With the OHL season finished, and the London Knights crowned champions for the second consecutive season, many OHL fans are turning their attention towards the NHL Draft in June. Questions abound about where certain players will be picked and who will rise or fall on draft boards. 

Jacob Cloutier of the Saginaw Spirit is an interesting player to look at when it comes the the 2025 NHL Draft. The Spirit selected the 2007-born Cloutier with their second-round pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. 

While he made the team out of camp, he was shortly thereafter reassigned to the Chatham Maroons to play in the GOJHL. That year, Saginaw was hosting the Memorial Cup, and there wasn't a lot of room on a roster loaded with older talent. 

"I was crushed to get sent down, it was really tough," said Cloutier. "I think I'm developing a lot more as a player now because of it though."

This past season, he made his OHL debut playing for Saginaw alongside fellow rookie Carson Harmer. The pair quickly stacked up the points and led all OHL rookies in scoring at the midway point of the season. 

In the second half of the season, it was clear that Cloutier had adapted to the OHL and was ready to show what he could do. In January, he went on a seven-game point streak during which he scored seven goals and added four assists. As a result of this streak, he was named rookie of the week in early February. 

Kasper Halttunen Wins Playoffs MVPLast night, at the conclusion of the OHL Playoffs, Kasper Halttunen was given the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, which is given out to the OHL Playoffs MVP as voted by accredited members of the media. Halttunen is the first import player to be given the award. 

NHL Central Scouting definitely took notice of Cloutier's performance in the second half of the year. In their early rankings, Central Scouting placed Cloutier 193rd amongst North American Skaters. In their most recent lists, he jumped up nearly 90 places to sit 108th, right behind Carson Harmer. 

He finished the year fourth in rookie scoring with 23 goals and 47 points in 67 games. In the playoffs, he was a point-per-game player, with three points in the three games he played. 

"I'm a two-way forward and playmaker," said Cloutier. "I find guys around the ice and make good plays. I pride myself on winning battles and backchecking."

Following in this vein, Cloutier looks up to Florida Panthers' forward Brad Marchand and does his best to model his game after the gritty, pesky style displayed by the skilled forward.

Cloutier is a cerebral player who consistently improves the position of the puck through smart passing. He routinely makes short passes that many other players ignore to make flashy moves. His individual chances come as a result of strong team play and puck support.

The London Knights Hang On To Win OHL ChampionshipFor the second time since 2010, the London Knights are the winners of back-to-back OHL Championships. The Knights took game five of the OHL Final to hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup on home ice. 

He has a good shot, though it isn't the hardest. He usually relies on accuracy rather than blowing the puck past the goaltender. 

Most of all, he has a solid understanding of offensive concepts. Cloutier puts himself in positions where pucks find him, and he does a good job following pucks to the net for secondary and tertiary opportunities.

Defensively, he understands he tracks back to the slot and does a good job taking away opposing players. 

At 5-foot-10, his height could be a limiting factor in terms of being drafted this year. While his offensive potential is very high, he does not necessarily project as an early pick. Any team taking him would be banking on his potential. They will also be getting a very determined individual.

"I'm going to be a hockey player," said Cloutier. "That's all I want to be in my life."

For the second time since 2010, the London Knights are the winners of back-to-back OHL Championships. The Knights took game five of the OHL Final to hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup on home ice. 

This year, the Knights took five games to defeat the Oshawa Generals, whom they swept in last year's finals. 

In an immediate divergence from last year, the Generals took game one on the road and started the series confidently. From there, the Knights dominated the series, winning three games in convincing fashion. 

While the Generals put up a fantastic fight in game five, they ultimately fell short, losing 5-2. 

Nashville Predators prospect Andrew Gibson got the scoring started in game five, firing a puck past Austin Elliott from the point. The big blue-liner was one of Oshawa's best players throughout the series, tallying multiple goals at crucial moments.

London's Kasper Halttunen, who scored a pair of goals in the game, got the Knights on the board in the final minute of the period to take things to the intermission tied at one.

#Handshakes 🤝

The best tradition in hockey! The @LondonKnights and @Oshawa_Generals meet at centre ice after a hard-fought series!🥰#OHLChampionship | @CHLHockeypic.twitter.com/cqyzABpHxw

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 16, 2025

Halttunen was awarded the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, which is given to the OHL Playoffs MVP. He scored eight goals in the last three games of the series, recording back-to-back hattricks. He is the first European to win the award.

As was the case in games two through four, London dominated the second period, scoring a pair of goals to take a 3-1 lead. Anaheim Ducks prospect Beckett Sennecke found a big response at the end of the period to make it 3-2. 

London locked things down in the third period, stifling the talented Oshawa offense, which got 18 shots in the final frame.

Halttunen Hattrick Highlights London's Game Four WinThe London Knights won game four of the OHL Final in dominant fashion, defeating the Oshawa Generals 6-2. A pair of San Jose Sharks prospects factored heavily into the Knights' victory. 

Landon Sim scored a huge goal by following up on Ottawa Senators prospect Blake Montgomery's rush and batting the puck out of the air to make it 4-2. Easton Cowan scored an empty-net goal to make it 5-2. 

The win gave Head Coach Dale Hunter his fifth OHL Championship, tying him for the most in OHL history. 

The last time the Knights won back-to-back championships was during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. It takes a special set of players to win in two consecutive seasons. Notable members of the 2012/13 Knights included Islanders' star Bo Horvat, Leafs' forward Max Domi and Chris Tierney. 

Just like those teams, the 2024/25 Knights were loaded with talent. It feels like it will only be a matter of time before we see these young stars start to step into the NHL.

While the Knights will assuredly take some time to celebrate their victory, they still have unfinished business to attend to. They made it to the Memorial Cup Final last year, where they lost to the Saginaw Spirit. 

Sam Dickinson told The Hockey News earlier in the season that the Memorial Cup was the goal and the standard that this team held itself to. They want to return to that stage, and this time, potentially take home a trophy.

The London Knights won game four of the OHL Final in dominant fashion, defeating the Oshawa Generals 6-2. A pair of San Jose Sharks prospects factored heavily into the Knights' victory. 

They say heavy is the head that wears the crown, and yet the reigning J. Ross Robertson Cup champions are cruising through the OHL Final.

After losing game one of the series to Oshawa, London has responded with three emphatic wins. In all three games, they've scored 5-plus goals while averaging 32 shots on goal. 

"We played about as close to a perfect 60 as we could," said Sam Dickinson about game four. " We're happy to get the win."

While game three featured an intense pushback from the Generals in the third period, game four was an entirely different story.

London came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. They ended up outshooting the Generals 17-6 in the opening frame, though they were unable to register a goal.  

The game went completely off the rails for the Generals in the second period as London scored five goals. The majority of the damage was done by San Jose Sharks prospects Dickinson and Kasper Halttunen, who each recorded a pair of goals during the period. 

Halttunen picked up a third goal midway through the third period, giving hattricks in back-to-back games, and seven goals in the series. 

"He [Halttunen] has got the best shot in the OHL, he's probably the best goal scorer in the OHL," said Dickinson. "It's a lot easier giving the puck to him knowing he's almost always going to have a  good chance of putting it in the net."

Dickinson added a pair of assists to the goals he scored, giving him four points at the end of the night. In doing so, he set a franchise record for most playoff points scored by a defenseman with 50. He surpassed Dennis Wideman, who previously held the record with 46. 

What's wild is this isn't even the first franchise record he set this year. By finishing the regular season with 91 points, he also set a franchise record for most points scored by a defender in a single season, beating out the previous record (87) held by Edmonton Oilers blue liner Evan Bouchard.

Between Dickinson and Halttunen, San Jose Sharks fans are sure to be the envy of many NHL franchises in the near future, and that doesn't even get into other prospects like Quentin Musty, who also spent the year in the OHL. 

By winning games three and four in Oshawa, the Knights have taken a stranglehold on the series and put the Generals in a very awkward position. For Oshawa to mount a comeback, they would need to beat London three times in a row while winning a pair of games on the road. 

For reference, London only lost back-to-back games once during the regular season and never dropped three games in a row. While this is junior hockey and anything can happen, it seems nearly impossible that Oshawa will beat this London team three times in a row. 

In an interesting turn of events, London has the opportunity to win the championship on home ice. Last year, they swept the Generals and won the final game of the series on the road, something that has been a bit of a pattern for the Knights. 

Game five will take place tomorrow evening with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The Generals will be looking to force a game six back in Oshawa on Saturday.

Earlier today, the Ontario Hockey League announced Denver Barkey as the recipient of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the OHL Humanitarian of the Year.

"It's such an honour to receive this reward," said Barkey. "It's really special for me, my family and the fan club to see so many kids and their families get a chance to play and watch the game we love." 

The Barkey's Buds program, named for the Philadelphia Flyers prospect, partnered with the London Knights Fan Club to bring more than 1,500 pieces of hockey equipment to children with learning, emotional and social disabilities through the George Bray Sports Association. The organization also provided more than 500 tickets to London-area families could come and watch Knights games.

In addition to his work with Barkey's Buds, the London Knights captain went on monthly visits to the Victoria Hospital & Children's Hospital in London. He also spoke at schools on several occasions and attended minor league hockey practices where he acted as a mentor for younger players.

"Ever since I came to London as a 16-year-old, the support and passion from the fans was something I noticed right away," said Barkey. "To be able to start Barkey's Buds and give back to the community that has treated me and my teammates so well was the least I could do."

On the ice, the fourth-year veteran had a fantastic year, scoring 25 goals and 82 points in 50 games. In the playoffs, he recorded 20 points in the Knights' opening two series before sustaining an injury that has kept him out of the lineup. 

These kinds of numbers are nothing new for London Knights fans who have seen Barkey routinely amongst the highest scorers on some stacked Knights' rosters. In the 228 games he's played in the OHL, the dynamic forward has averaged above a point-per-game, scoring a total of 258 points.

Barkey follows Mason Vaccari of the Kingston Frontenacs, who won the trophy last season, while Dalyn Wakely received the honour for his work during the 2022-23 season when he was a member of the North Battalion. 

"It's a proud moment for Denver and his family and the London Knights organization," said London GM Mark Hunter. "Denver is a high-character young man, and for him to take on this community service is something we take pride in."

The Oshawa Generals defeated the Barrie Colts 8-4 in game four of the OHL Eastern Conference Final to sweep the series and win a rematch against the London Knights in the Final. It is the second year in a row that the Generals have won the Bobby Orr Trophy. 

"Every single guy dug deep and played hard," said Colby Barlow. "I'm so proud of everybody."

In the first three games of the Eastern Conference Final, Oshawa's offense seemed to be the difference maker. Stars like Beckett Sennecke, Colby Barlow and Luca Marrelli continuously scored big goals for the Generals, while at times the Colts struggled to get pucks behind Jacob Oster. 

In game four, the Colts' offense was firing on all cylinders. Thanks to Utah Hockey Club prospect Cole Beaudoin, they had the lead after the first period. They then scored a pair of goals in 33 seconds midway through the second period to undo what had become a 2-1 Oshawa lead. 

The adulation was short-lived, as Owen Griffin banked in a fluky goal on a partial breakaway to tie the game at three going into the third period.

Frontenacs GM Wins Jim Gregory AwardEarlier today, the OHL announced that Kingston Frontenacs GM Kory Cooper is the 2024-25 winner of the Jim Gregory OHL General Manager of the Year Award. 

The Generals answered the call in the third, scoring three unanswered goals in the span of a minute and a half to take a 6-3 lead.

While Barrie's Dalyn Wakely did score his seventh of the playoffs to claw one back for Barrie, the damage had already been done. The final score was 8-4 in favour of Oshawa. 

"It was a 20-minute hockey game," said Barlow. "All the guys put everything on the line and got the job done.

The stars once again provided for Oshawa. Luca Marelli scored a goal and added four assists to complete a five-point evening. Third-overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft, Beckett Sennecke also tallied four assists in the game while Calum Ritchie scored a goal and added two assists. 

"A lot of these guys, it's their last year in this league," said Malone. "For them to have the opportunity to do what we're going to do, I am very proud of them, it's a great experience."

Undefeated Knights Advance To J. Ross Robertson CupLast night, the London Knights swept the Kitchener Rangers in the Western Conference Final of the OHL Playoffs. They now have the opportunity to win back-to-back OHL Championships. 

The win guarantees Oshawa's return to the J. Ross Robertson Cup Finals. They get an opportunity to get revenge against a London group that swept them in last year's finals. 

It will undoubtedly be a titanic clash between two squads that are incredibly deep and loaded with talent. A total of 19 NHL-drafted players will be featured in the final matchup, 12 of whom play for London and seven for Oshawa.

This is not the inexperienced and young Oshawa team London faced last year. The Generals are one of the most talented teams in the league offensively and a colossal D-corps that includes standouts like 6-foot-6 Simon Wang and the 6-foot-4 Nashville Predators prospect Andrew Gibson. 

The talented Generals group will do everything they can to dethrone the London Knights, who have been in the finals for the last three years. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride.

Last night, the London Knights swept the Kitchener Rangers in the Western Conference Final of the OHL Playoffs. They now have the opportunity to win back-to-back OHL Championships. 

The Knights have played 12 games and come away with 12 wins in the postseason. The reigning champions have swept all three series they have played, coming away relatively unscathed. 

They go into the finals on course to accomplish a feat that has only been done one other time in OHL history. The last time an OHL team won a championship without losing a postseason game was during the 1987-88 season. 

Of the three remaining reams in the playoffs, London averages the highest goals per game (5.5) while also allowing the fewest goals against (2.3). Based on the stats, London is the heavy favourite to take the championship this season. 

You could feel the intensity from the Rangers' bench at the start of last night's game. Ottawa Senators prospect Luke Ellinas rewarded the Rangers' efforts by scoring the game's opening goal on the power play. The goal was the result of a beautiful passing play that left Knights' goaltender Austin Elliot completely in the lurch.

Jackson Parsons Named OHL Goaltender Of The YearThe Ontario Hockey League announced yesterday that Jackson Parsons of the Kitchener Rangers is the 2024-25 winner of the Jim Rutherford Award, which is awarded annually to the OHL Goaltender of the Year. 

The Knights responded immediately, tying the game under a minute later. Noah Read tracked down a bouncing puck in the Rangers' crease before pushing it into the back of the net. 

From there, London took full control of the game, scoring a total of four unanswered goals courtesy of San Jose Sharks prospects Sam Dickinson, Kasper Halttunen, and New York Islanders prospect Jesse Nurmi. 

Sennecke Scores Hattrick In Statement WinLast night, the Oshawa Generals defeated the Barrie Colts 7-1 to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Dickinson had another fantastic game, finishing the night with a goal and an assist. He's second on the team in postseason scoring with seven goals and 15 assists. 

Chicago Blackhawks prospect Jack Pridham did score in the third period to cut the London lead down to 4-2, however, it was too little, too late as London held on for the win. 

Interestingly, we could see a repeat of last year's championship series if Oshawa defeats the Barrie Colts in the Eastern Conference Final. The Generals currently hold a 3-0 lead in that series. London will await the winner of the series, having already punched their ticket to the finals.