North York Rangers’ rookie defenceman Will Reilly has been named to the First-Team All-Prospect squad, the Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Tuesday.
The honour is bestowed each year upon the top 16 and 17-year-old players in the league.
Reilly, 17, was a two-way force all regular season, putting up 17 goals and 35 points to lead all rookie defenders in those categories. The Toronto native also played crucial roles on both special teams, posting 24 power-play points, and logging considerable minutes on the penalty kill.
Will has tremendous skating ability, excellent vision, and a big shot, to go along with his very projectible 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame.
He parlayed his success with the Rangers to appearances at both the Central Canada Cup All-Star challenge this past November, and the Canadian Junior Hockey League Top Prospects game in January. He has also had considerable interest from the National Hockey League, featuring on their draft list for the up-coming 2015 Entry Draft.
Reilly spent last season playing high school hockey at Upper Canada College, and was a member of the Toronto Red Wings minor midgets in the Greater Toronto Hockey League the year before that.
Everyone at the North York Rangers are extremely proud of everything that Will has accomplished.
Please see league press release below.
2014-15 OJHL ALL-PROSPECTS ANNOUNCED
“1st & 2nd All-Prospect Teams Named”
February 24, 2015, Mississauga, Ontario – The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced the OJHL First and Second All-Prospect Teams.
1st Team All-Star
G – Jack LaFontaine (Georgetown Raiders)
D – Will Reilly (North York Rangers)
D – Derek Topatigh (Orangeville Flyers)
F – Logan DeNoble (Lindsay Muskies)
F – Cam Morrison (Aurora Tigers)
F – Lucas Smilsky (Orangeville Flyers)
2nd Team All-Star
G – Emanuel Vella (Toronto Patriots)
D – Matthew Bernard (Aurora Tigers)
D – Riley Stillman (Cobourg Cougars)
F – Jacob Hayhurst (Toronto Patriots)
F – Daniel Mantenuto (Aurora Tigers)
F – Dawson Theede (Cobourg Cougars)
Goaltender – Jack LaFontaine (Georgetown Raiders)
One of the most highly sought after netminders of the 1998 birth class, Jack LaFontaine did not disappoint during his rookie OJHL season. The 17-year old Mississauga, Ontario native would split the season between the Raiders pipes with teammate Marc Williams, posting a 20-6-0 record on the season, helping his club capture not only the West Division title, but the South-West Conference regular season banner as well. His 20 victories was sixth best in the league, while coming in just 30 games played, significantly fewer games than the five goaltenders ahead of him. LaFontaine allowed just 58 goals during the season for a spectacular 2.18 goals against average, fifth best in the OJHL, along with a .923 save percentage, which was tied for fourth best with two-time OJHL Gongshow Gear Goaltender-of-the-Month, Andy Munroe. The 6’2”, 185 lbs. backstop is a 3rd round selection of the Kitchener Rangers in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection, but is thus far uncommitted.
Defence – Will Reilly (North York Rangers)
After playing one game last season as an affiliated midget with the Oakville Blades, Will Reilly came into his own this season as an OJHL defenceman. Ranked by NHL Central Scouting on their November Preliminary List for the 2015 NHL Draft, the 17-year rearguard did not disappoint during his rookie season with the North York Rangers. Playing key minutes in all situations, Reilly led the club’s blueliners with 17 goals and 35 points in 47 games played to also rank fifth among all Rangers skaters in scoring. He finished 11th overall in the OJHL scoring race among defenders, while his 17 goals was tied for 2nd with the league’s elite. Keying the back-end on the power play, Reilly notched 24 man advantage points, including 12 power play goals, second among all defencemen, as well as three game-winners this season, which was also second. At mid-season, Reilly was a member of Team OJHL Oates that captured the 2014 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge held in Toronto, Ontario.
Defence – Derek Topatigh (Orangeville Flyers)
Orangeville Flyers rookie defenceman Derek Topatigh has helped lead the club’s resurgence this season that has them in the OJHL post-season for the first time since 2010-11. Similar to Reilly, the 17-year old led his team’s blueline in scoring with 23 assists and 26 points in 52 games played. His assist total also ranked fifth among all Flyers players and tied for the sixteenth best mark among all OJHL rearguards. Topatigh would log significant minutes for the club, including power play time, and would register 13 points on the man advantage, the fourth best total on the team. Playing with a blend of a physical presence and an offensive touch has suited Topatigh’s game well in transitioning to the junior ranks and tasting immediate success.
Forward – Logan DeNoble (Lindsay Muskies)
A Peterborough, Ontario native, Logan DeNoble took his game to another level during his sophomore season in the OJHL and was the offensive catalyst of the Lindsay Muskies attack, leading the club in scoring as a 17-year old with 30 goals and 57 points in 49 games played. DeNoble, who recorded 16 points during his rookie season in 2013-14, keyed the Muskies power play unit as well, leading the club with 22 points while having the man advantage. His 30 goals, as well as his 17 power play assists, were both tied for the seventh best total among all OJHL players and helped earn the shifty pivot a spot on Team OJHL Nieuwendyk to participate in the 2014 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge that was held in Toronto. Late this season, DeNoble realized his dream by officially signing and playing his first OHL game with his hometown Peterborough Petes, who had previously selected him in the 13th round, 242nd overall, of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.
Forward – Cameron Morrison (Aurora Tigers)
Playing for his hometown Aurora Tigers, Cam Morrison has lived up to the advanced billing that saw him play three games last season as an affiliate from the local York-Simcoe Express Minor Midget ‘AAA’ program. The lanky 6’ 3” forward combines hard work with good hands to stand out among the OJHL’s 2014-15 rookie class, while being the youngest member of the OJHL’s 1st Team All-Prospects; not turning 17 until this summer. The talented sniper led the regular season champion Tigers with 31 goals on the season, also the sixth best total among all OJHL goal scorers, while finishing fourth overall in scoring with 53 points in 49 games played. Despite being in his first season, Morrison quickly gained the trust of the reigning OJHL Coach-of-the-Year James Richmond and would play in many key moments, notching seven game-winning goals, which tied for the second best total with league scoring champion Steve Hladin. Earlier in the season, Morrison committed to join the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish beginning with the 2017-18 Hockey East season.
Forward – Lucas Smilsky (Orangeville Flyers)
The Orangeville Flyers alternate captain, already playing in his second OJHL season as a 17-year old, continued his upward progression, leading his team in scoring for the second consecutive year en route to a sixth place finish in the South-West Conference and the club’s first post-season berth since 2011. The diminutive, but gifted, OJHL forward more than doubled his goal total from one year ago by tallying 26 goals, along with 31 assists, for 57 points to not only lead the Flyers in scoring, but finish top 25 in the entire league. Playing significant minutes all season long, Smilsky recorded 23 power play points, including 12 goals with the man advantage, tied for the third best total in the OJHL, while also notching three game-winners. The high-flying forward would be named to Team OJHL Hawerchuk and participated in the 2014 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge that was held in Toronto.
2nd Team All-Prospects
Toronto Patriots netminder Emanuel Vella is a native of Toronto, Ontario. He posted a 14-7-0 record this season for the South Division champion, along with two shutouts, a 2.37 goals against average and .917 save percentage as a 16-year old. Vella would officially sign with the OHL’s London Knights during the season and make his OHL debut.
Aurora Tigers defenceman Matthew Bernard is a native of Newmarket, Ontario. The lanky rearguard was a reliable and steadying presence on the Tigers blueline during his first full OJHL season, after playing 15 games last year. He tallied eight points in 46 regular season games played and would officially commit to the Niagara University Purple Eagles for the 2016-17 season.
Cobourg Cougars defenceman Riley Stillman is a native of Peterborough, Ontario. Despite missing numerous games this season, while playing for the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, Stillman led the Cougars blueline in scoring with 5 goals and 24 points in 46 games played, while logging significant minutes on the special teams units.
Toronto Patriots forward Jacob Hayhurst is a native of Mississauga, Ontario. For the second consecutive season, Hayhurst has been named to the 2nd All-Prospect Team. Hayhurst improved in all offensive categories during his sophomore season, finishing second on the Patriots in scoring with 23 goals and 55 points. He was a member of Team OJHL Oates that captured the 2014 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge and is committed to the RPI Engineers for the 2016-17 season.
Aurora Tigers forward Daniel Mantenuto is a native of Markham, Ontario. The graduate of the Markham Majors midget program, Mantenuto made a significant impact this season in helping the Tigers capture the OJHL Regular Season title. He finished sixth in scoring on the club by posting 13 goals and 48 points, while playing in all 54 games this season, the only member of the Tigers to do so. Mantenuto is committed to the Robert Morris University Colonials for 2016-17.
Cobourg Cougars forward Dawson Theede is a native of Whitby, Ontario. The 17-year old rookie made tremendous strides this past season as a power forward in the OJHL, ultimately earning a spot as a member of Team Canada East at the 2014 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge. Theede recorded 17 goals and 27 points in 41 games played for the Cougars and also earned a spot on Team OJHL Coffey at the 2014 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge.
The OJHL 1st and 2nd All-Star Teams will be announced on Thursday, February 26.
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 the CIS, NCAA, CHL, Minor Pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL has had more than 115 commitments in 2013-14, including 46 NCAA Division I scholarships.
For more information on the Ontario Junior Hockey League, please visit www.ojhl.ca.
