Jason La Rose
The Toronto Young Nationals are back again, but the defending Central Region champions will be in tough if they hope to book a return trip to the TELUS Cup. Outside of the host Clarington Toros, none of the five league champions finished worse than second in the regular season.
The region has been among the most consistent in recent years, owning two gold medals, a silver and bronze since 2013, and it has been the GTHL doing the damage; the league has produced the last five Central champions and its most recent national titles – Toronto in 2015 and the North York Rangers a year later.
So other than the Young Nationals, who should get the most attention? The North Bay Trappers have yet to lose a game this season, going 36-0 in the regular season and 6-0 in the playoffs en route to a GNML title, while the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs dropped just two of 35 regular-season games before an 11-game unbeaten run through the Alliance playoffs.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH) 2018 – Toronto Young Nationals (fourth place) 2017 – Mississauga Rebels (bronze medal) 2016 – North York Rangers (gold medal) 2015 – Toronto Young Nationals (gold medal) 2014 – Toronto Young Nationals (fourth place)
CLARINGTON TOROS HOST
Regular season record: 18-10-4 (4th in OMHA-ETA) Goals for: 119 Goals against: 84 Leading scorer: Connor Davies (13G 15A 28P)
Playoff record: 3-5 Goals for: 16 Goals against: 16 Leading scorer: unavailable
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL ETA semifinal: defeated Central Ontario 3-1 (4-1, 3-1, 0-2, 2-1) OMHA qualifying series: lost to York-Simcoe 3-0 (3-4, 2-3, 1-2) OMHA qualifying game: lost to Kingston 2-1
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
ELGIN-MIDDLESEX CHIEFS ALLIANCE CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 30-2-3 (1st in Alliance) Goals for: 159 Goals against: 56 Leading scorer: Michael McKnight (16G 48A 64P)
Playoff record: 10-0-1 Goals for: 15 Goals against: 14 Leading scorer: unknown
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL Quarter-final: defeated Lambton 3-0 (5-0, 7-3, 4-1) Semifinal: defeated Brantford 3-0 (5-2, 2-0, 3-2) Alliance championship: defeated Waterloo 4-0-1 (2-1, 3-3, 5-2, 4-2, 7-1)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
KINGSTON JR. FRONTENACS OMHA CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 19-8-5 (2nd in OMHA-ETA) Goals for: 113 Goals against: 85 Leading scorer: Derek Hamilton (22G 13A 35P)
Playoff record: 9-5-1 Goals for: 42 Goals against: 39 Leading scorer: unknown
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL ETA semifinal: defeated Whitby 3-1 (1-4, 4-3, 6-4, 4-2) OMHA qualifying series: lost to Ajax-Pickering 3-2 (1-4, 1-2, 3-2, 4-3, 0-1) OMHA qualifying game: defeated Clarington 2-1 OMHA preliminary round: 2-1-1 (2nd place) (defeated Hamilton 5-3, lost to Oakville 5-2, tied Ajax-Pickering 2-2, defeated York-Simcoe 4-1) OMHA championship game: defeated Oakville 3-2
Last national championship appearance: 1974 (silver medal) Total national championship appearances: 1 (1974)
NORTH BAY TRAPPERS GNML CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 36-0-0 (1st in GNML) Goals for: 276 Goals against: 42 Leading scorer: Zachary Lefevbre (47G 39A 86P)
Playoff record: 6-0 Goals for: 44 Goals against: 8 Leading scorer: Zachary Lefevbre (6G 7A 13P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL Semifinal: defeated Sault Ste. Marie 3-0 (5-0, 10-0, 5-2) GNML championship: defeated Sudbury 3-0 (11-5, 5-0, 8-1)
Last national championship appearance: 1984 (gold medal) Total national championship appearances: 1 (1984)
PEMBROKE LUMBER KINGS HEO CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 28-11-6 (2nd in HEO) Goals for: 191 Goals against: 143 Leading scorer: Mason McTavish (47G 32A 79P)
Playoff record: 5-0-3 Goals for: 31 Goals against: 16 Leading scorer: Mason McTavish (7G 8A 15P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL Quarter-final: defeated Kanata 2-0 (5-4, 4-2) Semifinal: defeated Smiths Falls 1-0-2 (2-2, 2-2, 5-1) Alliance championship: defeated Rockland 2-0-1 (5-1, 3-3, 5-1)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
TORONTO YOUNG NATIONALS GTHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 22-6-5 (2nd in GTHL) Goals for: 112 Goals against: 46 Leading scorer: unavailable
Playoff record: 11-3-2 Goals for: 52 Goals against: 26 Leading scorer: unavailable
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL Quarter-final: defeated Vaughan 3-1-2 (4-2, 4-0, 4-1, 2-3, 1-1, 0-0) Semifinal: defeated Don Mills 4-1 (2-5, 2-0, 4-2, 5-1, 7-3) GTHL championship: defeated Mississauga Rebels 4-1 (5-0, 5-3, 4-1, 0-2, 3-2)
Last national championship appearance: 2018 (fourth place) Total national championship appearances: 5 (1976, 2001, 2014, 2015, 2018)