These are the stats for how each OHL team does in terms of convincing Americans drafted in the first 8 rounds to come, and if they come right away or not. This data is from the 2009-2019 drafts. A total of 287 Americans were selected in rounds 1-8 over that span and 46.0% of them ended up in the OHL while just 25.1% of them came to the OHL for their rookie season.
1st: Erie Otters
Erie doesn’t take a lot of Americans (the fewest of any Western Conference team) but when they do take them, they take guys who they know are going to come with the only one who didn’t come being a 6th round pick(Calen Kiefiuk).
2nd: Oshawa Generals
Coming in with the 2nd best success rate is the Oshawa Generals at 61.5%. The Gens usually don’t miss when taking an American high in the draft as they’re 5/7 in convincing Americans taken in the top 5 rounds to come over the last decade.
3rd: London Knights
London leads the way in terms of American players who have come over with 18, but because they take so many swings, they also miss a lot which is why their success rate is only 60% despite having 18 Americans come in the last decade.
4th: Saginaw Spirit
Saginaw is a team that’s taken more and more American swings as the decade has progressed. They’re pretty safe in the first 3 rounds (except the last draft with Fantilli) but then their 4th round starts to take a hit.
T5th: Kingston Frontenacs
Kingston isn’t a team who takes a lot of risk when it comes to taking Americans in the top 8 rounds (9 players in a decade and only 1 in the first 3 rounds) but they’ve had a good success rate with 5 of their 6 picks in the first 6 rounds ended up as a success. Although they went 0/3 in rounds 7/8.
T5th: Barrie Colts
Similar to Kingston, Barrie isn’t known for taking big chances with Americans. Their one first rounder (Jacob Tortora) did end up coming, although he didn’t come right away and then was actually cut from the team in his OA season. Also like Kingston, Barrie seems to take more risks at the tail end of this list and are 0/2 with their 8th rounders.
7th: Hamilton Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have had a lot of success with Americans on their current team (Arthur Kaliyev, Avery Hayes, Frank Jenkins and Ryan Humphrey) which makes up for a lacklustre start to the decade in terms of recruiting American born players.
8th: Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Soo haven’t taken anyone in the 1st or 2nd round but see a great deal of success in the 3rd round (3/3). After that though they have struggled in rounds 4-6, convincing only 2/8 Americans to come since 2009.
9th: Kitchener Rangers
The Rangers are one of just 4 teams who have hit double digits since 2009 but they have also taken the 4th most American swings since then so their 47.6% success rate seems about right. Although they seem to get players to come over after a year or two, as their success rate for guys coming right away is only 19.0%.
10th: Sarnia Sting
Sarnia is the only team in the league who have taken 3 American first rounders in the last decade but they did convince 2 of them to come right away. Overall they have a good success rate in the first 5 rounds (8/13) but then it falls off in rounds 6-8 (1/7).
11th: Flint Firebirds
The Flint/Plymouth franchise have not been shy in selecting Americans. Their 34 is the most of any team since 2009 (even more than London). They are fairly safe in the first 4 rounds, having successfully convinced 7/9 of the picks to join them. However in rounds 6-8 they really struggle and have only convinced 3/17 to come.
12th: Windsor Spitfires
Windsor has been pretty successful in the early rounds, with 3/4 of the players taken in the top 3 rounds coming, but they really struggle in rounds 6-8, having convinced only 1 of their 7 picks to come.
13th: Niagara IceDogs
Niagara is tied with Oshawa for the most Americans drafted in rounds 1-3 from an Eastern Conference team and have been pretty successful in those rounds (4/5 have come) but then after that there’s a big drop-off and just 1/8 have come from any round outside of the top 3.
T14th: Ottawa 67s
Ottawa is a perfect 3/3 in rounds 2/3 but then are 0/6 in rounds 4-8.
T14th: Sudbury Wolves
Sudbury is by far the most conservative team in terms of drafting Americans and have only seen 1 come because of that (Samuelsson last year). Sudbury has not drafted an American in the first 4 rounds in over a decade.
16th: Mississauga Steelheads
The Steelheads are the only team who’s drafted an American in the first round but never had one come, and they drafted 2 Americans in round 1, just to see them both say no to them (Jack Hughes and Nick Ebert). Mississauga is a rare case where they struggle in the first 5 rounds (0/4) but then are better after that (2/3)
T17th: North Bay Battalion
North Bay has only taken sure things in terms of Americans in the first 4 rounds going 2/2 but then start to take swings after that, which has seen them go 1/9 in rounds 5-8.
T17th: Guelph Storm
Guelph has selected the 2nd fewest amount of Americans of any Western Conference team and are one of just 2 OHL teams who haven’t convinced an American player to come right away over the past decade.
19th: Peterborough Petes
The Petes do not have a good track record with Americans, going just 1/6 over the past decade. Their one successful pick was Nick Robertson, which is a VERY successful pick, although you could argue that wasn’t a very tough sell after his brother came to the OHL and the younger Robertson was already playing minor midget in Ontario as well.
20th: Owen Sound Attack
Over the past decade the Owen Sound Attack have had the worst track record with Americans, convincing just 1 of their 13 picks to come (Mack Guzda).
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