The National Hockey League is very fortunate to have the Ontario Hockey League feeding the professional league exceptional young hockey players each season. Right now, four of the NHL’s most promising rising stars are OHL alumni.

taylor room he played with the Windsor Spitfires for three seasons from 2007-08 to 2009-10. With Windsor in his first season, he was awarded the Emms Family Award as the OHL’s best rookie and was also named as the CHL’s rookie of the year. He helped the Spitfires win the Memorial Cup in 2009 and 2010, and on both occasions he was named the winner of the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as tournament MVP. Hall helped Canada to a silver medal at the 2010 World Junior Championships, scoring 12 points in six games.

Taylor was selected first overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. Hall is currently in his second season with Edmonton, where he is the centerpiece of a very talented young Oilers team.

John Tavares he was the first overall pick in 2009, going to the New York Islanders. Tavares starred in the Ontario Hockey League for four seasons from 2005-06 to 2008-09. He played primarily in an Oshawa Generals jersey, but ended his career with the London Knights after being traded at the deadline in his final season.

As with Taylor Hall, John was crowned the OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year in 2005-06. He won the Red Tilson Trophy as MVP in 2006-07 and was the Eddie Powers Trophy winner in 2008-09 as the OHL’s top scorer. Tavares helped Canada to back-to-back gold medals in 2008 and 2009 at the World Junior Championships. Tavares is in his third year with the lowly New York Islanders and wears the ‘A’ on his jersey.

Tyler Seguin He played with the Plymouth Whalers for two seasons, 2008-09 and 2009-10. He competed directly against Taylor Hall in 2009-10, tying him for 106 points and being selected one position below Hall in the NHL Entry Draft. Seguin was awarded the Eddie Powers for total goals and went to the Boston Bruins in the draft. Seguin is in his second season with Boston after winning the Stanley Cup with the club in his rookie season.

jeff skinner he was the seventh overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft after playing just two seasons with the Kitchener Rangers, 2008-09 and 2009-10. The Carolina Hurricanes drafted him and he has been with the club ever since. In his rookie NHL season, Skinner was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year.

With Kitchener in 2009-10, Jeff scored 50 goals and totaled 90 points in 64 regular season games. He added 33 more points in 20 playoff games as the Rangers faced the Spitfires in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals before bowing out to the eventual Memorial Cup champions.