Countdown to the Peterborough Petes Home Opener: Francis Parish Brings Grit and Personality to the Petes

By Scott Arnold

An 11th-round pick in 2023, Francis Parish has worked his way into his third season with the Petes and has become a player who brings plenty of energy both on and off the ice.

after the Peterborough Petes selected him in the 11th round of the 2023 OHL Draft, hard work has helped francis parish turn that opportunity into a third season in the ohl (photo by scott arnold).

Parish was selected 213th overall by Peterborough in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, but earning a spot in the lineup was never going to be handed to him.

The 19-year-old forward has now played 102 regular-season games with the Petes over the past two seasons, along with six playoff games, and he knows exactly what he wants to bring heading into his third year.

“What I’m looking to work on throughout the year is just get my physical presence there, like make sure teams know I’m on the ice. I don’t want them to be comfortable with the puck and I bring a lot of grit to the table and work hard.”

That work ethic is a big part of Parish’s game, and he isn’t afraid to put himself in uncomfortable situations.

“If I get hit, I get right back up. Doesn’t matter if I get hit or not. Just keep going.”

Away from the ice, Parish has also embraced a role that can be just as important to a team over the course of a long season. He likes keeping the mood light around the dressing room, whether that means a joke, a prank or, on media day, turning his stick into an extra microphone.

“You know, it’s important that you can’t always be serious. It’s not healthy for you. Sometimes a good joke is but brings the team spirit alive and keeps us going.”

Parish spent part of his summer working at MTR Refing in three-on-three hockey while also finding plenty of time to relax and catch up on some television.

He got into superhero shows including Green Arrow and Smallville, and when asked what superhero he would be, Parish had a pretty simple answer.

“All the superhero powers are already taken so all I can really wish to be a Superman.”

Now, he’s ready to get back on the ice and experience the atmosphere at the Memorial Centre again.

“Can’t wait to see the crowd be electric when we step out on the ice, really. It’s just an electric fan base and just excited to get out there.”

After working his way from an 11th-round selection to his third OHL season, Parish knows the role he wants to play. He wants to bring grit, physicality, energy and a little personality to the Petes every time he steps on the ice.

The Petes will open their season at home against the Kingston Frontenacs on Thursday, September 17th, at 7pm at the Memorial Centre.

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

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Peterborough Petes Sign American-Born Forward to OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement

The Peterborough Petes have signed American-born forward Mason Minsky to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement, announced on Monday.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to join such a great organization,” said Minsky. “The guys here are great and I can’t wait to go to battle with them this year.”

The 2007-forward is from Libertyville, Illi. and played in 53 games for the Janesville Jets of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) last season. The right-handed shot scored 16 goals and added 19 assists for 35 points, finishing fifth in team scoring. Before joining Janesville, Minsky played for Avon Old Farms School and is a product of the Chicago Reapers AAA program. Standing at 5’10” and 175 lbs, he committed to play hockey at Miami University (Ohio) following his time in the OHL. Minsky attended Petes Training Camp this season as a free agent invitee.

“Mason is an extremely competitive forward who skates well,” said Michael Oke, Petes general manager and vice president of operations. “He had a productive first season of junior last year with Janesville and showed very well at training camp and in preseason. He will be a solid addition to our forward group.”

The Petes kick off their 2026 OHL season at home on Thursday to they host the Kingston Frontenacs. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

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Local Hockey Families Take Their Game to Europe for an Unforgettable Adventure

By Scott Arnold

For more than 50 local hockey families, what started as an idea around a kitchen table turned into a 10-day European adventure they won't soon forget.

Local hockey players take in the sights and enjoy some downtime together during their 10-day European adventure. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Marchant)

Rob Carleton, the founder of On the Pond Canada, recently returned from Finland and Sweden after taking three teams, two 2013 teams and a U18 team, overseas to compete in the Lions Cup in Helsinki.

And while there was plenty of hockey involved, the trip became about much more than what happened on the ice.

“So we got two 2013 teams and a U18 team,” Carleton explained. “It started with the one 2013 team, which is my son’s age, my younger son (Eason). So a bunch of us got together. I have a contact over in Finland from a guy I played with at Carleton University. So he runs the tournament, all the tournaments around there in Prague as well.”

Before any of that could happen, though, there was a lot of work to do.

“We started the process probably 18 months out,” Carleton said. “That's when the idea came to mind and we got to my, we actually met, came to my place and a few of the dads and said, listen, I think I can do this. If you guys want to jump on board, On the Pond can do this with my contact over there. I can make this experience unbelievable for everybody here.”

Eighteen months later, the families were finally on their way.

“I remember we were flying there on the plane with, I don't know, 35 families were on the flight we were on,” Carleton said. “And we're all like, we're here. We're finally here. Eighteen months. I'm holding my head. I hope it's as good as I think it's going to be. And I think we went above and beyond.”

The group flew into Helsinki, where the tournament was held, and spent about six days there before continuing on to Stockholm.

Away from the rink, the players had plenty of opportunities to explore, spend time together and take in the sights during their trip. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Marchant)

There was plenty of hockey, but the itinerary also included sightseeing and a trip to Estonia. The group then boarded a ferry for a 16-hour overnight trip from Helsinki to Stockholm.

“We did sightseeing, went to Estonia, the oldest country in the world, on a ferry ship that was massive,” Carleton said. “Kids loved it. It was unbelievable.”

The ferry to Stockholm became another memorable part of the trip.

“We took another ferry cruise ship, which was a 16-hour one that we slept on from Helsinki to Stockholm,” he said. “It was unbelievable. The cruise ship had the casino on it. There's so much to do for the kids to do.”

Once they reached Stockholm, the group continued exploring the city.

“We get to Stockholm and we went sightseeing there. It's so beautiful over there,” Carleton said. “The kids get on scooters and just go around Stockholm and Helsinki. Very clean cities and very safe.”

On the ice, the competition was strong.

The teams faced opponents from Finland, Sweden, Scotland and the United States, with the U18 team making it to the bronze-medal game.

“We played Scotland the first game, beat them. And then we played the Americans in the bronze,” Carleton said. “And with what's going on with the States and Canada, it was crazy. The arena was packed, Canadian flags, American flags, and we won the shootout. So the place went crazy.”

There was an added local flavour to the atmosphere.

“It was interesting because all the Finnish fans and Swedish fans were cheering for Canada,” Carleton said.

The other local teams also had strong tournaments, with Canadian teams bringing home silver and bronze medals while Swedish teams captured gold in both divisions.

2013 Team White: Eli Wright, Dillon King, Lincoln Gillespie, Lucas Trofimov, Kye Adamson, Hunter Jessup, Reid Bailey, Jayden Taylor, Eason Carleton, Nolan Walker, Rylan Robertson, Canaan Carter, Hank Murtha, Spencer D'Amico-Davies, Jase MacDonell, Clayteon Briscoe and Jaxson Godward. (photo courtesy of tiffany marchant)

2013 Team Red: Ethan Pais, Lochlan Pherrill, Talin Hawkins, Josh Russelle, Harley Cameron, Jimmy Marchant, Emery Warrick, Griffin Larmer, Archer Scott, Dylan Baker, Carter Collins, Roman McDonald, Xander McKay, Kolton Adamson, Lucas Woollacott and Hunter Jankowski. (photo courtesy of tiffany marchant)

2013 Team White: Eli Wright, Dillon King, Lincoln Gillespie, Lucas Trofimov, Kye Adamson, Hunter Jessup, Reid Bailey, Jayden Taylor, Eason Carleton, Nolan Walker, Rylan Robertson, Canaan Carter, Hank Murtha, Spencer D'Amico-Davies, Jase MacDonell, Clayteon Briscoe and Jaxson Godward. (photo courtesy of tiffany marchant)

But some of the most memorable parts of the trip happened away from the rink.

Carleton said one of the unexpected highlights was the group of university students who served as their tour guides.

“I thought would be like little old ladies on the bus with us with the tour guides and stuff and nice and stuff,” he said. “But we get there and it's university students and they all connected with the kids.”

The guides stayed at the same hotel, travelled with the families and joined them on the ferry to Stockholm.

“They became the babysitters, the parents, because they'd tell the parents what's going on, the itinerary every single day,” Carleton said. “They travelled on the ferry ship over to Stockholm with us and they became our family.”

That connection was something Carleton said the group didn't expect when they left Peterborough.

“So we became this one big European family,” he said. “Now we see everyone around here and it's like, Finland, Finland, Finland.”

From hockey games to sightseeing, the players had plenty of opportunities to enjoy the experience together throughout their European adventure. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Marchant)

Tiffany Marchant, whose son Jimmy was playing in tournament, experienced the trip from a different perspective.

While Carleton was busy coaching all three teams and working long days, Marchant was able to take in the experience as a hockey mom.

“I just got to be a hockey mom and cheer on the kids,” Marchant said. “It was a great time. I definitely was looking at it through a different lens than Rob because I'm out having a good time, enjoying myself, I think a little bit more.”

What surprised her most was how much the adults enjoyed the experience too.

“I was surprised actually how fun it was for all of the parents,” she said. “I knew it would be great for the kids, or I was hoping it would be, which it was. But I think all of the parents were pleasantly surprised when we were there as well, like how much we truly enjoyed ourselves.”

Marchant said there was some uncertainty about what 10 days of travelling with a large group of hockey families would be like.

“Jumping on a team bus with all these kids is kind of like, ‘Oh, I wonder if I'm going to last 10 days and be as excited as I am on the first day, on the last day,’” she said.

The answer came pretty quickly.

“And it was, we had a great time,” Marchant said. “We looked forward to it every day.”

For Marchant, the opportunity to give the players that kind of experience was an easy decision.

“I never experienced anything like that when I was younger,” she said. “My big trip, I played rugby. I went to B.C. with my rugby team. And honestly, core memory for me, like even just going to B.C. with my team.”

That made the chance to create a similar memory for the young hockey players especially meaningful.

“So I thought, you know, if this can happen for the kids and they can do something they're so passionate about, like, why not?” Marchant said. “And I'll go. Happily.”

The trip was about more than just hockey, with the players getting plenty of time to explore and enjoy the experience together. (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Marchant)

For Carleton, the trip was another step in the evolution of On the Pond, which has been part of his life for nearly 20 years.

It began around 2007 when Carleton was working as a marketing manager for Boston Pizza in Gravenhurst and came up with the idea of a pond hockey tournament to help bring business to the area during the winter.

“We had like six rinks, I think it was, and it had like 18 teams,” Carleton said.

Today, that tournament has grown to 25 rinks and 150 teams, with teams travelling from across North America.

After moving to Peterborough, Carleton brought the same philosophy to local hockey through PA Day and holiday tournaments.

“It was more geared around for every level,” he said. “The tournaments that went from house league right up to AAA. So they're in the same dressing rooms, they get to interact with each other, and the house league kids are just thinking it's awesome to sit beside a AAA kid.”

The players don't compete against one another across skill levels. Instead, the games are structured so they can share the experience while playing against appropriately matched opponents.

“They don't play against each other though,” Carleton said. “It's evened out on the ice and it's timed lines by buzzers. So they get to interact with each other and have a great time and no pressure.”

That focus on the people involved carried over to the European teams.

When it came time to select the players, Carleton said hockey ability was only part of the equation.

“What I really found, and I'm glad I did this, was it wasn't just based on skill that we took,” he said. “It was based on the player, the culture, the kind of family that we were going to spend 10 days with.”

Carleton started with a core group of players and families he already knew, then had them help build the teams by bringing in friends and relatives.

“We had kids from Ottawa that were relatives of families that went,” he said. “So everyone was interacting with each other. They're all connected and everyone was wonderful.”

The result was exactly what he had hoped for.

“I couldn't have picked better players or families for the culture,” Carleton said.

And the next opportunities are already taking shape.

On the Pond is planning a similar trip to Nashville next May, with four or five teams expected to take part. Rather than simply attending a tournament and staying in a hotel, Carleton and Marchant are building an itinerary around the entire experience.

“We decided, Tiffany and I decided to put together an itinerary almost the same as Finland that no one's ever done,” Carleton said. “So everything's included. We have stuff going on every single day there.”

The Nashville trip will include NCAA players as tour guides, along with help from one of Carleton's former university teammates, who now works with the Nashville Predators and is heavily involved in youth hockey.

There are also plans for another U18 team and a 2014 team to head to Europe next year, with recruiting already underway.

For the families who made the trip to Finland and Sweden, the experience has already left them looking forward to what comes next.

And for Carleton, it is a pretty remarkable evolution from where On the Pond began nearly two decades ago.

What started with a pond hockey tournament has grown into local tournaments, international travel and opportunities for young players and their families to experience hockey in places they may never have otherwise visited.

Now, with Nashville on the horizon and another European trip being planned, the work continues to create those experiences for more local hockey families.

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

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Countdown to the Peterborough Petes Home Opener: Lucas Karmiris Ready for Long-Awaited Petes Debut

By Scott Arnold

After missing all of last season while recovering from two knee surgeries, Lucas Karmiris is finally healthy and ready for his first season with the Petes.

Matthew perrerault put in a lot of work over the summer in preparation for his sophomore ohl season with the peterborough petes (photo by scott arnold)

Karmiris was acquired by the Petes from the Brampton Steelheads before last season, but his first year in Peterborough got off to a heartbreaking start when he suffered a knee injury on the opening day of training camp.

The injury eventually required two surgeries and kept the overage forward out for the entire 2025-26 season.

While his teammates were playing games, Karmiris spent much of the year working toward getting back on the ice.

“It’s been a lot of work. Long days, you know, six hours a day of rehab and working out in the pool, strengthening, skating. It’s been a long process.”

Missing an entire season was difficult, especially while trying to keep pace with everyone else, but Karmiris feels the work has paid off.

“You know, it’s hard when you miss that much, you know, keep up with everyone else that’s healthy. But I think I’ve done a good job and I feel great right now and I’m excited to get started.”

Now, the 19-year-old, who turns 20 on September 27th, is back with the Petes and looking forward to finally showing Peterborough what he can bring.

Karmiris has 96 points in 165 career regular season OHL games, all with the Steelheads organization. He says his game is built around playing with pace, contributing in all areas of the ice and creating offence.

“Yeah, I like to play with a lot of pace. I’d say I’m a 200 foot centerman. You know, I play in all zones in the game. And I like to create offense.”

After everything he has gone through to get back to this point, Karmiris is simply happy to be back with his teammates and wearing the Petes jersey.

“It feels great. I mean, it’s been a long time coming. Long process for me, a long journey, but I’m so excited to be here and be with the guys again and, you know, play for the Petes.”

And after waiting an entire season for the opportunity, Karmiris is looking forward to seeing what this group can accomplish.

“We have a good team this year and it’s going to be a fun year.”

The Petes will open their season at home against the Kingston Frontenacs on Thursday, September 17th, at 7pm at the Memorial Centre.

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

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Petes Add Two Left-Handed Defencemen Ahead of Home Opener

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Petes have added a pair of left-handed defencemen to their lineup, making moves on September 10th and September 11th as the team gets set for the start of the new OHL season.

the peterborough petes have acquired left handed defenceman Jacob Xu from the London Knights (photo courtesy of the peterborough petes)

On Friday, September 11th, the Petes acquired 2008-born defenceman Jacob Xu from the London Knights in exchange for North Bay’s fourth-round pick in 2028 and a sixth-round pick in 2030.

Xu, a left-handed defenceman from Richmond Hill, was originally selected by the Kitchener Rangers in the eighth round, 157th overall, of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection.

Last season, he split time between Kitchener and London after being acquired by the Knights during the season. In 59 games between the two teams, Xu recorded one goal and 13 assists for 14 points.

He also has a Peterborough connection already, having played in last season’s Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Xu picked up one assist in the game.

The Petes say they’ve been keeping an eye on Xu since his U16 season, with General Manager and Vice President of Operations Mike Oke describing him as a big, physical defenceman who moves well.

Xu is currently committed to play hockey at Harvard University after his OHL career.

the Petes have Signed Defenceman James Buchan to OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement (photo courtesy of the peterborough petes)

The move comes one day after the Petes announced the signing of another young defenceman.

On Thursday, September 10th, the team signed 2009-born defenceman James Buchan to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.

Buchan, from Georgetown, Ontario, attended Petes Training Camp in August as a free agent invite after spending last season at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire.

He put up four goals and 19 assists for 23 points in 31 games, leading the school’s defencemen in scoring.

Before joining St. Paul’s School, Buchan played in the Oakville Rangers AAA system. He also made an impression during the Petes’ summer and preseason, including Development Camp in June, training camp and three preseason games this year. He has recorded six shots on goal in those three games.

Oke called Buchan an important piece for the future of the Petes and said the team believes he has the qualities it looks for both on and off the ice.

With both players now joining the organization, the Petes have added some size and experience to their group of defencemen while also bringing in a younger player the club sees as part of its future.

The Petes will open their season at home on Thursday, September 17th, but fans will get a chance to see their revamped lineup in preseason action on Saturday, September 12th, when they host the Niagara IceDogs at the PMC. Puck drop is set for 4:05pm.

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

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Lakers PRHC Night at the PMC Raises $20,000 for Local Patient Care

By Scott Arnold

A night of lacrosse and community support has turned into a $20,000 boost for patient care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

(left to right) lakers director of community engagement and partnerships pete dalliday, prhc foundation community giving & engagement manager jane lovett, prhc foundation president & ceo lesley heighway and kinsmen club of peterborough president bob hall (photo via instagram @prhc_foundation)

Another Peterborough Lakers season is in the books, but one special night from June is still making a difference at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

PRHC Night with the Lakeshow brought the local lacrosse community together to support the regional hospital, with fans helping raise money throughout the night.

Thanks to the generosity of the Kinsmen Club of Peterborough, every dollar raised was matched up to $10,000.

When the fundraising total needed one final push to reach that $10,000 mark, one generous Lakers supporter stepped up to help get it there.

With the matching funds from the Kinsmen Club, that turned the night's fundraising total into $20,000 for the PRHC Foundation.

It is a pretty special result from a night that brought together the Lakers, their fans and the wider Peterborough community, all while helping support the hospital so many people in the region rely on.

And while the Lakers' season may be over, the impact of that June night will continue well beyond the final whistle.

$20,000 raised, thanks to a community that showed up for the Lakeshow and for its regional hospital.

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

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Former Petes Star Jason Dawe Was in Manhattan When 9/11 Changed Everything

By Scott Arnold

Twenty-five years later, the former Peterborough Petes star still gets chills thinking about what he witnessed in New York City that morning.

Jason Dawe during his time with the Peterborough Petes (photo courtesy of the ontario hockey league)

For Jason Dawe, September 11th, 2001, wasn't something he watched unfold from a television screen.

He was in Manhattan.

Dawe, who played for the Peterborough Petes from 1989 to 1993 and helped the team win an OHL championship in 1993, was in New York as part of the Rangers organization when the terrorist attacks happened.

On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Dawe shared his memories of that morning on Facebook, offering a glimpse into what it was like to experience the events from inside New York City.

He was at Madison Square Garden for New York Rangers training camp when, according to Dawe, he watched the first plane hit the World Trade Center.

At that moment, Dawe says, there was no way of knowing what was happening or what was still to come.

Then another plane hit.

The events of the morning continued to unfold, and what initially seemed impossible became a terrifying reality for those watching from Manhattan.

Dawe remembers the moment the towers came down especially vividly.

Madison Square Garden, several kilometres from the World Trade Center, felt like it had been hit by a massive earthquake.

His hotel room was at 34th Street and Lexington Avenue, giving him a view toward the Hudson River and the area around Ground Zero.

He was suddenly witnessing one of the most devastating days in American history from the heart of New York City.

Twenty-five years later, the memories haven't faded.

Dawe described September 11th as the craziest day of his life and said he still gets chills thinking about what happened.

For Peterborough, Dawe is best remembered as one of the greatest offensive players in Petes history.

He remains the franchise's all-time leading goal scorer with 169 goals and ranks second in career points with 337. After his time in Peterborough, Dawe was selected in the second round of the NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres and went on to play in the NHL with Buffalo, the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens before joining the New York Rangers organization.

But on September 11th, 2001, none of that mattered.

He was simply a hockey player in New York who found himself watching history unfold from inside the city.

And 25 years later, he still remembers exactly what it felt like.

We remember September 11th, 2001, through the stories of the people who were there, and Dawe's is one that brings that day a little closer to home.

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

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Peterborough’s Porter Martone Takes His Talents to the Major League Baseball … to Throw Out the First Pitch for the Phillies

By Scott Arnold

Porter Martone hasn't played his first full NHL season yet, but he's already getting a pretty good idea of what it's like to be part of Philadelphia's sports scene.

peterborough native porter martone got to throw out the first pitch on the thursday night as the philadelphia phillies hosting the houston astros in mlb action (photo via instagram @philadelphiaflyers)

The Peterborough native and 6th overall pick of the Philadelphia Flyers threw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday, September 10th, as the Philadelphia Phillies hosted the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park.

Martone, wearing a powder blue Phillies jersey, got a big ovation from the Philadelphia crowd before taking the mound and delivering the pitch to the Phillie Phanatic.

(photo via instagram @philadelphiaflyers)

(photo via instagram @philadelphiaflyers)

(photo via instagram @philadelphiaflyers)

(photo via instagram @philadelphiaflyers)

The 19-year-old also joined the Phillies broadcast during the game, getting a chance to take in another side of the city's passionate sports culture.

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A post shared by NBC Sports Philadelphia (@nbcsphilly)

It's another pretty cool stop in what's been a whirlwind year for Martone, who went from his freshman season at Michigan State to making his NHL debut with the Flyers, playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and representing Canada at the IIHF World Championship.

Now, with his first full NHL season just around the corner, Martone is getting a taste of what it means to be a Philadelphia sports star.

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Two NLL Teams Are Gone, Leaving a Long List of Peterborough Lacrosse Connections Looking for New Homes

By Scott Arnold

The Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings are gone from the National Lacrosse League, and that leaves a long list of Peterborough lacrosse connections waiting to see where they land next.

tracey kelusky (left) and Paul day (second from right) are two of peterborough natives affected by the announcement of the philadelphia wings ceasing operation in the national lacrosse league. Also pictured are mike Hasen (holding mann cup) and bobby keast far right. (photo courtesy of Peterborough lakers)

The National Lacrosse League announced Thursday that both the Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings have discontinued operations and will not take part in the 2026-27 season.

The league will move forward with 12 teams for its 40th anniversary season, but the decision has a very local impact.

Philadelphia had several Peterborough connections throughout its organization.

Peterborough native Paul Day was the Wings' general manager, while fellow Peterborough native Tracey Kelusky was the team's offensive coach.

The Wings also had three Peterborough natives on the roster in Dylan Hutchison, Dustyn Birkhof and goaltender Deacon Knott.

Two members of the Peterborough Lakers, Alex Pace and Liam Patten, were also part of Philadelphia's organization.

Ottawa had its own strong Peterborough ties.

Lakers leading point-getter Rob Hellyer was part of the Black Bears, along with fellow Lakers player Justin Sykes. Former Lakers Tyler Carlson and Cole Begley were also part of the Ottawa organization.

Now, all of those players are left waiting to see where their NLL careers continue.

The league has combined the Ottawa and Philadelphia player pools for a single dispersal draft, which is scheduled for September 15th at 4pm ET.

The Oshawa FireWolves will have the first selection, followed by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, Rochester Knighthawks, Calgary Roughnecks, San Diego Seals, Halifax Thunderbirds, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Buffalo Bandits, Saskatchewan Rush, Vancouver Warriors and Toronto Rock.

The draft order is determined by regular-season winning percentages over the past two completed seasons, with the most recent season weighted at 70 per cent.

Following the dispersal draft, teams can sign selected players and negotiate with selected unrestricted free agents, subject to league rules.

For the Peterborough players involved, next week's draft could quickly change where they spend the upcoming season.

For Day and Kelusky, the situation is different. Their coaching and management experience could lead to opportunities elsewhere as NLL teams continue preparing for the 2026-27 season.

There is also an obvious local connection at the top of the draft.

The FireWolves, who play their home games at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, will have the first opportunity to select from the combined Ottawa and Philadelphia player pool.

So while two NLL franchises have disappeared, the impact of that decision could be felt much closer to home than it might initially seem.

For a group of Peterborough players, coaches and lacrosse executives, September 15th will be an important day as they wait to find out where the next chapter of their NLL careers will take them.

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

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Countdown to the Peterborough Petes Home Opener: Matthew Perreault Is Bigger, Stronger and More Confident

By Scott Arnold

After a promising rookie year, Matthew Perreault is heading into his second OHL season with a clear idea of what he wants to bring to the Petes, both on the ice and in the dressing room.

Matthew perrerault put in a lot of work over the summer in preparation for his sophomore ohl season with the peterborough petes (photo by scott arnold)

The 16-year-old defenceman added muscle over the summer, spending plenty of time in the gym and on the ice as he prepared for his sophomore season with the Petes.

“Lots of training in the gym, five times a week, on the ice, eating a lot of food.”

That added size is something Perreault believes will help him compete at a higher level, while the work he put in on the ice should give him another weapon to bring to the Petes blue line.

“Obviously getting bigger as well. Don’t get pushed around as much. So just adding that size and that speed, that’ll really help me. And honestly, playmaking, helping my teammates and trying to be a leader on and off the ice.”

Perreault finished his rookie season with five goals and 25 assists for 30 points in 65 games, and now he returns with a year of OHL experience under his belt.

That experience has also brought confidence.

“Yeah, I feel very confident. I’m a lot bigger than last year. So yeah, honestly, confidence is key in this league and I feel really confident going into this year.”

He also knows the expectations around this Petes group are high.

The team has added a mix of young players and veteran leadership, and Perreault sees an opportunity to do something special.

“We got a good group here and we’re going to do something special this year.”

And when it comes to what that means, Perreault was clear.

“We expect the championship and nothing less.”

After a summer spent getting bigger, faster and stronger, Perreault heads into Year 2 with confidence and a clear idea of what he wants to help the Petes accomplish.

The Petes will open their season at home against the Kingston Frontenacs on Thursday, September 17th, at 7pm at the Memorial Centre.

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

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