OJHL ANNOUNCES ALL-PROSPECT TEAMS
March 1, 2019, Mississauga, ON – The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced its 2018-19 OJHL First and Second All-Prospect Teams.
The OJHL All-Prospect Team is comprised of 2001 and 2002 birth-year prospects and is selected by the OJHL general managers, as well as an awards committee comprised of one media member in each OJHL market.
The 2019-20 OJHL First and Second All-Prospect Team recipients are
1st Team All-Prospect (OJHL)
F- Eric Ciccolini, Toronto Jr Canadiens
F- Kosta Manikis, Toronto Jr Canadiens
F- Ryan O'Hara, Oakville Blades
D- Zach Uens, Wellington
D- Clark Hiebert, Burlington
G- Mitchell Weeks, Newmarket
2nd Team All-Prospect (OJHL)
F- Ryan Alexander, St. Michael’s
F- Declan McDonnell, Buffalo Jr. Sabres
F- Cole O’Hara, North York
D- Justin Nolet, Toronto Patriots
D- Noah Beck, St. Michael's
G- Luke Pearson, Whitby
1st Team All-Prospects
Forward – Eric Ciccolini (Toronto Jr. Canadiens)
Eric Ciccolini, who is rated for the June 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver, played for Team Canada East at the World Jr. A Challenge in Alberta earlier this season. He has committed to join the NCAA Division 1 University of Michigan Wolverines beginning with the 2020-21 season. The 6-foot, 170-pound winger scored 26 Jr. Canadien goals and assisted on 33 this season.
The native of Vaughan joined the Jr. Canadiens from the Milton Icehawks (now Brantford 99ers) during the 2017-18 OJHL season. He’s a product of the Vaughan Kings minor hockey program.
Forward – Kosta Manikis (Toronto Jr. Canadiens)
NCAA D1 Clarkson University commit Kosta Manikis was one of 12 OJHLer who played in the 2019 Canadian Junior Hockey League Prospects Game Jan. 22 in Okotoks, Alta. Manikis is one of four Ontario Junior Hockey Players on NHL Central Scouting’s draft list. Manikis played one and a half seasons for the Stouffville Spirit before dealt to the Jr. Canadiens in December. The Richmond Hill resident played minor midget for the Vaughan Kings – where he was a teammate of Eric Ciccolini.
Forward – Ryan O’Hara (Oakville Blades)
Ryan O’Hara has committed to the NCAA’s Bowling Green Falcons for the 2020-2021 Season. O’Hara, 17, joined the Blades after playing the past season with the Mississauga Rebels major midget team in the GTHL. In his rookie season with the Blades, O’Hara, is enjoying extreme success, averaging nearly a point per game. O’Hara was an 11th round selection of the Kitchener Rangers in the 2017 OHL draft.
Defenceman - Zach Uens (Wellington Dukes)
He’s back. As a rookie defenceman in 2017-18, Zach Uens was named to the OJHL’s second All-Prospect team. This year, the Wellington Duke is on the first team, following a 22-point (six goals/16 assists) season. Uens, who is ranked for this year’s NHL Draft, is scheduled to join the NCAA Division 1 Merrimack College Warriors beginning with the 2019-20 season. A native of Belleville, Uens joined the Dukes full-time this season following a 21-point season with the Quinte Red Devils minor midgets. He played two games with the Dukes as an affiliate in 2016-17 and was a fourth-round selection of the Flint Firebirds in the 2017 Ontario Hockey League draft. The 16-year-old had five goals and 13 assists in 54 games with the Dukes in 2017-18.
Defenceman – Clark Hiebert (Burlington Cougars)
Clark Hiebert is in his second season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He’s been impressive. After spending last season with the Milton Icehawks, the 6-foot-2 blueliner moved to Burlington this year in a trade for three players. The 17-year-old scored three goals and added 24 assists this year. He was selected to play in the Eastern Canada Cup Challenge last fall. He played minor hockey for his hometown AAA Oakville Rangers. Hiebert was a ninth-round pick of the Guelph Storm in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection.
Goaltender – Mitchell Weeks (Newmarket Hurricanes)
Mitchell Weeks made a splash at multiple levels during his first season of junior hockey. The 17-year-old from Barrie joined the Newmarket Hurricanes this year following an outstanding midget year with the North Central Predators AAA squad. He ended up splitting the season between the Canes and the Sudbury Wolves, who selected him first overall in the 2018 OHL U18/midget draft. He has committed to Sudbury for next season. His 1.72 GAA was second best in the 22-team OJHL. Weeks has appeared in 16 games this season. He played his minor midget and bantam seasons in his hometown Barrie Colts organization.
2nd Team All Prospects
Forward – Ryan Alexander (St. Michael’s)
Ryan Alexander, a native of Toronto, joined the Buzzers this year after an amazing 71-point (35G/36A) season with the Toronto Marlboros AAA minor midgets last season. He played seven seasons for the GTHL club. The 16-year-old centre committed to Arizona State in March. He was a third-round pick (58th overall) of the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League draft in April. He had 16 goals and 29 assists for the Buzzers, who are playing the Toronto Patriots in the first round of the playoffs.
Forward – Declan McDonnell (Buffalo Jr. Sabres)
Declan McDonnell committed to join the NCAA Division 1 Providence College Friars beginning with the 2020-21 academic year. The 16-year-old made the announcement prior to the start of the 2018-19 Ontario Junior Hockey League season. The resident of Lake View, NY scored 18 goals and added 31 assists during his rookie season in the OJHL. McDonnell has been with the Buffalo Junior Sabres minor hockey organization as far back as the 2015-16 season, when he skated with the minor bantam squad. He scored seven goals and five assists in six games for the Jr. Sabres' USA Hockey national championship-winning 15-Only team last April, McDonnell was a third-round selection in both the 2018 OHL (Kitchener) and USHL (Lincoln) drafts.
Forward - Cole O’Hara (North York)
Cole O’Hara has committed to the University of Massachusetts for the 2021-2022 season. Since Day 1 this season, the 16-year-old rookie has been an impactful player. The Hamilton Bulldogs draft pick has recorded 11 goals and 31 assists for 42 points in 52 games. Before making the jump to the Ontario Junior Hockey League, O’Hara was on the Toronto Junior Canadiens Minor Midget AAA team that captured the OHL Cup championship over the No. 1 Vaughan Kings.
Defenceman - Justin Nolet (Toronto Patriots)
Justin Nolet, a draft pick of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting, joined the Patriots full time this year after eight games with the franchise as an affiliate from his hometown Mississauga Senators AAA midgets last season. He scored nine goals and assisted on 15 for the Pats this season. The 17-year-old also played his minor midget season for the Sens in the GTHL.
Defenceman - Noah Beck (St. Michael's)
His coach calls Noah Beck a late bloomer who drew plenty of attending this season. The St. Michael’s Buzzer will join the NCAA Division 1 Clarkson Golden Knights beginning with the 2020-21 season. Beck, a native of Richmond Hill, joined the Buzzers this season from the Toronto Nationals AAA midgets. The 17-year-old was a seventh-round pick of the London Knights from the Markham Majors minor midgets in the 2017 OHL draft. The 6-foot-3 defenceman had a goal and 24 assists in in the OJHL this year.
Goaltender – Luke Pearson (Whitby)
Luke Pearson was second in the OJHL this season in wins with 25. The 18-year-old’s save percentage of .938 was third best. His 1.94 goals against average was fourth lowest in the 22-team loop. He went 25-13-1 this season while recording six shutouts. His father is Whitby head coach Rob Pearson, the former Toronto Maple Leaf. The Fury are playing Trenton in the first round of the playoffs.
The OJHL awards are being unveiled throughout the league’s 2019 playoffs.
About the OJHL – “League of Choice”
The Ontario Junior Hockey League is the largest Junior ‘A’ league operating under the auspices of the Canadian Junior Hockey League with 22 member clubs. A proud member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey Association, the OJHL was originally named the Ontario Provincial Junior ‘A’ Hockey League and it was formed out of the Central Junior ‘B’ Hockey League in 1993-94. With a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, including USports, NCAA, CHL, minor pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL had more than 135 commitments in 2017-18, including 65 NCAA Division I scholarships.
For more information on the Ontario Junior Hockey League, please visit www.ojhl.ca.
