The OHL Podcast

If you listened to last week's Eastern Conference preview, well, this episode is nothing like that. It is the Western Conference preview episode, but Dan and Mike are on different planets. In the East, the guys agreed on the Top 4 teams, just in slightly different order. They had the same teams finishing 3 through 6 in the East. But in the West? Dan sees three tiers while Mike sees two, and they've got a couple of predictions that are miles apart. It's all fun for now, right? Let the games begin this weekend! And remember to use these goofy predictions against the guys later.

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It's here! We know you look forward to it every year because Dan and Mike are sure to look like fools by season's end, but here come the Eastern Conference predictions. The similarities between the predictions are kind of eerie, to be honest, and that can't bode well for the guys.

Along with the East preview, the OHL served up enough news worth talking about as two more teams jumped into the "compensatory pick" pool and we might be seeing the beginning of CHL-NCAA movement, despite no formal agreement being in place yet.

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Have you ever wondered about some of the more obscure rules and hard-to-find information about the OHL? Dan from Rochester sure has, and his email gives Dan and Mike the perfect opportunity to talk about roster construction, overage (OA) and import rules, and who's keeping track of all those draft picks, anyway? Plus, a look at the OA situation for each team and early signs that more teams are trying to copy last year's OHL championship recipe.

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For the first time in its history, the Ontario Hockey League begins a season without David Branch in the Commissioner's seat. Instead, former Golf Canada executive Bryan Crawford takes over the league's top job. It's a hard act to follow, not just because Branch was the OHL's commissioner for 45 years, but because Crawford comes into the league after an incredible end to 2023-24 that saw two OHL teams in the Memorial Cup final, with the Saginaw Spirit winning the championship in the game's final 22 seconds. Does Crawford have big and immediate changes in mind? Is the OHL's Toronto experiment over? Is there room for more teams in the league? Get the answers to those questions and more as the new Commish sits down with us for a pre-season interview.

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And just like that, summer is over. But as fast as it seemed to go, OHL general managers kept themselves busy with several big trades and signs that some teams are already staking their territory as a contender. Dan and Mike are back from the summer break to remind you what you might have missed while on vacation, plus a look at the stars skipping OHL training camps, new faces behind the bench, and a new face in the league's front office. Grab your hockey bag, tape your stick, and let's get ready for another OHL season! We'll be with you every step of the way.

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Once again, the Ontario Hockey League leads the way at the NHL draft, sending more players to the pros than either the WHL or QMJHL. We've got some thoughts, plus chatter about the new Commissioner, coaching changes, and the current cost of buying your way into the Canadian Hockey League. Celebrate your early summer with a little hockey talk!

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What could have been more fitting for this podcast other than an all-OHL final at the Memorial Cup? And what a final it was, as Saginaw and London delivered one for the ages. Dan and Mike break down what went right for Saginaw and what went wrong for London. Plus, the definitive answer on which championship means more (the league or the Memorial Cup)? And as we look ahead to next season, the impact of a recent ruling in the US that will see NCAA players get paid, stronger bonds between the OHL and GOJHL, and which OHL'ers will be returning to junior as property of NHL teams.

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One team proved itself the best in the OHL this season and now it's the team to beat at the Memorial Cup. One of the guys still wonders why they won't admit who they are, but that's probably best left for your ears and not this summary. Dan and Mike also talk about why a 5-game suspension is warranted for merely uttering a word (sorry, Landon Sim), the new/old coach in the OHL, and a celebration of OHL content in the NHL's final four. It's a jam-packed episode with an important message that explains the two-week break between shows. Please consider supporting the Canadian Mental Health Association's 'Talk Today' program by buying a Memorial Cup 50/50 ticket.

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As the Memorial Cup opens in Saginaw, we welcome an original Spirit. Okay, Pat Asselin joined Saginaw in its second year of existence and grew with the team until his OA year when a trade sent him to a chance at a deep playoff run with Oshawa. Which is interesting because Asselin is a Peterborough native and was even wearing Petes maroon during this interview...

Asselin is a great example of making the most of a hockey career, leaving North America and winning back-to-back-to-back titles in Europe. Along the way, he also developed a passion for photography, which now has the budding entrepreneur thinking about options beyond the game. But he's not done playing yet, and Asselin has plenty of stories to share.

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For the fifth consecutive season, we enjoyed a Game 7 in the Conference Finals. And now, the championship is set as London will host Oshawa. But there's so much more to discuss, including the continued inability for the Memorial Cup hosts to win their league, a concerning rash of suspensions, another coaching search, and Canada's golden U18s. Oh yeah, and our Performers of the Week as we whittle the 20-team league down to the last two standing.

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