Jonathan Yue
Sixty-one teams call the Central Region home, but only six remain in the hunt for the region’s berth at the Men’s U18 National Club Championship – the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks, Kemptville 73’s, North Bay Trappers, Oshawa Generals, Toronto Jr. Canadiens and host Windsor Jr. Spitfires
All six are fresh faces, with North Bay and Elgin-Middlesex the most recent regional competitors, in 2019. But none have played on the national stage since 2006, and they own just five appearances between them – three for Oshawa and one each for North Bay and Toronto.
There’s plenty of talent in Windsor; five of the six teams finished top two in their respective leagues in the regular season, and they posted a combined 39-12-4 postseason record to reach the regionals.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (U18 NATIONALS FINISH)
2022 – Mississauga Reps (fourth place)
2019 – Toronto Young Nationals (gold medal)
2018 – Toronto Young Nationals (fourth place)
2017 – Mississauga Rebels (bronze medal)
2016 – North York Rangers (gold medal)
ELGIN-MIDDLESEX CANUCKS
ALLIANCE CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 31-9-2 (1st in Alliance)
Goals for: 158
Goals against: 82
Leading scorer: Rene Van Bommel (26G 26A 52P)
Playoff record: 7-1-1
Goals for: 37
Goals against: 16
Leading scorer: Rene Van Bommel (7G 5A 12P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Lambton Jr Sting 2-0 (7-2, 11-2)
Semifinal: defeated Kitchener Jr. Rangers 2-0 (4-0, 4-1, 2-0)
Final: defeated Waterloo Wolves 3-1-1 (2-0, 0-4, 1-1, 5-3, 4-3)
Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none
KEMPTVILLE 73’S
HEO CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 29-10-3 (2nd in HEO) Goals for: 182 Goals against: 79 Leading scorer: Sydney Loreto (26G 41A 67P)
Playoff record: 7-2 Goals for: 37 Goals against: 22 Leading scorer: John Collins-Williams (10G 9A 19P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Navan Grads 2-0 (6-0, 5-2)
Semifinal: defeated Nepean Raiders 2-1 (3-6, 5-4 2OT, 7-4)
Final: defeated Ottawa Jr. Senators 3-1 (4-0, 2-3 2OT, 4-3, 1-0)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
NORTH BAY TRAPPERS
GNU18L CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 21-7-0 (2nd in GNU18L)
Goals for: 158
Goals against: 82
Leading scorer: Nate Gravelle (26G 24A 50P)
Playoff record: 5-0
Goals for: 33
Goals against: 13
Leading scorer: Nate Gravelle (5G 5A 10P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Preliminary round: defeated Sudbury Nickel Capitals U16 6-0; defeated New Liskeard Cubs 7-2; defeated Kapuskasing Flyers 5-4; defeated Sudbury Nickel Capitals U18 6-2
Final: defeated Sault Ste. Marie Soo Jr. Greyhounds 8-5
Last national championship appearance: 1984 (gold medal)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (1984)
OSHAWA GENERALS
OMHA CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 19-9-8 (6th in OMHA-ETA) Goals for: 156 Goals against: 99 Leading scorer: Charlie Hilton (24G 26A 50P)
Playoff record: 8-2-1 Goals for: 37 Goals against: 22 Leading scorer: John McKinney (3G 3A 6P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
ETA Playoffs
Preliminary round: defeated Richmond Hill Coyotes 5-4, defeated Quinte Red Devils 4-3, defeated York-Simcoe Express 4-2, lost to Quinte Red Devils 4-3, lost to Richmond Hill Coyotes 5-3
Tiebreaker: defeated Quinte Red Devils 3-0
OMHA Championship
Preliminary round: defeated Barrie Jr. Colts 4-1, defeated Grey-Bruce Highlanders 6-1, tied Oakville Rangers 1-1, defeated Burlington Eagles 2-1 Final: defeated Ajax Pickering Raiders 2-0
Last national championship appearance: 1988 (fourth place) Total national championship appearances: 3 (1974, 1975, 1988)
TORONTO JR. CANADIENS
GTHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 31-3-2 (1st in GTHL)
Goals for: 173
Goals against: 48
Leading scorer: unavailable
Playoff record: 9-3
Goals for: 44
Goals against: 23
Leading scorer: unavailable
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Toronto Red Wings 3-1 (2-3, 4-0, 5-0, 3-2)
Semifinal: defeated Toronto Young Nationals 3-2 (5-2, 4-1, 1-4, 1-6, 4-3)
Final: defeated Vaughan Kings 3-0 (3-0, 6-1, 6-1)
Last national championship appearance: 2006 (fourth place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2006)
WINDSOR JR. SPITFIRES
HOSTS
Regular season record: 26-14-4 (2nd in Alliance)
Goals for: 128
Goals against: 99
Leading scorer: Connor Chartrand (21G 19A 40P)
Playoff record: 3-4-2
Goals for: 20
Goals against: 22
Leading scorer: Connor Chartrand (1G 8A 9P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Hamilton Kilty B’s 2-1-1 (2-2, 1-4, 4-3, 4-2)
Semifinal: lost to Waterloo Wolves 0-2-1 (3-3, 1-2, 5-6)
Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none