Many fans of the Oshawa Generals were hopeful that 15-year-old star Kade O’Rourke would receive exceptional status, allowing him to join the Ontario Hockey League a year early. However, their hopes were dashed on April 28 when Hockey Canada unexpectedly turned down his request.
The decision seemed odd at first glance. O’Rourke is a top-tier prospect who moved from Texas a couple of years ago to play Tier II hockey for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. He excelled at the OHL Cup, leading his team to the finals and showing he was ready for a higher level.
It’s possible that the Generals had other plans regardless of O’Rourke’s situation, as they hold the first pick in next month’s OHL draft.
Kade O’Rourke
A development coach mentioned on social media that there’s talk around the league suggesting that the Generals “didn’t advocate for him” and are focused on selecting Tanner Adams, a forward from South Porcupine in northern Ontario.
Oshawa GM Roger Hunt isn’t revealing any details, so we might not find out more about this until draft day.
So is it going to be Adams? Some are referring to this big center as a “throwback” to hockey from the early 2000s. “He would fit in Oshawa like a glove,” said one fan. “Lindros 2.0,” added another.
That’s quite a compliment, especially considering Eric Lindros, who stood at 6’4″ and weighed 225 pounds, dominated when he joined the Generals years ago and led them to win the 1990 Memorial Cup.
At 6’1″ and likely around 200 pounds by training camp time, Adams may not be exactly like Lindros but plays with similar intensity, racking up 88 points in just 52 games for Hill Academy prep school and scoring six goals in four games at the OHL Cup.
“He has the ability to show skill while handling contact and can take over games,” stated one scout. “Built for the big moments,” said another.
His brief stint with Timmins Rock junior team made quite an impression after he registered two assists during three games there. “He is exceptional; probably the best player I have ever coached,” commented Rock coach and general manager Brandon Perry.
Paul O’Hagan, Neutral Zone’s Ontario Scouting Director who creates their annual Top 500 draft list, currently ranks defenseman Drew Daley from Shattuck St. Mary’s – another prep school – at number one with Adams close behind him.
A number of players have already committed to American hockey programs too. “We aren’t trying to guess how this draft will go,” he noted. “We maintain relationships across leagues – we mostly know what teams are interested in – but our role is to provide those decision-makers with evaluations, grades, star ratings and comparisons so they can make informed choices.”
Whether Tanner Adams hears his name called at Slush Puppy Place in Kingston on June 12 or if it’ll be someone else entirely remains known only to Roger Hunt and his scouting team.
As for O’Rourke, he’s re-signed with GTHL’s Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA and will return to minor hockey for another year. He’ll be eligible for the OHL draft come 2027.
The only players ever granted exceptional status in the OHL include John Tavares (2005), Aaron Ekblad (2011), Connor Mc David (2012), Sean Day (2013), Shane Wright (2019) and Michael Misa (2022).
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