The National Hockey League dropped the puck on the 2022-23 season on Wednesday night, with opening night rosters including a total of 78 Greater Toronto Hockey League alumni.

The Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, and Edmonton Oilers top the list with five players each respectively, while the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are close behind with four players each. Of the 32 NHL teams, 26 have at least one GTHL alumni rostered, while 17 teams have three or more former players.

Wednesday night’s schedule featured the Toronto Maple Leafs visiting the Montreal Canadiens. In the Canadiens’ 4-3 win over the buds, former Mississauga Senator and undrafted defenseman Arber Xhekaj made his NHL debut. In his debut, Xhekaj made the history books in a fun way, becoming the first NHL player to have a last name beginning with ‘X.’

From the O to the Show ➡️:

Undrafted former @BulldogsOHL and @OHLRangers blueliner Arber Xhekaj came off an #OHL championship to make his #NHL debut with the @CanadiensMTL on Wednesday at the age of 21.

READ 🗞️: https://t.co/DTIRgc07yJpic.twitter.com/olZjMpEVeN

— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 13, 2022

On the west coast, former Don Mills Flyer Shane Wright also made his NHL debut as a member of the Seattle Kraken.

Tonight marks #SeaKraken forward Shane Wright’s first @NHL game.

Congrats, Shane! pic.twitter.com/GZ1QAZA9CA

— Seattle Kraken PR (@SeattleKrakenPR) October 13, 2022

Thursday night has the hometown Leafs and former Toronto Marlboro John Tavares playing host to the Washington Capitals in what will be the blue and white’s home opener.

GTHL ALUMNI 

NOTE: All numbers and totals are based on where the player was last rostered in the GTHL. 

Anaheim Ducks (3) 

• Jamie Drysdale (Toronto Marlboros)
• Ryan Strome (Toronto Marlboros)
• Sam Carrick (Toronto Red Wings) *Injured 

Arizona Coyotes (5) 

• Barrett Hayton (Toronto Red Wings) 
• Jack McBain (Don Mills Flyers) 
• Liam O’Brien (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Nick Ritchie (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Jakob Chychrun (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) *Injured 

Buffalo Sabres (3) 

• Casey Fitzgerald (Humber Valley Hockey Association) 
•  Owen Power (Reps Hockey Club) 
• Jeff Skinner (Toronto Young Nationals) 

Calgary Flames (4) 

• Andrew Mangiapane (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) 
• Brett Ritchie (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Christopher Tanev (Toronto Red Wings) 
• Tyler Toffoli (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) 

Carolina Hurricanes (2) 

• Brent Burns (North York Jr. Canadiens) 
• Jamieson Rees (Reps Hockey Club) 

Chicago Blackhawks (4) 

• Andreas Athanasiou (Toronto Titans) 
• Max Domi (Don Mills Flyers) 
• MacKenzie Entwistle (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Taylor Raddysh (Toronto Marlboros) 

Colorado Avalanche (2) 

• Andrew Cogliano (Vaughan Kings) 
• Evan Rodrigues (Toronto Marlboros) 

Columbus Blue Jackets (1) 

•  Liam Foudy (Markham Majors) 

Dallas Stars (5) 

• Wyatt Johnston (Toronto Marlboros) 
•  Mason Marchment (York Mills Hockey Club) 
• Jason Robertson (Don Mills Flyers) 
• Tyler Seguin (Toronto Young Nationals) 
• Scott Wedgewood (Mississauga Senators) 

Detroit Red Wings (3) 

• Ben Chiarot (Mississauga IceDogs) 
• Robby Fabbri (Mississauga Rebels) *Injured 
• Jake Walman (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) *Injured 

Edmonton Oilers (5) 

• Warren Foegele (Toronto Young Nationals) 
• Zach Hyman (Toronto Red Wings) 
• Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Ryan McLeod (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Darnell Nurse (Don Mills Flyers) 

Florida Panthers (2) 

• Sam Bennett (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Ryan Lomberg (Reps Hockey Club) 

Los Angeles Kings (3) 

• Brandt Clarke (Don Mills Flyers) 
• Sean Durzi (Mississauga Rebels) 
• Brendan Lemieux (Toronto Red Wings) 

Montreal Canadiens (4) 

• Jake Evans (Mississauga Rebels) 
• Sean Monahan (Mississauga Rebels) 
• Michael Pezzetta (Mississauga Senators) 
• Arber Xhekaj (Mississauga Senators) 

New Jersey Devils (4) 

• Dougie Hamilton (Reps Hockey Club) 
• Jack Hughes (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Michael McLeod (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Brendan Smith (Toronto Marlboros) 

  New York Islanders (1) 

• Casey Cizikas (Mississauga IceDogs) 

Philadelphia Flyers (2) 

• Owen Tippett (Toronto Red Wings) 
• Ryan Ellis (Mississauga IceDogs) *Injured  

San Jose Sharks (2) 

• Mario Ferraro (Don Mills Flyers) 
• Jonah Gadjovich (West Hill) 

Seattle Kraken (3) 

• Jamie Oleksiak (Toronto Young Nationals) 
• Brandon Tanev (Reps Hockey Club) 
• Shane Wright (Don Mills Flyers) 

St. Louis Blues (3) 

• Jordan Binnington (Vaughan Kings) 
• Jordan Kyrou (Mississauga Senators) 
• Ryan O’Reilly (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) 

  Tampa Bay Lightning (2) 

• Nick Paul (Reps Hockey Club) 
• Anthony Cirelli (Reps Hockey Club) *Injured 

Toronto Maple Leafs (4) 

• Michael Bunting (Don Mills Flyers) 
• Mark Giordano (North York Rangers) 
• Mitchell Marner (Don Mills Flyers) 
• John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros) 

Vancouver Canucks (3) 

• Bo Horvat (Toronto Red Wings) 
• Quinn Hughes (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Spencer Martin (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) 

Vegas Golden Knights (2) 

• Alex Pietrangelo (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) 
• Reilly Smith (Toronto Young Nationals) 

Washington Capitals (3) 

• Connor Brown (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Dylan Strome (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Tom Wilson (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) *Injured 

Winnipeg Jets (3) 

• Kyle Capobianco (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Sam Gagner (Toronto Marlboros) 
• Cole Perfetti (Vaughan Kings) 

For the complete list of 2022-2023 NHL Opening Night rosters, click here.