By: Davide Disipio
The OJS ties run deep in the first-round matchup headlined on the Ottawa side by the team’s former bench boss, Martin Dagenais, defenceman Ranvir Gill-Shane, and U18 product Will Gerrior.
On the flip side, the North Bay offence has run through the combination of the 2019 CCHL Rookie of the Year, Kyle Jackson, and another U18 standout of his own, Kyle McDonald. In goal, the troops are backstopped by former OJS draft pick and current Montreal Canadiens prospect, Joe Vrbetic.
Since the inception of the franchise in 1979, The Junior Senators have gone on to develop numerous collegiate players throughout the years, many of whom have gone on to accept NCAA scholarships and several more who have chosen to continue their hockey careers with Major Junior and USports teams.
Safe to say the OJS brass has their hands all over key contributors in this series.
The 18-year-old Gerrior signed with the 67’s back in training camp after being a late pick (9th round/180th overall) in the 2020 OHL Draft. He spent the 2019-20 season under Steve Malette in U18. Named to the HEO U18 All-Star game that season, Gerrior totaled 44 points (29 goals/15 assists) in 45 games. The 29 goals still stand as a single-season record for the OJS U18 team. Originally from Halifax, Gerrior put up eight goals and 12 assists during his rookie campaign in the OHL.
“I truly believe that right from the beginning they believed in me and gave me so many opportunities,” said 67’s forward Will Gerroir. “OJS is a professional organization and I was so grateful to be a part of it. Once they draft or sign you, they don’t see you as just another hockey player, they invest in you, teach you and mentor you, and want long-term success.”
Ranvir Gill-Shane was selected in the first round of the 2018 CCHL Bantam Protect Draft and quickly blossomed into a stand-out defenceman on the Junior A blueline. After a strong showing at the U18 level under Steve Mallette, Gill-Shane was selected in the fourth round by the hometown Ottawa 67’s in the 2019 OHL Draft. In early December, he signed with the 67’s, appearing in 10 games during the 2019-2020 season, and was atop the rookie scoring leaderboard at the CCHL level. The Kanata native put up 10 assists in 57 games this past year, his first full season in the OHL.
“Coach Steve (Malette) was an amazing teacher helping me hone my abilities,” outlined Gill-Shane. ” he gave me a great outlook on what to expect at the next level. Marty (Martin Dagenais) gave me a huge opportunity and guidance as a 16-year-old in Jr. A He also helped me choose the best career path for me. They’re both tremendous teachers and have helped significantly in my development.”
A lot of the success has come from the top, with the club’s former head coach and general manager Martin Dagenais, who took over in 2014. Under Dagenais, the Ottawa Jr. Senators became a powerhouse, not only in the CCHL but in the entire CJHL. His team made four consecutive finals appearances, winning the last two against the highly favoured Carleton Place Canadians. The Junior Senators also won back-to-back Fred Page Cups before falling in the semi-finals of the RBC Cup in both 2018 and 2019.
Since taking on a position with the 67’s, Dagenais has transitioned into the teams’ governor and director of player personnel. In the year since handing over the reins to Jamie Mayo and Kyle Makaric, the club reached a new height, capturing the league’s regular-season title for the first time since 2013, with plenty of the pieces in the lineup that were recruited or acquired by Dagenais.
A 19-year-old local product from Ottawa, Jackson is enjoying a breakout season in his third tour of duty with the Battalion, amassing 62 points (30 goals/32 assists) in 45 games this season. He’s recorded 87 career points (40-47–87) over 119 career regular-season games with North Bay since being the club’s third-round (49th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.
The 2018-2019 CCHL Rookie of the Year scored eight goals and earned 14 assists for 22 points in 62 games in 2019-20 before the rest of the OHL schedule and playoffs were scrapped. He had three points, including two goals, in 12 games the previous year. During his time with OJS, Jackson recorded 54 points in 51 games, playing big minutes as a 16-year-old. Jackson rose to the occasion in the playoffs scoring 13 points in 14 games to help secure the Jr. Senators’ second straight Bogart Cup.
Jackson’s biggest goal of the playoffs came in the series-clinching fifth game, where he tied the game at two early in the third period. At the Fred Page Cup tournament, he tallied four points in three games as OJS captured their second straight Eastern Canadian Championship. At the Nationals, Jackson also produced at a point-per-game pace, scoring five points in five games, as OJS fell in the semi-finals to the eventual champion Brooks Bandits.
“The Ottawa Jr. Senators helped my hockey development in so many different ways,” Jackson explained. “They fostered a great team and culture which showed me that playing for each other was more important than yourself. Coach Marty and Jamie demanded that everyone come to practice ad games with the intention of winning and working hard. They laid out details focusing on getting better every day and being held accountable was a big factor for my individual and team success.”
Kyle McDonald equaled a then-25 goal record during his only season on the U18 squad before jumping into the OHL as a 16-year-old back in 2018. After a strong start to this season, the Batallion swung a trade to pick up the 6-foot-4 McDonald from the Windsor Spitfires and since then has made the troops’ lineup even deeper. McDonald operated at a point-per-game pace after the trade, helping the Batallion crack the CHL-top 10 rankings by seasons end.
Although never suiting up in an OJS uniform, Joe Vrbetic was taken by the Junior Sens in the 2017 CCHL Bantam Protect Draft. Helping the Batallion go from worst in 2020 to one of the best in 2022, Vrbetic backstopped the Batallion to a 29-10-6 record in 45 games this season. The Dunvegan native has since been selected in the NHL, going to the Montreal Canadiens in the seventh round of the 2021 draft. Vrbetic was the first Battalion goaltender to claim OHL Goalie of the Month since fellow Ottawa native, Patrick Killeen last did so as a member of the Brampton Battalion in February 2010.
“It will obviously be a fun series”, said Dagenais, who was secretly hoping his 67’s would face North Bay in the first round because of the local connections. “It’s something special to be preparing to play an opponent and has to focus on players that you know really well. I work with the defensemen so I can tell you that we’ve been dissecting Kyle Jackson and Kyle McDonald’s play all week long. Both of those young men, along with Joe Vrbetic are great players in the OHL, but also quality individuals, and I wish them nothing but the best going forward, except for maybe the next two weeks.”
