Mitch Marner of the London Knights has won the Red Tilson Trophy, which is awarded to the OHL’s most outstanding player of the year.
The OHL announced Tuesday that the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect is the 2015-16 recipient of the award, as voted by the writers and broadcasters that cover the league.
Marner finished third in OHL scoring with 116 points in 57 games eclipsing the century mark for the second straight season powered by 39 goals and 77 assists with a plus-45 rating that tied for fourth best in the league.
“It’s a big award and an honour, but it wouldn’t have happened without my teammates,” said Marner in a news release. “Building upon the three years with the whole coaching staff and without the guys on the team this wouldn’t have happened. It’s a great award, but we still have a way to go.”
Marner and linemates Christian Dvorak and Matthew Tkachuk combined for 344 points (111 goals) this season as the Knights led the league with 319 goals for and finished second in the OHL with 51 wins and 105 points.
The Knights’ co-captain registered a point in 52 of his 57 games played including 31 multi-point performances and highlighted by a trio of five-point efforts. His 21-game point-streak from October 17 to January 9 was tied for the longest in the OHL this season.
“It has been fun to watch Mitch develop into the player he is today and also mature as a young man who has embraced the role of a leader and captain,” said Knights general manager Basil McRae. “The exciting part is I believe Mitch is just scratching the surface of how good he can be and will be as he continues to grow and work on his game.”
An 18-year-old from Thornhill, ON, Marner turns 19 on May 5 when the Knights open the Rogers OHL Championship Series at home to the Niagara IceDogs.
His OHL career began after being chosen 19th overall by the Knights in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection and has since surpassed the 200 assist (205) and 300 point (301) milestones in 184 games over the course of his three-year career to date.
Marner was selected by the Maple Leafs fourth overall in the 2015 NHL Draft and signed his entry-level contract with the club in July. He is also the team’s nominee for OHL Humanitarian of the Year, and represented Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship in Finland tying for the team lead in scoring with six points in five games.
"Mitch has shown his great passion, determination and skill throughout this entire Ontario Hockey League season and is very deserving of this distinction," said Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Marner is the sixth member of the Knights to win the award.
