Ahead of the Greater Toronto Hockey League’s 2023 Under-18 All-Star Festival fuelled by Gatorade on January 27-28 at Scotiabank Pond, the ‘A’ All-Stars reflected on their minor hockey careers. The U18 ‘A’ All-Star Game is scheduled for Saturday, January 28 at 1:00pm. Admission to the U18 All-Star Festival, including all games, is free.
U18 A ALL-STARS: TEAM WEST (BLUE)
#1 – G, PIETRO LOMUTO (Vaughan Rangers)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning my third GTHL championship in my first year with my current team.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? To me, my minor hockey career has helped shape me as a person and has made friendships, memories, and taught me life lessons. I am grateful to have the opportunity to play the game and continue to enjoy it.
#30 – G, MATTEO GRECO (Vaughan Panthers)
Favourite minor hockey memory: My favourite hockey memory was when we went to Lake Placid in 2019 and won the entire tournament.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I have been playing minor hockey since I was eight years old and I am so grateful for all the friendships I have made over the years.
#31 – G, DANIEL BERTON (West Mall Lightning)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning both the GTHL and City Championship in 2022.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I was able to learn life skills, spend time with amazing people, and develop as a hockey player.
#2 – D, MASSIMO APPIA (Vaughan Rangers)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the playoffs in my U11 year and moving onto the OHFs.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Through minor hockey, I developed many friendships and great memories that will always be with me.
#3 – D, NICOLAS GUIDO (Vaughan Panthers)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning GTHL and city finals, and participating in the OHFs in 2016.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Minor hockey provided an opportunity for me to skate and learn about teamwork. It meant I was able to meet new people who now have become good friends. Along the way, I met some great coaches who provided me with great experiences, amazing memories, and skills – both on and off the ice – which are still with me today. Hockey, to me, is about having fun scoring goals, making plays, skating, and spending time with friends.
#4 – D, ALEXANDER DELVES (West Mall Lightning)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the GTHL and City Championship in U17 (2022).
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Minor hockey is a large part of my life. Playing hockey has taught me hard work, leadership, and perseverance. I have made lifelong friends in hockey.
#5 – D, OWEN HOBBS (Humber Valley Sharks)
#6 – D, COLE STEFANOV (Greater Toronto Capitals)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the GTHL playoffs in 2019.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Through minor hockey I’ve made a lot of friends, had a lot of fun, and learned loads about being part of a team.
#7 – D, SAM BERRY (Toronto Avalanche)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Playing against Port Credit Storm (U13 A) to qualify for the OHF championship, and going to seven periods to break the tie.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? It has been a great experience to play a competitive sport, and to see the improvement, have fun, and make new friends. It’s also a good to stay fit and active throughout the winter.
#8 – F, LUCA FERRANDINI (Vaughan Rangers)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the Kraft Cup and GTHL Championship in U10.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I have loved playing hockey from a very young age and was able to meet many people and develop special friendships.
#9 – F, ERIC SANTILLI (Vaughan Rangers)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the GTHL Championship.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Hockey has been one of the most important things in my life since I was four years old. Through my career, I have been able to meet people who I consider some of my closest friends today.
#10 – F, MASSIMO CAPUTI (Vaughan Panthers)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the GTHL West Championship, meeting Wendel Clark and Don Cherry, and winning MVP.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Minor hockey has meant meeting great people and having great, lifetime memories.
#11 – F, DAVID DESTEFANO (Vaughan Panthers)
Favourite minor hockey memory: I have so many great memories but my favourite is winning the GTHL U10 AA Championship.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? My hockey career has been an important part of my growing up. Hockey has taught me to be a team player, manage my time, and most importantly, about having fun playing the sport I love. Playing all these years has given me the chance to meet so many new people and make so new friendships. It has truly been a great time with many memories.
#12 – F, LEIGHTON DESOUZA (West Mall Lightning)
#14 – F, EWAN MACMILLAN (Humber Valley Sharks)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Too many, but winning the outdoor tournament in Peterborough in the freezing cold was special.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? It’s been so amazing to be able to do what I love with my friends, and I’ve made and maintained incredible friendships because of hockey.
#15 – F, LEWIS CENTER (The Attack)
Favourite minor hockey memory: The Lake Placid Tournament and playing hockey on the Olympic outdoor speed skating oval.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Playing hockey is my favourite thing to do. I have made lifelong friendships and learned the value of teamwork from playing for Bill Bolton, the George Bell Titans, and the Attack.
#16 – F, CAMERON GALLOWAY (The Attack)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Watching Canada win the Olympic Gold Medal in 2014 with my team at seven [in the morning]!
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? My minor hockey career has been a great way to have fun and make lifelong friends.
#17 – F, NICO GUPTA-BALTAZAR (Greater Toronto Capitals)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the 2015 GTHL Championship.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I made great friends for life in hockey.
#18 – F, MICHAEL CIAMPA (Toronto Wolverines)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Bus ride to and from Montreal for a hockey tournament (November 2019) with the team.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Being able to play a sport that I love with a bunch of guys who have become great friends to this day.
#19 – F, JOSEPH GUNN (Toronto Royals)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Creating friendships that last a lifetime.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? It has meant that I’ve been able to spend many years playing the game that I love and building relationships along the way.
#20 – F, JULIAN DI PALO (Duffield Devils)
Favourite minor hockey memory: In 2016, when our team made it to the OHF Finals.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Minor hockey has helped me develop in so many ways outside of what I have learned through school or family. It has exposed me to critical life lessons such as how to become a leader and how to truly work together as a team.
U18 A ALL-STARS: TEAM EAST (RED)
#1 – G, JACOB SPITERI (Hillcrest Canadiens)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Playing hockey where the ‘Miracle on Ice’ happened at the gold medal rink in Lake Placid.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I have really enjoyed playing minor hockey over the years because it has kept me active, allowed me to be a part of a team, and it has been a place where I’ve made great memories and had amazing experiences. Through playing hockey, I’ve made many strong friendships and have learned many valuable lessons and skills, like the value of hard work and determination, that I will carry with me into the future.
#30 – G, EVAN PAVLIDES (Don Mills Mustangs)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the Gene Harrington tournament in Buffalo.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? It’s taught me the importance of teamwork and allowed me to make new friends.
#31 – G, MYLES GLADSTONE (North Toronto)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the Kraft Cup.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Hockey has been a huge part of my life growing up. It’s a way to connect with friends and learn to play as a team.
#2 – D, MATTHEW ABRAMS (Hillcrest Canadiens)
3 – D, NAYAN LISCOMBE (Don Mills Mustangs)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the NYHL Championship played with Willowdale U11 Select in 2014-2015.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Playing hockey from a young age has been an important part of my life. It has taught me many life lessons such as teamwork, determination, and self-discipline.
#4 – D, NATHAN FRALEIGH (North Toronto)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the OHF Championship.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Hockey has meant a great deal as it helped form many friendships.
#5 – D, BEN TUBBE (Toronto East Enders Ticats)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Tournaments in Niagara Falls.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? It’s been a great way to make lifelong friends, have fun, and work hard as a team… all while playing an amazing game!
#6 – D, QUINTON LILLE (Leaside Flames)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the 2017 GTHL championship.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I have had the best minor hockey career, playing with the same team and coaches for years! Together we have achieved many hockey successes but more importantly developed life long friendships.
#7 – D, TYLER MAISONNEUVE (Willowdale Hawks)
Favourite minor hockey memory: My favourite memory is representing my team at the skills competition at a tournament in Lake Placid. All tournaments in general have special moments, but going to Lake Placid is definitely the one that stands out.
#8 – F, LOGAN SHNIER (Hillcrest Canadiens)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the GTHL and OHF championships were great, but the away tournaments with the boys will be something that I cherish all my life.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? My life playing hockey has taught me so many crucial life lessons and has introduced me to my best friends that I will share a bond with forever.
#9 – F, JOSEPH SILBER (Hillcrest Canadiens)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Getting ready for early morning games in Montreal, playing on the same team for my entire career, and making memories which will last a lifetime.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I have been on the same team since I was 10 years old. I have made lifelong friends and memories.
#10 – F, JOEL TANNER (Don Mills Mustangs)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Away tournaments. Hotels. Mini sticks. Pools.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Friends. I have met lifelong friends throughout my minor hockey career.
#11 – F, EWEN FRASER (Don Mills Mustangs)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the Preston Cup.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I love playing hockey and it’s a way to have fun… being able to play with my friends on a team and shinny at the local rink.
#12 – F, ETHAN PERLIS (North Toronto) *Injured
Favourite minor hockey memory: Playing mini sticks in the halls when we were younger, as well as winning the Regional Silver Stick.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? My minor hockey career has meant so much to me. From coaches teaching me lifelong lessons on how to become a better man to meeting lifelong friends, minor hockey is now a part of me and something I will forever be grateful for.
#12 — F, CHARLIE KUMER (North Toronto)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Scoring a goal at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? It has meant everything, as I have been able to make friendships with people that have lasted more than 10 years.
#14 – F, JOSHUA GROBER (North Toronto)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Playing with the same team and with the same coach for 11 years!
#15 – F, ALEX SCHMIDT (Toronto East Enders Ticats)
Favourite minor hockey memory: When my team won our first away tournament.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Hockey has been a great outlet for me and a great group of friends.
#16 – F, TYLER ZARASKA (Leaside Flames)
Favourite minor hockey memory: All the fantastic away tournaments over the years with my team, especially in Montreal, will stay with me forever.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? I feel very fortunate. Hockey has given me a community to be a part of, lifelong friends, a fun way to stay healthy, and skills both on and off the ice. Thank you to all my coaches who helped give me this amazing experience and my supportive father for his years on the bench as an assistant coach.
#17 – F, ROWAN BETTS (Toronto Shamrocks)
#18 – F, JORDAN RUBENSTEIN (Toronto Shamrocks)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the Montreal tournament in overtime.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? Everything.
#19 – F, ISAIAH THOMAS (Forest Hill)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Winning the tournament in Montreal.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? It’s been a way of life for as long as I can remember and has taught me how to persevere and work hard.
#20 – F, ANDREW RODRIGUES (Ted Reeve Thunder)
Favourite minor hockey memory: Away tournaments with the team.
What has your minor hockey career meant to you? My minor hockey career has taught me the importance of leadership, dedication, and teamwork.
