Looking at the OHL's Western Conference

The 2019-20 Ontario Hockey League regular season officially opened on Thursday night as the Niagara IceDogs beat the Sudbury Wolves in the lone game on opening day.

The new season brings with it some interesting storylines across the league, as it does every year.

In the second of a two-part series, we take a look at the OHL’s Western Conference and some of the players and storylines to look out for in the conference.

Teams are listed by division in alphabetical order.

On Thursday, we took a look at the Eastern Conference.

Midwest Division

Erie Otters: After missing the playoffs by four points last season, the Otters look to take a step into the playoff picture this season.

Defenceman Jamie Drysdale enters the season as one of the top draft eligible prospects for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft from the OHL and is coming off a rookie season that saw him put up 40 points in 63 games last year.

A pair of first-year forwards are also expected to have an impact in Austen Swankler, acquired in a trade with Ottawa last season, and Connor Lockhart, selected third overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection.

Guelph Storm: Dealing overage forward Liam Hawel and goaltender Anthony Popovich signal the rebuild for the Storm after winning the OHL title last season.

Cam Hillis (Montreal Canadiens) and Eric Uba stand to be keys for the Storm offensively this season.

After a solid rookie season, Hillis had 22 points in an injury shortened year last season while Uba is coming off a solid season offensively last season with Flint.

Kitchener Rangers: Adding overage forward Liam Hawel from Guelph ahead of the regular season is a big addition for a Rangers team that looked to be already in good shape entering the season.

Hawel took a big step in his offensive production last season with 37 goals and 78 points, a 37-point improvement from the previous season.

The team will look to Los Angeles Kings prospect Jacob Ingham to take a step in his development in goal this season after being brought over during the summer in a trade with Mississauga. If Ingham takes that step, the Rangers will be an extremely tough team to face on a nightly basis.

London Knights: The Knights will have little trouble scoring this season.

Washington Capitals prospect Connor McMichael and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Liam Foudy headline a talented group up front.

The key for the Knights this season will be their ability to defend. The team is young on the back end and will look to support veteran goaltender Jordan Kooy, a Vegas Golden Knights prospect who is taking over the starting reigns between the pipes full time for the first time.

Owen Sound Attack: After a deal that sent goaltender Andrew MacLean to the Oshawa Generals during the summer, Mack Guzda is set to become the full-time starter this season.

A former second round pick of the Attack, Guzda is entering his third season with the club and coming off a year in which he went 20-19-4-1.

Los Angeles Kings prospect Aidan Dudas headlines the forward group that also includes former first round OHL pick Kirill Nizhnikov, who will play for his third team four seasons.

Drafted by the Mississauga Steelheads in 2016, Nizhnikov didn’t report to the team for training cam and was traded to Barrie, where he played 43 games in his first season. He was dealt during his second season to the Sudbury Wolves. After playing 20 games with the Wolves last season, he returned home.

West Division

Flint Firebirds: The Firebirds struggled out of the gate last season, but the expectation is that the team could turn a few heads this season.

The team added an overage goaltender this summer by bringing in Anthony Popovich from the Guelph Storm, giving the team some experience.

NHL prospect Vladislav Kolyachonok (Florida Panthers) heads the blueline while Ty Dellandrea (Dallas Stars) will combine with rookie forward Brennan Othmann will look to lead the Firebirds offensively.

Saginaw Spirit: After making it to the Western Conference final last season, expectations remain high in Saginaw this season.

Even with the graduation of Owen Tippett and Ryan McLeod, the Spirit offence is still going to be tough to contain with New York Islanders prospect Blade Jenkins and 2020 draft prospect Cole Perfetti leading the way.

19-year-old Minnesota Wild prospect Damien Giroux is coming off a 30-goal season and has set career highs offensively the past two seasons and stands to take another step in his development this season.

Should Bode Wilde return from the New York Islanders training camp, he will be in the mix as the OHL’s top defenceman this season.

Sarnia Sting: The Sting enter the season as an interesting team.

Overage forward Ryan McGregor quietly posted 77 points last season on a Sting team that finished in seventh in the Western Conference.

Jamieson Rees, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect, played in just 37 games last year but set career highs offensively and 2020 draft eligible forward Jacob Perreault had 30 goals in his rookie season.

Soo Greyhounds: A lot hinges on the potential return of Barrett Hayton to junior by the Arizona Coyotes.

As it stands, import forward Jaromir Pytlik will look to build on a solid start to his OHL career after joining the Greyhounds at midseason last year.

Eligible for the 2020 NHL draft, Pytlik scored 11 times in 26 games after joining the team and can fit in both at centre and on the wing for the Greyhounds.

Local product Cole MacKay will look to build on a strong sophomore season that saw him score 27 goals.

On the blueline, the graduation of Mac Hollowell (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Jordan Sambrook means Montreal Canadiens prospect Jacob LeGuerrier and Holden Wale will be looked to more, as will sophomore defenceman Ryan O’Rourke.

Windsor Spitfires: A pair of forward touted for the 2020 NHL draft will lead the way for the Spitfires this season.

Will Cuylle and Jean-Luc Foudy will look to take on added roles in Windsor this season.

Nashville Predators prospect Egor Afanasyev, acquired from Ottawa last season, will join the team and will add some more offence to a team that returns its top seven forward scorers from last season.

Of the group, six had at least 40 points.