9 Things You Need to Know About the OHL
9 Things You Need to Know About the OHL
This season we want to help up your hockey IQ by giving you the lowdown on the Ontario Hockey League.
Hockey fans, rejoice! Our favorite time of year is back and the action on the ice is about to heat up. This season we want to help up your hockey IQ by giving you the lowdown on the Ontario Hockey League. That way when some of the OHL young guns make their way to the NHL in a few years' time you'll have the insight you need to understand how they impact your favorite team or your fantasy hockey team.
1. The OHL is probably the largest of Canada's three leagues that are considered major junior hockey. The OHL, along with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League, is governed by the Canadian Hockey League. The OHL is for players who are between 16 and 20 years old and are considered to be the best junior hockey players in Canada and the World.
2. The OHL features a 68-game season, which takes place between September and March. Most of the games take place on weekends to avoid the youngsters missing too much school.
3. There are 20 teams in the OHL split between an Eastern and Western Conference. Out of the 20 teams, three are based in the U.S., while the other 17 are all in Canada.
4. According to the league, OHL alumni represent about 20 percent of active NHL rosters.
5. A total of 16 teams make the playoffs and play for the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The team that wins the Cup advances to play for the coveted Memorial Cup, which features the winners of each of the three major junior Canadian leagues.
6. Top players who have played in the OHL include Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Bobby Orr, Connor McDavid, Denis Potvin, and John Tavares.
7. The London Knights hold the honor of having the most regular season wins in OHL history with 66 during 2004-05 and also the record for fewest wins during a season with just three during the 1995-96 season.
8. The aforementioned London Knights are the reigning OHL and Memorial Cup Champions. They went on a historic run this past spring with a 17-game winning streak on their way to the championship.
9. According to the OHL's website, 164 OHL players have been invited to participate in 2016 NHL training camps.
Not convinced yet? You'll just have to check out some of the awesome OHL action live and in person, or through our streams to feel the excitement that the OHL brings to hockey.
By Matthew Parvis
1. The OHL is probably the largest of Canada's three leagues that are considered major junior hockey. The OHL, along with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League, is governed by the Canadian Hockey League. The OHL is for players who are between 16 and 20 years old and are considered to be the best junior hockey players in Canada and the World.
2. The OHL features a 68-game season, which takes place between September and March. Most of the games take place on weekends to avoid the youngsters missing too much school.
3. There are 20 teams in the OHL split between an Eastern and Western Conference. Out of the 20 teams, three are based in the U.S., while the other 17 are all in Canada.
4. According to the league, OHL alumni represent about 20 percent of active NHL rosters.
5. A total of 16 teams make the playoffs and play for the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The team that wins the Cup advances to play for the coveted Memorial Cup, which features the winners of each of the three major junior Canadian leagues.
6. Top players who have played in the OHL include Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Bobby Orr, Connor McDavid, Denis Potvin, and John Tavares.
7. The London Knights hold the honor of having the most regular season wins in OHL history with 66 during 2004-05 and also the record for fewest wins during a season with just three during the 1995-96 season.
8. The aforementioned London Knights are the reigning OHL and Memorial Cup Champions. They went on a historic run this past spring with a 17-game winning streak on their way to the championship.
9. According to the OHL's website, 164 OHL players have been invited to participate in 2016 NHL training camps.
Not convinced yet? You'll just have to check out some of the awesome OHL action live and in person, or through our streams to feel the excitement that the OHL brings to hockey.
By Matthew Parvis