April 12 , 2024, Mississauga, ON – …. Matthew Manza of the Toronto Patriots is the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Rookie of the Year for the 2023-24 season, the league announced today.
Manza committed to NCAA Division I Ohio State for 2025 in September.
Manza, who turned 16 on Sept. 22, joined the Patriots this past season from his hometown Mississauga Senators U16 team.
The youngest player on the Patriots’ roster, Manza led the team in scoring as a point-a-game guy – 49 in 49. Six of his 26 goals were game-winners.
Selected to play in the Hudl InStat Prospects Game in Collingwood last January, Manza was named to the OJHL First All-Prospect Team this spring.
“A few days into camp it was evident to us that Matthew had some offensive ability that, perhaps, had gone overlooked,” Patriots Head Coach Vince Bellissimo told the OJHL. “We gave him a good opportunity in the pre-season to build on it and he had an excellent, productive pre-season which led to him starting the year in an offensive role. From there he was able to score consistently throughout the year, not only establishing himself in the league, but also accepting a scholarship to The Ohio State University from the Big 10 Conference.
“We feel Matthew has the potential to be an impactful Division 1 college player and a future pro with continued focus, detailed work and continued consistent offensive production.”
Manza was a ninth-round pick of the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League’s 2023 U16 draft.
“It’s a big jump from minor midget and minor hockey,” Manza told the OJHL of the move to junior. “Stepping in as a 16-year-old, it’s hard to produce numbers. You’re a little bit smaller and less strong than everyone else. But my teammates, coaches, our GM (Blake Ricci) and everyone in the organization helped me all year to do my best and get me ready.”
“Everything becomes more detailed (in junior hockey) and the players are all bigger and stronger. There are more practices and more to the pregame routines. A lot more details go into everything at this level.”
On going the school route.
“Growing up around here, the OHL is more promoted,” he said. “A lot of kids don’t know about the NCAA route. I was on the edge about which way I wanted to go, probably 50/50. But after getting (college offers), it was a no-brainer for me.”
Two weeks into the OJHL season, Manza had already heard from “13 to 15” NCAA schools. A visit to storied Ohio State made his decision easy, he said.
His summer plans are all about “getting bigger, stronger and faster to have an even better season next year.” Look for him in the gym and in skating sessions this offseason.
Matthew Manza will be honoured along with the other OJHL award recipients at a ceremony during the OJHL Nutrafarms Championship Series later this month.
The OJHL is announcing its 2023-24 award winners throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs.
NEXT WEEK: Most Valuable Player
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. 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 U SPORTS, the NCAA, CHL, minor pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL has had more than 45 NCAA Division I scholarships already this season.
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