Oshawa’s choice at #1 in OHL draft could be a ‘Lindros 2.0’ forward from South Porcupine, Ontario

The expectation by many Oshawa General fans that 15-year phenom Kade O’Rourke was going to be granted exceptional status and allowed into the Ontario Hockey League a year early was dashed on April 28 when Hockey Canada surprisingly denied his request.

On paper, the ruling didn’t make sense. O’Rourke, a can’t-miss prospect who came up from Texas a couple of years ago to play Tier II hockey for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, shined at the OHL Cup, helping his team reach the final while giving every indication he was ready to step up.

It’s possible the Generals, who hold the number one pick in next month’s OHL draft, had their heart set on someone else anyway.

Kade O’Rourke

One development coach opined on social media that the word around the league is that the Generals “didn’t advocate for him” as they are set on drafting Tanner Adams, a forward from South Porcupine  in northern Ontario.at number one.

Oshawa GM Roger Hunt is not tipping his hand, so we may never know on that front.

So will it be Adams? Some are calling the big centre a “throwback” to early 2000’s hockey. “He would fit in Oshawa like a glove,” was one comment. “Lindros 2.0,” was another.

High praise indeed, considering Eric Lindros, at 6’4” and 225 pounds was a man among boys when he broke in with Generals a few generations ago and led the team to the 1990 Memorial Cup.

A 6’1” and likely 200 pounds by training camp, Adams is not quite the Big E, but it seems he plays like him, with 88 points in 52 games for the Hill Academy prep school, plus another six goals in four games at the OHL Cup.

“He has the ability to display skill through contact and take over games,” said one scout. “Built for the big moments,” said another.

He also made  quite the impression on the Timmins Rock  junior team staff after a three-game call  up this past season (he registered two assists). “He is exceptional, probably the best player I have ever coached,” said Rock coach and general manager Brandon Perry.

Paul O’Hagan, Neutral Zone’s Ontario Scouting Director and the master behind the OHL Top 500 draft list the organization puts together, has defenceman Drew Daley of Shattuck St. Mary’s – another prep school – at number one, with Adams right behind him.

There are also several players who have already committed to American hockey programs. “We aren’t interested in trying to predict the draft,” he said. “We have relationships around the league – we know for the most part who teams are interested in – but our job is to provide those decision makers with the evaluations, grading, star-ratings and comparative rankings and let the chips fall where they may.”

Whether that means Tanner Adams hears his name at Slush Puppy Place in  Kingston on June 12 or it’s some other blue-chip stud, only Roger Hunt and his scouting team know for sure.

As for O’Rourke, he has re-signed with the GTHL’s Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA and will return to minor hockey for another season. O’Rourke will be eligible for the OHL draft in 2027.

John Tavares (2005), Aaron Ekblad (2011), Connor McDavid (2012), Sean Day (2013), Shane Wright (2019) and Michael Misa (2022) are the only players to be granted exceptional status in the OHL.