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A collection of news and notes from across the Southwestern Ontario sports scene
NO KNIGHTS: The 22-player roster for the CHL USA prospects challenge game being held at Canada Life Place in London doesn’t have a Londoner or a Knight on it.
The contest, slated for Nov. 26, will feature first-time NHL-draft eligible stars from the OHL, Western and Quebec Maritime leagues against USA Hockey’s under-18 national team. Team CHL member Cameron Reid, a Kitchener Rangers defenceman, hails from Aylmer but graduated from the minor hockey ranks while playing for the Bishop Kearney Selects in Rochester, N.Y.
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The top Team CHL players include OHL goals leader Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit and Brampton Steelheads standout forward Porter Martone.
The CHL players were selected from a list of the top 2025 NHL draft prospects generated through a survey conducted with all 32 NHL clubs. Then, the CHL coaching staff – head coach Kris Mallette (Kelowna) and assistants Ryan Oulahen (North Bay) and Gordie Dwyer (Acadie-Bathurst) – worked with Erie GM Dave Brown to select the roster.
After the London contest, the series concludes with a second game in Oshawa Nov. 27.
O’REILLY SIGNS: London Knights centre Sam O’Reilly signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers this week.
The 18-year-old was the club’s first-round selection (32nd overall) in the NHL draft in June and impressed through rookie camp and four preseason games this fall.
O’Reilly has two goals and five points in his first six games with London this season. He scored 20 goals and 56 points with a plus-32 rating in 68 games last year while helping the OHL champion Knights to a berth in the Memorial Cup final last spring.
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FIRST SIGNING: Former London FC soccer standout Jade Kovacevic was the first player signed in the history of the fledgling Northern Super League by joining the AFC Toronto franchise this week.
The 30-year-old originally from Acton, Ont.,. is the all-time leader in League1Ontario goal-scoring with 170 in her career to go with five scoring titles and four MVPs, mostly achieved while with the London women’s team.
Kovacevic was also a Fanshawe College star and earned four Ontario collegiate player of the year (2015-19) honours while being named top Canadian collegiate player twice with more than 100 goals scored.
The NSL plans to kick off in 2025.
SHARPE HURT: Shaedon Sharpe will start his third NBA regular season on the sidelines when the Portland Trail Blazers tip off against the Golden State Warriors at home Thursday.
The 21-year-old Londoner suffered a posterior labral tear in his left shoulder earlier this month and is expected to miss another couple of weeks, according to the Blazers.
Portland exercised its team option with the six-foot-five guard’s contract through the 2025-26 season. Sharpe averaged 15.9 points a game, 5.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 32 games before an abdominal strain requiring surgery ended his second year.
The former Beal student was the seventh overall pick by the Blazers in 2022.
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