OHL Preseason Roster Breakdown: Brampton Steelheads

Brampton starts their 2024-25 season on home ice where they will host the Brantford Bulldogs on Friday. The splashiest team in the offseason is the subject of our next preseason roster breakdown.

Last year, Brampton finished fourth in the Eastern Conference with 38 wins and 84 points. The youngest team in the league was impressive during the regular season showcasing their skill and ability. However, in the first round of the playoffs, their youth caught up with them and they lost to the Sudbury Wolves.

It has been an offseason of change in Brampton. A new name, new arena, and some big roster changes. They look like a serious contender that will sit amongst the top teams in the league this season.

Overage Players

As should be expected from what was the youngest team in the league last year, there are few overage players on the roster. Defenders Stevie Leskovar and Spencer Sova are the only overage players in Brampton.

The 2024-25 season will be Leskovar's third year with the Steelheads. Fourth, if you count the half-season he played in 2022-23 after being traded by Peterborough. At 6-foot-4 Leskovar is a physical defender who will be a stabilizing force within Brampton's D-corps. He is an NHL-drafted player, having been selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft by Minnesota.

Brampton acquired former Erie Otters captain Spencer Sova during the offseason. In his OHL career, Sova has scored roughly half a point per game. Last year, he scored 14 goals and added 17 assists for a total of 31 points in 58 games. Sova will be a leader for Brampton while also providing experience and stability.

With only two overage players on the preseason roster, Brampton has room to add two more veteran players during the season. If the season goes well it seems likely they will be buyers at the trade deadline.

Goaltenders

One of the big shakeups in Brampton this offseason occurred when the team traded Ryerson Leenders to Brantford in exchange for draft picks. As a result, we will see a new starting goaltender in Brampton this season.

Jack Ivankovic, Jacob Gibbons and Anthony Paolini are the three goalies vying for spots in the roster.

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The debate about the started can be swiftly dealt with. Ivankovic will be the leader of whatever tandem Brampton opts for this season. At the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer he won a gold medal for Canada. In four games, he averaged a stunning .75 goals against while maintaining a phenomenal .967 save percentage. In 25 games last season, he averaged 2.72 goals against while maintaining a .915 save percentage. Going into his draft year, Ivankovic will have the opportunity to showcase his talents as a starter.

Jacob Gibbons acted as the backup in Erie last season. Brampton sent several picks to Erie to acquire the 6-foot-6 goaltender. In 20 games last season, Gibbons averaged 5.11 goals against and maintained a .819 save percentage. In his second season in the OHL, Gibbons will look to improve on these numbers if he gets the nod as the backup goaltender behind Ivankovic.

Paolini played in the PJCHL with the Schomberg Cougars last season. In 18 games he averaged 2.61 goals against while maintaining a .912 save percentage. When compared to Gibbons, Paolini is very small at 5-foot-8. This will undoubtedly hurt Paolini's chances as small goaltenders have been out of style for the last decade.

2024 Draft Class

Three 2008-born players remain on Brampton's preseason roster. They are second-round pick Troy Patton, Third-round pick Owen Cartwright and 13th-round pick Manuel Amado.

First-round pick Adam Valentini committed to the University of Michigan and Brampton subsequently moved his rights to Kitchener.

Patton was an alternate captain for the Barrie Colts U-16 AAA last year. He finished the season fourth in scoring with 24 goals and 31 assists in 32 games. At 5-foot-10 he has room to grow, but he proved that he was an elite scorer at the AAA level.

Defender Owen Cartwright was an alternate captain for York Simcoe Express U-16 AAA last season. In 34 games, he scored one goal and added 26 assists for 27 points. The puck-moving defender will have the opportunity to learn from and grow alongside experienced players like Sova and Leskovar next season.

Amado played for the London Jr. Knights U-16 AAA last season. In 28 games, he scored five goals and added 17 assists for 22 points. At 6-foot-2 Amado is big for his age. He will have the advantage of size as he transitions into the OHL.

The true strength of Brampton's squad lies in its returning 2006 and 2005-born players. Porter Martone, Carson Rehkopf, Angus Macdonell and Jakub Fibigr will have huge roles to play on this team. They should be fun to watch and very skilled.

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Related: Brampton Steelheads Acquire 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Jacob Gibbons From Erie