31 OHL graduates prepare for 2018 Winter Olympics
A total of 31 OHL graduates from across the globe will represent their respective countries at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea when men’s hockey action gets underway on Wednesday February 14th.
Eleven of the twelve nations competing include at least one OHL graduate on their roster with Canada leading the way with six.
With no NHL presence at the Olympics this year, players from across Europe’s professional hockey landscape are playing in pursuit of gold.
Canada enters Olympic action having won gold in three of the last four events including 2002 (Salt Lake City), 2010 (Vancouver) and 2014 (Sochi).
Team Canada head coach Willie Desjardins (Medicine Hat Tigers) announced Thursday that OHL graduate Chris Kelly (London Knights, Sudbury Wolves) will wear the ‘C’ for Canada while Derek Roy (Kitchener Rangers) will wear an ‘A’.
Of the 76 total CHL grads competing, 31 are from the OHL, 26 are from the WHL and 19 are from the QMJHL.
Canada’s schedule begins on Wednesday February 14th against the United States at 10:10am EST.
CANADA (6)
Goaltenders:
Justin Peters – Cologne Sharks (DEL) // Toronto St. Michael’s Majors, Plymouth Whalers (2002-06)
Forwards:
Chris Kelly – Belleville Senators (AHL) // London Knights, Sudbury Wolves (1997-01)
Eric O’Dell – HC Sochi (KHL) // Sudbury Wolves (2007-11)
Derek Roy – HC Linkopings (SHL) // Kitchener Rangers (1999-03)
Christian Thomas – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL) // London Knights, Oshawa Generals (2008-12)
Wojtek Wolski – Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) // Brampton Battalion (2002-06)
CZECH REPUBLIC (4)
Defencemen:
Michal Jordan – Amur Khabarovsk (KHL) // Windsor Spitfires, Plymouth Whalers (2007-10)
Forwards:
Michal Birner – HC Fribourg-Gotteron (NLA) // Barrie Colts, Saginaw Spirit (2004-06)
Dominik Kubalik – Ambri-Piotta (NLA) // Sudbury Wolves, Kitchener Rangers (2012-14)
Jiri Sekac – AK-Bars Kazan (KHL) // Peterborough Petes (2009-10)
FINLAND (1)
Forwards:
Oskar Osala – Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) // Mississauga IceDogs (2005-07)
GERMANY (2)
Defencemen:
Bjorn Krupp – Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams (DEL) // Belleville Bulls (2008-11)
Forwards:
Dominik Kahun – EHC Munich (DEL) // Sudbury Wolves (2012-14)
REPUBLIC OF KOREA (3)
Defencemen:
Eric Regan – Anyang Halla (ASIA) // Erie Otters, Oshawa Generals (2004-08)
Bryan Young – Daemyung Killer Whales (ASIA) // Peterborough Petes (2002-06)
Forwards:
Michael Swift – Gangwon High1 (ASIA) // Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs (2003-08)
NORWAY (1)
Forwards:
Mathis Olimb – HC Linkoping (SHL) // London Knights, Sarnia Sting (2004-05)
OAR (RUSSIA) (1)
Forwards:
Ivan Telegin – CSKA Moscow (KHL) // Saginaw Spirit, Barrie Colts (2009-12)
SLOVAKIA (4)
Defencemen:
Michal Cajkovsky – Automobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL) // Kingston Frontenacs, Ottawa 67’s (2010-13)
Peter Ceresnak – HC Plzen (CZE) // Peterborough Petes (2011-13)
Forwards:
Tomas Marcinko – HC Trinec Ocelari (CZE) // Barrie Colts (2006-08)
Matej Paulovic – MHC Nitra (SVK) // Peterborough Petes (2013-14)
SLOVENIA (3)
Forwards:
Jan Mursak – HC Frolunda (SHL) // Saginaw Spirit, Belleville Bulls (2006-08)
Ziga Pance – EC Dornbirn (AUS) // Oshawa Generals (2006-08)
Marcel Rodman – Bad Tolz (DEL2) // Peterborough Petes (1999-2001)
SWITZERLAND (3)
Forwards:
Denis Hollenstein – HC Kloten (NLA) // Guelph Storm (2007-09)
Vincent Praplan – HC Kloten (NLA) // North Bay Battalion (2013-14)
Pius Suter – SC Zurich (NLA) // Guelph Storm (2013-15)
UNITED STATES (3)
Goaltenders:
Brandon Maxwell – BK Mlada Boleslav (CZE) // Kitchener, Sarnia, Mississauga (2009-12)
Defencemen:
Bobby Sanguinetti – Lugano (NLA) // Owen Sound Attack, Brampton Battalion (2004-08)
James Wisniewski – Kassel Huskies (DEL) // Plymouth Whalers (2000-04)
For full coverage of men’s hockey at the 2018 Winter Olympics visit olympic.org.
