Protas, Leenders and Lane Named OHL Top Performers of the Week

March 17, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release

Toronto, ON - The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, March 16, 2025.

Spitfires' Ilya Protas Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Washington Capitals prospect Ilya Protas of the Windsor Spitfires is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week for the second time this season, registering five goals, six assists and 11 points over three contests.

Protas opened the week with a goal and three assists on Tuesday, earning second-star honours as the Spitfires secured a 7-5 win over the Erie Otters. He found the scoresheet again on Thursday, tallying a goal and two assists to earn first-star honours in a 6-3 win over the Soo Greyhounds. The 6-foot-5, 200lb. forward closed out the week with his third hat-trick of the season along with an assist, reaching the 50-goal mark as the Spitfires came up short in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Saginaw Spirit.

The 18-year-old from Vitebsk, Belarus, has appeared in 60 games with the Spitfires this season, recording 50 goals, 69 assists, and 119 points. Protas ranks second in OHL scoring and third in goals. He was selected third overall by Windsor in the 2024 CHL Import Draft after being chosen in the third round (75th overall) by the Washington Capitals in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan of the London Knights registered nine points (2-7-9) in three games played.

2024-25 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week - Regular Season:

Mar. 10 - Mar. 16: Ilya Protas (Windsor Spitfires)

Mar. 3 - Mar. 9: Quentin Musty (Sudbury Wolves)

Feb. 24 - Mar. 2: Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds)

Feb. 17 - Feb. 23: Ilya Protas (Windsor Spitfires)

Feb. 10 - Feb. 16: Cole Brown (Brantford Bulldogs)

Feb. 3 - Feb. 9: Igor Chernyshov (Saginaw Spirit)

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2: Nick Lardis (Brantford Bulldogs)

Jan. 20 - Jan. 26: Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit)

Jan. 13 - Jan. 19: Tuomas Uronen (Kingston Frontenacs)

Jan. 6 - Jan. 12: Kocha Delic (Sudbury Wolves)

Dec. 30 - Jan. 5: Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires)

Dec. 28 - Dec. 29: Cole Davis (Windsor Spitfires)

Dec. 16 - Dec. 22: Marco Mignosa (Soo Greyhounds)

Dec. 9 - Dec. 15: Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara IceDogs)

Dec. 2 - Dec. 8: Beckett Sennecke (Oshawa Generals)

Nov. 25 - Dec. 1: Blake Montgomery (London Knights)

Nov. 18 - Nov. 24: Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit)

Nov. 11 - Nov. 17: Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit)

Nov. 4 - Nov. 10: Sam Dickinson (London Knights)

Oct. 28 - Nov. 3: Marco Mignosa (Soo Greyhounds)

Oct. 21 - Oct. 27: Sam Dickinson (London Knights)

Oct. 14 - Oct. 20: Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires)

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13: Calvin Crombie (Brantford Bulldogs)

Sept. 30 - Oct. 6: Kevin He (Niagara IceDogs)

Sep. 25 - Sept. 29: Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit)

Bulldogs' Ryerson Leenders Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Buffalo Sabres prospect Ryerson Leenders of the Brantford Bulldogs is the OHL Goaltender of the Week for the third time this season, going 2-0 along with a 1.00 goals-against average, and a .974 save percentage.

Turning aside 76 shots last week, Leenders blocked 33 of the 34 shots he faced on Thursday in a 2-1 win over the North Bay Battalion, earning second-star honours. He returned to the crease on Friday, making 43 saves in a 5-1 win against the Sudbury Wolves to earn first-star recognition.

An 18-year-old from Nanticoke, Ont., Leenders is 30-13-3-0 on the season, with a 3.09 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 46 games played. The former second-round (32nd overall) pick by Mississauga in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection is now in his third OHL season, owning a career mark of 66-45-10-0 with a 3.20 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and three shutouts over 127 regular season games. Leenders was selected in the seventh round (202nd overall) by Buffalo in the 2024 NHL Draft last summer.

Also considered for the award this week, Charlie Schenkel of the Kingston Frontenacs went 2-0 with a 1.44 goals-against average and .945 save percentage, while Austin Elliott of the London Knights was also a standout in the crease, going 2-0 along with a 2.00 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.

2024-25 OHL Goaltenders of the Week - Regular Season:

Mar. 10 - Mar. 16: Ryerson Leenders (Brantford Bulldogs)

Mar. 3 - Mar. 9: Austin Elliott (London Knights)

Feb. 14 - Mar. 2: Nathan Day (Flint Firebirds)

Feb. 17 - Feb. 23: Mike McIvor (North Bay Battalion)

Feb. 10 - Feb. 16: Collin MacKenzie (Ottawa 67's)

Feb. 3 - Feb. 9: Ryerson Leenders (Brantford Bulldogs)

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)

Jan. 20 - Jan. 26: Austin Elliott (London Knights)

Jan. 13 - Jan. 19: Nolan Lalonde (Soo Greyhounds)

Jan. 6 - Jan. 12: Easton Rye (Peterborough Petes)

Dec. 30 - Jan. 5: Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)

Dec. 28 - Dec. 29: Ben Hrebik (Barrie Colts)

Dec. 16 - Dec. 22: Nathan Day (Flint Firebirds)

Dec. 9 - Dec. 15: Ryerson Leenders (Brantford Bulldogs)

Dec. 2 - Dec. 8: Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)

Nov. 25 - Dec. 1: Aleksei Medvedev (London Knights)

Nov. 18 - Nov. 24: Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)

Nov. 11 - Nov. 17: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)

Nov. 4 - Nov. 10: Andrew Oke (Saginaw Spirit)

Oct. 28 - Nov. 3: Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)

Oct. 21 - Oct. 27: Nathan Day (Flint Firebirds)

Oct. 14 - Oct. 20: Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires)

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13: Finn Marshall (Sudbury Wolves)

Sept. 30 - Oct. 6: Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires)

Sept. 25 - Sept. 29: Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads)

Steelheads' Aidan Lane Named OHL Rookie of the Week

Brampton Steelheads forward Aidan Lane is the OHL Rookie of the Week, registering three goals, two assists and five points in four games played.

Lane recorded a pair of goals on Wednesday, earning first-star honors as the Steelheads secured a 6-3 win over the Peterborough Petes. He found the scoresheet again on Friday, tallying an assist in a 4-1 win over the Barrie Colts, earning first-star honors once again. Lane closed out the week with a goal and an assist on Sunday to earn third-star honors in a 6-2 victory over the Niagara IceDogs.

Selected by the Steelheads in the fourth round, 80th overall, of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA program, the 6-foot-1, 193-pound forward has registered six goals, four assists, and 10 points in 10 games played with Brampton since signing with the team in December. Lane has spent the majority of the season at St. Andrew's College.

Also considered for the award this week, Beckham Edwards of the Sarnia Sting recorded five points (3-2-5) in three games played.

2024-25 OHL Rookies of the Week - Regular Season:

March. 10 - March. 16: Aidan Lane (Brampton Steelheads)

March. 3 - March. 9: Liam Beamish (Sarnia Sting)

Feb. 24 - March. 2: Filip Ekberg (Ottawa 67's)

Feb. 17 - Feb. 23: Cole Zurawski (Owen Sound Attack)

Feb. 10 - Feb. 16: Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack)

Feb. 3 - Feb. 9: Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack)

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2: Jacob Cloutier (Saginaw Spirit)

Jan. 20 - Jan. 26: Dimian Zhilkin (Saginaw Spirit)

Jan. 13 - Jan. 19: Chase Reid (Soo Greyhounds)

Jan. 6 - Jan. 12: Lev Katzin (Guelph Storm)

Dec. 30 - Jan. 5: Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires)

Dec. 28 - Dec. 29: Carson Harmer (Saginaw Spirit)

Dec. 16 - Dec. 22: Logan Hawery (London Knights)

Dec. 9 - Dec. 15: Liam Beamish (Sarnia Sting)

Dec. 2 - Dec. 8: Lev Katzin (Guelph Storm)

Nov. 25 - Dec. 1: Aleksei Medvedev (London Knights)

Nov. 18 - Nov. 24: Gavin Betts (Kingston Frontenacs)

Nov. 11 - Nov. 17: Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting)

Nov. 4 - Nov. 10: Carter Stevens (Guelph Storm)

Oct. 28 - Nov. 3: Aleksei Medvedev (London Knights)

Oct. 21 - Oct. 27: Cole Zurawski (Flint Firebirds)

Oct. 14 - Oct. 20: Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting)

Oct. 7 - Oct. 13: Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack)

Sept. 30 - Oct. 6: Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting)

Sept. 25 - Sept. 29: Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires)

Check out the Ontario Hockey League Statistics

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