OHL Announces 2015-16 Coaches Poll Winners

Thursday March 17, 2016

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the results of the Eastern and Western Conference Coaches Polls for the 2015-16 OHL regular season.

The OHL Coaches Poll provides member club coaches with the opportunity to recognize the top three players in 20 different skill categories within their own conference.

In the Eastern Conference, the Central Division champion Barrie Colts lead the way with eight players represented across 16 of the 20 different categories highlighted by Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Mangiapane who was named Most Underrated, Best Skater, and Best Shootout Shooter. Fellow Colt and OHL top scorer Kevin Labanc, a San Jose Sharks prospect, appeared in five categories finishing first in Best Playmaker, and Best Penalty Killer. The East Division champion Kingston Frontenacs finished second in team voting with six different players appearing in 12 different categories including Jeremy Helvig (Most Improved), Spencer Watson (Most Dangerous in the Goal Area), Lawson Crouse (Best Body Checker), and Roland McKeown (Best Defensive Defenceman) finishing first.

North Bay Battalion captain Mike Amadio was the top individual winner by appearing in the Top-3 in seven different categories. The Los Angeles Kings prospect finished first in four different categories including Smartest Player, Hardest Worker, Best Shot, Best Defensive Forward. Other multiple category winners in the Eastern Conference include Niagara IceDogs goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic who tied for first in the Best Puck Handling Goalie vote, and Best Shootout Goalie category. Fellow IceDog Josh Ho-Sang was named Best Stickhandler for the second straight season.

In the Western Conference, the Erie Otters lead the way with seven players represented in 12 of the 20 categories including a league-high nine first place votes. Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome is the Conference’s top individual winner leading the way in three different areas including Smartest Player, Best on Face-Offs, and Best Shootout Shooter. 2016 NHL Draft prospect Alex DeBrincat was also one of seven Otters to earn first place recognition earning Most Dangerous in the Goal Area accolades for the second straight season. The Midwest Division’s Kitchener Rangers and London Knights also factored heavily into Western Conference voting. Seven different Rangers appeared in 11 different categories, while six different Knights were spread across nine different categories. Most notably, the Rangers’ Adam Mascherin was listed in four categories receiving first place in Best Shot, while Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mitch Marner headlined the Knights’ representation winning Best Playmaker and Best Stickhandler after appearing among the Top-3 in both categories last season.

New York Rangers prospect Brandon Halverson of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds is the league’s only three-time winner earning Best Puck Handling Goalie recognition for the third consecutive season.

The Coaches Poll is tabulated when each team submits one nominee per category, and coaches then vote for the top three players for each category within their conference. Players receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote, and one point for a third place vote. Clubs are not permitted to vote for players from their own team allowing for a maximum of 45 possible points for each winner. This season all 20 OHL clubs are represented in at least one category.

All 20 categories are listed below with Eastern Conference and Western Conference winners including their final point totals in brackets.

Most Underrated Player:

Eastern Conference: 1. Andrew Mangiapane, Barrie Colts (28) 2. Jordan Maletta, Niagara IceDogs (16) 3. Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs (15)

Western Conference: 1. Aaron Berisha, London Knights (22) 2. Jeff King, Sarnia Sting (14) 3. Jalen Chatfield, Windsor Spitfires (12)

Most Improved Player:

Eastern Conference: 1. Jeremy Helvig, Kingston Frontenacs (30) 2. Mathew Santos, North Bay Battalion (18) 3. Nic Hague, Mississauga Steelheads tied Riley Stillman, Oshawa Generals (10)

Western Conference: 1. Kyle Maksimovich, Erie Otters tied Logan Stanley, Windsor Spitfires (25) 3. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (10)

Smartest Player:

Eastern Conference: 1. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (32) 2. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts (25) 3. Hunter Garlent, Peterborough Petes (8)

Western Conference: 1. Dylan Strome, Erie Otters (41) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 2. Matthew Tkachuk, London Knights (18) 3. Petrus Palmu, Owen Sound Attack (7)

Hardest Worker:

Eastern Conference: 1. Michael McLeod, Mississauga Steelheads tied Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (24) – McLeod finished third in voting in 2014-15 3. Lawson Crouse, Kingston Frontenacs (21) – finished first in voting in 2014-15

Western Conference: 1. Hayden Verbeek, Soo Greyhounds (32) 2. Jonah Gadjovich, Owen Sound Attack tied Josh Jacobs, Sarnia Sting (13)

Best Playmaker:

Eastern Conference: 1. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts (31) 2. Josh Ho-Sang, Niagara IceDogs (26) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 3. Michael Dal Colle, Kingston Frontenacs (12) Western Conference: 1. Mitch Marner, London Knights (35) – finished second in voting in 2014-15 2. Dylan Strome, Erie Otters (27) 3. Jeremy Bracco, Kitchener Rangers (12)

Most Dangerous in Goal Area: Eastern Conference: 1. Spencer Watson, Kingston Frontenacs (35) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 2. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts tied Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (24)

Western Conference: 1. Alex DeBrincat, Erie Otters (37) – finished first in voting in 2014-15 2. Christian Dvorak, London Knights (32) 3. Zach Senyshyn, Soo Greyhounds (9)

Best Skater:

Eastern Conference: 1. Andrew Mangiapane, Barrie Colts (18) 2. Sean Day, Mississauga Steelheads tied Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa Generals, and Jonathan Ang, Peterborough Petes (17) – Day finished second in voting in both 2013-14 and 2014-15

Western Conference: 1. Zach Senyshyn, Soo Greyhounds (33) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 2. Victor Mete, London Knights (27) 3. Vili Saarijarvi, Flint Firebirds tied Jordan Kyrou, Sarnia Sting (7)

Best Shot: Eastern Conference: 1. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (35) 2. Spencer Watson, Kingston Frontenacs (30) 3. Alex Nylander, Mississauga Steelheads tied Greg Betzold, Peterborough Petes (7)

Western Conference: 1. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (28) 2. Travis Konecny, Sarnia Sting (25) 3. Alex DeBrincat, Erie Otters (16)

Hardest Shot:

Eastern Conference: 1. Kyle Wood, North Bay Battalion (41) – finished second in voting in 2014-15 2. Lawson Crouse, Kingston Frontenacs (23) 3. Rasmus Andersson, Barrie Colts (10)

Western Conference: 1. Mikhail Sergachev, Windsor Spitfires (30) 2. Pavel Zacha, Sarnia Sting (20) 3. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (13)

Best Stickhandler:

Eastern Conference: 1. Josh Ho-Sang, Niagara IceDogs (35) – finished first in voting in 2014-15 2. Alex Nylander, Mississauga Steelheads (16) 3. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts (15)

Western Conference: 1. Mitch Marner, London Knights (43) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 2. William Bitten, Flint Firebirds (13) 3. Jeremy Bracco, Kitchener Rangers tied Blake Speers, Soo Greyhounds (11)

Best on Face-Offs:

Eastern Conference: 1. Jordan Maletta, Niagara IceDogs (38) 2. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (24) 3. Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs (10)

Western Conference: 1. Dylan Strome, Erie Otters (30) 2. Gustaf Franzen, Kitchener Rangers (21) 3. Christian Dvorak, London Knights (20)

Best Body Checker:

Eastern Conference: 1. Lawson Crouse, Kingston Frontenacs (39) 2. Jacob Middleton, Ottawa 67’s (13) 3. Cameron Lizotte, Barrie Colts (11) – finished second in voting in 2014-15

Western Conference: 1. Givani Smith, Guelph Storm (34) 2. Connor Hall, Kitchener Rangers tied Jacob Friend, Owen Sound Attack (12)

Best Shot Blocker:

Eastern Conference: 1. Jacob Middleton, Ottawa 67’s (25) 2. Roland McKeown, Kingston Frontenacs (15) 3. Dylan Sadowy, Barrie Colts (14)

Western Conference: 1. Damir Sharipzyanov, Owen Sound Attack (24) 2. Darren Raddysh, Erie Otters (18) 3. Will Petschenig, Saginaw Spirit tied Patrick Sanvido, Windsor Spitfires (11)

Best Defensive Forward:

Eastern Conference: 1. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (32) 2. Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs (29) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 3. Cordell James, Barrie Colts tied Anthony Cirelli, Oshawa Generals (9)

Western Conference: 1. Kyle Pettit, Erie Otters (31) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 2. Ryan MacInnis, Kitchener Rangers (22) 3. Kris Bennett, Saginaw Spirit (14)

Best Penalty Killer:

Eastern Conference: 1. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts (26) 2. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (25) 3. Jordan Maletta, Niagara IceDogs (17)

Western Conference: 1. Pavel Zacha, Sarnia Sting (26) 2. Kyle Pettit, Erie Otters (19) 3. Darby Llewellyn, Kitchener Rangers (16)

Best Offensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference: 1. Rasmus Andersson, Barrie Colts (31) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 2. Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa Generals (23) – finished second in voting in 2014-15 3. Cam Dineen, North Bay Battalion (17)

Western Conference: 1. Travis Dermott, Erie Otters (28) 2. Vili Saarijarvi, Flint Firebirds (21) 3. Mikhail Sergachev, Windsor Spitfires (20)

Best Defensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference: 1. Roland McKeown, Kingston Frontenacs (30) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 2. Jacob Middleton, Ottawa 67’s (29) 3. Michael Webster, Barrie Colts (19)

Western Conference: 1. Darren Raddysh, Erie Otters (37) 2. Frank Hora, Kitchener Rangers (13) 3. Chris Martenet, London Knights tied Colton White, Soo Greyhounds (9)

Best Puck-Handling Goalie:

Eastern Conference: 1. Mackenzie Blackwood, Barrie Colts tied Alex Nedeljkovic, Niagara IceDogs (21) – Nedeljkovic finished third in 2014-15 West vote 2. Jake Smith, North Bay Battalion (18) – finished second in voting in 2013-14 and 2014-15

Western Conference: 1. Brandon Halverson, Soo Greyhounds (28) – finished first in 2013-14 and 2014-15 2. Michael Giugovaz, Guelph Storm (12) 3. Michael McNiven, Owen Sound Attack (11)

Best Shootout Shooter:

Eastern Conference: 1. Andrew Mangiapane, Barrie Colts (29) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 2. Alex Nylander, Mississauga Steelheads (20) 3. Josh Ho-Sang, Niagara IceDogs (16)

Western Conference: 1. Dylan Strome, Erie Otters (23) 2. Christian Dvorak, London Knights (22) 3. William Bitten, Flint Firebirds tied Petrus Palmu, Owen Sound Attack (16)

Best Shootout Goalie:

Eastern Conference: 1. Alex Nedeljkovic, Niagara IceDogs (24) – finished second in 2013-14 and 2014-15 West voting 2. Mackenzie Blackwood, Barrie Colts (18) – finished third in voting in 2014-15 3. Jack Flinn, Mississauga Steelheads (16)

Western Conference: 1. Devin Williams, Erie Otters (36) 2. Michael McNiven, Owen Sound Attack (16) 3. Charlie Graham, Sarnia Sting (11)