Mississauga, Ontario – The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced the OJHL First and Second All-Prospect Teams. The OJHL All-Prospect Team is comprised of 1998 and 1999 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 2015-16 OJHL First and Second All-Prospect Team recipients are: 1st Team All-Prospect G – Olivier Lafreniere (Wellington Dukes) D – Matthew Cairns (Georgetown Raiders) D – Ryan DaSilva (Stouffville Spirit) F – Christopher Berger (Buffalo Jr. Sabres) F – Jack Jacome (Georgetown Raiders) F – Liam Morgan (Trenton Golden Hawks)
2nd Team All-Prospect G – Jacob McGrath (St. Michael’s Buzzers) D – Sam Dunn Cobourg Cougars) D – Mario Ferraro (Toronto Patriots) F – Bryce Misley (Oakville Blades) F – Cedric Ralph (Lindsay Muskies) F – Cameron Searles (St. Michael’s Buzzers) Goaltender – Olivier Lafreniere (Wellington Dukes)
The 17-year old Ottawa 67’s commit is considered one of the top netminders currently not playing in the OHL and completed his second full season as a member of the Wellington Dukes. Playing in 31 of the club’s 54 regular season contests, Lafreniere was consistently one of the OJHL’s top goaltenders this season, finishing fifth overall with a 2.32 goals against average, while posting a 19-10-3 record.
Facing more than 900 shots during the season, he would post the league’s fourth best save percentage at .926%. Lafreniere’s season peaked in November when he posted a 6-2-0 record and a sparkling 1.48 goals against average to be named the OJHL Gongshow Gear Goaltender-of-the-Month and he was also named runner-up for the award in January.
PROUD MEMBER OF: Defence – Matthew Cairns (Georgetown Raiders) After spending last season patrolling the blueline for the Toronto Patriots, capturing the OJHL Championship as a 16-year old, Matthew Cairns was moved to the Georgetown Raiders during the off-season and has not disappointed.
The top-ranked OJHL player in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings, the lanky blueliner was ranked 93rd among North American skaters for the 2016 NHL Draft. The 17-year old led the Raiders d-corps in scoring with 9 goals and 33 points in 46 regular season contests, both putting him among the top 20 defensive scorers in the entire OJHL.
A key member of the club’s special teams units, he led all OJHL rearguards with two shorthanded goals as well. Committed to the Cornell University Raiders for the 2017-18 season, Cairns was named a member of Team Canada East that finished in fourth place at the 2015 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge, as well as Team OJHL Nieuwendyk at the 2015 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge and Team East at the 2016 CJHL Prospects Game.
Defence – Ryan DaSilva (Stouffville Spirit) Traded to the Stouffville Spirit after only seven games with Orangeville this season, Ryan DaSilva quickly took on a leadership role with his new club and led the club’s resurgence that saw them fighting for a playoff spot up until the final game of the regular season. The 17-year old finished third on the Spirit in scoring with 51 points in 50 games, ranking him third among all OJHL defenders.
DaSilva’s 17 goals was second to only Brennan Roy among defencemen, while his eight power play markers and five game-winning goals were tops among blueliners and his 24 power play points ranked third overall. He was named the OJHL Gongshow Gear North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month for December after leading the Spirit with nine points in just five games played; one of only two defencemen to win Player-of-the-Month honours this season.
Forward – Christopher Berger (Buffalo Jr. Sabres) Coming off an appearance with the U.S. National Under-18 Team at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup held in Czech Republic and Slovakia, Chris Berger returned for his second OJHL season full of confidence and would receive a call to join the U.S. National Team Development program for two games during the season.
The 17-year old finished third on the Jr. Sabres in scoring with 19 goals and 52 points in 45 regular season games played, while playing key special team minutes and recording 15 power play points, as well as leading the club with two shorthanded markers. Playing with a physical edge, the club’s alternate captain registered 93 penalty minutes, which ranked fifth on the club and he was named a member of Team OJHL Nieuwendyk that competed at the 2015 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge (although was unable to compete in the tournament).
Berger is committed to join the Brown University Bears beginning next season.
Forward – Jack Jacome (Georgetown Raiders) Making his OJHL debut playing seven games for the Raiders last season, Jack Jacome joined the club full-time this season and would finish 1-2 in scoring with his brother Brendan. His rookie totals not only topped the Raiders, but was tops among OJHL rookies, while also ranking among the league’s top scorers in most offensive categories.
Jacome’s 44 assists were fifth best in the OJHL, while he was sixth in overall scoring with 67 points and top 25 with 23 goals on the season, including six game-winning goals, which ranked top ten among all players. Teaming with his brother to key the Raiders’ power play unit, he notched 18 power play points to also lead the club and he finished the season strong, being named the runner-up for the OJHL Gongshow Gear South-West Conference Player-of-the-Month in January after registering 20 points in 13 games played.
Jacome is committed to join the Clarkson University Golden Knights beginning with the 2017-18 season.
PROUD MEMBER OF: Forward – Liam Morgan (Trenton Golden Hawks) Despite missing 15 games during the regular season, Liam Morgan’s offensive statistics were among the league’s best, while posting one of the best points-per-game ratios among all players. The 17-year old recorded 23 goals, second best on the low-scoring Hawks, along with 52 points in 39 games played to finish fourth in overall scoring for the OJHL regular season champions.
Morgan also finished second on the Hawks with six power player goals, while adding eight assists with the man advantage and four game-winning goals. Morgan’s efforts during the season earned a spot on Team OJHL Coffey, firing home two goals in four games as they fell in the semi-final of the 2015 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge.
2nd Team All-Prospects St. Michael’s Buzzers netminder Jacob McGrath posted a 15-10-1 record during his rookie OJHL season as a 16-year old, helping lead the young Buzzers to a post-season berth. McGrath’s totals included a 3.37 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. He would officially sign with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves during the season, making his OHL debut and was a member of Team Nieuwendyk at the 2015 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge, as well as Team Canada Black at the 2015 World Under-17 Challenge.
Cobourg Cougars defenceman Sam Dunn more than doubled his offensive output from a year ago and provided a looming presence on the club’s blueline while being named one of the club’s alternate captains late in the season. The 17-year old notched 19 points in 47 regular season contests to finish third in scoring on the Cougars d-corps, while playing for Team OJHL Nieuwendyk in the 2015 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge, Team Canada East in the 2015 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge and Team East in the 2016 CJHL Prospects Game. Toronto Patriots defenceman Mario Ferraro became one the young club’s leaders this season, wearing an ‘A’ on his chest, after capturing the OJHL Championship one year ago.
The 17-year old more than tripled his offensive output to finish fourth on the Pats in scoring with 42 points in 54 games played, including a team high 34 assists and was a member of Team OJHL Coffey at the 2015 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge. Ferraro is committed to join the Western Michigan University Broncos beginning with the 2017-18 season.
Oakville Blades forward Bryce Misley acquitted himself well during his 16-year old rookie OJHL season, finishing sixth on the club with 19 goals and seventh in overall scoring with 39 points in 53 regular season contests. A power play specialist, 10 of Misley’s 19 goals came with the man advantage, tied for second most on the club.
He is committed to join the University of Vermont Catamounts beginning with the 2018-19 season.
Lindsay Muskies forward Cedric Ralph had an impressive OJHL rookie campaign that saw the 16-year old (now 17) lead his team in scoring with 18 goals, 23 assists and 41 points. Ralph played all key minutes for the Muskies, also leading the club with nine power play points and three shorthanded goals on the season.
PROUD MEMBER OF: St. Michael’s Buzzers forward Cameron Searles had a break-through season in his second year with the club, jumping from just 3 goals last year to 22 goals this year, tied for third best on the Buzzers. He more than tripled his total offensive output as well, posting 52 points in 54 games played to sit fourth in overall scoring on the Buzzers and was a member of Team East that competed at the 2016 CJHL Prospect Game.
The OJHL First and Second All-Star Teams will be announced on Thursday, March 3. 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 100 commitments in 2014-15, including 51 NCAA Division I scholarships.
For more information on the Ontario Junior Hockey League, please visit www.ojhl.ca. -30- For further information: Marty Savoy
