NEWS

The OJHL announced today that Cobourg Cougars forward Ryan Casselman (photo credit - Shawn Muir/OJHL Images) has been named the Bardown North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month for November after leading the conference with 16 points in 10 games played.

The 19-year old currently leads the 2017 RBC Cup host in scoring with 21 goals and 44 points on the season after joining the club midway through last season.  Casselman also led the North-East Conference with eight goals during November and his 16 points saw him shutout from the scoresheet in just one game during the month, including a seven game point scoring streak entering December.  Casselman recorded multiple points in five of his ten contests, including a four point outing in a 7-0 victory over East Division rival Kingston that saw him notch the game-winning goal.  He scored two game-winners during the month and all but two of his points were registered at even-strength.

The native of Napanee, Ontario finished his minor hockey career as a member of the Quinte Red Devils Minor Midget ‘AAA’ organization in 2012-13 before joining his hometown Napanee Raiders Junior ‘C’ squad the following year.  Casselman would record 24 goals and 47 points in just 40 games played as a 16-year old to finish second on the team in scoring, while picking up Rookie of the Year honours in the Empire B Junior ‘C’ Hockey League.  Earning a tryout with the CCHL’s Pembroke Lumber Kings due to his play, Casselman earned a spot on the team and did not disappoint, finishing the 2014-15 season with 15 goals and 39 points in 59 regular season contests to earn CCHL All-Rookie Team honours following the season.  He would add six points in the post-season as the Lumber Kings marched to the CCHL Championship Series before falling to Carleton Place in the final.  After starting the 2015-16 season in Pembroke, Casselman wanted to move closer to home and a deal was worked out that saw him join the Cobourg Cougars.  He finished the year strong, registering 25 points to finish seventh on the team in scoring despite only playing in 30 games.  Thus far this season, Casselman has continued to excel in leading the team in scoring, while sitting second among all players with 21 goals and fourth with 44 points.  He was named a member of Team OJHL Nieuwendyk and led the team in scoring with two goals during the 2016 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge that was held in Cornwall, Ontario.

Cameron Lamport of the Lindsay Muskies was runner-up to Casselman as the North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month.  The Muskies captain has been on a scoring tear as of late and notched 11 points in just 4 games played during the month of November.