2017-18 OHL Season

This is the 2017-18 Ontario Hockey League season. This is the league's 48th season dating back to its' founding as the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League.
There are currently 20 teams in the OHL; 16 are based in the Canadian province of Ontario,three teams in the American state of Michigan and one team in the American state of Pennsylvania. Out of the 18 teams based in Ontario, 15 teams are in Southern Ontario, and 3 teams are in Northern Ontario.
The 20 OHL clubs play a 68 game unbalanced schedule, which starts in the third full week of September, running until the third week of March. Ninety per cent (90%) of OHL games are scheduled between Thursday and Sunday to minimize the number of school days missed for its players. Ninety-five per cent (95%) of the players in the league are attending high school or college.
==Outdoor Game==
On November 8, 2017 it was announced that the Ottawa 67's would host the Gatineau Olympiques on December 17th.  This will be the first Ontario Hockey League involved game held outdoors in the province of Ontario.  The game is being held in conjunction with the NHL 100 Classic being held the day before at TD Place Stadium.
==Franchise changes==
none
==Current member teams==
Ontario Hockey League	Ontario Hockey League 	Ontario Hockey League 	Ontario Hockey League 	Ontario Hockey League
Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference
Division 	Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity
East 	Hamilton Bulldogs 	Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 	FirstOntario Centre 	17,383
East 	Kingston Frontenacs 	Kingston, Ontario, Canada 	Rogers K-Rock Centre 	5,614
East 	Oshawa Generals 	Oshawa, Ontario, Canada 	Tribute Communities Centre 	6,125
East 	Ottawa 67's 	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 	TD Place Arena 	9,862
East 	Peterborough Petes 	Peterborough, Ontario, Canada 	Peterborough Memorial Centre 	4,329
Central 	Barrie Colts 	Barrie, Ontario, Canada 	Barrie Molson Centre 	4,195
Central 	Mississauga Steelheads 	Mississauga, Ontario, Canada 	Paramount Fine Foods Centre 	5,612
Central 	Niagara IceDogs 	St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada 	Meridian Centre 	5,300
Central 	North Bay Battalion 	North Bay, Ontario, Canada 	North Bay Memorial Gardens 	4,043
Central 	Sudbury Wolves 	Sudbury, Ontario, Canada 	Sudbury Community Arena 	4,640
Western Conference 	Western Conference 	Western Conference 	Western Conference 	Western Conference
Division 	Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity
Midwest 	Erie Otters 	Erie, Pennsylvania, USA 	Erie Insurance Arena 	6,833
Midwest 	Guelph Storm 	Guelph, Ontario, Canada 	Sleeman Centre 	4,715
Midwest 	Kitchener Rangers 	Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 	Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex 	7,777
Midwest 	London Knights 	London, Ontario, Canada 	Budweiser Gardens 	9,046
Midwest 	Owen Sound Attack 	Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada 	Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre	3,500
West 	Flint Firebirds 	Flint, Michigan, USA 	Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center	4,021
West 	Saginaw Spirit 	Saginaw, Michigan, USA 	Dow Event Center 	5,527
West 	Sarnia Sting 	Sarnia, Ontario, Canada 	Progressive Auto Sales Arena 	5,500
West 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada	Essar Centre 	4,928
West 	Windsor Spitfires 	Windsor, Ontario, Canada 	WFCU Centre 	6,450
==Standings==
===Eastern Conference===
====Eastern Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Hamilton Bulldogs 	68	43	18	4 	3 	252	207	93
Kingston Frontenacs	68	36	23	6 	3 	243	202	81
Oshawa Generals 	68	36	29	3 	0 	250	243	75
Ottawa 67's 	68	30	29	6 	3 	225	260	69
Peterborough Petes 	68	23	39	3 	3 	222	283	52
====Central Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Barrie Colts 	68	42	21	4 	1 	297	229	89
Niagara IceDogs 	68	35	23	7 	3 	240	235	80
North Bay Battalion 	68	30	28	7 	3 	213	237	70
Mississauga Steelheads	68	33	32	1 	2 	251	250	69
Sudbury Wolves 	68	17	42	9 	0 	197	291	43
===Western Conference===
====Midwest Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Kitchener Rangers	68	43	21	3 	1 	246	218	90
Owen Sound Attack	68	38	22	3 	5 	289	247	84
London Knights 	68	39	25	2 	2 	233	212	82
Guelph Storm 	68	30	29	5 	4 	228	263	69
Erie Otters 	68	23	35	7 	3 	220	270	56
====West Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds	68	55	7 	3 	3 	317	186	116
Sarnia Sting 	68	46	17	4 	1 	299	213	97
Windsor Spitfires 	68	32	30	4 	2 	214	224	70
Saginaw Spirit 	68	29	30	9 	0 	196	238	67
Flint Firebirds 	68	20	43	3 	2 	194	316	45
==2018 J. Ross Robertson Cup Playoffs==
The J. Ross Robertson Cup playoffs consist of 16 teams, the top 8 from each conference. The teams play a best-of-seven game series, and the winner of each series advances to the next round. The Eastern Conference champion is awarded the Bobby Orr Trophy and the Western Conference champion is awarded the Wayne Gretzky Trophy. The two conference champions compete for the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a berth in the 2018 Memorial Cup being held at the Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan from May 18 to 27, 2018.
Taylor Raddysh of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and a 2016 NHL Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning, set an OHL record on May 11th when he played in his 77th career OHL playoff game in game 5 of the Robertson Cup final.  He started his career with an OHL final run in 2015, a conference final run in 2016, a Robertson Cup victory in 2017 with the Erie Otters. In 2018, now with the Greyhounds he reached the Robertson Cup final again. He would end up playing in 78 OHL playoff games.
===East Quarterfinals===
*Hamilton Bulldogs defeated Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1
*Barrie Colts defeated Mississauga Steelheads 4 games to 2
*Kingston Frontenacs defeated North Bay Battalion 4 games to 1
*Niagara IceDogs defeated Oshawa Generals 4 games to 1
===West Quarterfinals===
*Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defeated Saginaw Spirit 4 games to none
*Kitchener Rangers defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 2
*Sarnia Sting defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 2
*Owen Sound Attack defeated London Knights 4 games to none
===East Semifinals===
*Hamilton Bulldogs defeated Niagara IceDogs 4 games to 1
*Kingston Frontenacs defeated Barrie Colts 4 games to 2
===West Semifinals===
*Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defeated Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 3
*Kitchener Rangers defeated Sarnia Sting 4 games to 2
===East Final===
*Hamilton Bulldogs defeated Kingston Frontenacs 4 games to 1
===West Final===
*Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 3
===J. Ross Robertson Cup Final===
*Hamilton Bulldogs defeated Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 2
The Hamilton Bulldogs win their first OHL championship and advance to the 2018 Memorial Cup.  Hamilton's Robert Thomas a first round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues was named Wayne Gretzky 99 Award recipient as OHL Playoffs MVP.  He had 12 goals and 20 assists in 21 games during the playoffs.  The organization previously won the OHL championship when it was known as the Belleville Bulls in 1999.  They are the first Hamilton based team to win an the J. Ross Robertson Cup since the Hamilton Fincups won the OHL title in 1976 and the city's third OHL title overall as the Hamilton Red Wings won the OHA title back in 1962.  Both of these teams went on to win the Memorial Cup in those years.
Category:2018 in hockey
Category:Ontario Hockey League seasons