Jack Pridham Named OHL Player of the Month for January
OHL Kitchener Rangers

Jack Pridham Named OHL Player of the Month for January

Published on February 2, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


TORONTO - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced Top Performers of the Month for January.

Player of the Month - Jack Pridham (Kitchener Rangers) - 11 GP, 8G, 12A, 20 PTS., +14

Leading the OHL in scoring during the month of January, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Jack Pridham of the Kitchener Rangers has been named OHL Player of the Month after recording 20 points (8-12-20) over 11 games. Pridham recorded at least one point in 10 of his 11 January outings, highlighted by six multi-point performances as the Rangers surged to the top of the Western Conference standings.

Pridham's most notable effort came on Jan. 15th when he recorded a hat-trick and an assist in a Rangers victory over the Saginaw Spirit. He now leads Kitchener in scoring this season with 62 points (31-31-62) over 46 games.

A 20-year-old overage forward from Stouffville, ON, Pridham was selected in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He has played a key role in Kitchener finishing January as the number one seed in the Western Conference. Selected by the Rangers in the ninth round (177th overall) of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, Pridham has 116 points (58-58-116) over 94 regular season games with Kitchener.

Defenceman of the Month - Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts) --11 GP, 3G, 11A, 14 PTS., +13

New York Islanders prospect Kashawn Aitcheson of the Barrie Colts has been named OHL Defenceman of the Month after producing 14 points (3-11-14) over 11 games in January while posting a plus-13 rating. He recorded four multi-point performances during the month and continues to rank among the league's most productive blueliners.

Through 38 games this season, Aitcheson ranks third among OHL defencemen in scoring with 46 points (22-24-46), while his 22 goals lead all defenders across the league. His plus-32 rating stands as the OHL's second-best, while he is also tied for third in team scoring for the Colts.

A 19-year-old from Toronto, ON, Aitcheson was selected 17th overall by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles. His 57 career goals are the most by a blueliner in Barrie Colts franchise history. His 147 points (57-90-147) are 11 shy of Brandt Clarke, who holds the Colts franchise mark for career points by a defenceman. Aitcheson won a bronze medal with Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

Goaltender of the Month - Carter George (Soo Greyhounds) - 7 GP, 5-1-0-1, 1.71 GAA, .925 SV%, 2 SO, 147 SV

Los Angeles Kings prospect Carter George of the Soo Greyhounds has been named OHL Goaltender of the Month after posting a 5-1-0-1 record in January, accompanied by a league-best 1.71 goals-against average and .925 save percentage over more than 400 minutes of action. He was the only OHL goaltender to record two shutouts during the month and the only netminder to play over 400 minutes with a save percentage above .925.

George also made history on Jan. 21st, scoring his second career goal in the Ontario Hockey League. With the tally, he became the first goaltender in OHL history to score two goals, and just the second goaltender in CHL history to accomplish the feat, joining François Brassard of the QMJHL. The goal also marked the second by a goaltender in Soo Greyhounds franchise history.

Acquired from the Owen Sound Attack on Jan. 7th, George began his Greyhounds tenure with five straight wins, two shutouts, and a goal in his first five games with the club. A 19-year-old from Thunder Bay, ON, George is 15-10-0-4 on the season with a 2.72 goals-against average and .906 save percentage through 30 games. Now in his fourth OHL season, George owns a career record of 62-56-9-10 with a 3.14 goals-against average and .909 save percentage with seven shutouts over 143 regular season contests. He was selected in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. Internationally, George has represented Canada at the World Juniors in back-to-back years, winning a bronze medal in early January in Minnesota.

Rookie of the Month - Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit) - 12 GP, 8G, 11A, 19 PTS., +3

NHL Draft eligible Saginaw Spirit forward Nikita Klepov has been named OHL Rookie of the Month for January after leading all rookies with 19 points (8-11-19) over 12 games. Klepov finished the month six points clear of the next closest rookie scorer, recording five multi-point performances and points in nine of his 12 outings.

The 17-year-old posted two four-point games during the month, doing so on Jan. 4th and again on Jan. 17th as the Spirit continued to gain traction in the Western Conference. He was also a standout at the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game on Jan. 14th in Peterborough, earning Connor McDavid 97 Award MVP honours with his goal and two assists for the victorious Western Conference.

A native of Deerfield Beach, FL, Klepov is playing his first OHL season after being selected by Saginaw in the first round (35th overall) of the 2025 CHL Import Draft. He is a top prospect eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo and earns Rookie of the Month honours for the second time this season, having also received the award in October. Klepov, who won gold with the United States at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, is currently the 16th ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings.

2025-26 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:

January - Jack Pridham (Kitchener Rangers)

December - Riley Patterson (Niagara IceDogs)

November - Nathan Aspinall (Flint Firebirds)

October - Jake O'Brien (Brantford Bulldogs)

Defenceman of the Month:

January - Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts)

December - Anthony Cristoforo (Windsor Spitfires)

November - Adam Jiricek (Brantford Bulldogs)

October - Carson Woodall (Windsor Spitfires)

Goaltender of the Month:

January - Carter George (Soo Greyhounds)

December - Ben Hrebik (Barrie Colts)

November - Ben Hrebik (Barrie Colts)

October - Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires)

Rookie of the Month:

January - Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit)

December - Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs)

November - Ryder Fetterolf (Ottawa 67's)

October - Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit)

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 2, 2026


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