CHL notebook: Islanders prospect Maggio benefits from year abroad

Future NHL stars are developing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Each week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

Matthew Maggio
missed a season of development in the Ontario Hockey League, but what he learned by playing in Sweden has set the stage for a potential NHL career.
When the OHL canceled its 2020-21 season due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, the 20-year-old Windsor forward signed with SK Lejon in Sweden's third division.
He had 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 19 games, but it also forced him to rediscover the skill and swagger in his game and develop into the leading scorer in the OHL this season.
Maggio became the first OHL player to reach 40 goals this season when he scored against Owen Sound on Feb. 5, and he leads the league in goals (42) and points (88).
He might not reach that level were it not for his stint in Sweden.

"Maybe my first few years in the OHL* , C, Flint (Detroit Red Wings): Lombardi scored a short-handed goal and had an assist in a 6-5 overtime loss at Windsor on Thursday to extend his point streak to 11 games (22 points; nine goals, 13 assists), the longest active streak in the OHL. The 19-year-old, selected by the Red Wings in the fourth round (No. 113) of the 2022 draft, is tied for fifth in the OHL with 75 points (34 goals, 41 assists) in 54 games.
Jakub Brabenec, C, Sherbrooke (Vegas Golden Knights): Brabenec has 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) during a nine-game point streak, his longest in two QMJHL seasons. The 19-year-old has 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 11 games since being acquired in a trade with Charlottetown on Jan. 6. Selected by the Golden Knights in the fourth round (No. 102) of the 2021 draft, Brabenec has 45 points (14 goals, 31 assists) in 39 games this season.
Tyler Brennan, G, Prince George (New Jersey Devils): Brennan had a 2.17 goals-against average and .907 save percentage during a six-game winning streak from Jan. 18-Feb. 10, the longest of his five WHL seasons. The 19-year-old, selected in the fourth round (No. 102) of the 2022 draft, is 12-9-2 with a 3.19 GAA and .887 save percentage in 26 games this season.
Photo: Windsor Spitfires*