Each autumn, the Ontario Hockey League's opening week carries the quiet weight of ambition deferred and talent newly tested — but the 2025-26 season arrives with something rarer: genuine uncertainty at the top. London's Knights, who dominated last season with the assurance of a dynasty, now enter a reloading chapter, while Windsor and Brantford emerge as credible challengers shaped by shrewd roster-building. Beneath the competition itself runs a deeper current — the NCAA's open door for Canadian players has begun to redraw the boundaries of junior hockey's talent ecosystem, asking every franch
OHL 2025-26 season preview: Brantford, Windsor favored but London Knights remain formidable
Reloading, not rebuilding—but the gap is real
Mark
So the Knights won last year with 55 wins. That's a lot of momentum to carry forward. Why are people talking about them as vulnerable?
Mimi
They graduated a ton of offensive production. When you win that decisively, your best players move on—to the NHL, to other opportunities. They're reloading, not rebuilding, but there's a real gap to fill.
Luke
But the article doesn't actually quantify what they lost. It says they graduated "significant offensive talent" but doesn't name the players or their point totals. How much production are we actually talking about?
Mark
Fair point. And what about this NCAA thing? It sounds like it's changing the whole league.
Mimi
It's huge. For decades, junior hockey was the only path for Canadian kids who wanted to develop toward the NHL. Now they can go to U.S. colleges instead. Teams are losing players mid-commitment.
Luke
The article mentions Valentini, Epperson, Spence, Martone, and Ivankovic—five specific names. But it doesn't say how many total players have left the OHL for NCAA programs this offseason. Is this five guys, or is it fifty? That changes whether it's a trend or a crisis.
Mark
So Windsor and Brantford are the favorites. What makes them different from the Knights?
Mimi
They have returning rosters with proven scorers. Windsor has Protas—if he comes back—who scored 50 goals. Brantford has O'Brien and Vanacker. They're not rebuilding; they're adding to what worked.
Luke
But the Protas question is huge. The article says "Will Ilya Protas return?" as a big question. If he doesn't, does Windsor drop from favorite to contender? And we don't know the answer.
Mark
What about the commissioner's changes? Are those meaningful?
Mimi
Crawford is pushing on player experience, arena standards, video review rules. It sounds like he's trying to make the league more attractive and competitive.
Luke
Those are administrative moves. They might matter long-term, but they don't change who wins this year. The article presents them as part of Crawford's vision, but there's no reporting on whether teams or players think they actually help.
Le Pouls
- London's Knights carry the burden of defending a dominant championship with a roster stripped of its top offensive contributors — the crown fits, but it no longer feels inevitable.
- Windsor's Spitfires and Brantford's Bulldogs have assembled the kind of star-laden lineups that make rivals uncomfortable, with elite prospects, NHL-affiliated depth, and coaches hungry for a first title.
- The NCAA's new eligibility rules have triggered a quiet exodus — blue-chip prospects like Adam Valentini and Porter Martone have left OHL franchises for American college programs, destabilizing rosters mid-build and forcing the league to compete for its own talent.
- Commissioner Bryan Crawford is responding with structural reforms — upgraded arena standards, expanded video review, and a sharper focus on player experience — signaling that the OHL's identity as an NHL pipeline depends on more than ice time alone.
- Guelph's Storm, after a lost season, and Kitchener's Rangers, balancing a championship window with 2027 Memorial Cup hosting ambitions, add further unpredictability to a race that, for the first time in years, has no clear favorite.
Each autumn, the Ontario Hockey League's opening week carries the quiet weight of ambition deferred and talent newly tested — but the 2025-26 season arrives with something rarer: genuine uncertainty at the top. London's Knights, who dominated last season with the assurance of a dynasty, now enter a reloading chapter, while Windsor and Brantford emerge as credible challengers shaped by shrewd roster-building. Beneath the competition itself runs a deeper current — the NCAA's open door for Canadian players has begun to redraw the boundaries of junior hockey's talent ecosystem, asking every franchise to reconsider what loyalty, development, and opportunity truly mean.
The Ontario Hockey League's new season opens this week under conditions that feel genuinely unsettled — a rarity in a league that London's Knights have lately made to feel predictable. London won 55 games and 112 points last season, a dominant run by any measure. But the Knights graduated significant offensive talent, and coach Dale Hunter — entering his 24th season behind the bench while also preparing to lead Canada's world junior program — describes the coming year as a reload. Goaltender Aleksei Medvedev is expected to anchor the crease, and young forwards Logan Hawery and Jaxon Cover carry the offensive hopes. Whether they can fill the void left by departed stars remains the defining question over the defending champions.
Two teams have stepped forward as genuine title contenders. The Windsor Spitfires return a formidable offensive core — Liam Greentree, Jack Nesbitt, first overall pick Ethan Belchetz, and AJ Spellacy — with the added possibility that Ilya Protas, a 50-goal scorer, rejoins the lineup. In Brantford, the Bulldogs bring Jake O'Brien's near-certain 100-point season, Marek Vanacker's goal-scoring upside, and the experience of Ryder Boulton, who has skated in two previous OHL championship runs. Coach Jay McKee is chasing a fifth straight winning season.
Beyond the standings, the league is navigating a structural disruption. The NCAA's decision to extend scholarship eligibility to Canadian Hockey League players has accelerated a talent drain that junior franchises are only beginning to absorb. Kitchener lost Adam Valentini to Michigan. Brampton lost both its leading scorer and starting goaltender to American college programs. The departures have forced teams to rethink roster construction from the ground up. Commissioner Bryan Crawford, in his second year, is pushing clubs to raise their standards — better arenas, stronger player support, clearer rules — to remain competitive for the prospects they need.
Kitchener, despite 47 wins last season, faces a divided focus: competing for a championship while preparing to host the 2027 Memorial Cup. The loss of goaltender Jackson Parsons complicates their path. Guelph, by contrast, is positioned for a sharp turnaround after missing the playoffs entirely — sophomore goaltender Colin Ellsworth, top pick Jaakko Wycisk, and overage captain Charlie Paquette give coach Cory Stillman a credible foundation. Guelph is also competing with Kitchener for those same 2027 hosting rights, adding an institutional rivalry to the on-ice one.
The road to the 2026 Memorial Cup in Kelowna runs through a league that, for once, cannot name its champion in advance. London is not finished — but it is no longer alone at the front.
The Ontario Hockey League's championship race begins this week, and for the first time in recent memory, the defending titleholder faces genuine competition from a field reshuffled by forces beyond the rink.
London Knights won it all last season with 55 victories and 112 points, a dominant run that left the rest of the league searching for answers. But the Knights graduated significant offensive talent, and now they enter the 2025-26 campaign in what coach Dale Hunter calls a reloading phase rather than a rebuild. Hunter, in his 24th season behind the bench, will also coach Canada's world junior team this winter. The Knights have promising young forwards in Logan Hawery and Jaxon Cover, and goaltender Aleksei Medvedev, a Vancouver prospect, is expected to be one of junior hockey's elite netminders. The question hanging over the defending champs is whether they can replace the production they lost to graduation.
Two teams have emerged as the favorites to dethrone them. The Windsor Spitfires finished last season with 45 wins and 96 points before being reverse-swept by Kitchener in the second round. They return a potent offensive core: Liam Greentree (Kings prospect), Jack Nesbitt (Flyers), 2024 first overall pick Ethan Belchetz, and AJ Spellacy (Blackhawks). The critical variable is whether Ilya Protas, a 50-goal, 124-point scorer with the Capitals organization, will return to the lineup. In goal, overager Joey Costanzo and rookie Michael Newlove will need to perform at a high level. Coach Greg Walters, in his second season, has the pieces to lead the West.
The Brantford Bulldogs, meanwhile, sit atop the Eastern Conference favorites. They won 44 games last season and lost to Oshawa in the second round. Jake O'Brien (Kraken) should exceed 100 points, and Marek Vanacker (Blackhawks) has the potential to score 45 goals if healthy. Adam Benak, a Czech forward and the No. 2 overall pick in the import draft, adds international depth. Ryder Boulton, a former London Knight, arrives with experience from two previous OHL title runs. Coach Jay McKee is aiming for his fifth consecutive winning season.
But the league's landscape has shifted in ways that extend beyond roster turnover. The NCAA's decision to allow Canadian Hockey League players to pursue U.S. college scholarships has created unprecedented roster instability. Adam Valentini, a blue-chip Kitchener forward, revoked his commitment to the Rangers organization and left for the University of Michigan. Kristian Epperson departed Saginaw for the University of Denver. Malcolm Spence left Erie for Michigan. Porter Martone and Jack Ivankovic, Brampton's leading scorer and starting goaltender, are gone to NCAA programs. This exodus has forced junior teams to rethink how they build rosters and develop talent. League commissioner Bryan Crawford, in his second season, is pushing clubs to strengthen their player experience and arena standards to compete for talent. New rules governing video review, slew-footing, faceoff violations, and goaltender delays are also in effect.
Kitchener Rangers, with 47 wins and 100 points last season, remain strong but face a strategic choice. They swept by London in the conference final, yet they are also gearing up to host the 2027 Memorial Cup at the Memorial Auditorium. That dual focus—competing now while preparing for future hosting duties—creates tension in how aggressively they pursue a championship run. Cameron Reid (Predators) can score from the back end, and Luke Ellinas (Senators) is a premier centre. The loss of Jackson Parsons, their top goaltender, is a significant blow.
The Guelph Storm, after winning just 21 games and missing the playoffs last season, are positioned to rise sharply. Sophomore goaltender Colin Ellsworth posted a .964 goals-against average in the preseason. Jaakko Wycisk, the 2025 No. 2 overall pick and Alliance player of the year, will produce immediately. Charlie Paquette, the overage captain, scored 37 goals last year. Guelph is also a finalist to host the 2027 Memorial Cup, intensifying their rivalry with Kitchener for those hosting rights. Coach Cory Stillman, in his second year, has the foundation for a significant turnaround.
Across the league, the story repeats: rosters are in flux, young talent is being tested, and the path to the Memorial Cup in Kelowna in 2026 remains wide open. The Knights are not finished, but they are no longer the only team capable of winning it all.
Citations marquantes
Coach Dale Hunter describes the Knights' position as reloading rather than rebuilding after graduating key offensive players— Dale Hunter, London Knights coach
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