Jason La Rose
They’re back!
The Collingwood Blues will be the only returnee at the 2024 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, after defending their Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) championship with a dominant defensive performance.
The Blues, who were knocked out in the quarterfinals a year ago in Portage la Prairie, lost only seven times in 56 regular-season games and dropped only three of 19 on their playoff run, stifling opponents from the goaltender out.
They allowed just 88 goals in the regular season – a miniscule average of 1.57 per game and 56 fewer than the second-best Trenton Golden Hawks – before giving up 36 in 19 postseason contests.
Noah Pak put up video-game numbers in the Collingwood goal, going 37-5 with a 1.30 goals-against average, .945 save percentage and 12 (that’s right, 12!) shutouts. In his 41 starts, he allowed more than three goals exactly twice, and zero or one a whopping 25 times.
But that’s not to say the Blues can’t put the puck in the net. Exactly the opposite, in fact. They finished second with 284 goals – just five back of Trenton – with Dylan Hudon and his 73 points (29-44—73) leading an offence that featured eight 50-point scorers and seven who reached the 20-goal plateau.
Collingwood was rarely tested as it rolled through the playoffs. It posted sweeps of Brantford and Leamington in the opening round and West Conference final, respectively, and dropped just one game to Oakville, losing Game 4 after winning the first three against the Centennial Cup hosts.
It’s lone bit of adversity came in the league final when Trenton evened the series with wins in Games 3-4, but the Blues retook the advantage with a 7-2 rout in Game 5 and finished things off on the road.
Making the short 144-kilometre trip south to Oakville, the Blues will look to become the first OJHL champion to win Canada’s National Junior A Championship since the Aurora Tigers in 2007.
HOW THEY GOT TO OAKVILLE
Ontario Junior Hockey League Round 1: defeated Brantford 99ers 4-0 (2-1 2OT, 5-1, 4-0, 4-3) Quarterfinal: defeated Oakville Blades 4-1 (3-2, 4-2, 10-1, 3-5, 3-0) Semifinal: defeated Leamington Flyers 4-0 (3-0, 2-1 OT, 6-2, 4-2) Final: defeated Trenton Golden Hawks 4-2 (5-4, 4-0, 4-5, 1-3, 7-2, 3-2)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-T-OTL): 49-6-0-1 (1st in OJHL) Goals for: 284 (2nd in OJHL) Goals against: 88 (1st in OJHL) Power play: 56 for 173 (32.4% - 2nd in OJHL) Penalty killing: 139 of 167 (83.2% - 6th in OJHL) Longest winning streak: 14 (Dec. 22-Feb. 11)
Top 3 scorers: • Dylan Hudon – 29G 44A 73P (13th in OJHL) • Spencer Young – 39G 33A 72P (14th in OJHL) • Jack Rimmer – 25G 40A 65P (24th in OJHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 16-3 Goals for: 77 Goals against: 36 Power play: 21 for 71 (29.6%) Penalty killing: 70 of 79 (88.6%)
Top 3 scorers: • Spencer Young – 12G 18A 30P • Dylan Hudon – 10G 14A 24P • Jack Rimmer – 10G 12A 22P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2023 – Collingwood Blues | 5th place | 3-2 | 14GF 11GA
COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS
Declan Bowmaster – Merrimack College (2025-26) Ryan Cook – Wilfrid Laurier University (2024-25) Cameron Eke – Niagara University (2025-26) Dylan Hudon – University of Guelph (2024-25) Marcus Lougheed – Lake Superior State University (2025-26) Noah Pak – Yale University (2024-25) Jack Rimmer – Niagara University (2025-26) Jack Silverman – Middlebury College (2024-25) Landon Wright – University of Maine (2026-27) Spencer Young – Niagara University (2024-25)
CJHL TOP 20 RANKINGS
Oct. 2 – 8th Oct. 9 – 5th Oct. 16 – 4th Oct. 23 – 2nd Oct. 30 – 2nd Nov. 6 – 4th Nov. 13 – 2nd Nov. 20 – 3rd Nov. 27 – 3rd Dec. 4 – 3rd Dec. 11 – 3rd Dec. 18 – 3rd Jan. 8 – 3rd Jan. 15 – 3rd Jan. 22 – 3rd Jan. 29 – 2nd Feb. 5 – 2nd Feb. 12 – 2nd Feb. 19 – 2nd Feb. 26 – 1st March 4 – 1st March 11 – 1st