday. Each 2009-born club has alternated wins since the first game back on Oct. 2.
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| Monday, February 27 |
Atlant had no answer for Spartak in a 7-1 defeat in its most recent outing on Christmas Day. With plenty of time to regroup after that loss, they have since gone 13-4-1. Recently, however, they had a five-game win streak snapped at the hands of No. 3 CSKA Moscow. Spartak had their own five-game winning streak ended over the weekend as well with a 3-2 overtime loss to CSKA.
Leading them into this tilt will be Artemy Laskavy (35G, 45A) and Gleb Zhukov (25G, 34A). In the three prior contests, Zhukov has tallied three goals and four points with Laskavy also adding one goal. Spartak will counter with Dmitry Pavlov (22G, 20A) and Daniil Savin (17G, 25A). Perhaps most impressive is that in the series, Pavlov and Savin have been held in check by Atlant, with most of the offense coming from other areas of the lineup. The two top scorers for Spartak have only recorded a combined five points.
Pete’s Pick: If the three previous games have shown anything, it’s that even when Spartak’s top players aren’t producing, they have the depth to more than make up for it. For that reason alone they come out on top in this one, 5-2.
Craig’s Pick: Savin has 17 points in his last 10 games, and Pavlov has 15 in his last nine. If they’ve been held in check in previous meetings, I don’t see it happening this week. Spartak’s tandem is playing well heading down the stretch, and I think they run away with this one, 5-2 as well.
In yet another rematch this week, No. 5 TPS (25-8-1) will look for revenge against No. 3 Tappara Sininen (25-4-5) in a Top-10 clash of ’08 Finnish teams.
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| Saturday, March 4 |
The last time these sides laced up the skates against one another on Feb. 4, it was a long night for TPS and goaltender Sisu Timonen in a 5-1 loss. Timonen did his best in the crease, turning aside 41 shots. Surprisingly, the dynamic duo of Petteri Sakki and Miko Vatjus were not the main names on the scoresheet for Tappara. Those honors went to Benjamin Lehtinen and Oliver Raimovaara, who notched three and two points, respectively.
Despite limiting their damage, TPS will have to be wary of Vatjus (8G, 15A) and Sakki (10G, 12A), as both top the scorers list for the group. In order to combat that production, Paavo Fugleberg (11G, 9A) and Miro Aaltonen (11G, 4A) will do their best to get some pucks past Tappara’s defense. A more concentrated team effort in front of whoever tends the net for TPS will help as well.
Pete’s Pick: TPS will have to be much tighter as a unit to have any chance of coming away with a victory here. They struggled with Tappara’s depth last game, and Timonen did all he could, facing nearly 50 shots. While I don’t think it’s as big a gap as 5-1, Tappara takes another win here, 4-2. Special teams will be crucial, but watch out for Sakki and Vatjus. They have three shorthanded goals to their credit already.
Craig’s Pick: If giving up 46 shots was a rarity, I’d chalk it up as an anomaly for TPS. However, they’ve been outshot — and surrendering 30-plus in most games — in six of their last nine contests. You give a team like Tappara that many cracks at the net and they’re bound to make you pay. Petteri Saki, Miko Vatjus and company roll again for Tappara 5-1.
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At 26-12-0, it can be easy to say that this season has been a success so far for ‘07 Finnish No. 9 Jokerit. After compiling a 19-5-0 record in the first set of group play matchups, their current stretch has started off slowly. Sitting at 5-6-0, they hope a strong finish can not only bolster their placement in the group standings, but the World Rankings as well.
A large reason they feel the confidence to take advantage of their remaining games is the fact they are equipped with two of the best goaltenders in the group. You’d be hard pressed to find two better netminders that regularly compete against the Top 10 teams from their country. Statistically, Jokerit’s dynamic duo of Pekka Korhonen and Sakari Savolainen are the premier stoppers of the puck among fellow U16 squads.
Both goalies have split time fairly evenly, with Korhonen suiting up in four games compared to Savolainen’s six starts. In those four starts, Korhonen has compiled a .911 save percentage and 2.79 goals-against average. Savolainen has a .908 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average, boosted by also garnering a shutout against No. 6 HIFK.
In the first set of group matches played from Sept. 9 to Dec. 10 of this season, Korhonen established a .907 save percentage and 2.09 goals against. Savolainen skated to a .895 save percentage and 2.25 goals against.
For the most part, Jokerit’s defenders do a decent job of limiting scoring chances, as they have only allowed 30 or more shots in a game four times. The reason to believe that Jokerit can put together some decent success in the next few weeks is just looking at their most recent outing against No. 1 K-Espoo. Korhonen aided his team by stopping 27 shots in the 5-2 statement win.
With the second game of their series slated for Friday, Feb. 24, a second win could only strengthen Jokerit’s confidence down the home stretch. A schedule that sees them face off against four Top-10 ranked clubs in the country.
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