Coach. General manager. Scout. Recruiter. Author. Gold medallist. Stanley Cup champion. Did we miss any bases? If we did, you can fill in the blanks as you get insight into developing talent through the eyes of a guy with decades of experience in the game. By the end, you'll either follow his trail, or blaze one of your own.

Mike Farwell and Chris Pope have been around the Ontario Hockey League for more years than they care to count, and even after all these years, they can't resist riding the bus and broadcasting from every rink. With every trip to every rink comes the chance to tell another story. We invite you along on Farwell and Pope's adventures as they tell stories from every market in the Ontario Hockey League, from a behind-the-scenes perspective you won't get anywhere else. They're on the bus, in the hotels, and in the media rooms with the coaches, scouts, officials, players, and other characters that keep us coming back to this game week after week. Like you, Farwell and Pope are passionate about the OHL today. But they also know today's league has been decades in the making. Pop in those ear buds and join Farwell and Pope for the stories that shaped the game, and the antics that are still part of it today. Who knows? You might even hear something you haven't heard before.

He’s had more jobs than most teams have had championships and he’s been synonymous with the Canadian sports scene for four decades. Roger Lajoie always knew he wanted to work in sports and after starting in print, he’s moved on to radio and television. “The Rog” has attended more major sporting events than you can count (but don’t worry, he counts them all), including 1250 OHL broadcasts. From Memorial Cups to his friend Eugene Melnyk, Lajoie tells the tales from 40 years in the trenches.

Ric Nattress was drafted into the NHL 27th overall by the Montreal Canadiens. He won a Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames that still stands out for several reasons, including that it was the only final during which Montreal lost a Cup in its home arena. But before all of that, Nattress and his hockey-mad mom made their way through the junior ranks with a work ethic and determination to keep proving the doubters wrong. Listening to this episode will leave no doubt that Nattress is a gifted storyteller who's not afraid to tell tales from the game, from the time he was suspended and left the stands to fight a rival, to how he learned a taxation lesson the hard way over a bonus cheque, to the time he made the mistake of going to the bathroom -- with the comics -- on draft day. Somewhere in here, Farwell and Pope also break down the trade deadline. But you'll want to stay for the stories.

He played junior hockey for what was essentially his hometown team. He won gold with Team Canada at the World Juniors. He was drafted into the NHL in the 2nd round. And then he retired at 19. Stefan Legein would return to the game, battle his demons, and then find his way behind a bench, where he hopes to accomplish as a coach what he couldn't accomplish as a player - winning a Stanley Cup. His first shot at redemption comes later this year when his Saint John Sea Dogs host the Memorial Cup. Legein pulls no punches about his journey and maybe by the end of this episode, you won't be entirely sure if he really is "the dick."

His numbers read like a throwback from another era as he amassed more than 700 penalty minutes in less than 200 OHL games. But that era was less than 20 years ago. An OHL champion with the Guelph Storm and one of the fiercest fighters the league has ever seen, Cam Janssen bares all in this raw episode of OHL Stories.

A first rounder into the Ontario Hockey League and a Memorial Cup champion in his rookie year. Drafted into the NHL by the Detroit Red Wings and has incredible stories about meeting not only Yzerman but Howe. Evan McGrath also remembers the tough players to play against, the tough road barns to win in, and that time his "shoe check" didn't go as planned.

He was the 2003-04 OHL Rookie of the Year. His final year in junior saw him score 57 goals (and 145 points) in 57 games. And it's quite possible he played for the best junior hockey team ever assembled, as he captured the Memorial Cup with the London Knights in 2005. Rob Schremp brings a hockey bag full of stories that include being pushed by his teammates to be better, the "meaty" Midwest Division of old, the infamous Richards-Perry fight at centre ice, and the wizardry of head coach Dale Hunter. Whether you loved him or hated him depended on which team you cheered for but there's no denying that Schremp was one of the most prolific scorers our game has ever seen.

His name is synonymous with the Ottawa 67's. He was the first player from the franchise to be named the CHL's Player of the Year and he established a league record for goals with 81 in a single season (a record that would, remarkably, be broken only 5 years later). His 444 career points remains a franchise-best and his 213 career goals was an OHL record that stood for more than 30 years…until some guy named Tavares came along. He is also the only 67 to ever return to coach the team. Peter Lee would go on to play more than 400 games in the NHL before embarking on a career in Europe that continues to this day. He's recognized as one of the Top 50 players in Ottawa 67's history.

Darryl Paquette played goal for the Cornwall Royals, so this episode is an easy opportunity for Farwell to beat the “Bring Back The Royals” drum again. But there’s so much more, including Pope’s chance to get stories about the old Windsor arena. There are also stories about Sudbury, Bill LaForge, Marc Crawford, John Brophy, and so many more. But this is an episode that’s about more than laughing about the old days in the league. It’s an episode about the family ties that bind and how hockey can be a refuge and, maybe, even a salvation. Enjoy the story of these two brothers, how they grew in the game, and how the game helped them grow.

No OHL franchise has reached the Memorial Cup Final more than the Peterborough Petes. Yet despite their nine appearances at the tourney -- and SIX appearances in the championship game -- the Petes have won the Memorial Cup just one time. That win, a 2-1 victory over Brandon in the 1979 final, was made possible by Bob Attwell, who scored the overtime winner. Attwell relives the goal, remembers Roger Neilson and some scrawny kid named Gretzky, plus takes us inside an NHL dressing room led by Lanny McDonald and coached by some guy called Grapes. Four decades later, "Gunner" still drinks for free when he visits Peterborough.

It's the story of another Prince Edward Islander who found his way to the OHL, with stops in Peterborough and Kitchener before a pro career that included some time in Alaska. But it's the OHL Stories that you'll remember, including the tussles with DJ Smith and Ed Jovanovski; the first OHL game when his parents were treated to a full moon; and a reminder of how small (and tight-knit) the game of hockey truly is because Billy had the chance to help a young kid realize his NHL dream. That kid just so happened to be the grandson of the man who helped Billy in the OHL. It's about as full circle as we can go and, since Billy is from Summerside, PEI, this episode also serves as an homage of sorts, to Don Cameron.

He was one of the most prolific scorers in junior hockey history and, along with Matt Foy, formed one of the OHL's most dangerous duos. He was drafted into the NHL by one of that league's most storied franchises, and won a Calder Cup with their farm club. Oh, and he played for Brian Kilrea and today coaches with George Burnett. Corey Locke is home from Europe, back in the OHL, and our guest this week on OHL Stories.

He's been a part of the sports media landscape in Canada for four decades. You'll still find him in a rink, either behind a bench or working the lines. And with everything he's seen, Steve McAllister has plenty of stories to share. From the 1990 Memorial Cup to the best advice he ever received as an official, plenty of memories and plenty of laughs coming your way this week.

His first OHL game as a fan was one of the league's most memorable "Games of the Week" (hint: it featured the Greyhounds and Steelhawks in Hamilton). He was drafted to a US-based team where his coaches eventually became his coaching mentors. He coached in the O, he coached for Hockey Canada and, oh yeah, he played for the Danbury Trashers. Troy Smith has plenty of stories, and we get to hear them this week.

We've heard Commissioner Dave Branch's OHL Stories on this podcast before. This sequel is the story of how the league has, essentially, returned from the hockey abyss. After a lost season, the OHL is back on the ice. The Commissioner tells us how the league got here, how it will handle travel with its US teams, how much concern there is about the finances of some teams and, oh yeah, that little agreement with the AHL that will see some OHL teams missing stars this year. Welcome back, OHL hockey!

He holds the Oshawa Generals franchise record for points, a mark that hasn't been touched in 30 years. He played more than 800 NHL games and his name is on the Stanley Cup. Now, he's back in the OHL to coach one of the league's most successful franchises. And from Bill Stewart to Wayne Gretzky, he's got stories.

It's the last stop on the Alphabet Tour of the OHL as we help you catch up with every team in the league. This week, we're in Windsor, where Steve Bell has stories, not to mention optimism for a Spitfires team that's got a strong group of potential future pros. Then, we sit down with the architect of the OHL's reining dynasty (3 Memorial Cups in 9 years is a dynasty, right?) and find out what it takes to build a winner...and to get punched by Bob Probert.

The post-Byfield era begins in Sudbury as the Wolves look to rebuild with the help of the 1st overall pick. The Sudbury Star's Ben Leeson joins us for a season preview. Then, a chat with a former Wolves defenceman who started his OHL career in Sudbury, finished it in London, and went on to an 800-game NHL career after being drafted in the 8th round.

The Sault Sainte Marie Greyhounds were hoping to host the Memorial Cup last year. Does that mean the 2021-22 Hounds play with a chip on their shoulder to show that they belonged in the cancelled championship tournament? We check in with Brad Coccimiglio for a view from the Soo, and then sit down for a conversation with GM Kyle Raftis to find out what it means to be a Greyhound.

Does any team feel better about their goaltending than the Sarnia Sting feel about theirs? The Sting have one of the best in net and they'll need strength in the crease to offset the loss of some offense to the AHL. Our Alphabet Tour of the OHL stops this week in Sarnia and it includes a chat with a former Sting assistant coach and long-time NHL'er, who's now a scout for the Anaheim Ducks.

The Saginaw Spirit were primed for a deep run in 2020 as the team looked to avenge is 2019 Western Conference Finals loss to the Guelph Storm. From that veteran squad, what does the Spirit look like in 2021? Joey Battaino brings us up to speed before we check in with one of the OHL's most interesting players. From his story to his golf game to the name he goes by, you can get to know T-Bone Codd.

One of the OHL's most storied franchises resides in "The Lift Lock City" and their play-by-play announcer brings a wealth of history to the podcast. We check in on the Petes with a guy named Pete and wonder just how high the ceiling is for a guy named Mason McTavish. Then, for a team forever linked to the Kitchener Rangers, we listen back to an interview with a former assistant coach in Peterborough, who once wore the blue and red jersey in Kitchener.

When last we saw them on the ice, the Owen Sound Attack were rebuilding in the toughest division in the CHL. How much will the gap year affect their young players, what does a new head coach bring to the table, and what's it like competing for attention in the Midwest Division? We check in on the OHL's smallest market and remember a championship run a decade ago. The Memorial Cup to follow, by the way, might have turned out differently if our guest this week was on the ice instead of in the press box. But it's great to see Joey Hishon back in the game.

The Ottawa 67's appeared poised to avenge a 2019 loss in the OHL Finals when COVID stopped their incredible run in 2020. Was any other team in the OHL hit so hard by the stoppage? We look back on where the 67's were at and where they're headed under a new head coach this upcoming season. Plus, a chat with 67's GM James Boyd on his path through the game, and how he builds a champion.