In his fourth OHL season in 2015-16, Cornel (6’2”, 191 lbs., 4/11/1996) set career-high marks in goals, assists, points and plus/minus rating while serving as captain of the Peterborough Petes. He ranked eighth among all OHL skaters with 56 assists and tied for 13th in the league with 83 total points (27+56).

The Peterborough, Ontario native appeared in 265 regular-season games for the Petes during his OHL career, amassing 213 points (70+143) and 91 penalty minutes, and added eight more points (4+4) in 16 postseason contests. He registered 50 or more points in each of his last three OHL seasons and led all Peterborough skaters in assists in each of the last two.

Selected by the Sabres in the second round (44th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Cornel made his professional debut at the end of the 2014-15 season after signing an amateur tryout with the Rochester Americans, recording one assist in six AHL games.