OHL Ontario Hockey League

CHL Announces Assistant Coaches for 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Published on December 10, 2014 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


Toronto, ON - The Canadian Hockey League in association with BMO Financial Group, Sportsnet, and the Niagara IceDogs Hockey Club, today announced the assistant coaches for the 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in St. Catharines, ON.

Joining head coach Don Cherry behind the bench for Team Cherry will be Hockey Hall of Fame member Brian Kilrea, his long-time Ottawa 67's assistant Bert O'Brien, and NHL on Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos, while IceDogs head coach Marty Williamson, assistants Dave Bell and Billy Burke, along with NHL on Sportsnet analyst Doug MacLean will join head coach Bobby Orr behind the bench for Team Orr.

The 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game taking place on Thursday January 22, 2015, will be hosted by the Ontario Hockey League's Niagara IceDogs. This season's event marks the 20th annual showcase of the CHL's top-40 NHL Draft eligible players featuring talent from the OHL, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League competing before hundreds of NHL scouts in attendance.

Kilrea won a CHL record 1,193 games in 32 years with the 67's capturing MasterCard Memorial Cup titles in 1984 and 1999. Earlier this season he celebrated his 80th birthday by signing a one-day contract with the 67's returning behind the bench for career victory 1,194 on Friday October 17 against the Mississauga Steelheads. O'Brien coached alongside Kilrea for 23 seasons retiring in 2009, the same year he received the OHL's Bill Long Award for Distinguished Service. The pair have coached alongside Cherry in this event 14 times since 1996 most recently assisting in Halifax in 2013. Kypreos, a CHL graduate and former NHL player and Stanley Cup champion is assisting Team Cherry for the third straight year.

Williamson is in his fifth season behind the IceDogs bench joining the club prior to the 2010-11 season. He led the IceDogs to an Eastern Conference title in 2012, also capturing the Bobby Orr Trophy with the Barrie Colts in 2010. His 393 career OHL coaching wins ranks 14th all-time. Bell is currently in his second full season with the IceDogs, while Burke is enjoying his sixth season with the club joining in 2009. MacLean, a former NHL head coach and general manager joins Team Orr for the third straight year.

In addition, support staffs for the 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will include Athletic Trainer Dennis MacDonald of the Plymouth Whalers and Equipment Manager Russ Hammond of the Guelph Storm as part of Team Cherry, while IceDogs Athletic Therapist Pete Dobbin and Equipment Manager Kevin Emo will work with Team Orr.

Since the event was first introduced in 1996 the game has featured 12 players that were selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft including Chris Phillips, Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Rick Nash, Marc-Andre Fleury, Patrick Kane, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nathan MacKinnon, and most recently Aaron Ekblad of the Barrie Colts selected first overall by the Florida Panthers. Ekblad, who captained Team Orr last season, was the first of 17 CHL players who competed in the 2014 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game to be selected in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft with Team Cherry captain Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice selected second overall by the Buffalo Sabres.

The 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will be broadcast nationally by Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Associate partners for the event include SUBWAY, Cooper Tires, and autoTRADER.ca.

Rosters for the 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will be announced the week of December 15.

For more information about the event including details for the BMO Junior Reporter Contest and the BMO Kids Blue Line Experience Contest please visit www.bmotopprospects.ca .

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