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Hunter Jones showed up in Stouffville in August 2016 as a highly touted, 15-year-old goaltending prospect.

He’s lived up to the hype.

Jones came highly recommended by fellow Brantford resident and former Spirit head coach Dan Larmer.

Larmer is a regional scout with the Peterborough Petes who selected Jones in the fifth round of the 2016 Ontario Hockey League draft

Jones played in 16 games with the Spirit in 2016-17, posting a 2.74 GAA and .917 save percentage. He represented Stouffville and the Ontario Junior Hockey League at the World Jr. A Challenge and was named to the OJHL second all-prospect team.

He made the jump to Peterborough and backed up Edmonton Oilers prospect Dylan Wells the next two seasons.

The Petes’ net is his now.

In NHL Central Scouting rankings released this month, Jones – now 6-foot-4 – is the No. 2 ranked draft-eligible goaltender in North America – up from No. 8 at the beginning of the year.

“He’s been really good for us all year,” Petes coach Rob Wilson told Sportsnet this month. “He’s played consistent for us all year and that’s why he gets the press he has. We’re a young team. We only have one 19-year-old in the lineup. He’s got to stand up big for us. He’s been doing that.”

Jones has played in 42 of the Petes’ 48 games, earning 22 wins, a 3.35 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.

He was named Canadian Hockey League goalie of the week during September.

Jones stopped 18 of 20 shots for Team Orr at the CHL Top Prospects game last week.

Jones describes himself as: Big, Athletic, Unflappable, Focused, Driven

NHL Central Scouting says: Brings pro size with very good quickness and athleticism – has the ability to steal games for his team – excellent compete and work habits – very smart tracking pucks through traffic and at reading the cross ice one-time plays – powerful leg drive with quickness; moves laterally with quickness and control – excellent positional play (top of the crease and square with a solid, well balanced stance) – plays big in all situations – good quickness and timing when dropping in the butterfly; quick to react and recover – very good glove hand – very good overall rebound control and placement.

-with files from Sportsnet and the Canadian Hockey League

THE SKED: The Spirit has 10 games left. They host the Aurora Tigers tonight (Jan. 31) at the Stouffville Arena. The Aurora roster includes former Spirit captain Jack Varga and Stouffville resident Tyler Davis. The Newmarket Hurricanes visit Stouffville Saturday. Both games are 7:30 p.m. starts.

Three Spirit games have been postponed this season. Two have been rescheduled: The Spirit plays a school-day game in Markham Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. The Burlington Cougars come to Stouffville Feb. 23. It’s a 7:30 start on the final day of the OJHL regular season.

Winter weather postponed Monday’s Spirit trip to Mississauga. The game is still to be rescheduled.

Spirit This Week is a weekly feature sponsored by Farmer Jack’s in Stouffville and Sharon.