Westland Insurance celebrates another big season with the Ontario Hockey League

Westland Insurance is proud to look back on an exciting season as a proud partner of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). From electric playoff action to a landmark draft weekend in Kingston, our team was on the ground all year bringing fans closer to the game with activations, giveaways, and unforgettable moments. Here’s a recap of where you may have spotted Westland this season.

Bringing the energy to the OHL Playoffs and Championship

This season, Westland Insurance was proud to support the OHL Playoffs and the J. Ross Robertson Cup Championship Series, two of the most exciting stretches on the hockey calendar. Our team hosted concourse activations and giveaways at games throughout the postseason, setting up fan zones where hockey fans could play games, enter contests, and walk away with prizes, including signed jerseys, pucks, and other Westland swag. It’s our favourite way to say thank you to the communities that make junior hockey so special.

And what a postseason it was. The Kitchener Rangers capped off a dominant playoff run by sweeping the Barrie Colts 4-0 in the Championship Series, claiming their fifth J. Ross Robertson Cup in franchise history and their first title since 2008. The series was a back-and-forth battle. The Rangers sealed the win in Game 4 on the road at Sadlon Arena in front of a packed crowd of over 4,300 fans in Barrie.

Kitchener forward Sam O’Reilly was named the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award winner as Playoff MVP after a dominant run of 17 goals and 28 points in 18 games, becoming just the third player in OHL history to capture three consecutive league championships. The Barrie Colts also deserve real credit: they battled through injuries to key forwards in the final and clawed back from a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the Brantford Bulldogs in the Eastern Conference Final. With the title in hand, the Rangers earned the right to represent the OHL at the Memorial Cup, Canadian junior hockey’s national championship.

Being part of those pivotal goal celebrations, faceoffs, and championship moments (whether on the rink boards, the jumbotron, or out in the concourse meeting fans face to face) is exactly the kind of community presence Westland Insurance values most.

A historic return: The OHL Draft comes to Kingston

Westland Insurance was also proud to sponsor the 2026 OHL Priority Selection, held June 12 to 13 at Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, home of the Kingston Frontenacs. This was a truly historic event: the OHL’s first in-person draft since the year 2000, after 25 years of remote selection formats. The draft brought together prospects, families, scouts, and fans in the city widely credited as the birthplace of organized hockey in Canada.

Westland was on-site for the festivities, hosting giveaways of signed jerseys for fans who came out to celebrate the next generation of OHL talent. It was a great chance to connect with hockey families in a city with deep roots in the game, home to the Original Hockey Hall of Fame and a major junior franchise dating back to 1973.

The draft itself delivered plenty of storylines. The Oshawa Generals held the first overall pick after winning the draft lottery and used it to select forward Kane Cloutier of the Vaughan Kings, the first GTHL player to go first overall since Michael Misa in 2022. Over two days and 15 rounds, all 20 OHL clubs combined to select 301 players from 88 different minor hockey programs, with the Greater Toronto Hockey League leading the way at 84 selections. The opening round featured special guest announcers too, including OHL alumni and NHL stars Doug Gilmour, John Tavares, and 2026 Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer, adding star power to an already special night for the young athletes and their families.

Proud to be part of the OHL community

At Westland, taking care of our clients has always meant taking care of our communities too. Whether it’s celebrating a championship moment in the concourse or handing a signed jersey to a future draft pick’s biggest fan, these are the moments that bring our purpose to life off the ice, not just on it. We’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of these milestones with the OHL, and we look forward to continuing to support the league, its players, and its communities in the seasons ahead.