Five OJHL players have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch List for next season’s 2017 NHL Draft, leading the entire CJHL with 6 of the 19 players coming from the OJHL.
The following OJHL players are all ‘C’ rated in the NHL Central Scouting rankings system:
Joey Berkopec (D) – Burlington Cougars
(pictured top left – photo credit: Tim Bates/OJHL Images)
The 17-year old Oakville, Ontario native joined the Cougars blueline this season out of the Oakville Rangers Midget ‘AAA’ program last season, having played the 2014-15 minor midget season as a member of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens ‘AAA’ organization. Following that season, Berkopec was selected by the Owen Sound Attack in the 9th round, 178th overall, of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection. Last year while with the Rangers, he got his first taste of OJHL action, playing two games as an affiliate with his hometown Blades. Making the full-time jump this season, Berkopec has been a pillar on the Cougars d-corps with his 6’1″ frame and has notched one assist in 22 games played thus far. He was recently a member of Team OJHL Oates at the 2016 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge, falling to CCHL Robinson in the quarter-final.
Josh Cammalleri (F) – Burlington Cougars
(pictured top middle – photo credit: Brian Watts/OJHL Images)
The 17-year old Ajax, Ontario native has spent the past season playing for Blyth Academy with both the U16 club as their captain, as well as the U18 team, after previously having played his minor midget season with the Ajax-Pickering Raiders Minor Midget ‘AAA’ squad. Making the jump to the OJHL this season, Cammalleri has not disappointed and currently sits sixth on the Cougars in scoring with 14 points in 21 games played and he was also a member of Team OJHL Oates at the Eastern Canada Cup, registering two points in five games played.
Nick Campoli (F) – North York Rangers
(pictured top right – photo credit: Tim Bates/OJHL Images)
The 17-year old native of Etobicoke, Ontario found himself with the North York Rangers this past season after graduating from the prestigious Toronto Jr. Canadiens minor midget program. Campoli, who posted more than a point-per-game pace and went the OHL Cup tournament with the Jr. Canadiens, would be selected by the Saginaw Spirit in the 6th round, 107th overall, of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection. The youngster made an immediate impact on the Rangers, recording nearly a point-per-game once again with 34 points in 37 contests and he added 8 points in two playoff rounds to finish fifth on the club in scoring. Unfortunately Nick underwent surgery prior to the start of the season, but is expected back in the very near future.
Matthew Kellenberger (D) – Oakville Blades
(pictured bottom left – photo credit: Tim Bates/OJHL Images)
The 17-year old Toronto, Ontario native is currently in his first full OJHL season after joining the Blades late last year for a few regular season and playoff match-ups, where he recorded four points in just six games played on the blueline. The talented rearguard is a product of the Toronto Nationals ‘AAA’ organization and following the 2014-15 GTHL Minor Midget season, he was selected by the Sarnia Sting in the 7th round, 129th overall, of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection. Thus far this season, Kellenberger leads the Blades d-corps in scoring with 11 points in 25 games played and he is committed to join the Princeton University Tigers beginning with the 2018-19 ECAC season. He was a member of Team OJHL Coffey at the Eastern Canada Cup, recording two points in six games to finish second among defencemen on the team in scoring during a semi-final loss.
Philip Lagunov (F) – Burlington Cougars
(pictured bottom middle – photo credit: Shawn Muir/OJHL Images)
A native of Yekaterinburg, Russia that move to Toronto at a young age, the 17-year old has already played parts of three seasons in the OJHL after apprenticing as a 15-year affiliate with the Mississauga Chargers in 2014-15 out of the Mississauga Reps Midget ‘AAA’ organization. Lagunov previously was a member of the Toronto Nationals Minor Midget ‘AAA’ club, where he would be selected following the season by the Mississauga Steelheads in the 14th round, 265th overall, of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. Last year saw Lagunov make the full-time jump to the OJHL, joining the Milton Icehawks to start the regular season. After notching 10 points in 26 games played, he was traded to the Cougars where he instantly became a point-per-game player, helping lead the club to the South-West Conference Championship Series with 10 post-season points. Thus far this season, Lagunov has recorded 12 goals and 27 points in 24 games played to lead the club in scoring and he was a member of Team OJHL Oates at the Eastern Canada Cup, notching three points in five games to finish second in scoring for Oates.
Bryce Misley (F) – Oakville Blades
(pictured bottom right – photo credit: Kevin Sousa/OJHL Images)
The 16-year old Calgary, Alberta native joined the Blades as a rookie this season out of the Don Mills Flyers Minor Midget ‘AAA’ organization, where he helped lead the club as an alternate captain to the championship game of the 2015 OHL Cup before falling to the Toronto Marlboros. A member of Team GTHL Red at this summer’s OHL Gold Cup Tournament, Misley was selected by the Peterborough Petes in the 6th round, 106th overall, of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection, but chose to join the OJHL with hopes of a collegiate scholarship. One of the younger members of the Blades, Misley more than lived up to expectations last season, finishing seventh on the talented squad with 19 goals, while recording 39 points in 53 regular season games played, while adding 11 points in 13 post-season contests before falling to Burlington in the second round. Following the season Misley was named an OJHL 2nd Team All-Prospect and thus far this season, he leads the Blades in scoring with 13 goals and 32 points in 25 games played. Misley is committed to join the University of Vermont beginning with the 2018-19 Hockey East season and was a member of Team OJHL Hawerchuk at the recent Eastern Canada Cup as they fell in the semi-final.
Congratulations to all six on the accomplishment and best of luck throughout the rest of the 2016-17 season.
For the full NHL Central Scouting Futures List, please CLICK HERE.
Also named to the Futures List were 17 former OJHL players, as follows:
- Domenic Commisso (Oshawa, OHL) – Mississauga Chargers, 2014/15
- Mario Ferraro (Des Moines, USHL) – Toronto Patriots, 2014-16
- Alex Formenton (London, OHL) – Aurora Tigers, 2015/16
- Zach Gallant (Peterborough, OHL) – Oakville Blades, 2014/15
Aidan Girduckis (Carleton Place, CCHL) – Wellington Dukes, 2015/16 - Fedor Gordeev (Flint, OHL) – Milton Icehawks, 2014/15
- Nicholas Grima (Peterborough, OHL) – St. Michael’s Buzzers, 2014/15
Nick Isaacson (Peterborough, OHL) – Lindsay Muskies, 2015/16
Olivier Lafreniere (Ottawa, OHL) – Wellington Dukes, 2014-16 - Jake McGrath (Sudbury, OHL) – St. Michael’s Buzzers, 2015/16
- Markus Phillips (Owen Sound, OHL) – Newmarket Hurricanes, 2014/15
- Robert Proner (Saginaw, OHL) – Oakville Blades, 2014/15
Nick Pryce (Owen Sound, OHL) – St. Michael’s Buzzers, 2015/16 - Cole Purboo (Windsor, OHL) – Toronto Patriots, 2015/16
- Elijah Roberts (Kitchener, OHL) – Stouffville Spirit, 2014/15
- Dylan Seitz (Kitchener, OHL) – Buffalo Jr. Sabres, 2015/16
- Owen Tippett (Mississauga, OHL) – Toronto Jr. Canadiens, 2014/15
