Windsor connection bolsters Guelph’s young core
The Guelph Storm’s recent additions to its prospect pool have created an immediate, familiar link between players and the community they will represent. Jaakko Wycisk, the club’s second-overall pick in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection, reached out to Declan McNally shortly after the Storm chose him seventh overall in 2026 — an exchange that highlights the value of local connections for young players joining the OHL.
A 6-foot-1 centre, Wycisk recorded 43 points (17-26–43) in 60 games during his rookie season, a performance that underlined both his potential and the adjustments demanded by the jump to junior hockey. He said he used his own transition to offer support to McNally, who like Wycisk is a product of the Sun County Panthers program and the Windsor area.
- Wycisk emphasised patience and leaning on support networks when adapting to the OHL.
- The two players’ shared roots in Windsor and time in the same minor program deepen their connection.
- Wycisk’s own rookie experience included learning to balance competition with life away from home.
“It’s pretty cool that we’re both from the same area and get to share that experience,”
Wycisk added that he used a FaceTime call — arranged with help from the Storm’s media staff — to congratulate McNally and encourage him to savour the moment with family and friends. He recalled playing alongside McNally in youth hockey and noted that McNally had also appeared with his team prior to being drafted.
From rookie season to mentor role
Arriving in the league with a high draft status brings added expectations. Wycisk said the biggest lessons from his first OHL year were patience and the importance of support from teammates, staff and family. He urged incoming players to “take it slow and lean on the people around you,” adding that there are many peers going through the same transition and that reaching out is important.
Wycisk’s own early Guelph experience included the comfort of knowing fellow Windsor-area players, such as Charlie Paquette and Zach Jovanovski, who shared the dressing room with him. That familiarity, he suggested, helped ease the leap from minor hockey to the rigours of the OHL.
| Player | Draft | Rookie stats |
|---|---|---|
| Jaakko Wycisk | 2nd overall, 2025 OHL Priority Selection | 43 points (17-26–43) in 60 games |
| Declan McNally | 7th overall, 2026 OHL Priority Selection | Just drafted |
For Guelph, the significance of these local bonds extends beyond on-ice chemistry. Junior hockey clubs in Ontario have long relied on mentorship among teammates to help younger players handle the practical and emotional challenges of living away from home, navigating school or work commitments and adjusting to stronger competition. Wycisk’s willingness to act as a resource for McNally is an example of how that informal support network forms within teams.
Implications for the Storm and the city
Local hockey fans can expect the Storm to continue integrating its young players gradually, giving them time to adapt while providing experienced teammates and staff support. Wycisk’s message to McNally — to enjoy the moment and rely on those around him — reflects a club environment focused on steady development rather than instant results.
As the Storm prepare for another season, the presence of multiple Windsor-area players with a shared minor program background may smooth the transition for newcomers and strengthen team cohesion. For supporters in Guelph, it offers a storyline that ties the city’s club to regional youth hockey programs and underlines the role of the Storm as a next step in local players’ development paths.
With Wycisk positioned to take on a mentoring role and McNally arriving with similar roots and ties to the Sun County Panthers, the Storm’s young core looks set to deepen its bond — a development that matters to the team’s on-ice prospects and to the Guelph community that follows junior hockey closely.
