67’s bring back picks for depleted cupboard

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To acquire the four players he felt he needed before the OHL trade deadline at noon on Wednesday, 67’s GM James Boyd shrunk his stash of draft picks by 11.

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He recouped a couple on D-Day in sending 18-year old defenceman Gavin Ewles to the Flint Firebirds.

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In return for Ewles — a former fifth-round choice in the OHL Priority Selection who went on to play 85 games for the 67’s — Boyd received a third (that originally belonged to Owen Sound) and a fourth (Peterborough) in the 2025 draft.

The final count shows the 67’s obtaining overage centres Braeden Kressler and Jacob Maillet, overage defenceman Samuel Payer and 18-year old goalie Ian Michelone for overager Kaleb Lawrence, Ewles and a net total of eight draft picks.

The 67’s also lost overage goalie Max Donoso, who was claimed off waivers by his hometown Windsor Spitfires.

The breakdown of lost and landed picks, with the original owner of picks in brackets, includes:

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For Maillet (4)

(2nd  in ’27 (Ottawa), 3rd in ’24 (North Bay), 3rd in ’27 (Ottawa), 5th in ’25 (Ottawa)

For Michelone (1)

12th in ’26 (Ottawa)

For Mayer (3)

2nd in ’24 (Ottawa), 3rd in ’27 (Soo), 5th in ’27 (Ottawa)

For Kressler (5)

2nd in ’26 (Soo), 3rd in ’24 (Flint), 3rd in ’24 (Kitchener), 3rd in ’27 (London), 9th in ’25 (Ottawa)

The returns

Coming back in the Kressler trade: 3rd in ’24 (North Bay), 10th in ’24 (London)

Coming back for Lawrence: 8th in ’26 (London)

Coming back for Ewles: 3rd in ’25 (Owen Sound), 4th in ’25 (Peterborough)

It’s expected the new players will be in the lineuep when the 67’s, who are tied for second place in the East Division with a 18-15-3 record, try to snap a six-game losing streak on a trip that begins in Brantford on Friday and continues in Owen Sound on Saturday and Kitchener on Sunday.

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Kressler, a Leafs prospect who had 37 points (15 goals) in 33 games for the Firebirds, will likely centre a line that includes the team’s captain and leading scorer, Luca Pinelli.

“I’m just excited to play some games with these guys, get a few shifts under my belt, have some fun and win some games,” Kressler, who will make his home debut Jan. 19 against the Saginaw Spirit, told the 67’s website. “Guys always say they want to win games and it’s true, but I want to show these fans that I have seen over the years how incredible they are, and they deserve some wins and a championship.

“I want to show them that this is more than possible, that we can get this done. I want to be one those players they see wants to win. Whatever it takes.”

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