The 2023–24 OEHL season was the first season of the Ontario Elite Hockey League. The league played a 20-game regular season which began in October 2023 and concluded in February 2024. The post-season began in February 2024 and concluded in March 2024.
The Minto 81's won the OEHL Cup Championship, defeating the Tavistock Royals in the final round of the playoffs.
Formation of OEHL The Ontario Elite Hockey League (OEHL) was established on August 17, 2023, by the Ontario Hockey Association. The league took ten members of the WOAA Senior AA Hockey League, plus one pending expansion team, as well as another team as being formed in the announcement for the formation of a new league.
The ten former WOAA teams were the Creemore Coyotes, Durham Thundercats, Lucknow Lancers, Milverton Four Wheel Drives, Minto 81's, Ripley Wolves, Saugeen Shores Winterhawks, Seaforth Centenaires, Shelburne Muskies and Tavistock Royals. The expansion team brought from the WOAA was the Georgian Bay Applekings. The Erin Outlaws were also announced as a new team to the league.
The Shelburne Muskies took a leave of absence for the 2023–24 season.
Regular season Final standings Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot
Rank Ontario Elite Hockey League GP W L OTL Pts GF GA 1 Ripley Wolves 20 16 1 3 35 107 53 2 Creemore Coyotes 20 14 5 1 29 99 66 3 Minto 81's 20 13 6 1 27 97 69 4 Tavistock Royals 20 13 7 0 26 87 69 5 Durham Thundercats 20 12 7 1 25 83 73 6 Seaforth Centenaires 20 12 8 0 24 82 52 7 Saugeen Shores Winterhawks 20 11 8 1 23 78 54 8 Erin Outlaws 20 6 13 1 13 71 104 9 Georgian Bay Applekings 20 5 13 2 12 59 108 10 Milverton Four Wheel Drives 20 5 14 1 11 66 105 11 Lucknow Lancers 20 3 16 1 7 42 118
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team Garrett MeursRipley Wolves 19 17 27 44 36Luke RichardsonDurham Thundercats 20 14 25 39 0Kyler NixonDurham Thundercats 19 13 26 39 2JD FalconerCreemore Coyotes 19 11 28 39 6Ben HughesCreemore Coyotes 20 18 17 35 6Kaden HoggarthRipley Wolves 19 11 17 28 46Sean KienappleTavistock Royals 17 14 13 27 14Dennis DewarMilverton Four Wheel Drives 19 16 10 26 2Dan NicoloffRipley Wolves 16 13 13 26 28Caleb WarrenMinto 81's 19 11 15 26 16
Leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team Alex HutchesonSeaforth Centenaires 10 557 5 4 0 18 0 0.897 1.94Clayton FritschSaugeen Shores Winterhawks 7 400 4 2 0 15 1 0.899 2.25Josh HamiltonRipley Wolves 18 1094 14 3 1 46 4 0.909 2.52Daniel DeKoeningMinto 81's 8 480 6 2 0 21 1 0.879 2.63Malcolm YoungDurham Thundercats 6 361 5 1 0 16 0 0.920 2.66
Playoffs OEHL Cup playoffs The top eight teams qualify for the OEHL Cup playoffs. Each series is a best-of-seven.
OEHL quarter-finals (1) Ripley Wolves vs. (8) Erin Outlaws
(2) Creemore Coyotes vs. (7) Saugeen Shores Winterhawks Note: Game seven was played at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex in Shelburne, Ontario.
(3) Minto 81's vs. (6) Seaforth Centenaires
(4) Tavistock Royals vs. (5) Durham Thundercats
OEHL semi-finals (1) Ripley Wolves vs. (4) Tavistock Royals
(2) Creemore Coyotes vs. (3) Minto 81's
OEHL Cup finals (3) Minto 81's vs. (4) Tavistock Royals
OEHL Cup scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team Riley CribbinMinto 81's 14 10 12 22 10Drew GerthTavistock Royals 15 12 9 21 12Dan NicoloffRipley Wolves 10 9 10 19 2Adam KawalecMinto 81's 13 8 10 18 6JD FalconerCreemore Coyotes 12 7 11 18 6Garrett MeursRipley Wolves 10 11 7 18 20Erik RobichaudTavistock Royals 15 5 13 18 8Klayton HoelscherMinto 81's 12 10 6 16 4Sean KienappleTavistock Royals 15 5 11 16 12Jordan DelaurierMinto 81's 14 8 7 15 2
OEHL Cup leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team Mark WilliamsMinto 81's 10 603 9 1 26 0 2.59Daniel DekoeningMinto 81's 5 313 3 2 17 1 3.26Tyler ParrSeaforth Centenaires 4 254 2 2 14 0 3.31Jensen Van BoekelTavistock Royals 15 931 8 7 52 1 3.35Mason KamekaCreemore Coyotes 11 653 5 6 40 0 3.68
Hugh McLean Trophy playoffs The non-OEHL Cup playoff qualifiers played in a home and home round robin with the top two teams in the round robin advancing to the best-of-seven McLean Trophy championship series.
Round robin Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched championship series berth
McLean Cup round robin GP W L Pts GF GA Georgian Bay Applekings 4 4 0 8 28 14 Milverton Four Wheel Drives 4 1 3 2 22 24 Lucknow Lancers 4 1 3 2 13 25
Round robin scores Lucknow Lancers at Georgian Bay Applekings
Milverton Four Wheel Drives at Georgian Bay Applekings
Georgian Bay Applekings at Lucknow Lancers
Georgian Bay Applekings at Milverton Four Wheel Drives
Milverton Four Wheel Drives at Lucknow Lancers
Lucknow Lancers at Milverton Four Wheel Drives
Hugh McLean Trophy finals
(1) Georgian Bay Applekings vs. (2) Milverton Four Wheel Drives Note: Game seven was played at the Meaford & St. Vincent Community Centre in Meaford, Ontario.
Hugh McLean Trophy scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team Curtis RawnMilverton Four Wheel Drives 11 7 12 19 14Mackenzie FlemingGeorgian Bay Applekings 11 7 10 17 16Mitch BoertienMilverton Four Wheel Drives 10 7 9 16 14Neal RossGeorgian Bay Applekings 11 9 6 15 4Jeff FritzleyMilverton Four Wheel Drives 11 7 7 14 0Evan BuehlerGeorgian Bay Applekings 9 3 10 13 2Noah RowlandGeorgian Bay Applekings 9 2 11 13 20Kevin ShuttleworthGeorgian Bay Applekings 10 5 7 12 58Chris CorbettMilverton Four Wheel Drives 10 4 6 10 2Mitchell GoodGeorgian Bay Applekings 9 5 5 10 26
Hugh McLean Trophy leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team Allan MenaryGeorgian Bay Applekings 10 600 7 3 34 0 3.40Tim BesterMilverton Four Wheel Drives 4 240 2 2 20 0 5.00Tyler FasslMilverton Four Wheel Drives 7 420 3 4 35 0 5.00
References
External links Ontario Elite Hockey League