BRAMPTON, ON – The Brampton Steelheads announced the signing of their fifth-round pick in this year’s 2026 OHL Priority Selection, John Montanino, to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.
Selected 84th overall, the 6-foot-1, 201-pound defenceman is a product of the Little Caesars U15 AAA.
The Sarnia, Ontario native enjoyed a strong 2025-26 campaign with Little Caesars U15 AAA, recording 5 goals and 10 assists in 15 regular season games. A smart, dependable defenceman, Montanino excels in his own zone and uses his combination of size, strength, and skating ability to his advantage at both ends of the ice.
Head Coach and General Manager James Richmond commented after signing Montanino, “John is a big, puck-moving defenceman that can move up and down the ice very well. He competes at a high level, which makes him hard to play against in the D-Zone. We look forward to seeing John in the blue and white.”
Montanino’s steady defensive presence, physical maturity, and high hockey IQ makes him an exciting addition to the Steelheads’ blueline as he begins the next chapter of his development in Brampton.
