LTN Sports - Rick & Craig - OHL Playoffs & Canadian Mens Soccer

Description for Love the North Sports Topics, March 26, 2026

Special guest Mark Seidel steps in for Rick this week.

Ontario Hockey League Playoffs

Craig and Mark preview all eight first-round matchups. The matchups are Sudbury-Brantford, Barrie-Niagara, Ottawa-Kingston and Peterborough-North Bay in the East, and in the West, the matchups are Kitchener-Saginaw, Windsor-Guelph, Flint-Owen Sound and London-Sault Ste. Marie.

Ontario Hockey League Draft Lottery versus making the Ontario Hockey League Playoffs

Oshawa, Brampton, Sarnia and Erie missed the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. Saginaw and Sudbury made the playoffs, but they face difficult first-round matchups. Mark and Craig debate the merits of bottoming out and ending up in the Ontario Hockey League Draft Lottery versus the benefits of qualifying for the playoffs. The business aspect of making the playoffs is discussed.

Players moving from the Ontario Hockey League to the American Hockey League next season

The new NHL Collective Agreement will give NHL teams the right to send 19-year-old draft picks from the Ontario Hockey League to the American Hockey League, if they wish. The pros and cons of moving 19-year-old players to professional hockey are discussed. Mark also suggests some of the 19-year-old junior players who may be impacted by the change in the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Canadian Men’s National Soccer Team Friendlies

Mark shows his versatility, and he dazzles Craig with his footy knowledge. Mark and Craig preview Canada’s friendly matches against Iceland on Saturday afternoon and Tunisia on Tuesday night.


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Podcast Info:
Eligible for AHL in 26/27
- Brady Martin – SSM/Nashville - YES
- Chase Reid – SSM/? Top 5 - YES
- Jake O’Brien-Brantford/Seattle - MAYBE
- Jack Nesbitt – Windsor/Philadelphia - MAYBE
- Henry Brustewicz – LDN/LAK - MAYBE
- Adam Novotny – PBO/??? - NO
- Ryan Roobroek – NIA/??? - NO
OHL PLAYOFFS
Brantford Sudbury
Wins: 4 0
GF/Opp 22 6
Added: Frasca, Paquette Sold: Villeneuve, Walton, Pharand
Luchanko, Danford
PP: 34.8 #1 20.6
PK: 79.6 79.1
Total: 114.4 #1 99.7
+/-: +106 #1 -51
Brantford: Can they stay focused & engaged? Sudbury: Can the Coaches design a system to keep them 3-2 games?
Barrie Niagara
Wins: 4 2
GF/Opp 23 20
Added: Von Richter, Wilmott Added: Wang, Hull, Chromiak
Zebeski Sold: He, Wassilyn, Frolov
PP: 26.5 #3 17.0
PK: 78.1 74.3
Total: 104.6 91.3
+/-: +52 -42
Barrie: Can they stay out of the Box and overcome suspension? Niagara: Make Barrie nervous by winning the 1st 2?
Ottawa Kingston
Wins: 6 2
GF/Opp 24 19
Added: McCue, Bedkowski, Sima Misiak, Maclean
Lost: Amidovski Hopkins, Battaglia
PP: 19.8 19.3
PK: 77.8 80.9
Total: 97.6 100.2
+/-: +105 #2 +3
Ottawa: Will their overall youth catch up & can their OA’s produce? Kingston: Both Coaches will be incredibly structured so can
Kingston get games to OT at 2-2?
Peterborough NB
Wins: 1 3
GF/Opp 13 16
Added: Walton, Hammond Added: Barch, Gervais, Pitre
PP: 22.9 21.5
PK: 80.9 #3 75.0
Total: 103.8 96.5
+/-: +4 +22
Peterborough: Can Walton & Novotny score while Rye keeps his hot play? NB: Can the youth of North Bay take a step like Cali,
Vaughan, Carey & Warren?
Kitchener Saginaw
Wins: 4 0
GF/Opp 20 11
Added: O’Reilly, Wooley, Edwards, Chiariot
Sold: Sima, Barch. Gervais
PP: 26.1 25.7
PK: 81.1 #2 75.2
Total: 107.2 #3 100.9
+/-: +82 -64
Kitchener: Can Kitchener continue the hot play & goaltending continue? Saginaw: Can they ride their 8 good Players and outscore
Kitchener?
Windsor Guelph
Wins: 2 2
GF/Opp 17 16
Added: Villeneuve, Fibigr Gallacher, Hopkins, Avery
Pharand Sold: Luchanko, Paquette, Maclean
PP: 28.4 #2 16.0
PK: 82.8 #1 79.5
Total: 111.2 #2 95.5
+/-: +91 #3 -38
Windsor: Can the Spits keep playing as well as they have in the last month? Guelph: Can the Guelph youngsters compete & extend the
series for experience for next year?
Flint OS
Wins: 3 1
GF/Opp 21 11
Added: He, Battaglia, Patzii
Sold: George, Bedkowski
PP: 23.5 24.4
PK: 78.9 76.2
Total: 102.4 100.6
+/-: +62 -36
Flint: Can the magical season continue & the newcomers continue to gel? OS: Can they build off the big win against the Firebirds &
make it nasty for Flint’s skill?
London SSM
Wins: 3 1
GF/Opp 13 13
Added: Xu George, Fitzgerald, Fischer
Sold: O’Reilly, Wooley, Wilmott Solomon
PP: 21.6 19.8
PK: 80.2 78.8
Total: 101.8 98.6
+/-: +35 +47
London: Can Dale piece enough together with a lesser Roster to handle the Soo’s stars SSM: Can George, Reid and Martin, arguably
the best players in the League at their positions carry them?
Canada Vs Iceland – Saturday March 28 Canada Vs. Tunisia – Tuesday March 31
- Can Canada extend 4 game unbeaten streak – 2 Wins/2 Draws
- Can they keep the clean sheets like they have in the win streak
- Fringe players are trying to make on impression on Jesse Marsch
- Canada racked with injuries to Alphonso Davies, Alistair Johnson, Moise Bombito, Jacob Shaffelburg & Steve Eustaqio
- Canada 2-Iceland -Nil
- Canada 1 – Unisia – 1 Draw