Jay Barwell, owner of and advisor for Prospect 285, has a long history within the athletic and communications communities.
The son of Gord Barwell, Saskatchewan Roughriders’ wide-receiver, Wall-of-Fame inductee, and broadcaster; Jay grew up surrounded by professional athletes: CFL, NFL, NHL, MLB.
Jay played JR B hockey in Georgetown, Ontario. As a rookie defencemen he was named a league all-star: leading his team in scoring and to a birth in the conference finals. Drafted into the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) by the Guelph Platers, Jay was recruited by NCAA schools and gave serious consideration to scholarship offers before joining the Platers. With the Platers Jay played alongside future NHL All-Stars Kirk Muller and Steve Chiasson, and set a long-standing team record for points by a rookie defenceman.
Jay finished his hockey career playing CIS Varsity Hockey at Ryerson University while earning a B.A.A. Communications; he later earned a Masters' Degree.
For five seasons Jay was a mentor and associate coach with the 97AAA Oakville Rangers hockey team. In 2013 the 97AAA Rangers were winners of the prestigious OHL Cup, with 13 players drafted into the CHL (OHL & QMJHL). Jay’s youngest son Jesse, a member of the 97AAA Rangers; selected 26th overall by the Mississauga Steelheads (OHL); member of Hockey Canada's U-17 Team Ontario; has completed four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Jay spent four years as a coach-mentor for, and member of the coach selection committee with, the Oakville Rangers Hockey Club.
Over his 25 year communications career Jay worked in television, publishing and marketing. Today, while advising young athletes, Jay works in Real Estate focusing on high-end estate properties in and around his community of Caledon.
Combining a lifelong passion for sport, coaching, mentorship and communication Jay has a deeply personal commitment to help elite and emerging athletes achieve their dreams and attain their goals through a detailed program of advisement, mentoring, personal brand development, marketing, advocacy and negotiation.
It’s in Brad Davis’ blood to evaluate and assess hockey talent. The son of NHLer Lorne Davis — Stanley Cup champion, Olympic and WHL coach, and an architect of the 1980s Edmonton Oiler dynasty — Brad always knew he would, in some way, follow in his father’s footsteps.
A prairie boy, born and raised in Saskatchewan, Brad’s was a unique childhood. Whether it was standing at his father’s side in a frozen arena or sitting comfortably in the family living room, Brad knew it was a privilege listening to the stories of Glenn Hall and George Armstrong, learning from the experiences of Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky.
With injuries cutting short his playing days, Brad quickly realized that his path to professional hockey would follow a different route and in 1988 he began a 12 year career as an on-ice official: reffing in the WHL, AHL, IHL and ECHL. Brad left the ice, but not the game, in 1997 when he was hired as a scout by Edmonton Oilers’ president and general manager Glen Sather. Brad held his position with the Oilers for 18 years, working under Sather and future GMs Kevin Lowe and Craig MacTavish.
Throughout his career Brad travelled extensively — Canada, the United States, Russia and Europe — evaluating and reporting on talent for the Oilers. Connected to big name picks like Taylor Hall and Leon Draisaitl, Brad is most proud of his efforts as a lead voice in the selection of Shawn Horcoff, Andrew Cogliano, Jeff Petry and Tobias Rieder.
Today Brad is excited to share his knowledge of the game and passion for player development as an advisor and mentor for Prospect 285; helping open doors to the CHL, NCAA and pro hockey; guiding young players as they pursue their dreams.
Jesse Barwell, mentor and advisor with Prospect 285, is a four-year veteran of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the son of former OHLer Jay Barwell and grandson of CFL and Grey Cup winning Saskatchewan Roughrider Gord Barwell.
Jesse is currently playing professional hockey for the Avis Flyers of the BeNe League, in Heerenveen Netherlands.
A member of the 97AAA Oakville Rangers hockey club, Jesse and his teammates, in 2012-2013, became the winningest team in Oakville minor midget history. Reaching the finals of the Toronto Titans' Prospect Tournament; the semi-finals of both the International Silver Sticks and Toronto Marlies Christmas Classic tournaments; the Rangers would go on to win the Peterborough Tournament of Champions, the SCTA Championship, the OMHA Championship, and finally the prestigious OHL Cup Tournament. In so doing the Rangers established themselves as the best team in Ontario and one of the province’s all-time elite minor midget programs. In total, 13 of the 97AAA Rangers were selected in the OHL and QMJHL drafts, with 3 committing to NCAA Division 1 schools.
Jesse, who finished the minor midget season second in team and league scoring, was named to the OMHA U-16 development team and Hockey Canada's U17 Evaluation Camp, before being selected 26th overall by the Mississauga Steelheads in the 2013 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Draft.
An excellent student, Jesse was in scholarship negotiations with NCAA Division 1 hockey schools before signing his contract with the OHL's Steelheads. Quickly establishing himself as a top-nine forward in his underaged season with the Steelheads, Jesse was selected to play for Hockey Canada's U-17 Team Ontario at the world championships. Later that season Jesse was named to the 2013-14 OHL Scholastic Team.
Traded to Saginaw during the 2015-2016 season, Jesse recorded 28 points in 44 games for the Spirit. A 4 point (2g-2a) night, including the over-time winning goal against the Plymouth Whalers, helped clinch a playoff birth for the Spirit. That goal and his 9-point weekend led to his selection as the OHL's third-star of the week.
Following his OHL career, Jesse played University hockey with Toronto Metropolitan University, competing in the OUA National Championship in 2022. In his final year at TMU Jesse served as the team's captain while earning his Master's of Business Administration (MBA).
Jesse's years of discipline, training and performance at the highest levels; his personal experiences on and off the ice as an elite athlete and student; his well-established record as a leader; and his deep commitment to his team and teammates, help to make Jesse an outstanding mentor and advisor for young athletes, and an invaluable member of the Prospect 285 team.