Six OJHL coaches selected to lead the league’s top young talent
MISSISSAUGA, ON – October 20, 2026 – The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is proud to announce the six coaches selected to lead teams in the 2026 Zach Hyman OJHL Prospects Series.
Following the successful inaugural series last season, the event returns with seven games showcasing the league’s top 16- and 17-year-old players as they compete in a high-level environment designed to support their continued development and advancement.
The six selected coaches will lead three teams from each of the OJHL’s East and West Conferences.
EAST CONFERENCE COACHES
- Derek Smith – Cobourg Cougars
- Tyler Turcotte – North York Rangers
- Corey Beer – Pickering Panthers
WEST CONFERENCE COACHES
- Mark Jooris – Burlington Cougars
- Alex Bezerra – Mississauga Chargers
- Brandon Villamere – Caledon Admirals
The selected coaches bring valuable experience, leadership and a commitment to player development. Throughout the series, they will have the opportunity to work with some of the league’s most promising young players while helping prepare them for the next level of hockey.
The Zach Hyman OJHL Prospects Series continues to reflect one of the league’s six standards, “We Earn the Next Level,” by providing meaningful opportunities for young athletes to compete, develop and showcase their abilities in front of scouts and hockey personnel.
Last season’s inaugural series featured 90 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft picks, with numerous participants advancing to the OHL this season.
The 2026 series begins November 2 at the CAA Centre in Brampton, with additional games taking place in Oakville, Oshawa and Cobourg. The championship game will be held January 5, 2027, at the TD Civic Centre in Brantford, home of the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs.
Team rosters and additional event information will be announced ahead of the series.
About the OJHL – “Made for More”
In this league, we don’t just talk about the next level – we prepare for it every day. The OJHL is a Junior A hockey league built around one shared standard: developing players who are ready for what comes next, in hockey and in life. We push each other toward NCAA, OHL, U SPORTS (CIS), and ultimately professional hockey across North America and Europe – and we take pride in knowing 38 of our alumni are currently in the NHL, more than any other CJHL league. But the expectation here goes beyond the ice. We show up for each other through the OJHL Foundation and our 1st and 2nd Assist programs, because development doesn’t stop when practice ends. This is a player-first environment, not as a slogan, but how we operate. Inside this room, we understand what it means to carry the standard forward – and to make sure the group behind us is even stronger than the one before it.
For more information:
Noah Vandervinne
Director, Marketing & Events
Ontario Junior Hockey League
905-706-8987
nvandervinne@theojhl.ca
