# 2023–24 OEHL season

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 | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Garrett Meurs | Ripley Wolves | 19 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 36 |
| Luke Richardson | Durham Thundercats | 20 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 0 |
| Kyler Nixon | Durham Thundercats | 19 | 13 | 26 | 39 | 2 |
| JD Falconer | Creemore Coyotes | 19 | 11 | 28 | 39 | 6 |
| Ben Hughes | Creemore Coyotes | 20 | 18 | 17 | 35 | 6 |
| Kaden Hoggarth | Ripley Wolves | 19 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 46 |
| Sean Kienapple | Tavistock Royals | 17 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 14 |
| Dennis Dewar | Milverton Four Wheel Drives | 19 | 16 | 10 | 26 | 2 |
| Dan Nicoloff | Ripley Wolves | 16 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 28 |
| Caleb Warren | Minto 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 | GP | MINS | W | L | OTL | GA | SO | Sv% | GAA |
| Alex Hutcheson | Seaforth Centenaires | 10 | 557 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0.897 | 1.94 |
| Clayton Fritsch | Saugeen Shores Winterhawks | 7 | 400 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 0.899 | 2.25 |
| Josh Hamilton | Ripley Wolves | 18 | 1094 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 46 | 4 | 0.909 | 2.52 |
| Daniel DeKoening | Minto 81's | 8 | 480 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 0.879 | 2.63 |
| Malcolm Young | Durham 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 | OEHL quarter-finals | OEHL quarter-finals | OEHL semi-finals | OEHL semi-finals | OEHL semi-finals | OEHL finals | OEHL finals | OEHL finals |
| 1 | Ripley | 4 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Erin | 0 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Erin | 0 | 1 | Ripley | 2 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Tavistock | 4 | | | |
| 4 | Tavistock | 4 | 4 | Tavistock | 4 | | | |
| 5 | Durham | 1 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Durham | 1 | | | | 4 | Tavistock | 0 |
| | | | | | | 3 | Minto | 4 |
| 2 | Creemore | 4 | | | | | | | 3 | Minto | 4 |
| 7 | Saugeen Shores | 3 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Saugeen Shores | 3 | 2 | Creemore | 1 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Minto | 4 | | | |
| 3 | Minto | 4 | 3 | Minto | 4 | | | |
| 6 | Seaforth | 2 | | | | | | |

#### OEHL quarter-finals
##### (1) Ripley Wolves vs. (8) Erin Outlaws

* Ripley wins series 4 – 0

##### (2) Creemore Coyotes vs. (7) Saugeen Shores Winterhawks

Note: Game seven was played at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex in Shelburne, Ontario.
* Creemore wins series 4 – 3

##### (3) Minto 81's vs. (6) Seaforth Centenaires

* Minto wins series 4 – 2

##### (4) Tavistock Royals vs. (5) Durham Thundercats

* Tavistock wins series 4 – 1

#### OEHL semi-finals
##### (1) Ripley Wolves vs. (4) Tavistock Royals

* Tavistock wins series 4 – 2

##### (2) Creemore Coyotes vs. (3) Minto 81's

* Minto wins series 4 – 1

#### OEHL Cup finals
##### (3) Minto 81's vs. (4) Tavistock Royals

* Minto wins series 4 – 0

### OEHL Cup scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Riley Cribbin | Minto 81's | 14 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 10 |
| Drew Gerth | Tavistock Royals | 15 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 12 |
| Dan Nicoloff | Ripley Wolves | 10 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 2 |
| Adam Kawalec | Minto 81's | 13 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 6 |
| JD Falconer | Creemore Coyotes | 12 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 6 |
| Garrett Meurs | Ripley Wolves | 10 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 20 |
| Erik Robichaud | Tavistock Royals | 15 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 8 |
| Klayton Hoelscher | Minto 81's | 12 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 4 |
| Sean Kienapple | Tavistock Royals | 15 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 12 |
| Jordan Delaurier | Minto 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 | GP | MINS | W | L | GA | SO | GAA |
| Mark Williams | Minto 81's | 10 | 603 | 9 | 1 | 26 | 0 | 2.59 |
| Daniel Dekoening | Minto 81's | 5 | 313 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 3.26 |
| Tyler Parr | Seaforth Centenaires | 4 | 254 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 3.31 |
| Jensen Van Boekel | Tavistock Royals | 15 | 931 | 8 | 7 | 52 | 1 | 3.35 |
| Mason Kameka | Creemore 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 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.
* Georgian Bay wins series 4 – 3

### Hugh McLean Trophy scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Curtis Rawn | Milverton Four Wheel Drives | 11 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 14 |
| Mackenzie Fleming | Georgian Bay Applekings | 11 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 16 |
| Mitch Boertien | Milverton Four Wheel Drives | 10 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 14 |
| Neal Ross | Georgian Bay Applekings | 11 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 4 |
| Jeff Fritzley | Milverton Four Wheel Drives | 11 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 |
| Evan Buehler | Georgian Bay Applekings | 9 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 2 |
| Noah Rowland | Georgian Bay Applekings | 9 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 20 |
| Kevin Shuttleworth | Georgian Bay Applekings | 10 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 58 |
| Chris Corbett | Milverton Four Wheel Drives | 10 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
| Mitchell Good | Georgian 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 | GP | MINS | W | L | GA | SO | GAA |
| Allan Menary | Georgian Bay Applekings | 10 | 600 | 7 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 3.40 |
| Tim Bester | Milverton Four Wheel Drives | 4 | 240 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 5.00 |
| Tyler Fassl | Milverton Four Wheel Drives | 7 | 420 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 0 | 5.00 |