OHL Stock Watch: Joey Willis finding goal-scoring touch in time for World Juniors camp
The OHL was well-represented at the inaugural CHL-NTDP Prospects Challenge, and several of the league’s 2025 NHL Draft prospects put on a show for NHL scouts at the end of last month.
Erie Otters defenceman Matthew Schaefer punctuated a terrific showcase by going end-to-end for a highlight-reel goal, and proved that he’s every bit the No. 1 overall contender that he was projected to be heading into the season.
The remarkably consistent Brady Martin played his heavy power game to perfection in front of NHL scouts. The Soo Greyhounds centre created havoc on the forecheck, threw huge hits to force turnovers, and overpowered opponents all over the ice. Combined with his impressive league play, Martin climbed into the top 15 on our December board.
And though Michael Misa and Porter Martone didn’t necessarily dominate the scoresheet like we’ve become accustomed to seeing them do in league play, both showed enough against their draft peers to maintain their spots in our upcoming top five.
But it wasn’t just the draft-eligibles who shone in November. It was also a highlight reel month for several of the OHL’s NHL-drafted prospects. Almost every day, a new name was earning performer of the night honours for having a multi-goal or multi-point outing. I can’t write about them all, of course, but I’ve singled out three for their efforts, with almost a dozen honourable mentions who could have earned recognition for their impressive Novembers.
Stock Rising
Joey Willis, LW/C, Saginaw Spirit (Nashville Predators)
Joey Willis had just three goals and 12 points in his first 15 games of the season. Then, almost inexplicably, he exploded for a five-goal game against the Flint Firebirds on November 13th and never looked back after that.
The Saginaw Spirit forward scored 13 goals in one of the hottest five-game stretches this season, won OHL Player of the Week honours twice, and is now well over a point per game this season. He’s already set a new career-high in goals in a single season, and is on pace to set a new career-high in points as well.
The largest contributing factor towards Willis’ offensive explosion has been the versatility in his scoring. He can step into blistering one-timers from the half-wall, make skilled passing plays with his linemates, and he’s also unafraid to park himself in front of the crease, where he can strike quickly on opportunistic rebounds.
As a result of his torrid scoring rate, Willis was named to USA’s World Juniors selection camp, as one of just four OHLers to get the call. If he’s able to make the World Junior team and continue to produce at this rate, the Nashville Predators prospect should sign an entry-level contract at the end of the season.
Sam Dickinson, D, London Knights (San Jose Sharks)
November was a good month to be a London Knight. The team didn't lose a single game in November, winning 13 times on their 19-game win streak. And nobody on the Knights had a hotter month than Sam Dickinson.
Dickinson became the first player this season to win both Player of the Month and Defenceman of the Month honours in the same month. He had five multi-point outings, a four-assist game, and a six-point game for 25 points in 13 games. Only Brantford's Nick Lardis had more points (26 in 14 games) in November.
Dickinson's puck management has greatly improved from his NHL draft season. He's a more confident handler, frequently joins the rush, finds teammates with cross-lane passes, and isn't afraid to shoot the puck. He's also cleaned up his defensive zone play. Expect Dickinson to play a pivotal role for Canada at the World Juniors this winter, before returning to London for what surely will be a strong second half.
Kieron Walton, C, Sudbury Wolves (Winnipeg Jets)
Take a guess at who is leading the Sudbury Wolves in scoring right now. It’s not Quentin Musty, whose late start to the season and recent injury have affected his production. It’s not Nathan Villeneuve, who was picked in the second round by the Seattle Kraken, or overager Kocha Delic.
It’s Kieron Walton, who has 16 more points than his team's second-place scorer. The Winnipeg Jets’ sixth-round pick in 2024 has 16 goals and 43 points in 27 games, recording 22 of those points in November, and he currently sits 9th in league scoring. He leads all NHL draft picks selected in the fifth round or later in points (at the time of writing).
The towering 6-foot-6 forward has high-end passing vision and handling abilities. But stuck in a third-line role most nights last season, he didn’t get a ton of opportunities to leverage those skills.
This year, he’s on Sudbury’s top line, has improved on his footspeed and overall pace, and is now able to create consistent advantages off the rush. Not only can he execute skilled seam and hook passes, but he can win positioning before blowing right by defenders with the puck and taking it to the net.
The Jets bet on Walton’s combination of size and puck skills at the draft. So far, the selection appears to be paying dividends. If Walton is able to continue to produce at this rate and further develop his physical game, his pathway to the NHL will continue to look more feasible.
Honourable mentions: Nick Lardis (Chicago Blackhawks), Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks), Calum Ritchie (Colorado Avalanche), Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken), Jacob Battaglia (Calgary Flames), Luke Misa (Calgary Flames), Luca Marrelli (Columbus Blue Jackets), Matthew Schaefer (2025 NHL Draft), Brady Martin (2025 NHL Draft), Cameron Reid (2025 NHL Draft), Shamar Moses (2025 NHL Draft)
Stock Steady
Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie Colts (2025 NHL Draft)
Kashawn Aitcheson’s stock remains as steady as ever. The Barrie Colts defenceman sits third in scoring among draft-eligible blueliners after recording 10 points in 12 games in November.
Punishing physicality remains at the forefront of Aitcheson’s game. He’s not afraid to set the tone with a thunderous open-ice hit, the way he did at the CHL-NTDP Prospects Challenge. He closes on players quickly defending the rush, throws reverse hits along the boards, and calmly absorbs contact in order to get stops.
Then there are the dynamic flashes of skill. He activates into space when he sees opportunities to manipulate gaps, identifies and feeds open options in space, and when traffic builds in front of the net, he can unload some bombs from the point.
Aitcheson plays a ton of minutes for Barrie, and it’s not difficult to see why. He’s a versatile, aggressive defender, but doesn’t make many mistakes. If he continues to play at this level, he should be a top-20 pick.
Stock Falling
Filip Ekberg, LW, Ottawa 67's (2025 NHL Draft)
When Filip Ekberg signed with the Ottawa 67's, the expectation was a top-six scorer. That hasn’t quite been the case for the Swedish winger. Though he has a respectable 17 points in 21 games, Ekberg has seen his minutes and role fluctuate significantly. While he was consistently averaging around 18-20 minutes in October, Ekberg’s ice time dropped once the calendar flipped to November.
At most, he was playing around 14-15 minutes a game. But there were some nights last month where he played less than ten minutes, and even one outing against Kingston where he played just five minutes. Some nights, he’s playing up in Ottawa’s top six, but for other games, he’s stuck on the fourth line.
Ekberg remains most dangerous on the power play, where he has the most space to utilize his most powerful weapon, a lightning quick one-timer from the half-wall. In fact, 12 of his 17 points this season have been scored on the man-advantage. However, his impact at even-strength remains inconsistent at best, as he struggles to play through checks and create space for himself.
Ekberg was on a three-game point streak with the 67’s before he left to go represent Sweden at the World Junior A Challenge. Hopefully, it will serve as an opportunity for him to earn regular minutes, drive offence, and build confidence that he can bring back to the OHL in January. A strong second half would do wonders for his draft stock.
