Erie Otters center Connor McDavid will play for his native Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 team at the IIHF U18 World Championship, which runs from Thursday through April 28 in Sochi, Russia. McDavid, 16, the OHL’s rookie of the year who had 25 goals and 66 points in 63 games this season, will be joined by 10 other OHL players on the 23-player roster – goaltender Spencer Martin (Mississauga), defensemen Chris Bigras (Owen Sound) and Roland McKeown (Kingston) and forwards Nick Baptiste (Sudbury), Sam Bennett (Kingston), Jason Dickinson (Guelph), Hunter Garlent (Guelph), Zach Nastasiuk (Owen Sound), Nick Ritchie (Peterborough) and Carter Verhaege (Niagara).
Canada begins the tournament Thursday at 10 a.m. against Slovakia, followed by games against Germany (Saturday at 4 a.m.), Switzerland (Monday at 4 a.m.) and Sweden (Tuesday at 4 a.m.). Medal-round play begins April 25 and is capped by the gold-medal and bronze-medal games April 28.

ANCASTER, Ontario – The Erie Otters have depth on defense for the 2012-13 OHL season.
But veteran Kris Grant won’t be a part of that unit.
Grant, 19, who spent the past two seasons with the team, has requested a trade to a team closer to home in the Kingston, Ontario, area. So club officials told Grant to stay away from training camp to avoid being a distraction.
Sherry Bassin, managing partner and general manager, wasn’t surprised by Grant’s decision. “Last year, I was worried that he wasn’t committed to play,” Bassin said.
* An emergency plan: Bassin acquired goaltender Keinan Brown, 19, from Peterborough for a 10th-round draft pick Tuesday. Brown, who joins the team at camp Wednesday, appeared in two games in an emergency role late last season after Ramis Sadikov and Devin Williams suffered concussions.
Brown had an 0-2-0-0 record, 5.01 goals-against average and .873 save percentage with the Otters. Now Brown headlines Bassin’s emergency plan if Oscar Dansk or Williams are injured during the season.
* McCarthy released: The club waived Tyler McCarthy, and then released the overager after he cleared waivers. Bassin was unsure what McCarthy’s plans are for the coming season.
* On their way: Dansk, the third overall pick in the CHL Import Draft who agreed to terms with the Otters Monday, is scheduled to arrive in Toronto shortly after midnight Friday morning, and then join the team at camp later that day.
Meanwhile, second-year winger Sondre Olden and CHL second-round pick Artem Kuleshov are expected to join the team Monday in Erie.
Olden is training with his native Norway’s senior men’s team, which Bassin said gives him a better chance of possibly earning a spot with the national team.
Kuleshov remains unsigned, but “I don’t foresee that being an issue,” said Dave Brown, assistant manager of hockey operations. The transfer paperwork for the Russian-born defenseman is done, Brown said, but club officials still have immigration documents to complete.

- Victor Fernandes

Toronto – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Dougie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs is the 2011-12 recipient of the Max Kaminsky Trophy awarded to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman of the Year.

Hamilton led all OHL defencemen in scoring with 72 points in just 50 games and tied for third in the league with a plus-minus rating of plus-37. He scored 17 goals and finished tied for third overall in the league with 55 assists which included a league-high 30 assists recorded on the power play. Third in voting for this award last season, Hamilton becomes the first winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy in IceDogs’ team history.

“This year has been a ton of fun and it is a huge honour to win this award,” said Hamilton. “I spent the last couple of years watching the best defencemen in the league and then trying to get myself to that point and it is exciting to be here now and receive this award. A lot of past winners have gone on to NHL careers and hopefully I can follow suit.”

An 18-year-old from Toronto, ON, Hamilton was selected by the IceDogs 27th overall in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection. This season he was recognized as OHL Defenseman of the Month four of the six times the award was presented including October, November, February, and March.

Hamilton was selected by the Boston Bruins with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and represented the OHL on Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship earning a bronze medal. Last season he earned the Bobby Smith Trophy for combining high standards of play and academic excellence before being named the CHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year.

“We couldn’t be prouder of Dougie,” said IceDogs’ General Manager and Head Coach Marty Williamson. “The on ice stuff, it is easy to see how good he is, but he has leadership abilities off the ice and is a great role model not just for younger players on our team but in the community, we just can’t say enough good things about what he brings to the team.”

The Max Kaminsky Trophy is awarded each year to the Most Outstanding Defenseman as selected by OHL General Managers. Teams were not permitted to vote for their own nominee. Players received five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.

Hamilton received an impressive 80 of a maximum 95 points in the voting process ahead of Scott Harrington of the London Knights who finished in second place with 36 voting points, and Cody Ceci of the Ottawa 67’s who finished in third place with 28 voting points.

Other notable winners of the Max Kaminsky Trophy include Al MacInnis (Kitchener 1982-83), Chris Pronger (Peterborough 1992-93), Brian Campbell (Ottawa 1998-99), James Wisniewski (Plymouth 2003-04), Marc Staal (Sudbury 2006-07), Drew Doughty (Guelph 2007-08), and Ryan Ellis (Windsor Spitfires 2008-09 and 2010-11). Ron Meighan (1981-82), and Bryan Fogarty (1988-89) both received the honour as members of the Niagara Falls Thunder.

The award is named in recognition of Max 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. Catherine’s Teepees in 1960.

Hamilton will be formally presented with the Max Kaminsky Trophy at the OHL Awards Ceremony which takes place on Tuesday June 5, 2012, at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. He will also be the OHL’s nominee for CHL Defenseman of the Year.

- From OHL news release

Victor Fernandes unveils his predictions for the 2011-12 OHL season:

REGULAR SEASON

Eastern Conference

East Division

1. Oshawa

2. Ottawa

3. Peterborough

4. Kingston

5. Belleville

Central Division

1. Niagara

2. Mississauga

3. Sudbury

4. Brampton

5. Barrie

Western Conference

Midwest Division

1. London

2. Kitchener

3. Erie

4. Owen Sound

5. Guelph

West Division

1. Plymouth

2. Saginaw

3. Sarnia

4. Windsor

5. Sault Ste. Marie

PLAYOFFS

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 8 Kingston, 4-0

No. 2 Oshawa def. No. 7 Sudbury, 4-2

No. 3 Mississauga def. No. 6 Brampton, 4-1

No. 4 Ottawa def. No. 5 Peterborough, 4-1

Semifinals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 4 Ottawa, 4-0

No. 3 Mississauga def. No. 2 Oshawa, 4-2

Finals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 3 Mississauga, 4-2

Western Conference

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 8 Owen Sound, 4-2

No. 2 London def. No. 7 Erie, 4-2

No. 6 Windsor def. No. 3 Saginaw, 4-3

No. 5 Sarnia def. No. 4 Kitchener, 4-2

Semifinals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 6 Windsor, 4-2

No. 2 London def. No. 5 Sarnia, 4-3

Finals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 2 London, 4-2

League finals

No. 1E Niagara def. No. 1W Plymouth, 4-2

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Former Erie Otters center Phil Varone scored in the Buffalo Sabres’ 6-3 win against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday at the NHL Prospects Tournament. Former teammate Shawn Szydlowski had no points and four shots on goal for the Sabres.

In other tournament action, David Shields, an overage defenseman with the Otters who’s expected to start his professional career this season, had no points and a plus-1 rating in the St. Louis Blues’ 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers. Former Otters forward Andrew Yogan, who was traded to Peterborough last month, had no points and a minus-1 rating for the Rangers.

Otters overage goaltender Ramis Sadikov didn’t play for the Detroit Red Wings in a 7-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Former Mercyhurst College standout Sc0tt Pitt had a minus-2 rating and one shot on goal in the Carolina Hurricanes’ 8-2 loss to the Dallas Stars.

Here is Sunday’s tournament schedule:

Columbus vs. Buffalo, 2:30 p.m.

Carolina vs. St. Louis, 3 p.m.

Dallas vs. N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m. (Live on NHL Network, replay on NHL Network at 9 p.m.)

Detroit vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.

Here’s the rest of the tournament schedule:

Tuesday

Dallas vs. St. Louis, 3 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers vs. Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (Live on NHL Network, replay on NHL Network at 7 p.m.)

Columbus vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.

Detroit vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Wednesday

7th-place game, 3 p.m.

5th-place game, 3:30 p.m.

3rd-place game, 6:30 p.m.

Championship game, 7 p.m.

PETERBOROUGH, Ontario – With all their injuries, the Erie Otters need offense from everyone.

But on Thursday night, Shawn Szydlowski was a one-man show.

His first hat trick in two seasons and third of his career led the Otters to a 4-1 win against Peterborough in front of 2,623 at Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Szydlowski tied the score at 1 with 8 minutes, 30 seconds left in the opening period, six minutes after the Petes’ Lino Martschini snapped the scoreless tie. The teams battled throughout a scoreless second, with the Otters overcoming the Petes’ 5-on-3 power play late in the period. Goaltender Ramis Sadikov stopped all 12 shots he faced in that period and finished with 25 saves on 26 shots overall.

Szydlowski handed the Otters (9-13-1-0) the lead for good at 2-1 at the 1:38 mark of the third. Then an empty-net goal with 1:08 left – his 10^th goal of the season – capped his first hat trick since Jan. 30, 2009.

Greg McKegg added another empty-net goal 12 seconds later – his team-leading 13^th goal – to seal the Otters’ fourth win in the past five games and first victory in Peterborough since Jan. 29, 2004.

Bryce O’Hagan made 27 saves for the Petes (4-14-1-1), which have eight straight and 10 of 11 games.

In other news, the Otters traded defenseman Mitch Gaulton to Kingston on Thursday for a sixth-round pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection. Gaulton, the odd overager out when the club acquired center Phil Varone last month, had been home in Grimsby, Ontario, the past two weeks awaiting a trade.

SUMMARY

Otters 4, Petes 1

Erie  1  0  3  —  4

Peterborough  1  0  0  —  1

1^st Period — 1. Peterborough, Lino Martschini 5 (Watson, Ekelund), 5:23 (pp). 2. Erie, Shawn Szydlowski 8 (unassisted), 11:30. Penalties — Holden (E) delay of game, 4:37; Murduff (P) tripping, 6:45; Broll (E) 5-min. fighting, 11:32; Mathers (P) 5-min. fighting, 11:32; Pelech (E) holding, 16:34.

2^nd Period — None. Penalties — Smith (P) checking from behind, 2:25; Luciani (E) hooking, 9:14; Koekkoek (P) slashing, 9:33; Cairns (E) hooking, 13:37; Cook (E) unsportsmanlike conduct, 14:23.

3^rd Period — 3. Erie, Szydlowski 9 (McDonnell), 1:38. 4. Erie, Szydlowski 10 (Shields), 18:52 (en). 5. Erie, Greg McKegg 13 (Luciani), 19:56 (en). Penalties — Murduff (P) hooking, 7:44

Shots on goal — Erie, 8-10-13—31; Peterborough, 6-12-8—26.

Goaltenders — Erie, Ramis Sadikov 9-10-1-0 (26 shots, 25 saves); Peterborough, Bryce O’Hagan 4-8-1-0 (29 shots, 27 saves).

Power plays — Erie (0-4), Peterborough (1-5).

Referees — Matt Parlette, Korey Bannerman. Linesmen — Jordan Browne, Scott Gray.

Attendance — 2,623.

Three stars

* Shawn Szydlowski, Otters (3 goals) ** Lino Martschini, Petes (goal) *** Ramis Sadikov, Otters (25 saves)

What: London Knights (10-5-2-1) at Erie Otters (7-13-1-0)

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 (11 goals, 16 assists, 27 points), G Ramis Sadikov (7-10-1-0 record, 2.97 goals-against average, .910 save percentage, 1 shutout), RW Shawn Szydlowski (7-11-18), D Tyler Hostetter (4-13-17), RW Anthony Luciani (4-3-7 in 7 games)

London – RW Vladislav Namestnikov (9-15-24), C Daniel Erlich (7-14-21), RW Jared Knight (7-12-19), LW Michael MacDonald (5-11-16), RW Seth Griffith (4-11-15)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters have split the first eight games of a key nine-game stretch that concludes tonight with the last of eight home games. … They are 4-7-0-0 at home, which ranks near the bottom in the OHL, despite outscoring opponents 37-34. … The Otters and Knights split the first two games of their six-game season series. Erie won 5-2 at home Oct. 2 and lost 5-3 in London Oct. 15. … Varone faces his former team for the first time since being traded to the Otters three weeks ago. … Hostetter and the Knights’ Michael D’Orazio (4-13-17) are tied for second overall in scoring by defensemen. Hostetter has multi-point outings in three of his last four games. … Sadikov has started 11 straight games.

London – The Knights have lost six of their last 10 games. But they enter tonight’s game off an 8-1 home win against Barrie on Friday. … D’Orazio completes a two-game suspension tonight. He earned a game misconduct in Wednesday’s overtime loss at Windsor for being in a second fight during the same stoppage. … The Knights have played 12 of their first 18 games at home. They are 2-3-1-0 on the road. … Their once vaunted power play stands 15^th in the league at 17 percent (18-for-106).

Up next: at Peterborough (Thursday, 7 p.m.), at Oshawa (Friday, 7:35 p.m.)

- Victor Fernandes

What: Saginaw Spirit (13-4-1-1) at Erie Otters (7-12-1-0)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Tullio Arena

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

Players to watch

Erie – C Greg McKegg (11 goals, 16 assists, 27 points), G Ramis Sadikov (7-9-1-0 record, 2.90 goals-against average, .912 save percentage, 1 shutout), RW Shawn Szydlowski (7-11-18), D Tyler Hostetter (3-12-15), RW Anthony Luciani (4-3-7 in 6 games)

Saginaw – LW Brandon Saad (11-10-21, 6 power-play goals), C Vincent Trocheck (9-11-20), RW Jordan Szwarz (7-10-17), C Ivan Telegin (5-12-17), LW Josh Shalla (13-2-15, 6 PPG)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters have a two-game winning streak for the first time in a month. They also have won three of their last four. … They haven’t won three straight since February. … The Otters are 4-3 during a key nine-game stretch that concludes this weekend with two of eight home games. … C Mike Cazzola (broken wrist) will miss the next six to 12 weeks, coach Robbie Ftorek confirmed Thursday. … Luciani had a goal and assist in Wednesday’s win against Guelph, his first game since breaking his right wrist a month ago. … Sadikov has started the past 10 games. He leads the OHL with 1,034 minutes played – 159 more than London’s Michael Houser – and ranks among the top 10 in goals-against average and save percentage. … Szydlowski had three assists against the Storm after missing the previous two games because he was ill. … D Brady Austin (neck spasms) missed Wednesday’s game but will play tonight. … McKegg has only four goals and seven points in his past 12 games. He’s still tied for seventh overall in scoring. … The penalty kill has stopped 23 straight chances to reach ninth in the league (81.6 percent).

Saginaw – The Western Conference-leading Spirit have lost two straight and three of their last four games, including a 5-4 loss at Niagara on Thursday. … Saad, a native of the Pittsburgh suburb of Gibsonia, leads the Spirit’s offense in his rookie season. … They are third in the league on the power play (21.7 percent) and second on the penalty kill (86.7). … They have one of the league’s most potent offenses without a single player among the top 20 scorers. … G Mavric Parks (8-4-0-1, 2.58, .927) was the league’s goaltender of the month for October.

Up next: vs. London (Saturday, 7 p.m.), at Peterborough (Thursday, 7 p.m.)

Erie Otters forward Greg McKegg finished a close second to Peterborough center Ryan Spooner in voting for the OHL’s William Hanley Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s most sportsmanlike player. Each player received 48 total points (five for first place, three for second and one for third) in voting conducted by the league’s 20 general managers. GMs couldn’t vote for their team’s player.

But Spooner earned the honor because he had more first-place votes than McKegg. Saginaw winger Jordan Skellett, a former Otter, finished third with 32 points. Former winners of the award include Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky (Sault Ste. Marie, 1977-78), Chicago Blackhawks defenseman and former Buffalo Sabre Brian Campbell, St. Louis Blues center and former Otter Brad Boyes (2000-01 and 2001-02) and Philadelphia Flyers center Jeff Carter (Sault Ste. Marie, 2004-05).

Spooner will receive the award at the 2009-10 CHL Awards Ceremony, set for June 9 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

- From OHL news release

Former Erie Otters defenseman Chris Breen, who finished his OHL career last week with Peterborough, has signed a tryout contract with the Abbotsford Heat, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Find out more by clicking the link.

Breen had no goals, 15 points and 49 penalty minutes in 76 games with the Otters after being acquired from Saginaw in October 2008 in the Jordan Skellett trade. The Otters traded Breen to the Petes on Oct. 22, 2009, for defenseman Derek Holden.