OHL gives IceDogs captain farewell salute
Ryan Mantha in the running for top overager, best defenceman award
What do the top ‘Dog, an old ‘Dog eager to pass along all of his tricks and a promising pup have in common?
Niagara IceDogs captain Ryan Mantha, Dave Bell, the team’s head coach, and Akil Thomas, who set a franchise record for scoring, are all finalists for Ontario Hockey League awards.
As well Stephen Dhillon is the team’s nominee for the the most outstanding player award after leading the league in shots faced and saves made.
Awards will be presented at a ceremony Thursday, June 8, at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, but recipients will be announced periodically throughout the OHL playoffs.
All but the Red Tilson Trophy, which is awarded annually to the league’s most outstanding player, are voted by the teams. Broadcasters and sportswriters who cover the league select the MVP.
All coaches were in the running for coach of the year honours at the outset of the awards process, and all teams were asked to nominate a player for defenceman, goaltender and overage player of the year, as well as the most sportsmanlike player. However, teams were not permitted to vote for the player from their own club.
First stage of voting was by conference, with the top three players from conference making the final ballot which will by voted on by all 20 general managers in the league.
Mantha is among of six finalists for the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy after scoring 17 goals and collecting 41 assists for a junior career-high 58 points in 65 games in his third, and final, season in the OHL, all of them spent with Niagara.
On the IceDogs only forward Johnny Corneil, with 31 goals and 31 assists for 62 points; accumulated more points than the two-way defenceman during the regular season. No only in the league had more that the 317 shots Mantha directed on the net.
Jeremy Brodeur, G, Oshawa Generals, 51 games played, 2.84 goals-against average, .916 save percentage, two shutouts; Santino Centorame, D, Owen Sound Attack, 68 GP, 7 G, 66 Am 73 pts; Steven Lorentz, C, Peterborough Petes, 66 GP, 29 G, 32 A, 61 pts.; Bobby MacIntyre, LW, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 63 GP, 28 G, 52 A, 80 pts.; Darren Raddysh, D, Erie Otters, 62 GP, 16 G, 65 A, 81 pts.; are the other overagers nominated for the award.
Mantha, who earlier this year signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, is also a Max Kaminsky Trophy finalist for defenceman of the year.
Vili Saarijarvi, Mississauga Steelheads, 34 GP, 11 G, 20 A, 31 pts.; Mikhail Sergachev, Windsor Spitfires, 50 GP, 10, 33, 43; and Matthew Timms, Peterborough, 68 GP, 11 G, 52 A, 63 pts.; also are in the running to be honoured as the league’s best blue-liner, as are Centorame and Raddysh.
Bell guided the IceDogs to a 23-35-6-4 record, good enough for third in the Central Division and a berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs, in his first year as Niagara’s bench boss.
Also in the running for the Matt Leyden Trophy for coach of the year are Drew Bannister, Sault Ste. Marie, 48-16-3-1, first, West Division; Jody Hull, Peterborough, 42-21-2-3, first, East Division; Bob Jones, Oshawa Generals, 40-23-3-2, second, East Division; Kris Knoblauch, Erie, 50-15-2-1, first Midwest Division; and Ryan McGill, Owen Sound, 49-15-2-2.
All Thomas did in his freshman seeing playing right wing in Niagara was to set a franchise record for rookie points in a season. The 17-year-old Brandon, Fla., native scored 21 goals and added 27 assists for 48 points in 61 games.
Marco Insam set the previous record of 41 points set in 200809.
Other rookies who made a good enough impression to be finalists for the Emms Family Award are Allan McShane, C, Oshawa, 62 GP, 17 G, 27 A, 44 Pts.; Ryan Merkley, D, Guelph Storm, 62 GP, 12 G, 43 A, 55 pts.; Linus Nyman, LW, Kingston Frontenacs, 68 GP, 26 G, 54 A, 50 pts.; Adam Ruzicka, C, Sarnia Sting, 61 GP, 25 G, 21 A, 46 pts.; and Matthew Villalta, G, Sault Ste. Marie, 33 GP, 2.44 GAA, .918 pct., 1 shu.
Dhillon saw action in more than twice as many games in his second full season between the pipes in Niagara. After logging 1,317 minutes of playing time in 2015-16, Dhillon’s 3,433 total minutes was second only to the 3,446 accumulated by Kingston’s Jeremy Helvig.
In 59 games during the regular season Dhillon allowed an average of 3.46 goals per game, recorded one shutout and compiled a .914 save percentage. His shots faced, 2,312; and shots blocked, 2,114; were both tops in the league.
Following are the other nominees for the Red Tilson Trophy for most outstanding player: Anthony Stefano, LW, Barrie Colts; Alex DeBrincat, RW, Erie; Ryan Moore, C, Flint Firebirds; Isaac Ratcliffe, LW, Guelph; Matthew Strome, LW, Hamilton Bulldogs; Jason Robertson, RW, Kingston; Adam Mascherin,LW,KitchenerRangers; Tyler Parsons, G, London Knights; Owen Tippett, RW, Mississauga; Brett McKenzie, C, North Bay Battalion; Jeremy Brodeur, G, Oshawa; Arthur Tyanulin, RW, Ottawa 67’s; Michael McNiven, G, Owen Sound; Dylaw Wells, G, Peterborough; Filip Hronek, D, Saginaw Spirit; Jordan Kyrou, RW, Sarnia Sting; Zach Senyshyn, RW, Sault Ste. Marie; Dmitry Sokolov, C, Sudbury Wolves; Michael DiPietro, Windsor.
Wells is a native of St. Catharines and, along with Brodeur, DiPietro, Helvig, McNiven and Parsons, is a finalist for the Goaltender of the Year Award.
Finalists for the William Hanley Trophy, for most sportsmanlike player; are Lucas Chiodo, Barrie; Joseph Garreffa, Kitchener; Nikita Korostelev, Peterborough; Jason Robertson, Kingston; Nick Suzuki, Owen Sound; and Robert Thomas, London.
Additional player awards that will be announced are humanitarian of the year, academic players of the year and the Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy. bfranke@postmedia.com