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Mississauga GTHL grads grab the spotlight in season’s final Craig’s List

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Misa on being named OHL MOP, dealing with pressure of draft year Spirit forward and projected NHL draft lottery pick Michael Misa spoke with TSN's Victor Findlay and Frankie Corrado about his incredible OHL season, dealing with the pressure of draft year, and more.

The Mississauga Senators U16 AAA team that captured the OHL Cup in 2022 is set to make its mark on the 2025 NHL Draft.

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button has the top line from that Greater Toronto Hockey League team rated in the first round of his final ranking ahead of the draft, led by forward Michael Misa at No. 2, winger Malcolm Spence at No. 16 and centre Will Moore at No. 32.

Misa, who won OHL Cup MVP that year, went first overall to the Saginaw Spirit after gaining exceptional status to enter the Ontario Hockey League as a 15-year-old in 2022, while Spence went one pick after to the Erie Otters at No. 2. Moore played another year in the GTHL with Toronto before joining the USNTDP in 2023-24.

Misa’s brilliance was on display all season long, scoring 62 goals with 134 points in 65 games for Saginaw as a third-year player. He racked up honours, winning the CHL Top Scorer Award, the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player, the Eddie Powers Trophy as the top point-getter, and the Bobby Smith Trophy as the scholastic player of the year. He also has a Memorial Cup and Hlinka Gretzky Cup title to his name.

Spence, who was the GTHL player of the year in 2022, also had a strong season in the OHL with Erie. The 18-year-old scored 32 goals with 73 points in 65 games in 2024-25 and added nine points in nine playoff games.

A two-time gold medalist with Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and U18s, Spence is committed to the University of Michigan for next season.

“He’s such an impactful player in my view,” said Button of Spence. “If you watch the playoffs, and you watch a guy that can do so much in the game and do it hard, and Malcolm just fits that bill.

“He’s big, fast, competitive, smart. Malcolm Spence is a player that helps you win.”

Button highlights Moore’s versatility and ability to play all three forward positions. The Boston College commit had 27 goals and 59 points in 64 games with the USNTDP this past season. In 2023, he led the U17s in assists (seven) and points (12) as he helped Team USA earn silver. Moore also picked up a bronze medal at the U18s in May.

After leaping into the first round from No. 37 to No. 24 in May, Brampton Steelheads goaltender Jack Ivankovic makes another jump in Button’s final ranking, landing at No. 12 as the top-ranked netminder.

Button can’t ignore the parallels he sees between Ivankovic and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, who was a Calder Trophy finalist last season as they are both smaller goaltenders at just 6-foot.

“I keep going back, and I watch, and I read my reports. Dustin Wolf got Vezina Trophy votes, and he’s been a top goaltender for five years before he got to the NHL, and by the way, Jack is another top goaltender,” said Button.

Ivankovic went 25-12-5 with a .903 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against in 43 appearances with Brampton in 2024-25. He also backstopped Canada to gold at the U18s, recording a .961 save percentage and 1.95 GAA and was named the tournament’s top goaltender.

While the first round of this year’s draft is dominated by players plying their trade in North America, Button has four Swedes in his top 32, including centre Anton Frondell at No. 3, winger Victor Eklund (No. 10), forward Milton Gastrin (No. 21) and centre Theo Stockselius (No. 31).

Eklund, 18, had 19 goals and 31 points in 42 games with Djurgardens in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan. He also suited up for his country at the World Juniors, scoring two goals with six points in seven games as Sweden finished in fourth place.

“Victor revs at high RPMs,” said Button. “His motor is unbelievable. He just has this unbelievable will to find a way to be a difference-maker.

“He’s in the thick of it. He’s in the battle. He can play with good players; he can complement good players. He can bring up the best in good players. He’s got a real flexibility to his game in terms of where he can play in your lineup.

“One of the standout qualities for me with Victor is that in and around the net, he’s got that Brendan Gallagher-type mentality.”

Gastrin spent the 2024-25 season playing with Modo’s J20 squad, where he scored 18 goals with 42 points in 40 games. He also captained Sweden this year at both the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and U18s, earning bronze and silver respectively.

“I think Gastrin has Anton Lundell-type qualities,” said Button. “Not going to be a huge point producer but he’s going to produce important points.

“Hard to play against. He’s so smart and so competitive.”

Final Craig’s List - June 16

RKPlayerTeamPosHTWTGPGP
1Matthew SchaeferErie (OHL)D6'1 ¾18317722
2Michael MisaSaginaw (OHL)C/LW6'0 ¾1846562134
3Anton FrondellDjurgardens (SWE)C6'1198291125
4Porter MartoneBrampton (OHL)RW6'2 ¾208573798
5Roger McQueenBrandon (WHL)C6'5 ¼197171020
6Brady MartinS.S. Marie (OHL)C/RW6'0178573372
7Caleb DesnoyersMoncton (QMJHL)C6'0 ½178563584
8James HagensBoston C (NCAA)C5'10 ½177351035
9Radim MrtkaSeattle (WHL)D6'5 ¾20743335
10Victor EklundDjurgardens (SWE)RW5'11161421931
11Jake O'BrienBrantford (OHL)C6'1 ¾172663298
12Jack IvankovicBrampton (OHL)G5'11178433.05.903
13Jackson SmithTri-City (WHL)D6'3 ¼195681154
14Cole ReschnyVictoria (WHL)C5'10 ½183622692
15Kashawn AitchesonBarrie (OHL)D6'1 ½196642659
16Malcolm SpenceErie (OHL)LW6'1203653273
17Carter BearEverett (WHL)LW6'0179564082
18Justin CarbonneauB-Boisbriand (QMJHL)RW6'1191624689
19Cameron SchmidtVancouver (WHL)RW5'7 ¼161614078
20Cameron ReidKitchener (OHL)D511 ¾193671454
21Milton GastrinMoDo (SWE J20)C6'0 ½185401842
22Braeden CootesSeattle (WHL)C5'11 ¼183602663
23Lynden LakovicMoose Jaw (WHL)LW6'4 ¼190472758
24Ivan RyabkinMuskegon (USHL)C5'11201211524
25Bill ZonnonR-Noranda (QMJHL)RW6'1181642883
26Logan HenslerWisconsin (NCAA)D6'2 ¼19232212
27Ben KindelCalgary (WHL)RW/C5'10176653599
28Sascha BoumedienneBoston U (NCAA)D6'117536312
29Joshua RavensbergenPrince George (WHL)G6'5 ¼190513.00.901
30Ryker LeeMadison (USHL)RW5'11 ½181512861
31Theo StockseliusDjurgardens (SWE J20)C6'2176402251
32Will MooreUSA NTDP (USHL)C6'2 ¼175512244
         
33Jack MurtaghUSA NTDP (USHL)LW6'0 ¾200442045
34Eddie GenborgLinkoping (SWE J20)LW6'1179281934
35Jacob RombachLincoln (USHL)D6'6 ¼19652318
36Alexander ZharovskyUfa (MHL)RW6'1163452450
37Eric NilsonDjurgardens (SWE J20)C5'11 ½156371238
38Jack NesbittWindsor (OHL)C6'4 ¼185652564
39Lucas BeckmanBaie Comeau (QMJHL)G6'1 ½182522.65.914
40Blake FiddlerEdmonton (WHL)D6'4209641033
41Mateo NobertB-Boisbriand (QMJHL)C6'0166572867
42Ethan CzataNiagara (OHL)C6'1 ¼175682155
43Will HorcoffMichigan (NCAA)C/LW6'4 ¾19018410
44Michal PradelTri-City (USHL)G6'4 ¼195142.41.899
45Nathan BehmKamloops (WHL)RW6'1 ½192593166
46Adam BenakYoungstown (USHL)C5'7 ¼160531654
47Henry BrzustewiczLondon (OHL)D6'1 ¾203671042
48Daniil ProkhorovSt. Petersburg (MHL)RW6'5209432027
49Philippe VeilleuxVal D'or (QMJHL)C/LW5'9165644087
50Cullen PotterArizona State (NCAA)C5'10172351322
51Vojtech CiharKarlovy Vary (CZE U20)LW6'01704349
52Lasse BoeliusAssat (SM Liiga Jr.)D5'11 ¾17934418
53Kristian EppersonSaginaw (OHL)LW5'11 ½183582780
54Charlie TretheweyUSA NTDP (USHL)D6'120053619
55Tomas PoletinPelicans (SWE J20)C6'1 ¼200251320
56Mason WestEdina (USHS)C6'5 ¾208312749
57Cole McKinneyUSA NTDP (USHL)C6'0200472251
58Carter AmicoUSA NTDP (USHL)D6'5 ¼2251303
59Jakob Ihs-WozniakLulea (SWE J20)RW6'2 ¼184402357
60Matthew GardRed Deer (WHL)C6'4 ¾192661936
61Jan ChovanTappara (SM Liiga Jr.)C6'2185391123
62Brandon GorzynskiCalgary (WHL)LW6'1 ½185681742
63Ben KevanDes Moines (USHL)RW6'0 ¼182471342
64Love HarenstamSkelleftea (SWE J20)G6'1 ¼190193.31.895
         
65Vaclav NestrasilMuskegon (USHL)RW6'5187611942
66Bryce PickfordMedicine Hat (WHL)D6'0 ¼183482047
67Malte VassFarjestad (SWE J20)D6'1 ¾18440211
68Viktor KlingsellSkelleftea (SWE J20)LW5'9 ½188431739
69Patrik KerkolaKalPa (SM Liiga Jr.)G6'2192313.14.883
70Charlie CerratoPenn State (NCAA)C6'0190381542
71Luka RadivojevicMuskegon (USHL)D5'1016538322
72Emile GuiteChicoutimi (QMJHL)LW6'1 ¼174591630
73Conrad FondrkUSA NTDP (USHL)LW5'11 ¾193401327
74Jan KucharcikSlavia (CZE Jr.)C6'316425616
75Sam LaurilaFargo (USHL)D6'0 ¼18457841
76Peyton KettlesSwift Current (WHL)D6'5 ¼19053514
77Haoxi WangOshawa (OHL)D6'5 ½2153202
78Maxim AgafonovUfa (MHL)D6'219835614
79Quinn BeauchesneGuelph (OHL)D6'018549624
80Luca RomanoKitchener (OHL)C/RW5'11 ¼177672551