Hey OHL fans, it's time for another heap of news, stats and happenings.
Since the regular season is over, I am going to name my unofficial award winners for best forward, defenceman, goalie and rookie.
It was a heck of a season in the OHL. It was one of the best in recent memory as the league was literally bursting at the seams with incredible talent.
Picking the top forward, defenceman, goalie and rookie was difficult. Every category had more than just one or two outstanding candidates. I spent a few sleepless nights after coming up with my selections.
In doing so, that's when I realized just how good the players were in the OHL this year. Overall, compared to the WHL and QMJHL, the OHL talent simply outshined and outperformed their western and eastern counterparts.
First, the Top Forward goes to London's Patrick Kane.
It should come as no surprise to any Northern Life readers that I picked this crafty forward as I have been singing his praises all season long.
What Kane did this year was astonishing. He lead the OHL in points with 62 goals and 145 points in just 58 games as a first year player. He averaged 2.5 points-per-game. If he had played all 68 games, Kane would have had 170 points. He was also second overall with a +42 rating. He was a big reason London won their fourth straight regular season crown. Oh, and he did as an 18-year-old. Kane could be picked first overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Runner up: Oshawa's John Tavares. As a 16-year-old, Tavares led the OHL in goals with 72 in 67 games. He set a new record for goals by a 16-year-old, smashing Wayne Gretzky's old mark of 70. Tavares finished second in scoring with 134 points. He still has two seasons before he's drafted into the NHL, so it's safe to say Tavares will probably win this award over the next two years.
Now, the Top Defenceman, which goes to Guelph's Drew Doughty. The 17-year-old was unbelievable, finishing second in defenceman scoring with 21 goals and 73 points in 67 games. Doughty played a ton of minutes and kept Guelph on a steady course even though they were without their captain, defender Ryan Parent, for 25 games. Doughty was the only defenceman to lead his team in scoring. His poised and slick play will make him a Top-Five pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Runner up: Sudbury's Jonathan D'Aversa. No, this isn't a sentimental pick. D'Aversa simply had an outstanding season and is one of the best at quarterbacking a power play, which is key in today's open-minded game. D'Aversa scored career highs with 13 goals and 60 points in 67 games, with a +16 rating, to finish third in defenceman scoring. D'Aversa's consistency all season earned him this spot.
On to the Top Goalie, which goes to Guelph's Thomas McCollum. (This was the toughest selection to make as there were numerous goalies who deserved to win.)
McCollum started the season as a 16-year-old, but played like a confident veteran. He went 26-18-3-7 with a 2.39 goal-against-average (GAA) and a .918 save percentage. He was second and fourth overall, respectively, in those two categories.
Runner up: Plymouth's Michal Neuvirth. Yes, he played on one of the best teams in the league, but the Whalers were one of the best because of Neuvirth's efforts. He lead the OHL in GAA (2.32) and save percentage (.932), and went 26-8-2-2 on the season.
Finally, the Top Rookie, which goes to Kane. As stated above, Kane was a force all season and made huge strides. Kane had at least seven games where he scored at least three goals and he had 16 games where he recorded at least four points.
Runner up: Mississauga's Alex Pietrangelo. This young defender was awesome and solid from start to finish. Learning a tough position, Pietrangelo became the IceDogs top blueliner and the defensive conscious of an offensive-minded team. Pietrangelo finished with 52 points in 59 games and was third overall in the OHL with a +40 rating. His calm, poised play earned him this right.
Enjoy the playoffs fans, it's going to be a wild ride for sure.
