NEWS

CAMBRIDGE, ON – Each year, hockey fans around the world are glued to their TV’s, watching two teams battle for a chance to hoist hockey’s Holy Grail.

Tomorrow night the New York Rangers head into Los Angeles to face the Kings in game one. The remaining two National Hockey League (NHL) teams left will battle for the biggest trophy in the hockey world, the Stanley Cup.

As is tradition at the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), we review both rosters to find graduate players from our program. This year’s finals feature eight players, four on each team, who played in the OHA before making their mark in the NHL. The OHA is also very proud to announce five former OHA Officials who have also been selected to work in the best of seven finals.  

NEW YORK RANGERS – EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

New York Rangers forward and dubbed “agitator” Daniel Carcillo is no stranger to the Stanley Cup Final. He won the coveted trophy with the Chicago Blackhawks last season.  Before he made his mark in the NHL, he was a junior playing for the Milton Merchants (now Icehawks) in the OPJHL (now OJHL). In the 2001-2002 season with the Merchants, Carcillo managed to score 15 goals and 16 assists in 47 games. His 31 points were impressive, but his 162 penalty minutes that season were noticed by the Sarnia Sting. He played with the Sting immediately following his stint with the Merchants, going onto play three seasons with them before being dealt to the Mississauga Ice Dogs (now Niagara Ice Dogs). Four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) would eventually lead him to getting drafted in the third round 73rd overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Dominic Moore scored what is undoubtedly the biggest goal of his career last week for the New York Rangers to send them to the Stanley Cup Final with a 1-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens. That goal was years and years in the making. As a young man, Moore was a member of the Aurora Tigers for two seasons in the OPJHL. In his first season with the Tigers, he scored 10 goals and added 15 assists in 51 games. Moore’s second season is where he made a mark for himself, netting an impressive 34 goals and 53 assists. His 87 points that season had scouts looking his way. With plenty of offers, Moore pursued a University Scholarship, attending Harvard on a full athletic scholarship. He would go onto play five seasons for the Crimson and was selected in 2000 by the New York Rangers in the third round, 95th overall.

Dan Girardi, Assistant Captain for the New York Rangers, has had a decorated past that has seen him receive his fair share of highs and lows before landing with the Rangers in the NHL. The Welland Native played Minor Hockey in his home town before playing a half a season in 2000-2001 with the now defunct Couchiching Terriers of the OPJHL. In 27 games with the Terriers, Girardi managed to net a goal and 11 assists. The rest of the season saw him finish the year in with the OHL’s Barrie Colts. He would play with Barrie for two more seasons before a trade would send him to the Guelph Storm. Girardi would eventually end up on the London Knights roster with an impressive team that went on to win the 2005 OHL Championship and the 2005 Memorial Cup. Girardi was undrafted and ended up playing with the Hartford Wolf Pack for two seasons before being called up and signed by the Rangers in 2006 and he hasn’t looked back.

Being a second string goaltender is no easy task, especially if you play backup to the likes of the Rangers “King” Henrik Lundqvist. Cam Talbot has not had an easy ride to say the least, but his positive attitude is something that all young aspiring goaltenders can learn a thing or two from. Talbot was a key member of the Hamilton Red Wings of the OPJHL for three seasons before heading to University. His 2005-2006 season in Hamilton saw him post an impressive 2.55 goals against average while winning 21 of 35 starts. He allowed just 87 goals that year and was instrumental in their success. The following season, Talbot managed 19 wins in 26 starts, allowing just 51 goals the entire season and posting 2.08 goals against average. His strong play earned him a scholarship to Alabama-Huntsville where he would go onto play three seasons with the Chargers in the NCAA. Four seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) would eventually land him with the New York Rangers this year. As an undrafted goaltender, Talbot knows his roll with the club and it’s safe to say his first year in the NHL behind the “King” has taught him plenty.

LOS ANGELES KINGS – WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

Jeff Carter is a super star in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings. He is having arguably his best post season run in recent memory. Carter will take to the ice this week, looking to win his second Stanley Cup with the Kings. Before solidifying himself as a super star in the NHL, Carter was a member of the Strathroy Rockets in the GOHL (Now GOJHL – Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League) in the 2000-2001 season. With the Rockets, he would begin writing his ticket to the big leagues, scoring 27 goals and adding 20 assists in 49 games, he would quickly move onto play four seasons with the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. In 2003 he was selected in the first round, 11th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers.

Young Tanner Pearson is enjoying his first season in the NHL as well as an impressive post season run that now has him battling for a chance to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. Before Pearson became a key member of the LA Kings, he was a young junior hockey player, playing with the Waterloo Siskins in the GOJHL. For two years, Pearson put up impressive numbers with the Siskins. In the 2008-2009 season he scored 15 goals and added 33 assists. The 2009-2010 season saw him score 29 goals and 41 assists. His notable point production earned him a spot on the Barrie Colts roster where he would go onto play two seasons in the OHL. His OHL numbers were good enough to get him noticed by LA Kings scouts who thought enough of him to select him in the first round, 30th overall in 2012. 

Tyler Toffoli is another young forward for the LA Kings. The Toronto native had a very brief stint in the OJHL playing two games with the Toronto Junior Canadiens before taking his hockey talent to the OHL. In his two games with the Canadiens he scored two goals. In the OHL, Toffoli played four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s where he managed to score an impressive 163 goals and 170 assists (total). Toffoli, like teammate Pearson, caught the eye of the LA Kings scouting team and was selected in the second round, 47th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He would play for the AHL Manchester Monarchs, the Kings affiliate team before finally finding his place on the Kings roster last season, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Justin Williams is no stranger to the Stanley Cup. Unlike some of his younger teammates, Williams has hoisted Lord Stanley’s Mug twice prior (2006 with Carolina Hurricanes and 2012 with the LA Kings). Knowing what it takes to win the native of Cobourg Ontario is a role model to his younger teammates. Playing just 17 games for his hometown Cobourg Cougars of the OPJHL back in 1997, he managed to register just 3 assists. Following his short stint with the Cougars, Williams went onto play two seasons with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL before embarking on his NHL Career which landed him four seasons in Philadelphia with the Flyers before being dealt to Carolina. Williams was selected in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round 28th overall.

Along with the aforementioned players, of the eight Officials selected to work the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals, five are former OHA Officials:

REFEREES:
Wes McCauley
Dan O'Halloran

LINESMEN:
Derek Amell
Scott Driscoll
Brad Kovachik

With eight former OHA players and five Officials participating in the 2014 NHL Final, the OHA certainly has much to boast about. In the OHA the slogan “Where the Best Develop,” is certainly apparent with the large number of alumni players and Officials who are making their way to the top hockey league in the world. To the eight players on both the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings along with the five Officials, we wish you the best of luck.