Sixty-one teams call the Central Region home, but only six remain in the hunt for the region’s berth at the Men’s U18 National Club Championship – the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks, Kemptville 73’s, North Bay Trappers, Oshawa Generals, Toronto Jr. Canadiens and host Windsor Jr. Spitfires

All six are fresh faces, with North Bay and Elgin-Middlesex the most recent regional competitors, in 2019. But none have played on the national stage since 2006, and they own just five appearances between them – three for Oshawa and one each for North Bay and Toronto.

There’s plenty of talent in Windsor; five of the six teams finished top two in their respective leagues in the regular season, and they posted a combined 39-12-4 postseason record to reach the regionals.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (U18 NATIONALS FINISH)

2022 – Mississauga Reps (fourth place)

2019 – Toronto Young Nationals (gold medal)

2018 – Toronto Young Nationals (fourth place)

2017 – Mississauga Rebels (bronze medal)

2016 – North York Rangers (gold medal)

ELGIN-MIDDLESEX CANUCKS

ALLIANCE CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 31-9-2 (1st in Alliance)

Goals for: 158

Goals against: 82

Leading scorer: Rene Van Bommel (26G 26A 52P)

Playoff record: 7-1-1

Goals for: 37

Goals against: 16

Leading scorer: Rene Van Bommel (7G 5A 12P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL

Quarterfinal: defeated Lambton Jr Sting 2-0 (7-2, 11-2)

Semifinal: defeated Kitchener Jr. Rangers 2-0 (4-0, 4-1, 2-0)

Final: defeated Waterloo Wolves 3-1-1 (2-0, 0-4, 1-1, 5-3, 4-3)

Last national championship appearance: none

Total national championship appearances: none

KEMPTVILLE 73’S

HEO CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 29-10-3 (2nd in HEO)
Goals for: 182
Goals against: 79
Leading scorer: Sydney Loreto (26G 41A 67P)

Playoff record: 7-2
Goals for: 37
Goals against: 22
Leading scorer: John Collins-Williams (10G 9A 19P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL

Quarterfinal: defeated Navan Grads 2-0 (6-0, 5-2)

Semifinal: defeated Nepean Raiders 2-1 (3-6, 5-4 2OT, 7-4)

Final: defeated Ottawa Jr. Senators 3-1 (4-0, 2-3 2OT, 4-3, 1-0)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

NORTH BAY TRAPPERS

GNU18L CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 21-7-0 (2nd in GNU18L)

Goals for: 158

Goals against: 82

Leading scorer: Nate Gravelle (26G 24A 50P)

Playoff record: 5-0

Goals for: 33

Goals against: 13

Leading scorer: Nate Gravelle (5G 5A 10P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL

Preliminary round: defeated Sudbury Nickel Capitals U16 6-0; defeated New Liskeard Cubs 7-2; defeated Kapuskasing Flyers 5-4; defeated Sudbury Nickel Capitals U18 6-2

Final: defeated Sault Ste. Marie Soo Jr. Greyhounds 8-5

Last national championship appearance: 1984 (gold medal)

Total national championship appearances: 1 (1984)

OSHAWA GENERALS

OMHA CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 19-9-8 (6th in OMHA-ETA)
Goals for: 156
Goals against: 99
Leading scorer: Charlie Hilton (24G 26A 50P)

Playoff record: 8-2-1
Goals for: 37
Goals against: 22
Leading scorer: John McKinney (3G 3A 6P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL

ETA Playoffs

Preliminary round: defeated Richmond Hill Coyotes 5-4, defeated Quinte Red Devils 4-3, defeated York-Simcoe Express 4-2, lost to Quinte Red Devils 4-3, lost to Richmond Hill Coyotes 5-3

Tiebreaker: defeated Quinte Red Devils 3-0

OMHA Championship

Preliminary round: defeated Barrie Jr. Colts 4-1, defeated Grey-Bruce Highlanders 6-1, tied Oakville Rangers 1-1, defeated Burlington Eagles 2-1
Final: defeated Ajax Pickering Raiders 2-0

Last national championship appearance: 1988 (fourth place)
Total national championship appearances: 3 (1974, 1975, 1988)

TORONTO JR. CANADIENS

GTHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 31-3-2 (1st in GTHL)

Goals for: 173

Goals against: 48

Leading scorer: unavailable

Playoff record: 9-3

Goals for: 44

Goals against: 23

Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL

Quarterfinal: defeated Toronto Red Wings 3-1 (2-3, 4-0, 5-0, 3-2)

Semifinal: defeated Toronto Young Nationals 3-2 (5-2, 4-1, 1-4, 1-6, 4-3)

Final: defeated Vaughan Kings 3-0 (3-0, 6-1, 6-1)

Last national championship appearance: 2006 (fourth place)

Total national championship appearances: 1 (2006)

WINDSOR JR. SPITFIRES

HOSTS

Regular season record: 26-14-4 (2nd in Alliance)

Goals for: 128

Goals against: 99

Leading scorer: Connor Chartrand (21G 19A 40P)

Playoff record: 3-4-2

Goals for: 20

Goals against: 22

Leading scorer: Connor Chartrand (1G 8A 9P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL

Quarterfinal: defeated Hamilton Kilty B’s 2-1-1 (2-2, 1-4, 4-3, 4-2)

Semifinal: lost to Waterloo Wolves 0-2-1 (3-3, 1-2, 5-6)

Last national championship appearance: none

Total national championship appearances: none