Toronto – The Ontario Hockey League announced today that forward Ryan Kujawinski of the Kingston Frontenacs is the OHL Player of the Week for the week ending Sept. 30 after recording five points in two games scoring twice with three assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-2.

Kujawinski helped lift the Frontenacs to a pair of victories over the weekend beginning Friday night, where he picked up three assists as second star when the club erased a 5-3 third period deficit to comeback and beat the Erie Otters 6-5 in overtime.
On Sunday afternoon, he received first-star honours with two goals in a 5-4 win over the Niagara IceDogs giving the Frontenacs their best start to a season since 1997-98 with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record as the only undefeated team remaining in the OHL.

Kujawinski, a 17-year-old from Iroqouis Falls, ON, is playing in his second OHL season. Eligible for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Kujawinski was a first-round pick of the Sarnia Sting in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection, but finished his rookie campaign with the Frontenacs where he scored 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 30 games.

Also considered for the award this week was Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Boone Jenner of the Oshawa Generals who scored four goals and four assists for eight points in three games, and Montreal Canadiens prospect Brady Vail of the Windsor Spitfires who picked up three goals and four assists for seven points in three games.
In goal, Detroit Red Wings prospect Jake Paterson of the Saginaw Spirit posted a 1-0-1-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.46 and save percentage of .955.

- From OHL news release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Seth Griffith of the London Knights is the OHL Player of the Week for the opening week of the 2012-13 OHL regular season ending Sept. 23 after scoring five goals and one assist for six points in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.

Griffith and the Knights opened the season with an 8-2 win over the Erie Otters on home ice Friday night where the defending Robertson Cup champs were honoured with a pre-game ceremony that raised their 2011-12 Championship Banner to the rafters. Griffith recorded his fourth career hat-trick scoring all three goals in the second period and was named first star of the game. On Sunday afternoon he scored a pair of goals and added an assist as third star of an 8-2 win over the Guelph Storm.

Griffith, a 19-year-old from Wallaceburg, ON, is playing in his fourth season with the Knights after leading the club with 85 points in 68 games last season scoring 45 goals and 40 assists. In June, Griffith was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins.

Also considered for the award this week was Cameron Brace of the Owen Sound Attack who scored three goals and three assists for six points in two games, while defenseman Cody Ceci of the Ottawa 67’s picked up a goal and four assists for five points in two games. In goal, John Gibson of the Kitchener Rangers went 2-0-0-0 with a shutout victory and a goals-against-average of 0.96 and save percentage of .964.

- From OHL news release

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League have announced an exciting new plan for their fans to watch more hockey at a discount price, the “2 for $20” deal.

Starting Tuesday and for the first half of the season, fans can purchase tickets to Friday and Saturday games for $20, a savings of $9from the day of game price. The offer begins with the home opener weekend of Oct. 5-6 at Erie Insurance Arena.

Tickets for the each of the respective weekends must be purchased by Thursday at 5 p.m. in order to redeem the offer. Just mention the “2-for-$20” offer at the Warner Theatre or Otters’ box office and you’ll get tickets to two games at a great price.

- From Erie Otters news release

Toronto – Ontario Hockey League Commissioner David Branch met with representatives of the Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club to review the sanctions taken by the league against the Spitfires for violations of the league’s Player Recruitment Policy which resulted in the team having to make a payment of $400,000, losing three first-round draft selections and two second-round draft selections.
During the meeting with the Commissioner, the Spitfires accepted that there were certain violations of the league’s Recruitment Policy. In recognition of the acknowledgement and the cooperation of the Windsor Spitfires, Commissioner Branch modified his earlier decision and the team will pay to the league a payment of $250,000 and will lose a first-round draft pick in 2013, second-round draft pick in 2015, first-round draft pick in 2016 and a second-round draft pick in 2017.
As a result the Windsor Spitfires will not appeal the decision. Neither the league nor the Windsor Spitfires will be making any further comment in relation to this matter.

- From OHL news release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today hosted a media conference call to officially launch the start of the regular season and announced several changes for 2012-13.

The following were adopted at the Annual General Meeting of the OHL Board of Governors held on August 17.

OHL Playoff Schedule:

The OHL will be adjusting its playoff format from the current alternating game format and will now see the first two (2) games played in the home centre of the team which finished higher in the standings, followed by the next two (2) games to be played in the other team’ centre, with the balance of the games in the series alternating.

Video Replay Rule 38.4:

The following situations have been added to those areas subject to review by the Video Goal Judge:
1. The puck is hand-passed to a teammate in the offensive zone who subsequently scores.
2. The puck is high-sticked to a teammate in the offensive zone who subsequently scores.

Refusing to Play the Puck – Rule 72:

In order to accentuate the speed and skill of the players, if in the opinion of the referee it is deemed that the game has come to a standstill due to no advancement of the puck, the whistle shall be blown with the resulting faceoff at centre ice with it understood that the teams are not permitted to make a line change.

Note: Not advancing the puck shall include, but is not limited to a player remaining behind his net with the puck for an extended period of time or regrouping behind his net without moving the puck on more than two (2) consecutive occasions.

Supplementary Discipline:

1. If a player is assessed a fighting major for the 11th – 15th time during the regular season, such player is assessed an automatic two (2) game suspension for each additional fighting major in addition to any other penalties assessed.
2. If a player is assessed a fighting major for the 16th time or more during the regular season, such player is assessed an automatic two (2) game suspension and the hockey club is fined $1,000.00 for each additional fighting major in addition to any other penalties assessed.
3. If a player is deemed to be the instigator in any of the fights above the ten (10) game threshold, such player would be assessed an automatic four (4) game suspension in addition to any other penalties assessed.

Note: If a player is instigated upon, the fighting major is not included in the player’s total number of fights.

Such policy was made based on recommendations of the OHL Competitions Committee at their meeting in June, 2012, and ratified at the Annual General Meeting in August.

- From OHL news release

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League, in conjunction with the Erie Playhouse, are inviting all singers to join us for national anthem auditions being held Saturday, Sept. 29th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Erie Playhouse (13 West 10th Street).
Candidates will tryout with the chance to sing the Canadian and American National Anthems before Otters games. For more information or to reserve a time slot for your audition, please call Paul Roper of the Otters Office at 455-7779 or email paul@ottershockey.com.

- From Erie Otters news release

The Ontario Hockey League announced today that the Windsor Spitfires have been punished for what the league termed as “violations of our Recruitment/Benefit Rules and Policies.”
The club was fined $400,000 and was stripped of five OHL draft picks over the next five years – first-rounders in 2013, 2014 and 2016 and second-rounders in 2015 and 2017. The ruling was handed down based on findings from two separate investigations, the league said in a statement.
“While the penalties may appear to be severe,” OHL Commissioner David Branch said in the statement, “the league and its member teams recognize for any such violations of our Recruitment/Benefit Rules and Policies, we must send a strong message to preserve the integrity of our league.”
Branch pointed to the league’s enforcement program, which was developed by the OHL’s Board of Governors in 2009. The program, he said in the statement, “is designed to address and attempt to eliminate violations of the rules and impose appropriate penalties if violations occur.”
The enforcement process,” Branch added, “is an integral part of the process to ensure integrity and fair play among the member teams. One of the fundamental principles of the enforcement process is to ensure that those member teams that are abiding by the rules are not disadvantaged by their commitment to compliance.”
Check out this story from The Windsor Star.

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League selected Swedish goaltender Oscar Dansk (DAHN-sk) from Brynäs of the Elitserien with the third overall selection in the 2012 CHL Import Draft Wednesday morning.

Born February 28, 1994 in Stockholm, the 6-foot-2, 187-pound Dansk was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 31st overall pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Dansk was ranked second among European goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting in their final rankings for the draft.

In 28 games in the junior-level Super Elitserien, Dansk had a 2.82 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .910 with Brynäs. He also won a silver medal with Sweden at the 2012 IIHF Under-18 World Championships.

Dansk has previously played in North America with the storied Shattuck-St. Mary’s program in Minnesota, which has produced hockey superstars such as Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, New Jersey Devils left wing Zach Parise and Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews.

Elite Prospects describes Dansk as “A very agile goalie with a large frame. Plays a hybrid style of play. Solid technical skills and is also strong mentally. Uses his size to his advantage and cuts off angles well. A good competitor.”

The Otters will select their next player in the 63rd spot.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Moncton Wildcats used the first overall pick to select Russia left wing Ivan Barbashev. The Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League selected German left wing Leon Draisaitl with the second overall pick.

- From Erie Otters news release

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League are proud to announce that defenseman Adam Pelech (Pell-eck) is one of 28 players who will represent Team Canada at the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge in August.

A native of Toronto, Pelech rebounded after an early-season injury and was a steady influence on the blue line, collecting 20 points in 44 games. He was the first player in OHL history to receive the Ivan Tennant and Bobby Smith Awards for academic excellence in April.

At the Otters Annual Awards Banquet in April, Pelech took home Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year honors, joining Chris Campoli as the only defensemen to be named as Otters Player of the Year.

Pelech has had considerable experience at the international level, winning gold medals with Canada and Team Ontario at the 2011 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka and the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, respectively.

He also helped Canada win a bronze medal at the World Under-18 Championships in the Czech Republic, the country’s first medal at the event since 2008. Pelech served as an assistant captain and was named by opposing coaches as one of Canada’s top three players at the tournament.

The 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge is a collaboration between Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, Halifax Mooseheads and Halifax Trade Centre Limited, which will see Canada and Russia’s national junior programs face off in four games, two in Russia and two in Canada, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series. The series begins August 9 in Russia and concludes August 14 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Canada’s roster, comprised of three goaltenders, 10 defensemen and 15 forwards, was selected by Kevin Prendergast, head scout of the men’s Program of Excellence for Hockey Canada, along with Hockey Canada senior director of hockey operations and national teams Scott Salmond, and the team’s coaching staff, comprised of head coach Steve Spott, Mario Duhamel, Don Nachbaur and André Tourigny.

- From Erie Otters news release

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League are proud to announce that forward Stephen Harper is one of 40 players invited by Hockey Canada to attend Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp, August 3-6 at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, Ont.

Harper last played on the international stage at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, Ont., where he won a bronze medal with Team Ontario. Harper scored two goals in five games during the tournament.

In his first OHL season with the Otters, Harper collected 24 goals and 11 assists, sharing team Rookie of the Year honors with Connor Brown. Harper’s 24 goals were the most among 1995-born players in the OHL last season.

The roster includes four goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 24 forwards. The players, born in 1995 and 1996, were selected by Hockey Canada head scout Kevin Prendergast, in consultation with head coach Todd Gill and assistant coaches Yanick Jean and Scott Walker.

“These players are the cream of the crop of under-18 talent in Canada, and it’s going to be exciting to see them battle for 22 roster spots,” Prendergast said. “As it is every year, there were some tough decisions to get down to 40, and they’ll be even tougher decisions to make to finalize the roster.”

The camp roster includes 17 players from the Ontario Hockey League, 13 from the Western Hockey League and 10 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Of the 40 players who have been invited to the selection camp, 22 will be selected for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, which will play in the 2012 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament, scheduled for August 13-18 in Piestany, Slovakia and Breclav, Czech Republic.

Otters defenseman Adam Pelech won a gold medal with Team Canada at last year’s Memorial of Ivan Hlinka.

Also participating in the selection camp is Otters equipment manager Mike Hildenbrand, who is set to begin his third season with the Otters after stints with the Windsor Spitfires and ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings.

- From Erie Otters news release