Exceptional player status was first introduced into the CHL in 2005-06 with the arrival of an extraordinarily gifted young phenom by the name of John Tavares. Since then, the clause allowing supremely skilled hockey players to enter the major junior circuit a year early has been instituted another seven times. Five of those seven times it has been granted to OHL prospects, with the WHL and QMJHL producing one exceptional status player each. The latest addition to the club came this year with center Michael Misa, who broke Connor McDavid’s scoring record at the OHL Cup with 20 points in 7 games to lead the Mississauga Senators to a championship title. The Saginaw Spirit selected Misa first overall in the 2022 Priority Selection, and he will make his much anticipated debut in the 2022-23 season. Is he worthy of the designation he received? Only time will tell for sure, especially considering we have seen both sides of the coin: those who were truly exceptional talents and those who weren’t able to live up to their lofty expectations.
That’s what this article is all about. We’re going to take a look back at each of the players granted exceptional status over the years and their careers to date, both in junior hockey and in the NHL (if they have made it that far). It should serve as somewhat of a primer for the 2022-23 OHL debut of Michael Misa, a season which is sure to be endlessly scrutinized and analyzed by the hockey world. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
JOHN TAVARES (2005)
He came up with the Toronto Marlboros in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), the top minor program in the province of Ontario, and was a dominant force from the very start. In 2004-05, Tavares put up a staggering 158 points (91g67a) in just 72 games as a 14-year old in the U16 division. Believing that a bigger challenge was in the best interest of his continued development, the centerman petitioned the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) to allow him entry into the OHL draft a year early. The CHL granted his request and created the “exceptional player status” clause in the league’s official rule book. The Oshawa Generals held the number one pick in the 2005 OHL Priority Selection, and they chose John Tavares as the future of their franchise.
There is no question that John Tavares lived up to his exceptional status right away, with the center notching an outstanding 45 goals and 77 points in 65 games (both still the highest marks of any exceptional status rookie) in 2005-06. That rightfully resulted in OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year accolades, but it was his sophomore campaign that stood out the most. Tavares posted 72 goals (most in the league) and 134 points (second-most) in 67 games with the Generals during the 2006-07 season, leading to CHL Player of the Year honours over London Knights star Patrick Kane (who would go first overall in that year’s NHL Entry Draft). It also marked the first of three straight 100-point seasons for Tavares, with 58 goals and 104 points produced in the 56 contests of his highly anticipated draft year. His name remains perched at the top of the OHL’s all-time career goals list with 215 in 247 total games, replacing the legendary Wayne Gretzky in the record books.
As expected, the New York Islanders selected John Tavares with the first overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and immediately added him to their roster as an 18-year old in 2009-10. He put up 54 points (24g30a) in 82 games as a rookie that year, and by his third season (2011-12) he had reached the 30-goal and 80-point marks for the first time in his career. Tavares was named a finalist for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2012-13 when he finished third in the league in goals (28) in a lockout-shortened 48-game schedule to help the Islanders reach the playoffs. He would nab another Hart nomination in 2014-15 as well, trailing the league’s scoring champion by a single point with 86 (38g48a) in 82 games. After serving as the Isles’ captain for five years, Tavares would sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2018-19 campaign and set new career highs in both goals (47) and points (88). He was then named the Leafs captain in 2019-20, a role he retains to this day.
Worthy of Exceptional Status?: Yes. While he may not have become the generational player he was projected to be early on in his career, Tavares set OHL scoring records and emerged as an NHL superstar upon his arrival.
AARON EKBLAD (2011)
After John Tavares received exceptional status in 2005, it would be another six years before defenseman Aaron Ekblad became the second member of the exclusive club. As the captain of the Sun County Panthers U16-AAA team, Ekblad produced 34 points (4g30a) in 30 games in 2010-11. As a physically mature player beyond his years, the CHL granted his application and allowed him to enter the OHL Priority Selection in 2011. The Barrie Colts held the number one pick, and they chose Ekblad to solidify their defense corps.
As a 15-year old rookie blueliner in 2011-12, Ekblad posted 10 goals and 29 points in 63 games to win OHL Rookie of the Year. By his second season he had upped his point total to 34 (7g27a) in 54 games played, and in 2013-14 he was named captain of the Barrie Colts. He would lead all league defensemen in goals (23) and finish fifth in points (53) after 58 games played to earn the Most Outstanding Defenseman award. In total, Ekblad produced 116 points (40g76a) in 147 career OHL contests.
The Florida Panthers selected Aaron Ekblad with the first overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, making him the second exceptional status player to go number one in both the OHL and NHL drafts after John Tavares. The 18-year old would put on a show in his freshman campaign too, collecting 12 goals and 39 points in 81 games to beat out Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames and Mark Stone of the Ottawa Senators and capture the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. Ekblad’s point totals would remain much the same until 2019-20, when he recorded a career-high (at the time) 41 points (5g36a) in just 67 games. From that season onwards, the Panthers blueliner has been an annual Norris Trophy candidate (though injuries the last two years have prevented him from becoming a finalist). The most recent 2021-22 campaign was easily his best yet, with Ekblad setting new career highs in assists (42) and points (57) despite playing just 61 of the 82 regular season games. He typically averages around 25 minutes per game as Florida’s undisputed number one defenseman.
Worthy of Exceptional Status?: Yes. He had an excellent OHL career and then went on to win the Calder Trophy in the NHL and become the Florida Panthers’ number one defenseman. Ekblad is one of the best all-around blueliners in the game today.
CONNOR McDAVID (2012)
Hailing from the same Toronto Marlboros minor hockey club in the GTHL as John Tavares, McDavid had 209 points (79g130a) in 88 games during the 2011-12 season and was named the GTHL’s Player of the Year. His inclusion gave the CHL its second exceptional status rookie within a two-year span, with all three of them eventually joining the OHL. Connor McDavid then followed Tavares and Aaron Ekblad as first overall picks in the OHL Priority Selection when the Erie Otters selected his services in 2012.
McDavid put together an excellent 2012-13 OHL rookie season, notching 66 points (25g41a) in 63 games as a 15-year old and winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award in the process. The speedy center nearly reached the 100-point mark in Year Two, finishing his sophomore campaign with 99 points (28g71a) in 56 games played to rank fourth among all players in scoring. It was in McDavid’s draft year that he confirmed himself as a generational prospect, exploding for 44 goals and 120 points in 47 games. That gave him a points-per-game average of 2.55 that easily led the OHL. He was the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player and the CHL Player of the Year, setting the stage for his entrance into the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Connor McDavid was the first overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, and he would start his pro career in 2015-16 with 48 points (16g32a) in 45 games. Despite missing 37 games due to injury, McDavid was a finalist for the Calder Trophy that year. He followed it up by winning back-to-back Art Ross Trophies as the NHL scoring champion in 2016-17 (82gp-30g70a-100pts) and 2017-18 (82gp-41g67a-108pts), adding a Hart Trophy in 2016-17 and the Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) both years. Most recently, he has won the last two scoring titles to bring his Art Ross count to four (the most of any player since the 2004-05 lockout). He is widely regarded as being the best player in the game today.
Worthy of Exceptional Status?: Yes. Not only did he quickly emerge as the best player in major junior hockey, he has now earned the title of “Best Player in the World” according to most sources.
SEAN DAY (2013)
After Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid’s exceptional status seasons went so well, the CHL may have been a little trigger happy when they awarded early entry to defenseman Sean Day in 2013. Suiting up for the Compuware 16U-AAA team in 2012-13, Day produced 35 points (11g24a) in 63 games during what would be his final year of minor hockey. The OHL general managers seemed unconvinced of his legitimacy too, as the young defender became the first exceptional status player not taken with the number one pick in his major junior draft. Instead, the Mississauga Steelheads chose Day with the fourth pick of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.
Sean Day’s OHL rookie campaign was solid, but certainly less than spectacular, as the 15-year old blueliner posted just 16 points (6g10a) in 60 games with the Steelheads in 2013-14. He improved greatly in his second season though, increasing his point total to 36 (10g26a) in 61 contests. Strangely enough, however, Day regressed significantly in his draft year. In 57 games played, he finished with 6 goals and 22 points and eventually fell to the New York Rangers in the third round (81st overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He initially returned to the Steelheads in 2016-17, but after 5 games (and 5 points) he was traded to the Windsor Spitfires for the final 58 games of the season. He recorded 12 goals and 32 points over that span to finish the year with 37 points (15g22a) in his 63 total contests. 2017-18 marked his fifth OHL campaign, and he would again find himself traded. After 27 games with the Spitfires, Day was picked up by the Kingston Frontenacs to conclude his major junior career. It was by far his best, with the big defenseman totalling 47 points (5g42a) in 50 games between the two clubs.
Sean Day has bounced back and forth between the AHL and ECHL since beginning his pro career in 2018–19. His rights were dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020-21, and he finally made his NHL debut during the most recent 2021-22 campaign. Though he played just 2 games (no points), perhaps the door has been opened for a big league future. Still, it would be untrue for me to say he has lived up to exceptional player status so far.
Worthy of Exceptional Player Status?: No. From a middling major junior career to a pro career spent mostly in the minor leagues, Day has not proven worthy of his designation.
JOE VELENO (2015)
For the first time in the history of the exceptional player status clause, a prospect from outside of the OHL would be granted early entry into the ranks of major junior hockey in the form of Joe Veleno. Playing for the Lac St-Louis Lions in the Quebec midget AAA program in 2014-15, the centerman put up 52 points (16g36a) in 41 games. His acceptance into the QMJHL at 15 years old was questioned by some, but the Saint John Sea Dogs didn’t hesitate to use the number one pick of the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft on him. Veleno was the fourth out of five exceptional status players to go first overall in his junior draft.
Joe Veleno had a strong QMJHL rookie season in 2015-16 as a 15-year old, producing 43 points (13g30a) in 62 games. By his sophomore campaign he was nearly a point-per-game player, notching 40 points (13g27a) despite appearing in just 45 games due to injury. Veleno was named captain of the Saint John Sea Dogs to kick off his third season in 2017-18, his draft year, but was traded at the deadline to the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Though he recorded a solid 31 points (6g25a) in 31 games with Saint John, he exploded for 48 points (16g32a) in 33 games following the trade to Drummondville. That put him at 79 total points (22g57a) in 64 games between the two clubs. Veleno was then drafted in the first round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft (30th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings. He would play one more season with Drummondville in 2018-19, posting 104 points (42g62a) in 59 games during what was the best year of his major junior career.
Veleno spent the 2019-20 season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins, then spent the majority of 2020-21 in Sweden with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL. He did appear in his first 5 NHL games that year though, and scored his first career goal. This past season saw Veleno suit up for 66 games with the Detroit Red Wings in his official rookie campaign, with the 22-year old center contributing 8 goals and 15 points.
Worthy of Exceptional Status?: No. Though he has certainly outperformed Sean Day, he has struggled to get his pro career off the ground so far after a decent run in major junior.
SHANE WRIGHT (2019)
After Sean Day and Joe Veleno didn’t quite live up to their exceptional statuses, the CHL became a little gun-shy and would not grant another application until 2019. Shane Wright of the GTHL’s Don Mills Flyers had recorded 150 points (66g84a) in 72 games in 2018-19 and led the Flyers to an OHL Cup championship. The Kingston Frontenacs would select Wright first overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, making him the fifth of six exceptional status players to go number one in their respective major junior drafts.
In 2019-20, the 15-year old Kingston Frontenacs center began to restore faith in the exceptional status clause with one of the very best rookie campaigns yet. Not only did he lead all CHL freshmen in both goals (39) and points (66) after 58 games, but he was named an alternate captain of the team and became the youngest player to wear a letter in Canadian major junior history. Wright nabbed OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year for his efforts. Unfortunately, the OHL cancelled the entirety of their 2020-21 season and left the centerman without a proper sophomore follow-up. He would make his long awaited return in 2021-22 as the Frontenacs’ captain and record 94 points (32g62a) in 63 games to place eighth in league scoring, and is anticipated to be the first player selected in the upcoming 2022 NHL draft. Wright has posted 160 points (71g89a) in 121 career OHL contests to date, but is fully expected to be in the NHL next season.
Worthy of Exceptional Status?: Yes. Although he has yet to even reach the NHL draft, Wright is anticipated to be the number one pick in 2022 thanks to his brilliant OHL career.
CONNOR BEDARD (2020)
The WHL finally got its first exceptional status player with an undersized yet highly skilled young center named Connor Bedard. In 2019-20, as a member of the CSSHL’s West Van U18 team, Bedard took home the league MVP award after he racked up 43 goals and 84 points in 36 games. He then became the sixth exceptional status player (out of seven) to go first overall when the Regina Pats took him with the number one pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft.
The WHL agreed to a shortened 24-game schedule for the 2020-21 season, but with Bedard’s addition to Team Canada’s roster for the U18 Worlds that year he would play just 15 games. He certainly proved himself worthy of exceptional status with 12 goals and 28 points in those contests, leading to WHL Rookie of the Year honours for the 15-year old. In his 2021-22 sophomore campaign, Bedard became the youngest player in league history to reach the 50-goal mark and finished fourth in total points with 100 (51g49a) in 62 games played. He has been named a finalist for WHL Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season.
Worthy of Exceptional Status?: Yes. Bedard has just two WHL seasons under his belt so far, but has racked up an astonishing 128 points in just 77 games to date and is widely regarded the number one prospect for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
MICHAEL MISA (2022)
The 5’10”, 161-lb. center is just 15 years old, and he spent his 2021-22 campaign in the GTHL with the Mississauga Senators. Misa put up 43 points (16g27a) in 27 games with the Senators, but his claim to fame was breaking Connor McDavid’s scoring record at the OHL Cup with 20 points (10g10a) in 7 games en route to a championship. The 2022-23 OHL season will be his major junior debut after the Saginaw Spirit drafted him first overall in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection.
Worthy of Exceptional Status?: Unknown.
The Draft Report 