My apologies, this didn’t post for some reason yesterday …

Sean Day was happy and relieved to hear the news Thursday. The Ontario Hockey Federation announced that Hockey Canada granted exceptional player status to the 15-year-old defenseman , which allows him to enter the OHL Priority Selection a year early.
He joins former current New York Islanders center John Tavares (Oshawa, 2005), Barrie Colts defenseman Aaron Ekblad (2011) and Erie Otters center Connor McDavid (2012) as the only players to receive early entry into the league.
Unlike his predecessors, Day reportedly isn’t guaranteed to be the No. 1 pick in the April 6 draft. Speculation has arisen about the Ottawa 67′s and their choice. Under league rules, the 67′s aren’t required to choose Day with that top pick. Day isn’t required to report to the club that picks him.
However, Day said during Thursday’s conference call that “I’m prepared to go anywhere,” he said. “Part of getting this (status) is to play in the OHL.”
Meanwhile, the Otters hold the No. 2 pick because they finished with the league’s second-worst record (19-40-4-5). Sherry Bassin, managing partner and general manager, was tight-lipped earlier this week regarding the pick. “We’ve got a pretty good idea,” Bassin said. “We’ll go with the best player.”
The Otters need help on a defense that allowed 312 goals this season, the second-worst total in the league. Day, a 6 foot 2 inch, 197-pound offensive defenseman, had 11 goals and 35 points in 63 games with Detroit-area Compuware’s minor midget club. “If you need me to play good defense, I can play that,” Day, a Belgian-born Canadian citizen who lives in Rochester, Mich., said during a conference call. “If you need a fourth forward, I can jump into the play.” Yet forwards such as Travis Konecny (Elgin Middlesex Chiefs) and Dylan Strome (Toronto Marlboros) are highly regarded. Earlier this week, Bassin said he needed the right complementary players to play alongside skilled performers like McDavid.
Keith Day, Sean’s father, said there has been no contact yet with officials from the 67′s or Otters.

- Victor Fernandes

Erie Otters rookie Connor McDavid has been chosen to play for Team OHL against Team Russia in the first of two games in the Subway Super Series. McDavid, 15, who will play Nov. 8 at Sleeman Centre in Guelph, Ontario, is the youngest player to ever play in this 10-year-old event, which helps determine Canada’s roster for the IIHF World Junior Championship this coming winter.
McDavid and Barrie center Zach Hall are replacing Oshawa winger Lucas Lessio and Belleville center Brendan Gaunce, who can’t play because of injuries. McDavid joins teammate Adam Pelech in the event. The veteran defenseman will play in the OHL’s second game Nov. 12 at RBC Centre in Sarnia, Ontario. Team OHL has an 18-0 overall record.

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

Victor Fernandes unveils his predictions for the 2012-13 OHL season:

REGULAR SEASON

Eastern Conference
East Division
1. Belleville
2. Oshawa
3. Ottawa
4. Peterborough
5. Kingston

Central Division
1. Barrie
2. Niagara
3. Brampton
4. Mississauga
5. Sudbury

Western Conference
Midwest Division
1. Kitchener
2. Guelph
3. Owen Sound
4. London
5. Erie

West Division
1. Plymouth
2. Windsor
3. Sarnia
4. Saginaw
5. Sault Ste. Marie

PLAYOFFS

Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Barrie def. No. 8 Peterborough, 4-0
No. 2 Belleville def. No. 7 Mississauga, 4-1
No. 3 Niagara def. No. 6 Ottawa, 4-1
No. 4 Oshawa def. No. 5 Brampton, 4-3
Semifinals
No. 1 Barrie def. No. 4 Oshawa, 4-2
No. 2 Belleville def. No. 3 Niagara, 4-2
Finals
No. 2 Belleville def. No. 1 Barrie, 4-3

Western Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Kitchener def. No. 8 Erie, 4-1
No. 2 Plymouth def. No. 7 Sarnia, 4-1
No. 3 Guelph def. No. 6 Windsor, 4-2
No. 4 Owen Sound def. No. 5 London, 4-2
Semifinals
No. 1 Kitchener def. No. 4 Owen Sound, 4-1
No. 2 Plymouth def. No. 3 Guelph, 4-2
Finals
No. 1 Kitchener def. No. 2 Plymouth, 4-3

League finals
No. 1 Kitchener def. No. 2 Belleville, 4-2

- Victor Fernandes

BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings – Week 1

Rank Team (Record)
1 Quebec Remparts
2 Edmonton Oil Kings
3 London Knights
4 Portland Winterhawks
5 Kitchener Rangers
6 Halifax Mooseheads
7 Plymouth Whalers
8 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
9 Saskatoon Blades
10 Oshawa Generals

Honorable Mention:
Moncton Wildcats
Kamloops Blazers
Belleville Bulls

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 East Division (listed in alphabetical order):

Belleville Bulls
Coach/GM: George Burnett
2011-12 finish: 35-32-1-0, 2nd division, 7th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Ottawa 4-2 in conference quarterfinals
Key players: G Malcolm Subban (25-14-0-0 record, 2.50 goals-against average, .923 save percentage, 3 shutouts; signed with Boston), C Brendan Gaunce (28 goals, 40 assists, 68 points; signed with Vancouver), RW Austen Brassard (27-24-51; Winnipeg prospect); D Stephen Silas (6-26-32), D Brady Austin (6-20-26; former Erie Otter)
Key losses: C Adam Payerl (22-25-47), RW Luke Judson (18-21-39)
Outlook: Burnett has the rebuilding Bulls headed in the right direction, as they have improved by 15 wins in the past three seasons. And with Subban in net, Silas on defense and Gaunce up front, the Bulls could make a big move this season.

Kingston Frontenacs
Coach/GM: Todd Gill/Doug Gilmour
2011-12 finish: 19-41-3-5, 5th division, 10th conference
Playoff finish: Did not qualify
Key players: C Darcy Greenaway (27-25-52), LW Cody Alcock (24-23-47), C Ryan Kujawinski (16-20-36), D Roland McKeown (No. 2 pick in 2012 OHL Priority Selection), G Mike Morrison (10-19-2-3, 3.87, .890, 1 SO)
Key losses: G Igor Bobkov (17-32-2-4, 3.64, .902, 1 SO; signed with Anaheim)
Outlook: The Frontenacs had the league’s second-worst record a season ago. Morrison, an overager signed earlier this summer, will need to lead a young team headlined by the offensive trio of Greenaway, Alcock and Kujawinski, through a rebuild.

Oshawa Generals
Coach/GM: D.J. Smith/Jeff Twohey
2011-12 finish: 31-30-4-3, 3rd division, 8th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Niagara 4-2 in conference quarterfinals
Key players: LW Lucas Lessio (34-28-62; signed with Phoenix), C Scott Laughton (21-32-53; signed with Philadelphia), C Boone Jenner (22-27-49; signed with Columbus), D Matt Petgrave (10-35-45, plus-11), G Daniel Altshuller (11-16-2-1, 3.55, ,900)
Key losses: RW Christian Thomas (34-33-67; signed with N.Y. Rangers), RW Nicklas Jensen (25-33-58), LW Andy Andreoff (22-36-58), D Julian Melchiori (2-34-36, +10)
Outlook: The Generals had talent galore last season, but lost in the first round after barely making the playoffs. They still have plenty of talent this season. Smith and Twohey, the former GM in Peterborough, are in charge of turning that talent into wins.

Ottawa 67’s
Coach/GM: Chris Byrne
2011-12 finish: 40-20-5-3, 1st division, 2nd conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Barrie 4-3 in conference semifinals
Key players: D Cody Ceci (17-43-60, +34; signed with Ottawa), C Sean Monahan (33-45-78), G Jake Cardwell (8-28-36), LW Steven Janes (16-20-36), G Keegan Wilson (12-9-3-3, 2.82, .892, 1 SO with Kingston)
Key losses: RW Tyler Toffoli (52-48-100; signed with Los Angeles), LW Shane Prince (43-47-90; signed with Ottawa), G Petr Mrazek (30-13-4-2, 2.84, .917, 3 shutouts; signed with Detroit), C Mike Cazzola (11-34-45; former Otter); D Marc Zanetti (7-21-28, +27)
Outlook: Toffoli’s 109 goals and 208 points the past two years will be difficult to replace, especially since the 67′s also lost 40-goal scorer Prince. But the key to success will be Wilson in net, where he replaces the highly skilled and consistent Mrazek.