As always goalies had another element to the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection every year, which goalie is the best in the class, where and when will the first goalie be taken off the board, when will your team select their first goalie of the draft, and how many will be selected? By no means do I have all those answers, and by no means do I claim to a goaltending expert, but while the players have been released, I think it is just as important to show the goalies some love as well.
As I mentioned before, it is always a big question approaching the draft on when the first goalie will be taken, and where in relation to the rest of the class of players that goaltender might be. This year one goaltender has put himself into his tier. Goaltender Jack Ivankovic from the Mississauga Senators has had quite the U16 season, and will in all likelihood not only be the first goalie taken in the draft, but he will also probably be the first goaltender taken in the first round since Ben Gaudreau was taken 7th overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection by the Sarnia Sting. Ivankovic was the starting goaltender for Team Ontario at the Canada Winter Games in P.E.I and made some massive saves in the championship game to ultimately help power Team Ontario to a Double Overtime Championship win over Saskatchewan.
Last year saw 39 goaltenders taken in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, and I believe that number will be slightly lower this year, so listed below in alphabetical order by last name are 32 goalies who put stood out while watching them, and put together standout seasons with their teams.
- Alex Armellin, Left Catch, Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL)
- Nico Armellin, Left Catch, Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL)
- Owen Butler, Left Catch, Vaughan Kings (GTHL)
- Gabe Donohue, Left Catch, Whitby Wildcats (OMHA – ETA)
- Owen Edwards, Left Catch, Whitby Wildcats (OMHA – ETA)
- Easton Falls, Left Catch, London Jr. Knights (ALLIANCE)
- Chase Furlong, Left Catch, Thunder Bay Kings (HNO)
- Daniel Giusti, Left Catch, Mississauga Rebels (GTHL)
- Isaac Gravelle, Left Catch, Southern Tier Admirals (OMHA – SCTA)
- Alex Hall, Left Catch, Timmins Majors (GNML – North)
- Jacob Mercer-Harper, Left Catch, Barrie Jr. Colts (OMHA – ETA)
- Zack Irvin, Left Catch, Elgin Middlesex Canucks (ALLIANCE)
- Jack Ivankovic, Left Catch, Mississauga Senators (GTHL)
- Masen Johnston, Left Catch, Peterborough Petes (OMHA – ETA)
- Zachary Jovanovski, Left Catch, Sun County Panthers (ALLIANCE)
- Matthew Koprowski, Left Catch, Elgin Middlesex Canucks (ALLIANCE)
- Hayden LaForet, Left Catch, Sun County Panthers (ALLIANCE)
- Charlie Larocque, Left Catch, Carleton Place Canadiens U18 (HEO)
- Russel Mackerell, Right Catch, Mississauga Rebels (GTHL)
- Nathan Maguire, Left Catch, Soo Jr. Greyhounds U18 (GNML – North)
- Erik Maki, Left Catch, Peterborough Petes (OMHA – ETA)
- Aleksei Medvedev, Left Catch, Vaughan Kings (GTHL)
- James Meredith, Left Catch, Toronto Young Nationals (GTHL)
- Carter Nadon, Right Catch, York Simcoe Express (OMHA – ETA)
- Kayden Newton, Left Catch, Halton Hurricanes (OMHA – SCTA)
- Jaeden Nelson, Left Catch, Toronto Malrboros (GTHL)
- Abel Polan, Left Catch, Don Mills Flyers (GTHL)
- Ryan Quigg, Right Catch, Halton Hurricanes (OMHA – SCTA)
- Logan Snyder, Left Catch, Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs (OMHA – SCTA)
- Reed Straus, Left Catch, Waterloo Wolves (ALLIANCE)
- Luke Suys, Left Catch, Navan Grads U18 (HEO)
- Liam Wilson, Left Catch, Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs (OMHA – SCTA)
Rounds 1 to 3 of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection Draft will be taking place on Day 1 of the draft getting underway Friday April 21st at 7:00pm. Rounds 4 through 15 will commence on Day 2 of the draft on Saturday April 22nd bright and early at 9:00am. If you are interested in following along with the priority selection results, you can follow along online on the Ontario Hockey League website. If you wish to watch the Priority Selection live, it is available for free on OHL Live (https://watch.chl.ca/ohl_chl). You can also keep up with my live updates, thoughts, and analysis as the picks come in on Day 1 through my twitter by following @cwilliams_384.