We’re now one month into Ontario’s 2019-20 Minor Midget season, which means that it’s time for the very first 2020 OHL Draft Ranking.
We will incorporate a monthly ranking of the top OHL Draft prospects, beginning with October’s Top-20. Each month, the ranking will grow by approximately 40 to 50 players, until we reach the penultimate ranking in April; the Top-300.
For a look back to the 2019 OHL Draft Rankings, click here, and see how the rankings grew and developed over the course of the season.
The 2019-20 Season, So Far:
As for this year, October has blessed us with one of the year’s major tournaments, the Titans Early Bird, as well as a handful of league action for each team, which hasn’t disappointed.
– Related: Toronto Titans Early Bird Tournament: Top-10 Performers –
To officially kick off the 2019-20 season, the 12th Annual Titans Early Bird Tournament gave a sneak peak into the top contenders for the 2020 OHL Cup, as well as some of the top names to watch for the upcoming 2020 OHL Draft.
In the end, it was the upstart Toronto Nationals who battled and clawed their way to victory, capping off the tournament with a shocking, come from behind victory over the heavily favoured Toronto Jr. Canadiens.
The Nats rolled to a combined 8-0-0 tournament record, scoring a total of 30 goals while allowing just 8. Led by the dynamic goal-scorer and former Jr. Canadien, Zak Lavoie paced the tournament with 10 goals, while the Nationals combination of defence and goaltending stifled their opponents.
In league action, several teams have gotten off to an all-important hot start, paving the way for future success. In the GTHL, the Nationals have continued their dominance, leading the pack with a 4-0-1 record. Meanwhile, a large pack of teams remain hot on their tails, led by the Toronto Jr. Canadiens (4-1-0), Toronto Titans (4-1-0), and the Mississauga Reps (4-1-0).
In the ETA, the high-flying Quinte Red Devils have started off on the right foot, along with the offensively gifted York Simcoe Express and Whitby Wildcats. The Alliance has been led by two front-runners, the Waterloo Wolves and Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs, who are each undefeated still. Meanwhile in the SCTA, it’s been business as usual for the Southern Tier Admirals, who continue to pound opponents with their electric offence.
Three Players to Watch
Although the year has just begun, a few select players have really stood out and made their name known on a nightly basis.
- Cedrick Guindon
The unanimous top prospect from the HEO this year is Cedrick Guindon, a smooth skating and highly intelligent forward who has taken the league by storm to start the season. Through one month of league action, Guindon is pacing the league offensively, posting 12 goals and 23 points through just 11 games. For reference, Mason McTavish, the 5th overall pick in the 2019 OHL Draft, had 16 points through his first 10 games last year.
https://twitter.com/ConorMulliganHP/status/1169048624048852992
Guindon is a wizard with the puck and can utilize his skating abilities to make defenders look clueless with tricky edge work at top speeds. With quick and creative hands, Guindon excels at creating time and space, but can also drive right to the next himself. A gifted goal-scorer, Cedrick Guindon is a name you’ll hear a lot of heading towards the 2020 OHL Draft.
The leader of the reigning OMHA Champion, Quinte Red Devils, Dalyn Wakely is a dynamic forward who can make a significant difference at both ends of the ice. Oozing with skill and strength, he can create problems for his opposition in plenty of ways, whether by enforcing the physical aspect of the game, or by creating dangerous scoring chances. A dominant force all over the ice, Wakely is an impact player who can single-handedly shift the course of a game.
A swift skater with a goal-scorers touch, Wakely can work his way to the danger areas with ease using his combination of speed and creativity. A handful on the perimeter, he can be just as dangerous through the middle of the ice once he picks up speed, using his vision and quick hands to find open spaces in small areas. With intimidating strength to boot, Wakely can effectively separate opponents from the puck with booming open ice hits, as well as plow through the neutral zone like a bowling ball knocking down pins. With Jr. A experience on his resumé already, it’s clear that Wakely is cut out for a promising OHL career in the near future.
An electric offensive threat, Kocha Delic was an invaluable piece of the Toronto Titans run to the 2019 OHF All-Ontario Bantam Championships. A wizard with the puck, Delic has displayed top notch skating abilities, featuring quick acceleration and hit agility. He can handle the puck extremely well at top speeds, and always has his head up to survey his surroundings. A playmaker by nature, Delic excels at creating time and space for his teammates by drawing defenders towards himself.
An extremely skilled and flashy forward, Delic can take the puck end-to-end with relative ease, utilizing his speed on the outside and his hands to drive the center of the ice. However, there’s more to his game than just offence, as Delic consistently supports his defencemen in the defensive zone. He’s willing to cover a defender who pinches, and will always be available deep in his own end to take a first pass and start the breakout. Delic is the type of player who will catch your eye, night in and night out.
October’s Top-20
Without further ado, here are the top-20 prospects for the 2020 OHL Draft as of October. There remains a ton of time for things to shift and for others to make their mark as first-rounders, but consistency will be key. As the 2019-20 season progresses, we’ll continue to hyperlink personal player profiles to our monthly rankings, so be sure to follow along as the campaign unwinds.
| Rank | Player | Position | Team |
| 1 | Adam Fantilli | C | Kimball Union Academy (Prep) |
| 2 | Rutger McGroarty* | C | Oakland Jr. Grizzlies (HPHL) |
| 3 | Ty Nelson | D | Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL) |
| 4 | Lane Hutson* | D | North Jersey Avalanche U16 (T1EHL) |
| 5 | David Goyette | C | Selects Hockey Academy 15U (Prep) |
| 6 | Cedrick Guindon | C | Rockland Nationals (HEO) |
| 7 | Cutter Gauthier | C | Detroit Compuware U16 (T1EHL) |
| 8 | Isaiah George | D | Toronto Marlboros (GTHL) |
| 9 | Dalyn Wakely | C | Quinte Red Devils (ETA) |
| 10 | Devin Kaplan* | C | North Jersey Avalanche U16 (T1EHL) |
| 11 | Aidan Castle | RW | Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL) |
| 12 | Paul Ludwinski | C | Toronto Marlboros (GTHL) |
| 13 | Tyler Duke* | D | Detroit Compuware U16 (HPHL) |
| 14 | Kocha Delic | C | Toronto Titans (GTHL) |
| 15 | Donovan McCoy | D | Quinte Red Devils (ETA) |
| 16 | Jonathan Melee | C/LW | Toronto Titans (GTHL) |
| 17 | Seamus Casey* | D | Florida Alliance U16 (NAPHL) |
| 18 | Nicholas Moldenhauer | RW | Toronto Titans (GTHL) |
| 19 | Zak Lavoie | C | Toronto Young Nationals (GTHL) |
| 20 | Sam Alfano | C | Southern Tier Admirals (SCTA) |
* Indicates that the player is currently committed to an NCAA program.
Prospect Pipeline 