Today we take a look back on the happenings surrounding the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from February 19-26, 2022.
Ritchie Part of Three Player Deal
26-year-old forward Nick Ritchie (102 goals, 108 assists in 212 goals with the Peterborough Petes and the Soo Greyhounds from 2011-15) has been traded to the Arizona Coyotes by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was sent along with a conditional second-round draft pick in exchange for 29-year-old forward Ryan Dzingel and 27-year-old defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.
Related: Maple Leafs Address Multiple Concerns with Lyubushkin/Ritchie Trade
Ritchie, who is from Orangeville, ON, has played in 34 NHL games this season, scoring twice and adding seven assists.
Greaves Signs Entry-Level Contract with Blue Jackets
On February 20th, 20-year-old goaltender Jet Greaves (20-27-5, 3.71 goals-against average (GAA), .899 save percentage (SV%), and three shutouts with Barrie from 2018-21) signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Greaves, who is from Cambridge, ON, has played 15 games with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL, registering a 10-5-0 record, a 3.05 GAA, and a .907SV% this season. He has also played in 13 AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters. He sports a 4-6-0 record, 3.10 GAA, and a .898 SV%.
Andree Heads to UPEI
21-year-old goaltender Cedrick Andree (67-21-8, 2.71 GAA, .906 SV%, eight shutouts with the Ottawa 67s from 2017-20) has decided to head to the University of Prince Edward Island to continue his hockey career in USports while gaining an education.
Andree, who is from Ottawa, ON, spent seven games with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays this season, registering a 1-4-1 record, a 3.54 GAA, and a .888 SV%. He has already appeared in two games at UPEI, going 1-1-0, with a 3.00 GAA and a .914 SV%.
Thilander Signs with LIK
23-year-old defenseman Adam Thilander (18 goals, 59 assists in 132 games with the North Bay Battalion from 2016-18) has signed with Lillehammer in Norway for the duration of the 2021-22 season.
Thilander, who hails from Skovde, SWE, had been playing with Skovde IK of HockeyEttan, Sweden’s third professional level of hockey. He scored two goals and had 21 assists through 26 games. He was in his fourth season with the club.
Hughes Signs Extension with Villacher SV
34-year-old forward John Hughes (93 goals, 190 assists in 256 games with the Belleville Bulls and Brampton from 2004-08) has signed a contract extension with Villacher SV of the Ice Hockey League in Austria.
Hughes, who is from Whitby, ON, has scored 17 goals and added 31 assists in 44 games this season with Villacher SV. It is his first season with the team and his 14th playing professionally overseas.
Manchurek Acquired by Cyclones
25-year-old forward Joe Manchurek (48 goals, 64 assists in 239 games with the Oshawa Generals from 2012-17) has been acquired by the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL from the Wichita Thunder.
Manchurek, who is from Windsor, ON, began this season in USports with the University of Toronto, scoring one goal and adding eight assists in six games. He then moved onto Wichita and played nine games, scoring twice.
Avery Signs with and is Subsquently Released by Solar Bears
41-year-old forward Sean Avery (87 goals, 166 assist in 221 games with the Owen Sound Attack and the Kingston Frontenacs from 1996-2000) signed with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears on February 23rd. He was subsequently released by the team on the 25th.
Avery, who is from North York, ON, has not played professional hockey since the 2011-12 season. At that time he was a member of the New York Rangers organization, playing for both the Rangers and the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Hartford Wolf Pack.
Not drafted by an NHL club, Avery went on to play for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks after his OHL career finished. He made his NHL debut in his second professional season and went on to play parts of 10 seasons in the NHL. Through 580 NHL games, he scored 90 goals and added 157 assists as well as 1533 penalty minutes.
Popovich Backs Up for Belleville Senators
22-year-old goaltender Anthony Popovich (95-68-17, 3.61 GAA, .896 SV%, and two shutouts in 189 games with the Guelph Storm and the Flint Firebirds, 2016-20) was a backup goaltender for the Belleville Senators on February 22.
Popovich is currently a member of Queen’s University, playing in five USports games this season. He is 4-1-0, with a 2.20 GAA and .919 SV%. He was a member of the 2018-19 OHL Champion Guelph Storm.
Bunnaman Sent to Phantoms
23-year-old forward Connor Bunnaman (90 goals, 65 assists in 265 games with the Kitchener Rangers from 2014-18) has been returned to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms after a single-day call-up to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Bunnaman, who is from Guelph, ON, has played for both the Phantoms and Flyers this season. He is in his fourth professional season. He has six goals and four assists with the Phantoms through 30 games and has yet to hit the score sheet in 15 games with the Flyers this season.
Loponen Loaned to Kettera
20-year-old defenseman Kalle Loponen (six goals, 18 assists in 56 games with the Sudbury Wolves, 2019-20) has been loaned to Kettera of Mestis in Finland by KooKoo of Liiga, also in Finland.
As a member of KooKoo, Loponen, who is from Hameenlinna, FIN, has registered one goal and three assists through 35 games. In two games on loan to JYP of Liiga, he did not register any points.
Loponen is an unsigned seventh-round 2019 NHL Entry Draft selection of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Pastorious Released from Contract with Growlers
25-year-old forward Nick Pastorious (10 goals, 10 assists in 139 games with Soo, Barrie, and Niagara 2012-17) has been released from his ECHL contract with the Newfoundland Growlers.
This season Pastorious, who is from Toronto, ON, has played 16 ECHL games with the Iowa Heartlanders and Newfoundland Growlers. He has recorded one goal and one assist.
Studenic Claimed by Stars
23-year-old forward Marian Studenic (38 goals, 40 assists in 120 games with Hamilton from 2016-18) was claimed from NHL waivers on Thursday by the Dallas Stars. He had been playing with the New Jersey Devils.
Studenic, who is from Holic, SVK, scored one goal through 17 goals with the Devils this season. He also played in 13 games with the Devils AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, scoring five times and adding five assists. The Devils made him a fifth-round pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Latta Joins Towerstars
23-year-old forward Louis Latta (two goals, three assists in 57 games with Sarnia from 2016-17) has joined the Ravensburg Towerstars of Deutsche Eishockey Liga 2 (DEL2).
Latta, who hails from Schongau, GER, had been playing in Germany3 with the Blue Devils Weiden where he scored two goals and added 12 assists in 27 contests.
Prince Departs Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
29-year-old forward Shane Prince (86 goals, 134 assists in 244 games with Kitchener and Ottawa from 2008-12) has mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the Kontinental Hockey League’s (KHL) Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.
Prince, who calls Rochester, NY home, scored seven goals and added 10 assists in 33 games with Avtomobilist this season. He was also a member of the Belarusian squad at the Olympic Winter Games, scoring one goal and adding an assist in three games.
The Ottawa Senators selected Prince in the second round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to play 128 NHL games with the Senators and New York Islanders.
Fleischer Extended with Ice Tigers
21-year-old forward Tim Fleischer has been granted a contract extension by the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL.
Fleischer, who is from Iserlohn, GER has played in 42 games with the Ice Tigers this season, scoring six goals and adding eight assists. This is his third professional season in the DEL.
True Re-signs with Bulldogs
21-year-old forward Oliver True (6 goals, 9 assists in 58 games with Ottawa from 2017-18) has re-signed with Denmark’s Odense Bulldogs. The Bulldogs play in the Metal League.
True, who hails from Rungsted, DEN, is playing in his third season with the team, registering eight goals and 13 assists in 35 games.
