This past weekend, Oakville’s Joshua Creek Arenas hosted the 2022 OMHA U16 AAA showcase.
Also featured in this showcase were 40 U18 players to make up a U18 all-star game between the ETA all-stars and the SCTA all-stars.
“The Ontario Minor Hockey Association has a long and proud tradition of developing some of the top hockey talent in the world,” said OMHA Executive Director Ian Taylor. “This event will be a step in identifying and developing the next crop of elite players in Ontario.”
This showcase was a significant event for these U16 players as they are all eligible for the 2023 OHL priority selection. The players showed off their skills to travelling OHL scouts that made the trek to Oakville.
I was able to spot a few scouts, some of them travelling from as far as Windsor.
The weekend consisted of 23 teams going head-to-head, trying to impress scouts and fans while making a huge impact on their team.
One of the standout teams was the Niagara North Stars. The team scored 2-0 in their games and outscored their opponents 11-5.
OHL scouts must have their eye on the North Stars forward Jaden Flora, who has been leading the way with 19 points in only 14 games.
Another team to look out for this season in the OMHA is the Burlington Eagles, who went 2-0 over the weekend.
The Eagles beat the Grey-Bruce Highlanders by a score of 5-1 and the Buffalo Regals by 8-0.
The Oakville Rangers were also no slouch in the showcase. The team split their two games, first losing 6-3 to the Niagara North Stars but then winning convincingly against the Guelph Jr. Gryphons by a score of 6-2.
Someone to look out for on the Rangers is right-handed defenseman Christopher McNight. McNight currently has three goals and five assists for eight points in 15 games and is a tough defender to play against.