Peterborough Petes Earn OHL Retail Performance Award

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Petes have been recognized by the Ontario Hockey League for their success off the ice, earning one of the league's top business awards for the 2025-26 season.

joelle wood, manager of marketing & events with the ontario hockey league, presents mark million of the petes store with the ohl’s retail performance award (photo courtesy of peterborough petes)

Ten business awards were presented by the league, with the Petes among the organizations recognized for contributing to the continued growth and success of the Ontario Hockey League both on and off the ice.

The Petes were named recipients of the OHL Retail Performance Award during the league's annual business meetings, where organizations from across the league were honoured for achievements in areas including retail, community engagement, broadcasting and fan experience.

According to the OHL, the award recognizes the Petes' strong merchandise sales, innovative retail initiatives and ongoing efforts to enhance the fan experience.

The league noted that the Petes have established themselves as one of the OHL's leading merchandise operations through a combination of creative approaches and consistent results.

The award also highlights the work of Mark Million, director of merchandise & community growth for the Petes, whose leadership was credited with helping drive merchandise growth in Peterborough while supporting broader league initiatives aimed at strengthening retail operations across the OHL.

While championships are won on the ice, the latest honour shows the Petes are also finding success behind the scenes as they continue to build and engage their fan base.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough Petes Exchange Draft Picks With Ottawa 67's

The Peterborough Petes have exchanged draft picks with the Ottawa 67’s, announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

Peterborough acquired a sixth-round pick in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection from the Ottawa 67’s in exchange for the Soo Greyhounds ' sixth-round pick in 2029.

The Petes currently hold the 13th overall pick in this year’s OHL Priority Selection on Friday at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston.

Lakers Bounce Back With Road Win Over Brooklin

By Scott Arnold

A strong start and standout goaltending helped the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers earn an 8-4 victory over Brooklin on Wednesday night in Whitby.

Drew Hutchison picked up the win or the Peterborough Lakers with 45 saves (photo courtesy of the lakers, via Anna Taylor)

The Lakers responded in a big way after last week's loss to Brooklin, scoring four times in the opening minutes and never looking back in an 8-4 win at Iroquois Park Sports Centre.

Peterborough wasted little time taking control. Rob Hellyer opened the scoring just 27 seconds into the game before Mike Robinson added another 10 seconds later. Colton Armitage scored his first Major Series Lacrosse goal to make it 3-0, and Hellyer struck again shortly after to extend the lead to four.

Brooklin battled back but could not get any closer than three goals the rest of the way.

Hellyer led the Lakers offence with six points, scoring three goals and adding three assists. Robinson finished with four points, while Armitage scored twice and added an assist. Brad McCulley also found the back of the net.

Drew Hutchison was outstanding in goal, turning aside 45 shots as Peterborough delivered its strongest defensive performance of the season. The Lakers held Brooklin scoreless on all four of its power-play opportunities.

DJ Clark also made his season debut for the Lakers and recorded an assist in the victory.

The win improved Peterborough's record after consecutive losses and gave the team a measure of revenge against the same Brooklin squad that defeated them at the Peterborough Memorial Centre the previous week.

The Lakers return to action next Thursday when they visit Brampton, then a stop in Cobourg on Sunday (June 21), before returning home for another game against Brooklin on Thursday, June 25.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Selwyn's Jim Marsden Honoured with Ontario Senior of the Year Award

By Scott Arnold

A Selwyn Township resident has been recognized by the Province of Ontario for his contributions to the community.

jim marsden of selwyn recognized with the ontario senior of the year award (photo via instagram at @selwyntownship)

During its most recent meeting, Selwyn Township Council presented Jim Marsden with the Ontario Senior of the Year Award.

The award recognizes seniors aged 65 and older who have made significant contributions to the social, cultural and civic life of their communities through volunteerism, leadership and community involvement.

Marsden was nominated by his peers and supported by township council before being selected by the province as one of this year's recipients.

The honour celebrates the impact he has had within the community and recognizes his efforts to help enrich life for residents in Selwyn Township.

Council members took time during the meeting to congratulate Marsden on receiving the provincial recognition and thank him for his ongoing contributions to the community.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Little Lakers Night Returning to Support Five Counties Children's Centre

By Scott Arnold

A fan favourite night celebrating children, families and community spirit is returning to the Peterborough Memorial Centre this summer.

Little Lakers night in support of five counties returns to the pmc next month (photo via facebook @FiveCountiesChildrensCentre)

The fourth annual Little Lakers Night will take place July 16 during a Peterborough Century 21 Lakers home game, with proceeds supporting Five Counties Children's Centre.

The event will once again put Five Counties clients in the spotlight throughout the evening, including participation in the pre-game ball drop ceremony.

five counties families will be back at the pmc this summer for the fourth annual little lakers night (photo via facebook @FiveCountiesChildrensCentre)

Families attending can also enjoy a variety of activities before and during the game, including face painting, giant LEGO, a silent auction and other surprises.

lots to look forward to on little lakers night (photo via facebook @FiveCountiesChildrensCentre)

Activities are scheduled to begin at 7 pm, with game time set for 8 pm.

Organizers say the evening is designed to celebrate the children and families served by Five Counties while raising funds to support programs and services offered through the centre.

excitement is building for the upcoming little lakers night in support of five counties (photo via facebook @FiveCountiesChildrensCentre)

The event is made possible with support from the Doane Grant Thornton Foundation, with tickets purchased through Five Counties helping support local children and families.

After drawing strong community support in previous years, organizers are hoping for another packed house when Little Lakers Night returns in July.

Peterborough Petes Hosting 2026 Home Opener Against Kingston Frontenacs On Sept. 17

The Peterborough Petes are having their 2026–27 season home opener on Sept. 17 when they host the Kingston Frontenacs at the Peterborough Memorial Centre at 7:05 p.m., announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

The home opener is the first game of the Ontario Hockey League season.

The Petes are the visitors for the Sudbury Wolves’s home opener the following night.

The complete 2026-27 OHL regular-season schedule is being released on Tuesday.

The Petes currently hold the 13th overall pick in this year’s OHL Priority Selection on Friday at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston.

@ptbo_canada The @Peterborough Petes are having their 2026–27 season home opener on Sept. 17 when they host the Kingston Frontenacs at the Peterborough Memorial Centre at 7:05 p.m. ##ptbocanada##journalism##fyp##news##ohl ♬ Winning - ROKKA

Peterborough Petes Draft One Forward and One Defenceman In OHL Under-18 Priority Selection

The Peterborough Petes drafted forward Nolan Gerow and defenceman Cole McLennan at the 2026 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection on Monday night.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

“We’re very pleased with the selections we made tonight,” said Michael Oke, Petes general manager and vice president of operations. “We’ve had success in the U18 Draft in recent years with selections such as Samuel Mayer and Brennan Faulkner, to name a few.”

The Petes held the 13th overall pick in round one, selecting Gerow from the Hamilton Steel U18s. They then chose McLennan from the Upper Canada Cyclones U18s with the 33rd overall pick in round two.

“Nolan is a strong forward who plays hard and isn’t afraid to battle for the puck,” continued Oke.  “Cole is a physical defenceman who makes good decisions and is responsible in his own end. We’re excited to see both players on the ice at Development Camp in the coming weeks.”

Gerow, a native of Beamsville, played in 32 games for the Hamilton Steel U18s this season, scoring 21 goals and adding 23 assists for 44 points, leading his team in goals and points. The 6’1”, 186 lbs forward picked up another seven points in five playoff games for the Steel, scoring four times and adding three assists. Gerow also appeared in three games with the GOHL’s Welland Jr. Canadians this season, picking up an assist.

“I’m excited and thankful that the Petes chose me with their first pick,” said Gerow. “I can’t wait to come to Peterborough and get started.”

McLennan, from Brockville, played in 27 games for the Upper Canada Cyclones U18s this season, scoring four times and picking up 12 assists for 16 points. The 6’1”, 180 lbs defenceman featured in seven playoff games with the Cyclones, scoring once. McLennan also gained experience at the junior level this season, appearing in two games for the Athens Aeros of the EOJHL and 10 games (two playoff games) for the CCHL’s Brockville Braves. 

“It’s an incredible feeling to be drafted to the OHL by the Peterborough Petes,” said McLennan. “I’m truly grateful to join the Petes organization and be part of such a proud, historic team. I can’t wait to get to work representing the Petes family and give everything I have both on and off the ice.”

Since the Petes did not take a goaltender in the first two rounds, they would only make two selections in the draft.

The Petes currently hold the 13th overall pick in this year’s OHL Priority Selection on June 12 at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston.

Holy Cross Repeats as Barbarian Cup Provincial Champions

By Scott Arnold

The Holy Cross junior boys rugby team has etched its name into the history books after successfully defending its provincial title at the 2026 Barbarian Cup.

holy cross junior boys are back-to-back provincial rugby champions (photo via instagram @holycrossboysrugby)

The Crusaders captured their second consecutive provincial championship Monday, earning two victories on the final day of competition in Fergus, including a commanding 40-5 win over Brooklin High School in the championship match.

The victory makes Holy Cross just the second Peterborough-area school to repeat as Barbarian Cup champions. The only other local team to accomplish the feat was Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, which won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.

Holy cross junior boys after their 2025 barbarian cup win (photo via instagram @holycrossboysrugby)

The Barbarian Cup is recognized as Ontario's longest-running high school rugby tournament. First introduced in 1961, the event serves as the unofficial provincial championship for junior boys rugby and attracts many of the top Grade 9 and 10 teams from across the province.

This year's tournament was held in Fergus on June 7 and 8 and featured schools from throughout Ontario competing for the provincial crown.

For Holy Cross, the championship marks another major achievement for the program and places the team among a select group in local rugby history to successfully defend a provincial title.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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City Council Endorses Plan to Name Knights of Columbus Park Bowl in Honour of Lacrosse Legend Bobby Allan

By Scott Arnold

One of Peterborough’s most accomplished lacrosse figures could soon have his name permanently attached to a landmark community facility.

city council moving forward with plans to honour legend bobby allan (screenshot via cogeco yourtv documentary, peterborough lacrosse 150)

Peterborough City Council has endorsed a Notice of Motion to rename the new bowl at Knights of Columbus Park as the Bobby Allan Bowl.

The motion comes as the park undergoes major upgrades, including improvements to the bowl’s floor and boards.

renovations are underway at the knights of columbus park on park street, near townsend (photo by scott arnold)

Supporters of the renaming note that Allan grew up just a few blocks from Knights of Columbus Park and spent much of his youth playing lacrosse there before going on to become one of the sport’s most celebrated players and coaches.

Allan’s accomplishments include induction into the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame in 1980, the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1974 and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, where he became the first lacrosse player to receive the honour.

As a player, Allan won four Mann Cup championships with Peterborough teams in 1954, 1956, 1962 and 1966.

His success continued behind the bench, coaching box lacrosse in both Peterborough and Philadelphia before leading Canada’s national field lacrosse team to a world championship in Manchester in 1970. He later guided the Peterborough Lakers to a Mann Cup title in 1973.

once renovations are complete, the new bowl at knight of columbus park could be named the bobby allan bowl in honour of the local lacrosse star (photo by scott arnold)

If approved through the formal process, the facility will be renamed the Bobby Allan Bowl, recognizing a lacrosse career that left a lasting mark on Peterborough and the sport across Canada.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Six Names Have Been Inducted Into Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame For 2026

Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame has inducted six names into its class of 2026 in a ceremony at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Saturday night.

(Back Row From Left to Right): John Grant, Jr., Jeff Twohey and Al Crowe
(Middle Row From Left to Right L-R: Terry Paul and Tim Watts
(Front Row) Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

The following are the class of 2026 inductees:

Al Crowe (Builder: Fastball)

Al Crowe was a good multisport athlete. He was a member of the 1969 Lakefield High School District School Boy Curling Championship team and served as vice skip for the team at the COSSA Curling Championship and the OFSSA Championship in 1969.

Fastball was his game, starting in the Lakefield Men’s League before joining the Peterborough Men’s City Softball League. Crowe achieved great success when he began coaching in the PMCSL, winning the George Dormer Trophy nine times for first-place league finishes and the Taylor Trophy nine times. He coached teams to OASA Intermediate A titles in 1993 and 2003 and also coached the Curve Lake team to the Ontario Native All Ontario Championship in 1996 and 2003.

Not only did Crowe give his time to the men’s city league, but he also coached minor boys’ fastball teams from 1989 to 1995, winning an OASA Pee-Wee A title in 1993. Crowe has been honoured with numerous awards for his dedication to fastball in Peterborough. Including the Doug McCamus Award for Minor Fastball, the Dave Leether Award from the Umpires Association for Most Gentlemanly Player, City League “Mr. Softball” for dedication to fastball and the Brent McCue Heart Award for dedication to fastball.

Crowe served 31 years with the OPP, receiving the OPP Exemplary Service Medal in 1992 and a 30-year service award in 2002. Al Crowe gave his time and talent to the sport of fastball and now joins his father Bob Crowe as an honoured member of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

John Grant Jr. (Athlete: Lacrosse)

John Grant Jr. had a spectacular career in lacrosse. Born and raised in Peterborough, Grant Jr. has accomplished every honour possible in the game. He excelled at both box and field lacrosse as a junior, college, senior and professional player.

He has won five Mann Cups, achieved three silver and one gold at World Lacrosse Championships, three gold World Indoor Lacrosse championships, one gold and one silver Heritage Cup, one NLL and five MLL championships. The list of individual awards is impressive: 1994 OLA Junior A MVP, 1995 MSL Rookie of the Year, 1999 USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year, 1999 National Collegiate Attackman of the Year, 2007 NLL Rookie of the Year, 2000 MSL MVP, 2001 MLL Offensive Player of the Year, 2004, 2007 Mann Cup MVP, 2007 and 2012 NLL MVP, 2007 NLL Championship MVP, 2007 and 2008 MLL Offensive Player of the Year as well as MVP.

Grant Jr. has gone on to coach both professional and college field lacrosse in the USA. Grant Jr. racked up over 3,000 points over his 25+ years of playing lacrosse at the very highest level.

His slick and shifty ball-handling skills would rank him among the very best, if not the best, in the world. John has gone on to coach both professional and college field lacrosse in the USA. He joins his father, John Grant, as an honoured member of the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame.

Terrance “Terry” Paul (Athlete: Rowing)

Growing up in Peterborough, Paul played many sports and was a member of the junior program at the Kawartha Golf & Country Club. While at PCVS, he was influenced by Carol Love and Graham Wilkinson to join the Peterborough Rowing Club. He joined the club as a coxswain and became hooked on the sport. He attended Brock University, where he honed his rowing skills with the Brock Badgers.

Following graduation, Paul moved to Victoria, B.C., and joined the Canadian National Rowing Team. Terry won a Men’s Eights gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, as the team’s Coxswain. He has participated in every Olympic Games since 1988 and coached until 2022.

Terry has had an extensive coaching career in the US College system at Cornell and then internationally with Canada and Switzerland. He coached the men’s pairs to a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Terry is currently employed by the BC government as Performance Director for Rowing BC.

Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett (Athlete: All-Round)

Peterborough-born Kelleigh Traynor-Hartnett, a multi-sport athlete, achieved success in every sport she played in.

She was a member of the Canadian team that competed in the Long Ball Golf competition in Las Vegas in 2002, where she finished 10th, and was the Ontario Long Drive champion in 2001 and 2002. She was the low net champion at the Kawartha Golf and Country Club in 2002. Kelleigh has played hockey since the age of five, starting in the PGHA. Over her long career, she has won numerous tournaments and OWHA provincial titles, including a Midget B gold, two golds and one silver in Senior AA and one gold in Senior AA Eastern Canadian championships.

In 2000, the Senior AA team also won its third consecutive National Capital tournament in Ottawa. From 2007 to 2014, Kelleigh won two gold, one silver and one bronze OWHA Senior C Championships with the Keene women’s team. She was a member of the Peterborough Skyway Senior AA Women’s Hockey team from 1993-1996, which played in the Central Women’s Hockey League and won the league championship in their second year. She was a member and team captain of the silver-medal-winning Ontario Select team, which travelled to Switzerland to play in an international tournament in 1986.

Traynor-Hartnett    was instrumental in forming a women’s division in the Police International Hockey Association tournament while a police officer with the Durham Police. During her tenure with the team, the Durham Bullets Women’s team won six championships.

She also played fastball in the city league and with the Cobourg Angels (winning a PWSA Achievement Award). She played slo-pitch, winning the Eastern Ontario Champion, placing second at the 2000 National Championship in Kamloops, B.C. She won a Field Hockey bronze medal at the Ontario Summer Games in 1985, an OCAA Soccer Bronze with Fleming College in 1988 and was the 1986 senior high jump high school champion and placed 2nd at COSSA and 3rd at OFSSA.

She was a member of the 55+ 2023 Ontario Champions and 2024 Canadian 55+ silver medalist team. From 2013, Traynor-Hartnett    has also been an assistant coach, head coach and trainer in the Peterborough Ice Kats system. She retired from the Durham Police Department in 2019, receiving the ‘Excellence in Service’ Award for 30 years of service.

Tim Watts (Athlete: Archery)

Watts comes from the Warsaw community. He fell in love with the sport of archery at a young age. He started competing at age 15 in 1987 and since then, he has competed in over 700 tournaments all over the world.

In Ontario, archery has five disciplines, each with an annual provincial championship. During his archery career, he has hit the podium 80+ times, including 34 provincial championships. He has won provincial championships in all 5 disciplines. The archer who competes in all five disciplines with the highest combined total is crowned Grand Champion. The award was established in 1999 and Tim has been the Grand Champion 18 times.

At the national level, there are four disciplines every year. Watts has achieved podium results 25 times, winning 12 National titles. One of the few archers in Canada to have won the National title in all four disciplines.

After winning the National 3D title as part of team Ontario, Tim qualified for the 2011 Canadian 3D team competing at the World 3D Championships in Austria. He won a silver medal and to date, he is the only Canadian Compound Archer to win a World Championship medal. He has been the Tournament Director for Archery Ontario since 1990.

He worked for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and has been the Peterborough Coordinator for the National Archery School program since 2014. This program introduces archery to thousands of Ontario youth.

Watts is a highly accomplished Canadian archer, a columnist for Ontario Out of Doors. Based in Peterborough and affiliated with the Peterborough Fish and Game Club, he is a decorated competitor in compound, 3D and field archery, holding national records and winning multiple gold medals in the 50-plus category.

He won three gold medals at the 2022 Canadian National Archery Championships (Men’s Hunter, 50-plus Field, 50-plus Target) and has over 35 years of competitive experience. He set a Canadian record in 2023 for 50+ men's compound unlimited in a field round with a score of 392.

Jeff Twohey (Builder: Hockey)

Born in Lindsay, Twohey has made his home in Peterborough for over 40 years. It is not a stretch to say that hockey is his life. Starting out in 1980 as a trainer for the

Peterborough Petes: Twohey rose through the ranks of the Petes organization in many capacities, from marketing to Assistant GM and, finally, General Manager. Over his tenure with the Petes he saw the team win OHL Championships in 1989 and 1993 as an Assistant GM and 1996 and 2006 as General Manager and trips to the Memorial Cup on four occasions. The Petes recorded 600 wins during Jeff’s time as GM. The position of the GM also requires scouting and recruiting and working with team scouts to select young players that will be the right fit for a particular OHL team. Fifty-four of his players were drafted to the NHL, with nine drafted in the first round.

Twohey served on a number of OHL Committees including Priority Selection, Competitions, Officiating, CHL Import Draft, Protected List, NCAA Issues, All-Star Selection, CHL Canada-Russia Selection and OHA Rep evaluating Canada’s World U18 and U20 prospects.

He is the recipient of the Bill Long Award in 2006 for distinguished service, the OHL Milestone Award in 2008 for 25 years of distinguished service to the OHL and he was inducted into the Lindsay and District Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

After leaving the Petes, Twohey spent a couple of years with the Oshawa Generals before serving as an Amateur Scout for the Dallas Stars and the NHL's Arizona Coyotes from 2014 to 2018. The role of a hockey scout is arduous, requiring many hours away from home and miles of travel across North America and Europe. During his time with the Coyotes. Twohey scouted over 250 live games. Jeff is now scouting for the Florida Panther. His love for hockey has translated into a long and successful career.

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