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 Eastern Conference’s Central Division (listed in alphabetical order):

Barrie Colts
Coach/GM: Dale Hawerchuk/Jason Ford
2011-12 finish: 40-23-3-2, 2nd division, 3rd conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Ottawa in conference semifinals
Key players: LW Tanner Pearson (37 goals, 54 assists, 91 points; signed with Los Angeles), C Mark Scheifele (23-40-63 in 47 games; signed with Winnipeg), G Mathias Niederberger (29-14-1-2 record, 2.68 goals-against average, .918 save percentage, 3 shutouts), C Zach Hall (19-40-59), D Ryan O’Connor (8-28-36)
Key losses: C Colin Behenna (26-48-74), C Ivan Telegin (35-29-64; signed with Winnipeg)
Outlook: The continued emergence of standouts like Pearson and Scheifele, and the play of Niederberger in his first season, sparked the Colts to a 25-game improvement in the win column. Now these Colts could be tough to contend with this year.

Brampton Battalion
Coach/GM: Stan Butler
2011-12 finish: 36-22-3-7, 3rd division, 4th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Niagara 4-0 in conference semifinals
Key players: RW Barclay Goodrow (26-26-52; Carolina prospect), G Matej Machovsky (24-13-0-4, 2.36, .902, 5 SO; Ottawa prospect), D Dylan Blujus (7-27-34), D Cameron Wind (2-19-21, +16), LW Brandon Robinson (15-9-24)
Key losses: C Sam Carrick (16-23-39; signed with Toronto), LW Ian Watters (16-14-30)
Outlook: Defense is the name of the game in Brampton, which has featured one of the league’s top defenses the past several seasons. Machovsky anchors this year’s unit, while a defense led by Blujus and Wind provide plenty of help.

Mississauga Steelheads
Coach/GM: James Boyd
2011-12 finish: 33-28-1-6, 5th division, 6th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Barrie 4-2 in conference quarterfinals
Key players: LW Riley Brace (33-49-82), D Dylan DeMelo (7-40-47; signed with San Jose), C Kristoff Kontos (15-32-47), D Stuart Percy (4-30-34, plus-50; signed with Toronto), D Trevor Carrick (6-13-19)
Key losses: G Brandon Maxwell (33-22-1-3, 2.92, .913, 6 SO), LW Jamie Wise (31-17-48)
Outlook: This club has a new owner – Mississauga, Ontario, businessman Elliott Kerr, and nickname. But the Steelheads’ new goaltending tandem of Spencer Martin and former Otter Tyson Teichmann will have the biggest impact on this team’s success.

Niagara IceDogs
Coach/GM: Marty Williamson
2011-12 finish: 47-18-0-3, 1st division, 1st conference
Playoff finish: Lost to London 4-1 in league finals
Key players: C Ryan Strome (30-38-68 in 46 games; signed with N.Y. Islanders), D Dougie Hamilton (17-55-72, +37; signed with Boston), D Jesse Graham (4-37-41, +25; N.Y. Islanders prospect), RW Brett Ritchie (24-21-45; signed with Dallas), G Chris Festarini (16-10-0-0, 2.85, .904, 2 SO; former Otter)
Key losses: G Mark Visentin (30-9-0-2, 1.99, .926, 10 SO; signed with Phoenix), C Andrew Agozzino (40-48-88), LW Freddie Hamilton (35-51-86; signed with San Jose), C Alex Friesen (26-45-71; signed with Vancouver), RW David Pacan (29-35-64)
Outlook: Festarini faces serious pressure as Visentin’s replacement in net. But Festarini has plenty of experienced talent – led by Strome and Hamilton – in front of him that will help keep the puck out of the net as well as score a lot of goals.

Sudbury Wolves
Coach/GM: Trent Cull/Blaine Smith
2011-12 finish: 36-26-4-2, 4th division, 5th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Brampton 4-0 in conference quarterfinals
Key players: LW Joshua Leivo (32-41-73), D Justin Sefton (3-16-19, 143 penalty minutes; San Jose prospect), LW Nathan Pancel (23-21-44), D Frank Corrado (3-23-26, +26), C Matthew Campagna (8-23-31 in 45 games)
Key losses: C Michael Sgarbossa (36-46-82; signed with San Jose), D Josh McFadden (19-53-72; signed with Florida), G Johan Mattsson (23-11-2-1, 3.16, .910), LW Andrey Kuchin (25-40-65), RW Derek Schoenmakers (26-24-50; traded to Windsor)
Outlook: The Wolves spent little time in the playoffs the past two seasons, as they were swept both times. But the departure of skilled leaders like Sgarbossa, McFadden, Mattsson and Kuchin might keep these Wolves out of the playoffs entirely.

- Victor Fernandes

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League will be hosting a media conference call on Tuesday at 12 pm to announce the 2011-12 recipient of the Max Kaminsky Trophy, awarded annually to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Defenceman.

Finalists for 2011-12 OHL Defenceman of the Year are:
Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers
Scott Harrington, London Knights
Dougie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs
Cody Ceci, Ottawa 67’s
Ryan Sproul, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Frank Corrado, Sudbury Wolves

The Max Kaminsky Trophy is voted on by the member teams of the Ontario Hockey League. In a first round of balloting, teams vote for the top defencemen, within their own conference. The top three nominees from both the Eastern and Western conferences are declared as finalists. A second round of voting is then conducted on a league wide basis where teams vote for any of the six finalists. At no time during the voting can a team vote for their own candidate. Defencemen receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.

Prior to 1969, the Kaminsky Trophy was awarded to the Most Gentlemanly Player. The award is in recognition of Kaminsky, who enjoyed a 10-year professional playing career that included four years in the NHL with Ottawa, Boston and Montreal. After he retired from playing, Kaminsky enjoyed a 15-year coaching career that was capped by winning the Memorial Cup with the St. Catharines Teepees in 1960. Last season, Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires won the award.

- From OHL news release

What: Sudbury Wolves (11-20-1-0) at Erie Otters (16-16-1-1)

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.

Where: Tullio Arena

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

Players to watch

Erie – C Greg McKegg (24 goals, 27 assists, 51 points), RW Shawn Szydlowski (17-15-32), RW Anthony Luciani (13-17-30), G Ramis Sadikov (16-11-1-1 record, 2.92 goals-against average, .912 save percentage, 2 shutouts), C Phil Varone (12-13-25)

Sudbury – LW Mike Lomas (17-15-32), LW Michael MacDonald (12-15-17), D Josh McFadden (6-20-26), C Michael Sgarbossa (10-14-24), D Frank Corrado (2-14-16)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters have a 3-3 record in December after posting a 9-3 mark in November. … They look to split the two-game season series after losing to the Wolves 3-1 in Sudbury Oct. 23. … The Otters have nearly identical home (8-8-0-1) and road (8-8-1-0) records. They have dropped their last two home games. … They are third in the OHL on the power play (22.5 percent), two spots ahead of the Wolves (21.4). … The Otters have dropped to 16^th on the penalty kill (78.5). … Before the game, coach Robbie Ftorek and assistant Peter Sidorkiewicz will serve as coaches in the inaugural Guns & Hoses Charity Hockey Game. The 4 p.m. game features local police officers facing local firefighters/EMS and paramedics in a game that benefits the Children’s Advocacy Center of Erie County.

Sudbury – The Wolves will play without leading scorer Marcus Foligno (15-18-33), who remains with Team Canada to prepare for the IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins Dec. 26 in Buffalo. … The Wolves traded former No. 1 pick John McFarland and veteran D Ben Chiarot to Saginaw last week for Sgarbossa, LW Alex Racino and D Frank Schumacher. … Sgarbossa has three goals and four points in two games with the Wolves. … The Wolves rank in the league’s bottom five in goals scored (91) and goals against (133). … They enter tonight’s game off a 9-3 loss to Mississauga St. Michael’s.

Up next: at Plymouth (Dec. 28, 2 p.m.), at Saginaw (Dec. 29, 7:11 p.m.)

– Victor Fernandes