Kade O'Rourke is staying put.
After Hockey Canada denied exceptional status to the potential No. 1 pick in the OHL Draft last month, O'Rourke has decided to return to minor hockey with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens next season, his adviser John Walters of Will Sports Group confirmed to Sportsnet on Sunday.
O'Rourke, a 15-year-old from Texas, would have become the first exclusively American-born player to receive exceptional status in the OHL. Sean Day was a dual citizen of Canada and the United States when he received his exceptional status in 2013.
O'Rourke moved to Toronto to play in the Greater Toronto Hockey League four years ago at the age of 11.
O'Rourke would have had several options for next season, including the possibility of playing in the USHL or BCHL, but now appears to be setting his sights on the 2027 OHL Draft.
This season, he led the Jr. Canadiens to the OHL Cup final, but they fell in the final to the Detroit HoneyBaked.
O'Rourke scored 10 points in the tournament, including a sensational goal in the semifinals. He was also named a tournament all-star.
The Oshawa Generals hold the top pick in the OHL draft, set for June 12.
Along with Day, John Tavares (2005), Aaron Ekblad (2011), Connor McDavid (2012), Shane Wright (2019) and Michael Misa (2022) are the other players who were granted exceptional status in the OHL.
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