NEWS

The OJHL announced today that Pickering Panthers forward Brandon Salerno (photo credit - Shawn Muir/OJHL Images) has been named the Gongshow Gear North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month for September after recording 13 points in just 4 games played.  

Joining the Panthers midway through the month after playing south of the border for the past two seasons, Salerno quickly picked-up where he had left off in 2011-12, notching six goals and seven assists.  He recorded no less than three points-per-game and had a four point outing to earn MVP honours during the club's Governors' Showcase match-up versus Mississauga.  Twice Salerno was named the game's second star and he was named first star during his first game as a Panther on September 19, scoring two goals including the game-winner, in a 6-5 victory over Lindsay.  Despite playing half the number of games of most other players, Salerno's impressive performance already had him sitting in the top 15 among overall league scorers.

"I'm honoured to be named Player-of-the-Month," said Salerno.  "I wouldn't have been able to do it without my teammates and coaching staff, who made the transition to the team extremely easy."

“Brandon has been a huge addition to our team on-and-off the ice," said Panthers General Manager and Head Coach Mike Galati.  "He brings elite level speed and high-end skill.  The Panthers are honoured to have Brandon a part of our organization and would like to congratulate him on winning the award.  His play has been a huge part in our team's success thus far."

Henry Thompson of the Whitby Fury was runner-up to Salerno as the North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month.  The Fury captain led the OJHL in goal scoring during the month, notching 11 goals in 8 games played.

Born on July 31, 1995, Brandon Salerno is a native of Toronto, Ontario and grew up playing his minor hockey in the GTHL, including the all-important minor midget season as a member of the powerhouse Don Mills Flyers in 2010-11.

Teamed up with future NHL picks Darnell Nurse and Max Domi, Salerno would help lead the Flyers to the championship game of the 2011 OHL Cup tournament in Mississauga, recording six goals and nine points in seven games, including a goal in the championship game.  Despite their best efforts, the Flyers fell 5-3 to the Toronto Marlboros.  During the season, he notched 20 goals and 42 points in 31 games played and following the season, Salerno would be selected by the Ottawa 67's in the 3rd round, 59th overall, of the 2011 OHL Priority Selection.

Facing the decision between the OHL and NCAA, Salerno chose the collegiate route and joined the North York Rangers as a 16-year old rookie in 2011-12, committing in October to the University of Maine Black Bears program.  He would record 7 goals and 25 points in 46 games played to finish ninth on the club in scoring, while adding three post-season points in a first round loss to Toronto.

Following the season, Salerno jumped to the USHL, joining the Waterloo Black Hawks, where he would spend the next two seasons from 2012-14.  During his time with Waterloo, the diminutive forward would compete at the 2012 Junior World Cup held in Omsk, Russia, finishing as runner-up to the OHL's Sudbury Wolves and would de-commit from Maine, committing last spring to the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers DI program.

Leaving the USHL this summer, Salerno's rights were traded from North York to Stouffville early in the season and then moved on to the Panthers, where he has been one of the club's leaders since joining the squad.