Peterborough Blogs
Peterborough's Mitchell Stephens Signs One-Year Contract With Montréal Canadiens in NHL Free Agency
/Two-time Stanley Cup champion and Peterborough’s Mitchell Stephens signed a one-year deal with the Montréal Canadiens during the first day of NHL free agency on Wednesday.
Stephens during his tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He spent his first two seasons with Tampa (2019-21) and traded to Detroit for the 2022-23 season. Photo courtesy of Mitchell Stephens.
His two-way contract is worth $750,000, the league minimum.
Stephens spent last season with the Detroit Red Wings, posting six assists in 27 games played. He spent his two years prior to Detroit in Tampa Bay where he won back-to-back Cups with the Lightning.
During his two years with Tampa Bay, he registered three goals and four assists in 45 games. Mitchell has yet to score a goal since his rookie season in 2019. He has played seven playoff games (all with Tampa in 2019) and scored one goal.
The Peterborough forward played 130 games for Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch since 2017-18. He scored 36 goals and 47 assists during his tenure.
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Peterborough Petes Tucker Robertson Taken 123rd in NHL Entry Draft By Seattle Kraken
/Peterborough Petes forward Tucker Robertson is heading to the Pacific Midwest as he was drafted 123rd overall by the Seattle Kraken in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.
Robinson was narrowly missed by the Toronto Maple Leafs as they held the 122nd pick, using it on goaltender Dennis Hildeby. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.
Robertson has become the first-ever Pete drafted by the Seattle Kraken since the team’s inception last year.
He knotted 41 goals and 40 assists for 81 points in 68 games with the Petes.
“Relentless and determined player with good creativity,” said Joey Tenute, NHL scout. “Works hard away from the puck.”
Robertson (#22) after scoring against the Sudbury Wolves on the Petes’ 2021-22 home opener game on Oct. 14 last year. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Petes President Dave Pogue and assistant coach Andrew Verner were in attendance at the Bell Centre in Montréal with Robertson where the draft was held.
Robertson will join fellow OHLer and Kingston Frontenac, Shane Wright, who was drafted fourth by Seattle.
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Hometown PTBO: Dean Morton Officiating His 1,000th NHL Game and His Lone NHL Goal
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This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with NHL referee Dean Morton shortly after officiating his 1,000th game and the story of Steve Yzerman assisting his only goal in one game in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings.
Local Hockey Player Signs Three-Year Entry Level NHL Contract With St. Louis Blues
/Peterborough’s Will Cranley and his dream of being in the NHL has come true as he signed a three-year entry contract with the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.
WIll Cranley had a .872 save percentage with a 3.84 goals against average in 34 games with the Ottawa 67’s in the 2021-22 season so far. Photo courtesy of Chad Cranley.
The local goaltender’s contract will start for the 2022-23 season. He will continue playing with Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67's this year.
He was drafted by the Blues in the sixth round, 163rd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
”We are very proud of Will and the young man that he has become both as a person and an athlete,” said Chad Cranley, Will’s father. “Hearing his name called on draft day was extremely special and words can hardly describe the excitement we feel for him with his recent signing with the St. Louis Blues.”
We've signed goalie Will Cranley, our sixth-round pick in 2020, to a three-year entry-level contract. https://t.co/nXlNK5xlUQ #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 2, 2022
Will played for the Peterborough Petes U15 and U16 AAA teams as a goalie for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons respectively.
The 67’s drafted him 35th overall in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection Draft as he spent his entire OHL career there.
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Three Petes Have Been Named To NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings
/The NHL Central Scouting Service released its Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft on July 7-8 in Montreal, Quebec. Three Petes made the ranking.
Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.
Forward Tucker Robertson and defenceman Samuel Mayer are projected to go in the 4th round, while Sam Alfano is slated to go in the 6th round.
Robertson, who earned the 109th spot on the North American list, has amassed career-high 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points in 28 games this season. Amongst Robertson’s 19 goals, seven of them have been on the power play, ranking him third in the OHL. The 5’10.5”, 190 lbs centre, who was selected in the 4th round, 72nd overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, was invited to the Carolina Hurricanes 2021 NHL Prospects Showcase in September.
Mayer, a hard-hitting rearguard with offensive upside, has eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in the first 28 games of his OHL career. The L’Original, Ontario native is ranked 120th on the North American list. The 6’2.5”, 200 lbs left-shot d-man is first in the OHL with four power play goals and second in the league in goals amongst defencemen. He was selected by the Petes 15th overall in the 2020 U18 OHL Priority Selection.
Alfano, who has six goals and five assists for 11 points in his first 28 career OHL games, is ranked 190th on the North American list. The Cayuga, Ontario native who stands at 6’3.5” and weighs 205 lbs, recorded his first multi-goal game on January 7 against the Kingston Frontenacs. Alfano skated at Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence Summer Showcase in July, 2021. The 2004-born right winger was selected in the 2nd round, 23rd overall in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection.
Fans can watch Robertson, Mayer, and Alfano face off against the Sudbury Wolves this Thursday on YourTV Peterborough-Lindsay, or tune in on Freq 90.5.
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Hometown PTBO: Bill Speers On His Father's NHL Legacy, The Lindsay Clipper and Relationship With Bobby Orr
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This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with Bill Speers of Lindsay about this father Francis William Speer and his NHL legacy, the story behind the "The Lindsay Clipper" nickname and relationships with Bobby Orr and other hockey greats.
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Peterborough Petes Mason McTavish Makes History In NHL Regular Season Debut
/Mason McTavish did not waste any time making an impact in the NHL.
In the first shot of his NHL debut, the Peterborough Pete became the youngest player to score in Anaheim Ducks history on Wednesday.
Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.
McTavish’s game-winning goal came at 13:20 of the first period off a backhand shot rebound from teammate Isac Lundeström that went past 2020 Vezina trophy-winner Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. Lundeström and Jakob Silfverberg were credited with an assist on the milestone goal.
The goal was under review since it occurred prior to a referee whistle. The shot counted as the puck was moving forward when the whistle was blown.
“(I) couldn’t have dreamed any better, to be honest,” said McTavish in a post-game interview. “The big win, the goal, definitely one I’ll never forget.”
With that goal, McTavish becomes the franchise’s youngest goalscorer at 18 years and 256 days of age. He also became the sixth Duck to record a multi-point game in their Anaheim debut.
The Ducks went on to defeat the Jets 4-1 in the season-opening game for both teams.
McTavish was selected third overall by the Ducks in the 2021 NHL Draft in July after defenseman Owen Power and Matty Berniers were taken first and second by the Buffalo Sabers and Seattle Kraken respectively.
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Back-To-Back Champion to Bring Stanley Cup Back to Peterborough
/After winning back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in his first two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Peterborough’s Mitchell Stephens will bring the prestigious trophy to Peterborough next Wednesday.
Stephens winning his second consecutive Stanley Cup at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, FL. Photo Courtesy of Mitchell Stephens.
“It’s going to be amazing to see my family and my friends celebrating it with me,” said Stephens. “My parents weren’t able to come down to either event. It’s going to be an amazing feeling for my dad to hold the Stanley Cup.”
Stephens will ride in a boat starting at the Peterborough Lift Lock at 5:30 p.m. He will descend the historic landmark with hockey’s most coveted trophy. The public is encouraged to spectate at the canal with parking and designated viewing areas on Ashburnham Drive to watch the water parade. Additional parking is available at the Lift Lock Visitor Centre on Hunter Street.
The boat will make its way through the Trent Severn Waterway to Little Lake and finish at the Fred Anderson Stage in Del Crary Park at roughly 6:30 p.m.
A route map of the Stanley Cup water parade starting at the Lift Lock and going down the Trent Severn Waterway. File Photo.
The 24-year old was unable to bring the cup home after his first win due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each winning member is allowed one day with the trophy where players typically bring it back to their respective hometowns. He had the cup for the day in Tampa Bay but understood why he could not bring it back to Peterborough.
“We understood it was challenging circumstances last year with COVID,” explained Stephens. “But to win it again and have the chance to celebrate in our hometowns like a normal year definitely made it sweeter.”
Stephens winning his first Stanley Cup championship in Edmonton in his rookie year during the 2019-20 NHL season. Photo Courtesy of Mitchell Stephens.
Stephens had played minor hockey in Peterborough for years before he played for the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League from 2011-2013 in the U15 and U16 age groups.
From 2014-2017, the hometown champion has played in two World Juniors and two World Junior U18 Championships winning a gold, silver and bronze medal.
Stephens as a member of the Peterborough Petes before playing minor Peewee hockey in Toronto. Photo Courtesy of Mitchell Stephens.
In 2013, he was drafted eighth overall by the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection draft where he played for four years.
He was drafted 33rd overall in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015 and was sent to play with the Syracuse Crunch, the team’s American Hockey League farm team.
Stephens has scored a total of eight goals in his four World Junior appearences. Photo Courtesy of Mitchell Stephens.
Stephens scored his first goal on Dec. 28, 2019, against Montréal Canadiens’ Carey Price— who Tampa Bay beat in Stephens’s second cup win — after his rebound shot bounced off Artturi Lehkonen.
Entering his third NHL season, Stephens was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft on July 30.
“The Lift Lock is a staple of Peterborough. It’s been recognizable. For me to do that, to bring the community together and celebrate one of the greatest trophies in sports,” reflected Stephens. “It’s an exciting opportunity for me to show the young athletes in Peterborough that I grew up playing minor hockey and I achieved this. The most important thing is to share it with my friends and family to the people who supported me during the highs and lows and show my gratitude.“
A reminder to everyone attending that all COVID-19 protocols are in effect, exercise caution and to maintain social distancing while viewing the event.
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Petes Player Mason McTavish Signs Entry-Level Contract With Anaheim Ducks
/The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the NHL club has signed Mason McTavish to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.
