Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the third edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2012 OHL Showcase for the OHL Cup, hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League. 
 

The weekly rankings are determined by a panel of OHL Central Scouting Staff and represent the top teams that are competing to play in the annual year-end championship tournament March 13-18, 2012, at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, ON.

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2012 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament – Week 3

RANK	TEAM	LEAGUE	LAST WEEK RANK	WEEKS IN RANKINGS
1	Toronto Marlies	GTHL	1	3
2	Detroit Belle Tire	USA	2	3
3	Mississauga Rebels	GTHL	3	3
4	London Jr Knights - Gold	ALLIANCE	4	3
5	Southern Tier Admirals	OMHA	5	3
6	Sun County Panthers	ALLIANCE	6	3
7	Chicago Mission	USA	7	3
8	Ottawa Valley Titans	ODMHA	8	3
9	Vaughan Kings	GTHL	9	3
10	Cleveland Barons	USA	10	2
	Honourable Mention
	Don Mills Flyers	GTHL	-	1
	Barrie Colts	OMHA	-	0
	North York Rangers	GTHL	-	0

 

The tournament includes 20 participating teams from across Ontario and the United States.  The champions and finalists from minor hockey associations in Ontario, including the GTHL, OMHA, ODMHA, ALLIANCE, and an NOHA representative will participate in the tournament with additional teams identified by the Tournament Selection Committee.

 

Last season the Toronto Marlies won their third OHL Cup title in seven years with a thrilling 5-3 win over the Don Mills Flyers.  First round OHL picks David Perklin of the Marlies and Max Domi of the Flyers were named Players of the Game in the Championship Final which was broadcast live on Sportsnet Ontario.

 

A total of 147 players that competed in the 2011 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament were selected in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection including 16 players chosen in the first round.  The Marlies led all minor midget teams with 13 players that were later selected in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection including first round picks Nicholas Ritchie who was selected second overall by the Peterborough Petes, Jordan Subban who was selected fifth overall by the Belleville Bulls, and Perklin who was chosen 17^th overall by the Ottawa 67’s.  The Flyers had 12 players selected including first round picks Max Domi, Adam Bateman, and Darnell Nurse who was the third overall pick to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. 

 

Three of the last four players selected first overall in the NHL Entry Draft are OHL and OHL Cup graduates including Taylor Hall of the Edmonton Oilers, John Tavares of the New York Islanders, and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning.  2011 NHL Rookie of the Year Jeff Skinner of the Carolina Hurricanes also competed in this event.