The Ontario Hockey League today announced the recipients of four of the league's annual awards following the conclusion of the 2014-15 regular season.
Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack was awarded the F.W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy (Best Rookie GAA) McNiven had the best goals-against-average among OHL rookie goaltenders with a mark of 2.79 this season becoming the first Owen Sound Attack goaltender to earn the award.
The trophy is named after F.W. "Dinty" Moore of Port Colborne, ON, who served as OHA President from 1942-45. In order to qualify for this rookie award, a goaltender must play a minimum of 900 minutes.
McNiven, a 17-year-old from Georgetown, ON, was listed sixth among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting in their Midterm Rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft. This season he posted a 15-8-0-0 record with two shutouts along with a save percentage of .914.
Offensively, 2015 NHL Draft prospect Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters captured the league's scoring title earning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, while fellow top prospect Mitchell Marner of the London Knights claims the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy presented to the Top Scoring Right Winger. The other two awards are for defensive efforts including the Dave Pinkney Trophy for the goaltending tandem of the team with the fewest goals against won by Ken Appleby and Jeremy Brodeur of the Oshawa Generals.
The 2015 OHL Playoffs begin on Thursday March 26, visit www.ontariohockeyleague.com for all first round matchups and schedules.
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Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (Scoring Champion): Dylan Strome, Erie Otters
Dylan Strome scored 45 goals and 84 assists for 129 points in 68 games setting a franchise single season record and becoming the second straight Erie Otter to win the OHL's scoring title.
Stome, an 18-year-old from Mississauga, ON, was listed fifth overall among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting's Midterm Rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft. The Otters sophomore had an impressive six-point performance on Sunday afternoon with four goals and two assists in an 8-7 win over the Niagara IceDogs to overtake the scoring lead. Strome accumulated 40 multi-point games this season with his 84 assists leading the league and also setting a new Otters single season record while helping the club win 50 games for the second straight season earning their fourth Midwest Division crown and first since 2002.
The Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy was donated by the Toronto Marlboro Athletic Club in memory of Eddie Powers and was first awarded in 1945-46 to Tod Sloan of St. Michael's who scored 79 points in 25 games. The Otters' Connor Brown was last year's recipient with 128 points in 68 games scoring 45 goals and 83 assists in 68 games played. Other notable winners include Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin who tied for the league's scoring title before being chosen first and second overall respectively in 2010, while fellow first overall NHL picks John Tavares (2009), and Patrick Kane (2007) are also recent winners.
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy (Top Scoring Right Winger): Mitchell Marner, London Knights
Mitchell Marner scored 44 goals and 82 assists for 126 points in 63 games for the London Knights.
Marner, a 17-year-old from Thornhill, ON, was listed seventh overall among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting's Midterm Rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft. The Knights sophomore had 35 multi-point performances this year including three six-point efforts helping him earn Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week honours three different times this season.
The Jim Mahon Trophy was first presented following the 1971-72 season by the players and management of the Peterborough Petes in memory of their right winger Jim Mahon who was accidentally killed that summer. Marner follows the Otters' Connor Brown who earned the award last season, and is the ninth member of the Knights to win the award behind Seth Griffith (2013), Patrick Kane (2007), David Bolland (2006), Corey Perry (2005, 2004), Maxim Spiridonov (1998), Dino Ciccarelli (1978), and Dennis Ververgaert (1973).
Dave Pinkney Trophy (Lowest Team Goals Against): Ken Appleby and Jeremy Brodeur, Oshawa Generals
The Eastern Conference's first place Oshawa Generals allowed the fewest goals in the OHL with just 157 against, backstopped by the tandem of Ken Appleby and Jeremy Brodeur.
The Dave Pinkney Trophy is awarded annually to the goaltending tandem from the team that allows the fewest goals against during the regular season. Last season, the Erie Otters allowed just 170 goals against with Oscar Dansk and Devin Williams between the pipes. 157 goals-against helped the Generals win their second straight East Division crown with an all-time franchise best record of 51-11-2-4 for 108 points. This marks the lowest goals-against in the OHL in the last decade since the 2004-05 champion London Knights allowed just 125 goals.
Appleby, a 19-year-old from North Bay, ON, led the league with a 2.08 goals-against-average also posting a league-high save percentage of .924. The third year General posted a record of 38-7-0-4 setting a new club mark for wins in a season while tying for the league lead with six shutouts. Sharing the duties in goal was Brodeur, an 18-year-old from Essex Falls, New Jersey, who carried a 13-4-2-0 record with three shutouts along with a goals-against-average of 2.47 and save percentage of .900 in his first OHL campaign.
This marks the third time a Generals tandem has captured the award and first since 1986-87 when the club was backstopped by Jeff Hackett and Sean Evoy. Peter Sidorkiewicz and Jeff Hogg also won the award in 1982-83 with the club proceeding to win Robertson Cup titles in both years.
