By SDSSAA Puck
Have you ever imagined watching a future star lace up against one of your friends in high‑school hockey?
In Ontario, many school programs welcome their rep players—sometimes even AAA standouts—whenever schedules allow. A few of those elite skaters suit up at the OFSAA championships, instantly boosting a school’s chances. But it’s rare to see anyone who’ll climb higher than Junior B or Junior C, let alone a prospect considered top‑tier in the province.
This year, with the tournament staged in Sudbury, the province’s best U16 skater was on the ice.
On Friday, Kaden McGregor went first overall to the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection. The Braeside native had spent the season with the Ottawa Valley Titans U16 AAA, torching the league for 49 goals and 106 points in just 38 games. With the Titans crowned champions in mid‑March and the OHL Cup still weeks away, McGregor chose to join his high school team, the St. Joseph Jaguars of Renfrew, coached by his father Stacey McGregor, for a run at OFSAA glory.
The Jaguars’ lineup was nothing like the Titans’. Apart from AAA teammate Andrew Enright on defence, most skaters hailed from the Upper Ottawa Valley Aces AA program. Confidence, though, was sky‑high.
Pool Play Dominance
Game 1 versus the Fort Frances Muskies set the tone: McGregor recorded a first‑period hat trick and added an empty‑netter for all four goals in a 4‑1 win. He followed with four goals and three assists on Sudbury Wolves ice, leading a 9‑2 rout of the East Northumberland Blue Dragons. Against the 3‑seeded Holy Trinity Titans—stacked with AAA talent—McGregor scored the first five in a 7‑3 victory. The Jaguars topped their pool and advanced.
Quarter‑Final Thriller
Word spread quickly in Sudbury. A large crowd gathered for the quarter‑final against the Belle River Nobles. McGregor answered all four Nobles tallies to force overtime, then circled the zone twice before feeding Sawyer Smart for the winner.
Semifinal Classic
Next came an instant classic versus hometown heroes, the St. Charles Cardinals. Held to a single goal through two periods, McGregor erupted for four in the third—twice going coast‑to‑coast—to seal a 5‑2 win and cement local legend status.
Gold‑Medal Bout
In the final, the Jaguars met the Sacred Heart Crusaders, fresh off an upset of the top‑seeded St. Theresa Titans. Down 2‑0 early, McGregor set up Smart late in the second, only for the Crusaders to answer ten seconds later. A third‑period blast by defenceman Tyler McEnery (from McGregor) cut it to 3‑2, but the Crusaders replied again and added an empty‑netter for a 5‑2 win. Goalie Myles Scott and a disciplined Crusader defence finally kept McGregor off the scoresheet.
A Tournament to Remember
Despite the silver finish, McGregor’s numbers—21 goals and 27 points in six games—were staggering. He left Sudbury a household name. When the Petes visit the Wolves next season, fans at the Sudbury Community Arena will remember the week he owned OFSAA ice.