The 2025–26 OEHL season is the third season of the Ontario Elite Hockey League. The league began play on October 3, 2025 and concluded on January 31, 2026. The post-season began on February 6, 2026 and concluded on April 26, 2026.
The Seaforth Centenaires won the J. F. Paxton Trophy, as they defeated the Ripley Wolves in six games.
Due to the length of the post-season, the Minto 81's have been announced as the OEHL representative at the Allan Cup. At the Allan Cup, the 81's finished in fifth place.
Off-season Expansion On May 23, 2025, the OEHL member clubs and the Ontario Hockey Association approved three expansion applications for the 2025–26 season. Two weeks later, on June 6, the league announced the approval of two more expansion applications. This will bring the league to 16 teams.
In the first round of expansion, the OEHL member clubs and the OHA approved the applications for the Elora Rocks, Shelburne Muskies and Tillsonburg Thunder. All three teams had previously played in the WOAA Senior Hockey League.
In the second round of expansion, the OEHL member clubs and the OHA approved the applications for the Dunnville Aeros and Elmvale Harvesters.
In the third round of expansion, the OEHL announced the Delhi Flames and the Petrolia Squires would join the league, bringing the number of franchises to 18 in the league.
Conferences With the OEHL expanding to 18 teams, the league announced that the teams would be split into two conferences, the North Conference and South Conference. Teams will play a 20-game regular season schedule with all games played within their conference.
2025–26 OEHL Conferences North Conference South Conference Creemore Coyotes Delhi Flames Durham Thundercats Dunnville Aeros Elmvale Harvesters Elora Rocks Georgian Bay Applekings Erin Outlaws Lucknow Lancers Milverton Four Wheel Drives Minto 81's Petrolia Squires Ripley Wolves Seaforth Centenaires Saugeen Shores Winterhawks Tavistock Royals Shelburne Muskies Tillsonburg Thunder
Regular season Final standings Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L= Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points; Green shade = Clinched playoff spot
Rank North Conference GP W L OTL SL Pts GF GA 1 Ripley Wolves 20 16 4 0 0 32 117 49 2 Minto 81's 20 15 4 1 0 31 103 65 3 Elmvale Harvesters 20 14 5 1 0 29 116 89 4 Durham Thundercats 20 14 6 0 0 28 140 72 5 Saugeen Shores Winterhawks 20 11 7 1 1 24 95 81 6 Georgian Bay Applekings 20 11 9 0 0 22 102 95 7 Lucknow Lancers 20 4 15 1 0 9 55 119 8 Shelburne Muskies 20 3 15 2 0 8 62 128 9 Creemore Coyotes 20 2 18 0 0 4 61 153
Rank South Conference GP W L OTL SL Pts GF GA 1 Seaforth Centenaires 20 15 4 0 1 31 103 48 2 Petrolia Squires 20 15 5 0 0 30 99 61 3 Elora Rocks 20 14 6 0 0 28 118 78 4 Erin Outlaws 20 12 5 1 2 27 89 68 5 Tavistock Royals 20 12 7 1 0 25 100 76 6 Dunnville Aeros 20 9 11 0 0 18 92 87 7 Tillsonburg Thunder 20 8 11 0 1 17 79 76 8 Milverton Four Wheel Drives 20 5 10 3 2 15 63 96 9 Delhi Flames 20 0 20 0 0 0 21 174
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team Brody LeBlancDurham Thundercats 20 31 30 61 6Luke EurigDurham Thundercats 20 23 35 58 16Jacob KellyElmvale Harvesters 19 19 39 58 14Garrett MeursRipley Wolves 17 19 29 48 34Cody BrittonRipley Wolves 19 19 27 46 6Mackenzie FlemingGeorgian Bay Applekings 20 19 27 46 24Kyler NixonDurham Thundercats 20 11 34 45 6Evan BuehlerGeorgian Bay Applekings 18 11 28 39 8Alex UttleyElora Rocks 19 10 29 39 32Mitch AtkinsTavistock Royals 20 10 25 35 10
Leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team Ben NelsonMinto 81's 6 333 5 0 0 10 0 1.80Alex HutchesonSeaforth Centenaires 12 668 10 2 0 23 0 2.07Jason HamiltonRipley Wolves 11 634 8 3 0 22 2 2.08Tyler ParrSeaforth Centenaires 9 523 5 2 1 23 0 2.64Garrett GolleyRipley Wolves 9 498 7 1 0 23 0 2.77
Playoffs J. F. Paxton Trophy playoffs The top seven teams in each conference qualify for the J.F. Paxton Trophy playoffs. The eighth and ninth place teams will play a best-of-three series for the eighth seed.
J. F. Paxton Trophy playoff bracket
Preliminary round North conference preliminary round (8) Shelburne Muskies vs. (9) Creemore Coyotes Note: Game one was played at Dundalk Arena in Dundalk, Ontario Note: Creemore forfeited Game three due to not having enough players
South conference preliminary round (8) Milverton Four Wheel Drives vs. (9) Delhi Flames
Conference quarter-finals North conference quarter-finals (1) Ripley Wolves vs. (8) Shelburne Muskies
(2) Minto 81's vs. (7) Lucknow Lancers
(3) Elmvale Harvesters vs. (6) Georgian Bay Applekings
(4) Durham Thundercats vs. (5) Saugeen Shores Winterhawks
South conference quarter-finals (1) Seaforth Centenaires vs. (8) Milverton Four Wheel Drives
(2) Petrolia Squires vs. (7) Tillsonburg Thunder
(3) Elora Rocks vs. (6) Dunnville Aeros
(4) Erin Outlaws vs. (5) Tavistock Royals
Conference semi-finals North conference semi-finals (1) Ripley Wolves vs. (4) Durham Thundercats
(2) Minto 81's vs. (3) Elmvale Harvesters
South conference semi-finals (1) Seaforth Centenaires vs. (5) Tavistock Royals
(2) Petrolia Squires vs. (3) Elora Rocks
Conference finals North conference finals (1) Ripley Wolves vs. (2) Minto 81's Note: Game four was played at the Steve Kerr Memorial Complex in Listowel, Ontario Note: Ripley awarded a 5–0 win in game six due to Minto playing an illegal player.
South conference finals (1) Seaforth Centenaires vs. (3) Elora Rocks Note: Game four was played at the Centre Wellington Sportsplex in Fergus, Ontario.
OEHL finals J.F. Paxton Trophy finals (N1) Ripley Wolves vs. (S1) Seaforth Centenaires
Hugh McLean Trophy playoffs Following the J.F. Paxton Trophy conference quarter-finals, the Erin Outlaws, Saugeen Shores Winterhawks, Shelburne Muskies and Tillsonburg Thunder announced that they would play in the "A" playoffs.
The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks won the Hugh McLean Trophy, sweeping the Tillsonburg Thunder in the final round.
Hugh McLean Trophy playoff bracket
McLean Trophy semi-finals North conference finals (1) Saugeen Shores Winterhawks vs. (2) Shelburne Muskies
South conference finals (1) Erin Outlaws vs. (2) Tillsonburg Thunder
McLean Trophy finals (N1) Saugeen Shores Winterhawks vs. (S2) Tillsonburg Thunder
Playoff scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team Camden DaigleSeaforth Centenaires 21 16 15 31 28Rob FlickSaugeen Shores Winterhawks 8 12 19 31 14Garrett MeursRipley Wolves 22 14 16 30 52Miles MacLeanSaugeen Shores Winterhawks 12 12 17 29 0Ethan SkinnerRipley Wolves 22 14 13 27 32Brent MacDermidSaugeen Shores Winterhawks 12 7 20 27 0Cody BrittonRipley Wolves 22 9 16 25 22Jared NashSeaforth Centenaires 21 11 13 24 2Mark McIntoshElora Rocks 12 9 13 22 10Brody LeBlancDurham Thundercats 11 9 12 21 8
Playoff leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team Andrew MastersTavistock Royals 11 675 7 4 21 4 1.87Jonathan ReinhartMinto 81's 11 661 8 3 23 1 2.09Alex HutchesonSeaforth Centenaires 22 1363 16 6 56 1 2.47Colin DunneElora Rocks 14 832 8 6 43 1 3.10Jason HamiltonRipley Wolves 20 1207 11 9 64 1 3.18
Awards On March 18, 2026, the OEHL announced the regular season award winners.
2025–26 OEHL Regular Season Awards Award North Conference South Conference Most Valuable Player Kyler Nixon, Durham Thundercats Alex Hutcheson, Seaforth Centenaires Most Sportsmanlike Player Kyler Nixon, Durham Thundercats Andrew Tapsell, Delhi Flames Top Scorer Award Brody LeBlanc, Durham Thundercats Alex Uttley, Elora Rocks Lowest Goals Against Garrett Golley & Jason Hamilton, Ripley Wolves Alex Hutcheson & Tyler Parr, Seaforth Centenaires
References
External links Ontario Elite Hockey League