This week, I’ll break down all 20 OHL clubs division by division and unveil my predictions for the 2012-13 season. Today, let’s look at the Western Conference’s Midwest Division (listed in alphabetical order):

Erie Otters
Coach/GM: Robbie Ftorek/Sherry Bassin
2011-12 finish: 10-52-3-3, 5th division, 10th conference
Playoff finish: Did not qualify
Key players: C Connor McDavid (No. 1 pick in 2012 OHL Priority Selection; 33 goals, 39 assists, 72 points in 33 games with Toronto Marlboros minor midget), G Oscar Dansk (No. 3 pick in 2012 CHL Import Draft; 2.82 goals-against average, .910 save percentage in 28 games with Brynas in Sweden), C Dane Fox (23-31-54), RW Connor Brown (25-28-53; Toronto prospect), LW Stephen Harper (24-11-35)
Key losses: G Ramis Sadikov (6-23-3-2, 4.26, .894)
Outlook: The highly anticipated McDavid era begins in Erie, but this team has other promising players at every position. Now these young Otters have to learn how to win after enduring the worst record in franchise history a season ago.

Guelph Storm
Coach/GM: Scott Walker/Mike Kelly
2011-12 finish: 31-31-2-4, 4th division, 7th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Plymouth 4-2 in conference quarterfinals
Key players: RW Zack Mitchell (37-38-75), G Garret Sparks (27-25-1-3, 3.11, .907, 5 SO; Toronto prospect), RW Cody McNaughton (25-24-49), RW Scott Kosmachuk (30-29-59; Winnipeg prospect), D Andrey Pedan (10-30-40; N.Y. Islanders prospect)
Key losses: C Francis Menard (24-36-60; traded to Peterborough)
Outlook: The Storm are ready to take the next step in this always competitive conference. They play solid defense, led by Sparks in goal and Pedan on the blue line, and they have skill up front in Kosmachuk, Mitchell and McNaughton.

Kitchener Rangers
Coach/GM: Steve Spott
2011-12 finish: 42-24-1-1, 2nd division, 3rd conference
Playoff finish: Lost to London 4-0 in conference finals
Key players: RW Tobias Rieder (42-43-85; Edmonton prospect), D Ryan Murphy (11-43-54, +14; signed with Carolina), C Radek Faksa (29-37-66; signed with Dallas), LW Matt Puempel (34-35-69; acquired from Peterborough, signed with Ottawa), G John Gibson (21-10-0-0, 2.75, .928, 1 SO; signed with Anaheim)
Key losses: C Michael Catenacci (25-44-69), C Andrew Crescenzi (24-23-37; signed with Toronto)
Outlook: The Rangers are a perennial contender in the conference, and they made sure this season was no different with the acquisition of Puempel from Peterborough. Expect the Rangers to be near, if not at, the top of the West in 2012-13.

London Knights
Coach/GM: Dale Hunter/Mark Hunter
2011-12 finish: 49-18-0-1; 1st division, 1st conference
Playoff finish: Won league championship, lost to Shawinigan (QMJHL) in Memorial Cup final
Key players: RW Seth Griffith (45-40-85, Boston prospect), D Scott Harrington (3-23-26, +26; signed with Pittsburgh), D Olli Maatta (5-27-32, +25; signed with Pittsburgh; C Max Domi (21-28-49), C Ryan Rupert (17-31-48)
Key losses: Michael Houser (46-15-0-1, 2.47, .925, 6 SO; signed with Florida), C Greg McKegg (31-44-75; former Otter, signed with Toronto), C Vladislav Namestnikov (30-39-69; signed with Tampa Bay), RW Jared Knight (25-45-70; signed with Boston), C Austin Watson (25-43-68; signed with Nashville)
Outlook: Dale Hunter returns behind the Knights’ bench after leading the NHL’s Washington Capitals to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. He has work to do if the Knights are to recapture the success they enjoyed in 2011-12.

Owen Sound Attack
Coach/GM: Greg Ireland/Dale DeGray
2011-12 finish: 32-29-304, 3rd division, 6th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Kitchener 4-1 in conference quarterfinals
Key players: G Jordan Binnington (21-17-0-1, 2.99, .906, 1 SO; signed with St. Louis), C Daniel Catenacci (33-39-72; signed with Buffalo), C Gemel Smith (21-39-60; Dallas prospect), C Cameron Brace (29-27-56), D Keevin Cutting (7-18-25, +20)
Key losses: LW Mike Halmo (40-45-85; signed with N.Y. Islanders), D Jay Gilbert (10-23-33, +8)
Outlook: The Attack lost a 40-goal scorer in Halmo, but they have enough talent from back to front to make a run in the conference. But they need to be more consistent after tailing off late last season and losing in the first round of the playoffs.

- Victor Fernandes

What: Erie Otters (8-13-1-0) at Peterborough Petes (4-13-1-1)

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Peterborough Memorial Centre – Peterborough, Ontario

On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)

Players to watch

Erie – C Greg McKegg (12 goals, 17 assists, 29 points), G Ramis Sadikov (7-10-1-0 record, 2.86 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, 1 shutout), RW Shawn Szydlowski (7-11-18), RW Anthony Luciani (4-5-9 in 8 games), D Derek Holden (2-10-12)

Peterborough – LW Matt Puempel (12-10-22), D Kalle Ekelund (5-8-13), C Austin Watson (4-9-13), C Alan Quine (5-7-12), D Slater Koekkoek (3-9-12)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters, which have won three of their last four games, face their longest road trip since playing three games in five day at Kitchener, Windsor and London from Oct. 11-15. … The Otters lost all three games by a combined 17-5 score in last season’s trip to Peterborough, Oshawa and Barrie. … They have lost six straight games in Peterborough by a combined 35-12 score since a 4-3 win on Jan. 29, 2004. … The Otters, which are 3-6-1-0 on the road, begin the three-game road trip without C Mike Cazzola (broken wrist) and D Tyler Hostetter (hand). Cazzola is one of the OHL’s top 20 scorers (9-16-25). Hostetter is one of the top scoring defensemen (4-13-17). … The Otters also could play without D Brady Austin (bruised shoulder), who missed part or all of last weekend’s games and missed practice time this week. … Sadikov has started 12 straight games. He leads the league with 1,153 minutes played and ranks among the top 10 in goals-against average and save percentage. … Szydlowski has one goal and five points in the past seven games – with three of those points in a win against Guelph on Nov. 10. … The Otters haven’t allowed a power-play goal since Oct. 29 against Windsor – a span of 26 straight chances. … Holden, who has points in three straight games, faces his former team in his hometown of Peterborough for the first time since being acquired from the Petes on Oct. 24, 2009. … LW David Broll (3-8-11) snapped a 16-game goal-less streak on Saturday against London. … The Otters are 3-7 in one-goal games.

Peterborough – The Petes have lost seven straight and nine of their past 10 games. … They are tied with Barrie for the league’s fewest wins and have the second-worst home record (3-7-1-0). … They have lost six of eight one-goal games. … They have scored a league-low 53 goals and allowed the third-most goals (87). … The Petes traded high-profile C Ryan Spooner (12-11-23) to Kingston last week. … Quine, the No. 2 pick in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection, has one goal and one point in three games since joining the Petes in the Spooner deal. … Koekkoek, the team’s 2010 first-round pick, ranks third among rookie defensemen and among the top 20 overall in scoring.

Up next: at Oshawa (Friday, 7:35 p.m.), at Barrie (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.)

- Victor Fernandes