Can't-Miss Games: Week Sixteen

The trade deadline is behind us, and teams are revving their engines as they race towards the end of the season. We looked at the games taking place across the league and came up with three that are must-watch events.

As a reminder, games qualify as must-watch if they feature a great matchup, a unique storyline or an aspect that cannot be found in other games going on that week.

Before we get started, there are a couple of honorable mentions that did not make the top three this week. Both the London vs Sudbury game on Saturday and the Windsor vs Oshawa game on Sunday are fantastic matchups that could easily have made the top three.

Without further ado, here are the three can't-miss games taking place this week in the OHL.

Sudbury Wolves @ Windsor Spitfires - Thursday, Jan 16, 7:05 p.m.

This is a big week for the Sudbury Wolves. Last week they added Henry Mews at the deadline and got San Jose Sharks' prospect Quentin Musty back from injury. This week will be the first measure of what this team can bring down the stretch. As such, a matchup against the high-flying Spitfires is a much watch.

Related: Sudbury Wolves Acquire Flames Prospect In Surprising Trade Deadline Deal

In addition, the Wolves are tied with Kingston for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Given Kingston's struggles against the top teams, this week could be an opportunity for Sudbury to take a firm hold on fourth.

Windsor continues to rampage across the league trailing only London who sit in the top spot. They are within shooting distance of the Knights, but cannot afford to drop games if they want to catch up.

Kitchener Rangers @ Brampton Steelheads - Saturday, Jan 18, 4:00 p.m.

If Brampton were in the Western Conference they would be just a point behind the fourth-place Saginaw Spirit. As it is, they are seventh in the Eastern Conference sitting four points behind the Bulldogs.

While everyone agrees that Brampton has a strong roster, they have not yet lived up to their full potential. Beating Kitchener in back-to-back games would go a long way toward building up the team's confidence for the second half of the year.

Related: Brampton Adds Anaheim Fourth-Round Pick In Trade With Owen Sound

Former Rangers forward Carson Rehkopf scored two goals and added an assist in his return to Kitchener last week. The Rangers will be looking to bounce back and get a little revenge this week on the road.

Barrie Colts @ Niagara IceDogs - Sunday, Jan 19, 2:00 p.m.

The Niagara IceDogs and Oshawa Generals are tied for the top of the Eastern Conference. The Colts sit three points behind the leaders with two games in hand on both teams.

Related: North Bay And Barrie Swap Players In Blockbuster Trade

Those games in hand are what make this game so important for both teams. If Barrie grabs the win they gain two points on Niagara while maintaining their games in hand. However, if Niagara gets the win they will be five points ahead of Barrie which keeps them safe in the event that Barrie wins both their games in hand.

Barrie loaded up at the deadline adding Vancouver Canucks prospect Anthony Romani and Owen Van Steensel. Their now very deep roster has all the ingredients needed to compete for an OHL Championship. Niagara will be a great test for their revamped roster.