The OHL Podcast

Rivalry Week in the OHL delivers again and reports surface again that there might be changes in store for the Memorial Cup tournament.

The OHL's Western Conference might be waving a white flag at the Guelph Storm. And a former first rounder is on the move again.

The OHL's Western Conference clearly has contenders -- plural -- but who's ready to take the reins in the East? Plus, sluggish ticket sales in Cornwall may be sending a message to the league office.

The OHL made international headlines with the kind of trade that can only happen in the OHL. And three weeks into the season, only one team remains unbeaten.

The OHL has a near-record showing at the NHL draft and the Soo Greyhounds look to their past to lead the team into the future.

We've been following the top prospects all year and this is the weekend when the best in the OHL will be drafted to the NHL. And we've been talking about it for years, but now we tell you the four markets where the OHL will expand.

The OHL completes its draft and the first live event in 25 years is a winner. Plus, the Guelph Storm add more pieces to the roster they hope can win a championship.

The OHL trade window opens and teams get busy. With more teams getting hurt by players leaving for the NCAA, does the OHL have to consider compensation for damages suffered by OHL teams?

Make it three straight Memorial Cup wins for the OHL, while next year's tournament hosts lose a key player to the NCAA.

The start of the Memorial Cup brings questions about destinations and formats, while back home in Ontario one team hires a new coach and another looks at its next player group.

Don Cherry's name is synonymous with hockey. And now, thanks to a new book, we're learning more about the hockey legend and his family's dynamic.

The Kitchener Rangers win their first championship in 18 years and private equity enters the league through the Owen Sound Attack.

Only two teams remain in the OHL playoffs and the margin of victory has been razor thin. Plus, there's a sale in Owen Sound, another coming in Barrie, and a new arena in Peterborough takes another step forward.

The OHL playoffs come down to the last two teams, but the final four delivered plenty of drama. And it sounds like two OHL teams are on the market for a hefty price.

After a lacklustre start to the OHL playoffs, the battles for the Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky trophies are reminding fans why they love junior hockey.

The 2026 OHL playoffs are lacking a little lustre and the Niagara IceDogs make another change in the front office.

Round Two of the OHL playoffs get underway and the league is getting ready to announce its Coach of the Year.

It wasn't so much a decisive win for the Flint Firebirds as it was an epic fail for the Owen Sound Attack. And after exiting the first round meekly in a sweep, there's work ahead for the Guelph Storm.

North Bay is giving Peterborough all it can handle, while the Firebirds have silenced Owen Sound. Meantime, premium pricing for playoffs is not going over well with all fans.

A coach is fined for speaking his mind, a player is suspended but few feel the punishment fits the crime, and some 19-year old players will have a new option next season.

With Dan away on assignment, Farwell calls on some friends for great stories and great content.

Cornwall isn't the only Ontario market the OHL has visited recently, and first round picks could be used as trade chips as soon as this year's draft in June.

Making the case for full-time refs in the OHL, and wondering why the league is interested in a former market and more inter-league play.

The 2026 Olympics was littered with OHL talent, and some of the best talent in the league this year might be found on the same team.

The Oshawa Generals can't rid themselves of the stink of the email they wish they hadn't sent, and another Ontario city expresses interest in joining the OHL.

This OHL season might go down as the Year of the Goalie, and a simple switch to the standings could generate renewed interest in the league.

This year's leading OHL scorers are on pace to finish the season with less than 100 points, making this a very rare OHL season. Plus, the Barrie Colts continue an impressive winning streak.

We're analyzing the early returns from the OHL's trade deadline and wondering where are all those NCAA returnees we were promised.

An inter-league gimmicks shows the OHL that fans are hungry for new match-ups. Meanwhile, expansion talk is eerily quiet.

The OHL trade deadline saw dozens of deals made, scores of players moved, and 150 draft picks trading hands.

The OHL trade deadline is approaching and it's bringing more buyers than we thought. Plus, former Commissioner David Branch passes away.

Team Canada trims its roster ahead of the World Junior Hockey Championships. And who had the Ottawa 67's leading the league at Christmas?

The OHL's trade deadline is looming and rosters are being robbed for the World Juniors. Get insight into the teams making a splash in the trade pool and learn why Canada is going to be tough to beat at the World Juniors.

The CHL has a selection committee problem to fix. And the OHL is about to get a brand new barn.

After a 25-year OHL career, James Boyd is moving into a new role. The former Ottawa 67's GM has moved into the league's front office as the new VP of Hockey Operations.

Anyone hoping for a sequel to the Jett Luchanko trade may be waiting for a while. And why can't the Central Division seem to win an OHL title?

The 2027 Memorial Cup gets awarded to the city that most didn't expect. Meantime, it was expected that Jett Luchanko would be traded, but where he ended up was also a bit of a surprise.

The OHL has its first coaching casualty of the season, Guelph and Kitchener will know this week who's hosting the Memorial Cup, and a wicked slash warrants a lengthy suspension. Plus, a look at every team in the league.

The idea of the USHL joining the CHL may sound good, but it's not as simple as you might think. And the wins are piling up for the Bulldogs and their head coach, Jay McKee.

Two golds, one bronze, no job. It's hard to believe that a successful QMJHL and Hockey Canada coach is currently a free agent. But, here we are.

The OHL trade season is officially underway as Oshawa and Brantford make a big splash. Meantime, a player who went from the CHL to the NCAA is back in the CHL again.

NHL Central Scouting has released its list of players to watch for next year's draft, and almost 100 OHL'ers find their names on it. Plus, the OHL's enhanced video review system this season seems anything but better.

OHL fans got a taste of the idea they didn't know they needed with Rivalry Week, the league sets the bar on suspensions for repeat offenders, and could Kingston host a live draft next year?

Several big name OHL players are still in the NHL to start the season, and their return to the OHL is in doubt. Plus, a coach can take away your ice time but can he make you walk your equipment home from a road trip?

The Windsor Spitfires are surging while the London Knights are struggling, the Kitchener Rangers can't get Oscar Hemming's release, and debating the CHL Team of the Century.

From new arenas and broken down ice resurfacing machines, to honouring the OHL's legacy and raising concerns about coaching. Plus, a look at every market in the league early in the OHL season.

A new season begins with big match-ups missing big players. Meanwhile, it doesn't sound like the OHL will be a 20-team league much longer.

The historic charm of major junior hockey in Canada is beginning to fade as the OHL demands more from its markets. And we've got some bold predictions for the Western Conference.

The off-season is over and the guys are in mid-season form with their wild and impossible predictions. Plus, the NCAA rule change continues to make waves and two OHL markets are competing for the right to host the 2027 Memorial Cup.

The NHL draft went as expected relative to the number of OHL players who were selected, but the changing landscape with the NCAA leaves the future an open-ended question. Plus, another contender emerges with hopes of hosting the 2027 Memorial Cup.

It's the dawning of a new day for the Niagara IceDogs and the NHL draft this weekend promises to be a big one for OHL players.

It's a long-awaited crossover episode that brings together some of the Ontario Hockey League's best podcasters.

The tide from the NCAA rule change flows back to the CHL, while an historic OHL team denies it's for sale.

The London Knights did exactly what they set out to do this season. Meantime, one of the winningest coaches of all-time moves upstairs.

The London Knights refuse to take their eyes off the prize, or their foot off the gas. And we relive some great Memorial Cup memories while remembering why we love the game at this level.

It's the same old, same old in the OHL Championship. Now, can the London Knights get it done at the Memorial Cup? Plus, some teams to keep an eye on during the season ahead.

Doing business in the OHL is getting harder by the day, and the nightmare in Niagara isn't helping.

Recruitment battles look likely to begin as both the NCAA and CHL try to attract top talent, while the OHL final features a couple of familiar foes.

A few interesting tidbits from around the league including a curious parting of ways in Brantford and the possibility of an extra overager starting next year. Also, Oshawa and London appear to be on a collision course for a championship rematch.

The number of Imports a team can carry may be increasing next season and the Colts will remain in the Sadlon stable for another 15 years. But is that a good thing?

It's a lopsided start to the OHL's second round, while the guys get ready for a full-court recruitment press and some possible interference from the NHL.

It's not getting any better in Niagara and the guys are looking ahead at a fantastic second round.

One playoff series in the Western Conference stands out from the rest and fan frustration with the refs gets ratcheted up. Plus, the guys have some suggestions to improve the OHL draft.

We're looking at how the NHL's new CBA will affect the CHL and we're handing out some awards before the league does. Plus, with the OHL playoffs here, it's time for some predictions.

Niagara's new ownership continues to raise eyebrows while Oshawa catches everyone's attention with a late-season coaching hire.

The defence does not rest this week as London's Cam Allen and Saginaw's Zayne Parekh are in the headlines. Plus, Dale Hunter heads for record territory.

We're sure the OHL is going to expand, but with the NCAA rule change, we're not sure what junior hockey will look like in 10 years. We sure do remember some of the wild games of the past, though.

Preliminary talks have opened between the NHL and the CHL to guide possible expansion and the future of junior hockey in North America. Meantime, a surging team in the OHL's Western Conference sets up a tantalizing potential playoff match-up.

The relationship between hockey and alcohol comes under the microscope and there's more expansion talk in the CHL, this time sounding more serious than ever.

We're taking you behind-the-scenes for a look at life in the OHL media. Plus, the Kitchener Rangers hope to extend coach Jussi Ahokas.

The OHL coaching carousel continues to spin as one of the winningest coaches in league history is dismissed. Plus, your Wraparound introduces "The Lardis" and watch out for the sneaky Petes.

When the OHL said it was considering "aggressive expansion," it meant it as another US market enters the conversation. And not everyone is sure an impressive streak is still intact.

It's all about the top prospects this week as the OHL hosts its showcase game and the NHL is out with its mid-season rankings. Plus, did a team's statement raise more questions than answers about a coach's absence?

The OHL's trade deadline passes for another season, while the league welcomes a new owner and a referee sets a record.

Canadian hockey fans wonder what went wrong at the World Juniors and OHL fans wonder what their team will do as the trade deadline approaches.

A look at which teams are likely to be active as the OHL trade deadline approaches and a definitive answer about the best logos in the league.

The coaching business is a tough business, Team Canada makes its final cuts, and the OHL mourns the loss of a giant.

A couple of teams are not where we thought they would be by this point in the season, and we're preparing for showcases of some of the best players in the game but debating some curious choices.

The OHL sets its sights on US markets while, on the home front, the league is sending a strong message with suspensions. Plus, one team dominated the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge.

The OHL has indicated it's interested in an "aggressive expansion" and, speaking of expansion, we're not sure three fights in a 68-game season is enough fights.

The OHL deals with a faith-based controversy while another Memorial Cup hopeful emerges and the London Knights get stronger.

The NCAA's recent ruling shifts the ground beneath the skates of junior hockey, while the Steelheads seem like fish out of water right now in Brampton.

We've added one more job for the men and women on the ice wearing stripes. Plus, an NHL first rounder returns to the O, it's a mighty struggle for the Guelph Storm, and the writing on the wall doesn't look good for the USHL.

It's beginning to look like OHL expansion is all but inevitable, and Dan and Mike have some ideas where the new teams could go. Plus, the Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers return key players to their respective OHL clubs.

The Peterborough Petes are paying a steep price for last season's sell-off, while OHL fans wait anxiously for a new CBA that could admit players to the AHL at 19. Plus, the OHL's winningest coach (and all-around hockey legend) turns 90.

Strong starts to the season have the guys buying stock in some teams while the Barrie Colts assert themselves. Plus, what markets an expanded OHL could include and how the divisions might realign.

One player moves while another wants to, a key vote by the NCAA should increase options for players, and a story that will warm your heart no matter which team you cheer for.

The first week of the regular season is in the books and Farwell is already trying to walk back his preseason predictions. Which leads the guys into a conversation about how meaningful the OHL's early season games are anyway. Plus, the league seems to have pulled back the covers on sharing important information with fans. And if this entire episode sounds like a love letter to Ethan Belchetz, that's because it is. This episode is brought to you by Better Help. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/THPN and get on your way to being your best self.

If you listened to last week's Eastern Conference preview, well, this episode is nothing like that. It is the Western Conference preview episode, but Dan and Mike are on different planets. In the East, the guys agreed on the Top 4 teams, just in slightly different order. They had the same teams finishing 3 through 6 in the East. But in the West? Dan sees three tiers while Mike sees two, and they've got a couple of predictions that are miles apart. It's all fun for now, right? Let the games begin this weekend! And remember to use these goofy predictions against the guys later. This episode is brought to you by Better Help. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/THPN and get on your way to being your best self.

It's here! We know you look forward to it every year because Dan and Mike are sure to look like fools by season's end, but here come the Eastern Conference predictions. The similarities between the predictions are kind of eerie, to be honest, and that can't bode well for the guys. Along with the East preview, the OHL served up enough news worth talking about as two more teams jumped into the "compensatory pick" pool and we might be seeing the beginning of CHL-NCAA movement, despite no formal agreement being in place yet. This episode is brought to you by Better Help. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/THPN and get on your way to being your best self.

Have you ever wondered about some of the more obscure rules and hard-to-find information about the OHL? Dan from Rochester sure has, and his email gives Dan and Mike the perfect opportunity to talk about roster construction, overage (OA) and import rules, and who's keeping track of all those draft picks, anyway? Plus, a look at the OA situation for each team and early signs that more teams are trying to copy last year's OHL championship recipe. This episode is brought to you by Better Help. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/THPN and get on your way to being your best self.

For the first time in its history, the Ontario Hockey League begins a season without David Branch in the Commissioner's seat. Instead, former Golf Canada executive Bryan Crawford takes over the league's top job. It's a hard act to follow, not just because Branch was the OHL's commissioner for 45 years, but because Crawford comes into the league after an incredible end to 2023-24 that saw two OHL teams in the Memorial Cup final, with the Saginaw Spirit winning the championship in the game's final 22 seconds. Does Crawford have big and immediate changes in mind? Is the OHL's Toronto experiment over? Is there room for more teams in the league? Get the answers to those questions and more as the new Commish sits down with us for a pre-season interview. This episode is brought to you by Better Help. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/thpn and get on your way to being your best self.

And just like that, summer is over. But as fast as it seemed to go, OHL general managers kept themselves busy with several big trades and signs that some teams are already staking their territory as a contender. Dan and Mike are back from the summer break to remind you what you might have missed while on vacation, plus a look at the stars skipping OHL training camps, new faces behind the bench, and a new face in the league's front office. Grab your hockey bag, tape your stick, and let's get ready for another OHL season! We'll be with you every step of the way. This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/THPN and get on your way to being your best self.

Once again, the Ontario Hockey League leads the way at the NHL draft, sending more players to the pros than either the WHL or QMJHL. We've got some thoughts, plus chatter about the new Commissioner, coaching changes, and the current cost of buying your way into the Canadian Hockey League. Celebrate your early summer with a little hockey talk!

What could have been more fitting for this podcast other than an all-OHL final at the Memorial Cup? And what a final it was, as Saginaw and London delivered one for the ages. Dan and Mike break down what went right for Saginaw and what went wrong for London. Plus, the definitive answer on which championship means more (the league or the Memorial Cup)? And as we look ahead to next season, the impact of a recent ruling in the US that will see NCAA players get paid, stronger bonds between the OHL and GOJHL, and which OHL'ers will be returning to junior as property of NHL teams.

One team proved itself the best in the OHL this season and now it's the team to beat at the Memorial Cup. One of the guys still wonders why they won't admit who they are, but that's probably best left for your ears and not this summary. Dan and Mike also talk about why a 5-game suspension is warranted for merely uttering a word (sorry, Landon Sim), the new/old coach in the OHL, and a celebration of OHL content in the NHL's final four. It's a jam-packed episode with an important message that explains the two-week break between shows. Please consider supporting the Canadian Mental Health Association's 'Talk Today' program by buying a Memorial Cup 50/50 ticket.

As the Memorial Cup opens in Saginaw, we welcome an original Spirit. Okay, Pat Asselin joined Saginaw in its second year of existence and grew with the team until his OA year when a trade sent him to a chance at a deep playoff run with Oshawa. Which is interesting because Asselin is a Peterborough native and was even wearing Petes maroon during this interview... Asselin is a great example of making the most of a hockey career, leaving North America and winning back-to-back-to-back titles in Europe. Along the way, he also developed a passion for photography, which now has the budding entrepreneur thinking about options beyond the game. But he's not done playing yet, and Asselin has plenty of stories to share.

For the fifth consecutive season, we enjoyed a Game 7 in the Conference Finals. And now, the championship is set as London will host Oshawa. But there's so much more to discuss, including the continued inability for the Memorial Cup hosts to win their league, a concerning rash of suspensions, another coaching search, and Canada's golden U18s. Oh yeah, and our Performers of the Week as we whittle the 20-team league down to the last two standing.

Little drama to-date in the OHL's final four as London and Oshawa show that they're best-in-class. And, really, the signs were there long before the playoffs even began. Also, another coach is added to the list of this season's casualties, a former OHL'er makes his NHL debut, and our Performers of the Week.