One of three Ontario Junior Hockey League players on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2025 NHL Draft released today
April 15, 2025, Mississauga, ON – …. Jonathan Kapageridis of the Cobourg Cougars is the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Hudl InStat Top Prospect for 2024-25, the league announced today.
The award is presented annually to the OJHL player selected by NHL Central Scouting as the top-ranked draft-eligible prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft.
He was one of five Canadian Junior Hockey League players – including three alone from the OJHL – on the NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2025 NHL Draft released today. Noah Tegelaar of the Collingwood Blues and Mikhail Zakharov of the King Rebellion are the other OJHLers on the list.
Kapageridis had a highlight-filled season, complete with selections to all-star teams, commitments to both Ontario Hockey League and NCAA teams and that aforementioned NHL Draft list.
The 17-year-old – he turns 18 on May 8 – from Vaughan is a self-described “late bloomer”.
Kapageridis, who committed to the NCAA Division I University of Vermont Catamounts in November, had 30 points (8 goals/22 assists) in 37 games as he battled injury this season.
Kapageridis represented the OJHL as a member of Team Canada East at the Junior A World Challenge in Alberta and the Battle of Ontario all-star series in Smiths Falls.
He also played eight games with the North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League, including three during this year’s playoffs.
“Jonathan’s dedication both on and off the ice sets an extraordinary example for his teammates and the next generation of athletes,” Max Wang, Cobourg’s Governor told the OJHL. “We are proud to see his efforts recognized on such a significant platform, and we are confident this is just the beginning of a very bright future.”
Kapageridis had 14 points (four goals/10 assists) in 17 OJHL playoff games with the Cougars as an affiliate player from the Don Mills Flyers U18 AAA team during the spring of 2024.
Kapageridis looks back on the whirlwind that was 2024-25.
“It was a really eventful year and really exciting,” he told the OJHL this week. “Coming into Cobourg and playing with mostly the same group of guys and the coaching staff as the year before (as an affiliate player) … it was great to be back there and I owe a lot of my success to them.
“Then getting called to Team Canada East was a huge honour to represent the country. Being named to the draft list is another big honour and a step in the right direction.
“So much has happened and I’m just super grateful and very excited for what is to come.”
Kapageridis wasn’t selected in the Ontario Hockey League’s U16 draft. The Sarnia Sting picked him a year later, in the U18 draft, before dealing his rights to North Bay.
“I think I had the same skillset (in the U16) year as I do now,” he said. “But I think I really blossomed (in U18). My skating got a lot better.
“After your U16 year, you don’t get drafted and it’s a bit disappointing. But for me, that was just motivation. I didn’t take it in a bad way or wrong way, I just used it as a learning experience. It’s good to go through that adversity. I really found my confidence and stride during my U18 year and then I had a great opportunity in Cobourg. I guess I just used it to prove them wrong.”
“The OJ has been an awesome league for my development. The OJ was the first place that brought eyes to me. It’s a great development league to get your feet under you.”
Kapageridis, who hopes to play full time in the OHL for North Bay next season, is busy with off-season training and dealing with inquiries from NHL teams ahead of the draft.
“The accolades Jonathan received this year were all well deserved,” said Connor Armour, his coach in Cobourg who is now with the Pickering Panthers. “Every time he was on the ice he had the ability to make something happen. His passing is elite, he has an extremely high hockey IQ and, most importantly, he is an outstanding person. He’s going to be a fun player to watch over the next few years.”
Kapageridis will be honoured along with the other OJHL award recipients at a ceremony during the OJHL Championship Series later this month.
The OJHL is announcing its 2024-25 award winners ahead of the Championship Series.
TOMORROW: Rookie of the Year
About the OJHL – “League of Choice”
The Ontario Junior Hockey League is the largest Junior ‘A’ league operating under the auspices of the Canadian Junior Hockey League with 24 member clubs – including the 2024 national champion Collingwood Blues. A proud member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey Association, the OJHL was originally named the Ontario Provincial Junior ‘A’ Hockey League and it was formed out of the Central Junior ‘B’ Hockey League in 1993-94. With a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, including the CHL, U SPORTS, the NCAA, minor pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL has had more than 100 commitments already this season.
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