Peterborough Petes Release 2025 Development Camp Schedule

The Peterborough Petes have officially announced the details regarding their annual Development Camp in a three-day event from Friday to Sunday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Roughly 60 players are expected to attend camp. They will be split into three teams for the on-ice scrimmage portion of the weekend.

On Friday, the camp will begin with off-ice fitness testing at Hybrid FHP (not open to the public) before transitioning to on-ice scrimmages on Saturday and Sunday morning.

All scrimmages will occur at the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC) and are open to the public. Scrimmages will also be streamed on the Petes Facebook page with commentary.

Full scrimmage Schedule:

Saturday

• 9:00 a.m.  - Team East Side Mario’s (White) vs Team Sign-A-Fied (Black) 

• 9:50 a.m. - Team Sign-A-Fied (Black) vs Team Hybrid (Maroon)

• 10:40 a.m. - Team Hybrid (Maroon) vs Team East Side Mario’s (White)

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• 2:30 p.m. - Team East Side Mario’s (White) vs Team Sign-A-Fied (Black)

• 3:20 p.m. - Team East Side Mario’s (White) vs Team Hybrid (Maroon)

• 4:10 p.m. - Team Hybrid (Maroon) vs Team Sign-A-Fied (Black)

Sunday

• 8:30 a.m. - Team Sign-A-Fied (Black) vs Team Hybrid (Maroon)

• 9:20 a.m. - Team East Side Mario’s (White) vs Team Sign-A-Fied (Black)

• 10:10 a.m. - Team East Side Mario’s (White) vs Team Hybrid (Maroon)

A full camp roster will be released on Friday afternoon.

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Celebration of Life Being Held For Longtime Arena Worker Roy Bateman On Wednesday Night

Longtime arena worker and community member Roy Bateman is being honoured with a celebration of life at the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers.

He passed away on April 10, a few months shy of his 74th birthday.

During his youth, Bateman was a Special Olympics athlete and won several medals for swimming. He also had a passion for hockey, as he played it on Leighton Road as a goalie with neighbourhood kids. He was also a passionate fan of the Peterborough Petes and Peterborough Lakers.

Bateman worked as a recycler at the Evinrude Centre for several years before retiring in 2021. He was treated like family by arena staff and people he met through his work. Several Petes that went on to the NHL often sent him pictures or Christmas cards.

Roy is survived by his sister-in-law, Maureen Rea. He was predeceased by his mother and father, Allan and Alma Bateman and his big brother, Wayne.

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Peterborough Petes Hold Number One Pick In 2025 OHL U18 Priority Selection; Team Takes Two Players

The Peterborough Petes selected two players in the 2025 OHL U18 Priority Selection that included first-overall pick Sebastian Dzieciol on Wednesday.

Sebastian Dzieciol. Photo courtesy of Jordan MacDonald and the Peterborough Petes.

The 6’, 182 lbs centre from Ottawa, featured in 28 games for the Ottawa Myers Automotive U18’s this season, scoring 13 goals and adding 15 assists for 28 points. In the playoffs, he played in 13 games, scoring three goals and recording six assists for nine points, which helped Myers win the HEO U18 Championship. In the U18 AAA Ontario Championships, Dzieciol played in five games, picking up an assist. 

“Sebastian is a big, strong forward who isn’t afraid to play physical and battle for the puck,” said Michael Oke, general manager and vice president of operations. “He was a big part of Myers HEO Championship this season, leading the team in scoring during the season and in the playoffs.” 

“I am very honoured and excited to be selected by the Petes,” said Dzieciol. “I am looking forward to being a part of the team and learning and contributing as best I can.”

With the 21st overall pick in the second round, Peterborough selected forward Jayden Mercier from the Upper Canada Cyclones U18.

Jayden Mercier. Photo courtesy of Dan Hickling and the Peterborough Petes.

“Jayden is a strong forward who uses his size well,” said Oke. “He’s a good skater who plays hard and isn’t afraid to go into the corners.”

Mercier, a left winger from Rockland, played in 30 games for the Upper Canada Cyclones U18’s this season, scoring 15 goals and adding eight assists for 23 points. In 11 playoff games for the Cyclones, he scored four goals and added six assists for 10 points, helping his team to the HEO Championship Series.

“It’s literally a dream come true,” exclaimed Mercier. “I can’t believe it. I have been working hard my whole life for this and it hasn’t been easy. It’s a dream come true to be drafted by the Petes.”

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"The All-Time Goal is to Win An OHL Championship" Peterborough Petes Number Overall Pick Kaden McGregor Brings Championship Aspirations to the Team

Less than 24 hours after being selected first overall by the Peterborough Petes, forward Kaden McGregor wants to ultimately bring an OHL Championship back to the Electric City as he was introduced to the public at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Saturday.

This is the first time the Petes have been able to introduce McGregor to Peterborough as a member of the team. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The Petes introduced McGregor to the media and public at a press conference a day after he was in Burlington for the 2025 OHL Priority Selection.

The Braeside native captained the Ottawa Valley Titans U16 AAA to a league title this past season and says he will work diligently to give Peterborough a similar result.

“I want to work as hard this summer and earn the right to play, earn my ice time,” explained McGregor. “I want to play whatever role this team needs me to play and the all-time goal is to win an OHL Championship.”

The right-handed shot is the franchise’s first-ever number one overall pick in its 69-year tenure, an honour McGregor plans to hold with pride.

“I'm humbled and honoured to be that first overall selection for the Peterborough Petes,” he said. “I think it shows a lot about how great this organization is and how well the coaching staff and Board of Directors is. I just want to thank them again for putting their faith in me and I won't let them down.”

(From left to right) Easton Rye, Petes goaltender; Carson Cameron, Petes defenceman; Kaden McGregor and Colin Fitzgerald; Petes forward. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

During the press conference, McGregor showed his gratitude for not only the Petes staff but the rest of his family, claiming he would not be where he was without their love, help and support.

“My parents… Every practice, every game, they're there for me. After the games, when they don't go to well, they're always there for me,” he said. “My siblings, I come home, they're always so friendly, they have just pushed me to become the player that I am and I'm so thankful for all of these people.”

father Stacey McGregor (left), Kaden (middle) and mother Lisa McGegor (right) all pose for a family photo for the first time with the son as a Pete in Peterborough, Photo by David Tuan Bui.

As a newcomer to town, McGregor has already embraced and appreciated the inclusive atmosphere Peterborough has shown to him and his family.

“I've heard about the sellouts that this crowd had and how great this atmosphere and fans are and I'm so thankful to be a part of Peterborough and I'm just thankful for the fans for welcoming me,” concluded McGregor.

The following is a list of this year’s draft picks for the Peterborough Petes:

• First round (1) - Kaden McGregor - Forward - Ottawa Valley Titans U16

• Second round (27) - Kieran Raynor - Forward - Niagara North Stars U16

• Second round (31) - Matthew Perreault - Defence - Toronto Titans U16

• Third round (61) - Gerry DiCunzolo - Forward - Shattuck-St. Mary’s 15s

• Sixth round (104) - Daniel Tout - Defence - Huron-Perth Lakers U16

• Seventh round (124) - Brody Robertson - Forward - Toronto Titans U16

• Eighth round (144) - Luke Schairer - Defence - USA U17

• Ninth round (164) - Eric Wood - Defence - Sun County Panthers U16

• 10th round (184) - Pacey Adduono - Forward - Oakmoor Academy 16U

• 11th round (204) - Ty Gendron - Forward - Barrie Jr. Colts U16

• 12th round (224) - Joseph Szarka - Defence - Brantford 99ers U16

• 13th round (244) - Brandt Rooyakkers - Forward - Huron-Perth Lakers U16

• 14th round (264) - Chase MacKay - Forward - North Central Predators U16

• 15th round (284) - Tyson Cartier - Defence - Waterloo Wolves U16

• 15th round (301) - Joshua Goodwin - Defence - North Shore Whitecaps

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Peterborough Petes Select Kaden McGregor As Franchise's First Number One Overall Pick

It is official for the Peterborough Petes as Kaden McGregor becomes the club’s first number one overall pick in franchise history at the 2025 OHL Priority Selection, announced on Friday night.

Screenshot.

“I’m speechless,” said McGregor. “This has been a dream of mine, ever since I was a little kid. To hear it finally get called, it’s a surreal moment for me and my family.”

The Braeside native captained the Ottawa Valley Titans U16 AAA club this past season with a 29-2-1 record. McGregor led his team to a league title with 38 goals and 44 assists for 82 points in 29 regular-season games. He also tacked on 24 points in nine playoff contests en route to a championship.

He was named the Hockey Eastern Ontario AAA League U16 Player of the Year, joining former Petes first-round pick and Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish, who won the award in 2019.

“We’re very excited to select Kaden with the first overall pick in the 2025 Priority Selection,” said Michael Oke, general manager and vice president of operations. “Kaden is a right-handed centre who plays a solid two-way game. He had an excellent season with the Ottawa Valley Titans, captaining them to an HEO Championship and being named HEO player of the year. He followed that up with a solid showing in the OHL Cup, finishing third in points and being named to the tournament all-star team.”

The right-handed shot says Petes fans can expect a lot out of him as a number one priority selection.

“They can expect a tenacious forward, someone who can play both ends of the game,” explained McGregor. I prioritize compete level. Every shift, I go out there, I compete as hard as I can. I have high IQ and I like to use my size and speed to set up plays in the offensive zone and make my teammates around me better.”

With McGregor as the first overall pick, he is named the recipient of the Jack Ferguson Award. The award is named after Jack Ferguson, a long-time OHL’s central scouting director. McGregor joins NHL stars such as Eric Lindros, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, Connor McDavid and Quinton Byfield to receive the honour.

In the OHL Cup, McGregor was the third-highest scorer with three goals and eight assists for 11 points in five games. His performance led the Titans to a quarter-final finish, losing in overtime to the eventual champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens. He was named to the tournament All-Star team, becoming the only player on this year’s All-Star team to not make the finals. This year, McGregor also played in OFSAA for St. Joseph’s High School in Renfrew. McGregor dominated the tournament, scoring 21 goals in six games.

The Petes will introduce McGregor in a press conference on Saturday at 8:45 a.m., which will be live-streamed on their Facebook Page.

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Celebration of Life For Peterborough Petes Alumnus Greg Millen Held Next Week Thursday

A celebration of life for Peterborough Petes alumnus, sports broadcaster and longtime local resident Gregory (Greg) Hearst Millen will be held at the Peterborough Memorial Centre next Thursday, starting at 1 p.m. for family, friends and colleagues.

Photo courtesy of Reynolds Funeral Home.

Millen passed away at 67 unexpectedly from a cardiovascular event on Monday.

He played for the Petes from 1974-1977, playing 144 games as a goaltender for three seasons. The Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the sixth round of the 1977 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play over 600 games in the NHL. Over his 14-year NHL career, Millen played for the Penguins, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.

After retiring from playing, Millen went into broadcasting. He started by covering the Ottawa Senators during their inaugural season in 1992-93. His broadcasting career includes roles as a colour commentator for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL on Sportsnet. Millen had covered three Olympic Games, two World Cups of Hockey, 12 Stanley Cup Finals, and 12 NHL All-Star Games.

Millen married his high school sweetheart, Ann. This summer would have marked their 45th wedding anniversary. Together, the couple had four children: Allie (Mike Mason), Emily (Garrett Kean), Caroline (Mike Tobin), and Charlie (Marissa DiNardo). He and Ann also had eight grandchildren (Beau, Pippa, Beatrice, Oscar, Louie, June, Wallace, and Penelope).

Instead of flowers, the family requests donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, ALS Canada or the Roger Neilson Children's Hospice.

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Peterborough Petes Alumnus Greg Millen Passes Away

Peterborough Petes alumnus and longtime local resident Greg Millen has passed away at 67 years old, announced on Monday night.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Millen played for the Petes from 1974-1977, playing 144 games as a goaltender for three seasons. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the sixth round of the 1977 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play over 600 games in the NHL. Over his 14-year NHL career, Millen played for the Penguins, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.

After retiring from playing, Millen went into broadcasting. He started by covering the Ottawa Senators during their inaugural season in 1992-93. His broadcasting career includes roles as a colour commentator for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL on Sportsnet. Millen had covered three Olympic Games, two World Cups of Hockey, 12 Stanley Cup Finals, and 12 NHL All-Star Games.

The longtime Bridgenorth resident was well known in Peterborough and beyond. He has been honoured throughout the hockey world and also had a teaching stint at Fleming College.

Millen leaves behind his wife Ann and their four children.

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Peterborough Petes Acquire Three Draft Picks From Sarnia Sting

The Peterborough Petes have acquired three picks from the Sarnia Sting in exchange for two of their own, announced on Monday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The Petes have acquired the following picks from the Sarnia Sting:

• 2027 3rd round pick

• 2026 8th round pick

• 2027 conditional 15th round pick

In exchange, the Sarnia Sting has received:

• 2025 3rd round pick (Erie)

• 2028 10th round rick

The OHL Priority Selection will be held over two days, with Rounds 1-3 beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 11th. Rounds 4-15 start at 9 a.m. the next day.

The Petes currently have five picks in the first three rounds: one in the first round (number one overall pick), two in the second round and two more in the third round.

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Peterborough Petes End Season With a Pair of Weekend Losses

In the final two games of the regular season, the Peterborough Petes end it with losses to the Brampton Steelheads and Oshawa Generals on Friday and Sunday respectively.

Photo courtesy of Kalvin Taylor Goodall Media and the Peterborough Petes.

The Petes first visited the CAA Centre to take on the Steelheads but were easily dispatched by a score of 6-1. Peterborough native Porter Martone had the game’s opening goal as his only point. Former Pete Konnor Smith had five points including a hat trick and two assists.

Martin Matejicek scored the lone goal for the Petes with Aiden Young and Brennan Faulkner each picking up an assist.

Peterborough ended their season with a rivalry tilt against the Generals but it was not meant to be for the Petes as Oshawa came out on top, 5-2.

Braydon McCallum had two assists in the game. Petes import defenceman Rio Kaiser scored his first OHL goal. Caden Taylor also scored and Quinton Pagé had an assist. Zach Bowen earned third-star honours stopping 45/49 shots.

After 68 regular-season games, the Petes ended with an 18-41-9 record and 45 points which puts them in last place in the Ontario Hockey League.

The Petes cap off their season with a Year End Awards Banquet on Tuesday.

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Peterborough Petes Fall to Kingston In Final Home Game of the Season

The Peterborough Petes end their last home game of the season with a 6-2 loss to the Kingston Frontenacs at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of Kenenth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

Before the game, the Petes honoured overagers Brady Stonehouse, Gavin Bryant, and captain Jonathan Melee. They were presented with a gift ahead of their last game as a Pete on home ice.

After allowing a goal from Kingston in the first period, the Petes saw them score just over six minutes into the second period, thanks to Maleek McGowan, for a 2-0 game. Peterborough found the scoresheet on a four-on-three powerplay as Melee one-timed a shot from the faceoff dot for a 2-1 score. Just 50 seconds later, the Petes tied things up as Melee tried a cross-ice pass that was deflected. It ended up on the stick of Braydon McCallum who backhanded it in on tight quarters for a 2-2 game. Unfortunately for Peterborough, they allowed two goals with 68 seconds remaining in the period and found themselves down 4-2 at the end of two stanzas.

Peterborough could only muster seven shots in the third period and failed to find the back of the net on any of them as Kingston tacked on two more goals for a final score of 6-2.

The Petes have two more road games to close their regular season but have already been eliminated from playoff contention. They will take on the Brampton Steelheads at the CAA Centre on Friday night. The team travels to the nation’s capital to play their last game of the season against the Oshawa Generals on Sunday night.

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