Connor McDavid Named OHL’s Top Player
In what is absolutely no surprise to anyone in the hockey world, Connor McDavid, the NHL’s top prospect and the Erie Otters star, was named the Ontario Hockey League’s most outstanding player with the Red Tilson Triophy on Tuesday.
McDavid, who will more than likely be the first overall pick to the Edmonton Oilers this June, has led his Otters to an appearance in the OHL finals where they are currently facing the Oshawa Generals.
The 18 year old has some of the best numbers of any player in the league in recent years, starting with his astounding 60 rating in plus/minus. McDavid was injured early in the season after a fight and thus he only played in 47 regular season games. Despite the missed time, he was still third in the entire league with 120 points.
44 goals and 76 assists made up those point totals for McDavid, who has been playing alongside future NHLer Dylan Strome as well.
“Obviously it’s amazing,” McDavid said, via NHL.com. “It’s such a special honor. It’s an award that’s really for a team. You wouldn’t be at this point without your teammates and all the coaches and everyone.
“It’s an award that’s really for a team. You wouldn’t be at this point without your teammates and all the coaches and everyone. I think it’s one of the most team-oriented awards there are. Obviously it means a lot getting your name on it, but at the same time, I owe it all to the boys. You look at the list of names that have been there before and a couple of Otters come to mind, obviously Brad Boyes and Connor Brown. Just to be named with those two guys, let alone the other names that are on that trophy, it’s such an honour.”
The Otters’ forward season hasn’t come to a crashing halt, either, as he leads the playoffs with 45 points in 18 games.
McDavid is also the nominee from the OHL side for the Canadian Hockey League player of the year award. The ceramony will be in Quebec later this month.
McDavid is the sixth youngest player in the history of the OHL most outstanding player award to win it. The youngest ever winner was current New York Islander John Tavares who won it when he was just 16 years old with Oshawa. Other players younger than him to have won the award are current Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin (with the Plymouth Whalers) and former star Eric Lindros (Oshawa).