Year-end OHL awards
Owen Sound’s McNiven gets MVP nod
KITCHENER — Most valuable.
Not best or outstanding, but valuable.
I’m talking about the kind of player whose absence would devastate an Ontario Hockey League team if he was taken off the roster.
Owen Sound goalie Michael McNiven is that guy.
Just where would the Attack be without the Montreal Canadiens prospect? Probably not in the mix for the OHL’s western conference crown, that’s for sure.
McNiven is first in wins (37), goals against average (2.24), tied for first in shutouts (6), third in save percentage (.918) and tied for third in games played (50) among goalies with 20 or more appearances. He has lost twice in regulation since Dec. 9.
Erie’s Alex DeBrincat is a fine consideration. But the Otters beat east best Peterborough 7-0 this past weekend and the Cat had one assist. Point being, Erie is so deep that it can destroy good teams without its main man ripping up the score sheet.
Owen Sound has talent up and down the lineup as well. But I can’t think of any other player that means more to his team than McNiven.
And that’s why he’s my league MVP.
Here are the rest of the yearend awards with honourable mentions.
TOP FORWARD: Alex DeBrincat, Erie. He has posted three consecutive years with more than 50 goals and 100 points. That hadn’t been done in the OHL since the mid-1970s (Dale McCourt). HM: Taylor Raddysh, Erie, Dylan Strome, Erie.
TOP DEFENCEMAN: Darren Raddysh, Erie. He was crowned the Otters’ all-time leader in points by a defenceman earlier this season. His 76 points leads all blueliners and his plus-61 rating is second best in the league. HM: Santino Centorame, Owen Sound, Conor Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie.
TOP GOALIE: Michael McNiven, Owen Sound. He’s MVP so he has to be the top goalie. The biggest challenge facing the Attack is finding his replacement for next season. HM: Tyler Parsons, London, Michael DiPietro, Windsor.
TOP ROOKIE: Ryan Merkley, Guelph. The plus-minus is ugly, but that is to be expected on the west’s worst team. The 16year-old moves the puck like a veteran, creates chances and will be a star in this league. HM: Matthew Villalta, Sault Ste. Marie, Allan McShane, Oshawa.
BEST OVERAGER: Darren Raddysh, Erie. You want your overagers to be impact players and D-Rad delivers up front and in his own end. HM: Stephen Desrocher, Kingston, Bobby MacIntyre, Soo.
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nick Suzuki, Owen Sound. He has more than doubled last season’s 38 points and is one of the most dynamic forwards in the league. And he’s only 17. HM: Michael DiPietro, Windsor, Owen Tippett, Mississauga.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Ryan McGill, Owen Sound. Whatever tension existed around Christmas hasn’t affected the Attack. The team is 29-21-2 since Dec. 9 and a club no one wants to face in the playoffs. HM: Drew Bannister, Soo, Kris Knoblauch, Erie.
STORY LINE OF THE YEAR: CHL lawsuit. The ongoing court battle between the CHL and current and former players who want a bigger slice of the junior hockey pie continues to dominate the news cycle. HM: Off-ice officials blowing countless goal reviews, both OHL cities (Oshawa and Hamilton) passed over in bidding for 100th Memorial Cup.
HOT: Sault Ste. Marie. It’s an all team edition in the H& N this week with the playoffs looming. And no club is going into the post-season hotter than the Soo.
The ‘Hounds are 8-0-1-0 in their past nine and still have a chance to catch Erie for first overall.
NOT: Sudbury Wolves. The free fall continues for the pack. The Wolves have two wins in their past dozen games and just eight victories in 2017. Early in the season, Sudbury was challenging for top spot in the east.
THOUGHT: Josh Ho-Sang made his NHL debut with the New York Islanders earlier this month and caused a stir by wearing No. 66. This is a controversy? Please. First, others have worn Mario Lemieux’s number since he retired. Second, the number has not been retired by the league so it’s up for grabs. And third, Ho-Sang, who played junior for Windsor and Niagara, has worn it off and on since he was a teenager. There are bigger problems in the world.
KILLER CLASH: London at Sault Ste. Marie, Sunday. There is nothing like two of the top teams in the OHL playing a match that matters on their final day of the regular season. The ‘Hounds are 3-0 against the Knights, but two of the games went to overtime while the other was settled in a shootout.
ICE CHIPS: Could Sudbury forward David Levin be the first player selected first overall in the OHL (2015) that is not drafted by an NHL club? Some scouts are beginning to wonder about that aloud. … A few more players enjoying breakout seasons — Cliff Pu (London), Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia), Kole Sherwood (Flint), Jonah Gadjovich (Owen Sound), Robert Thomas (London), Joseph Garreffa (Kitchener), Matthew Timms (Peterborough), Troy Timpano (Erie), Jason Robertson (Kingston) and Conor Timmins (Sault Ste. Marie). … Nine of the top 10-points-per-game players from last year’s playoffs are no longer in the OHL. Last season’s top five playoff performers that are back (in terms of PPG) include: Spencer Watson, Mississauga (1.89), Dylan Strome, Erie (1.62), Jeremy Bracco, Windsor (1.56), Alex DeBrincat, Erie (1.46) and Artur Tyanulin, Ottawa (1.40).