OHL Award Predictions as of October 2023, including the London Knights winning the OHL Championship, and Jack Beck winning the Red Tilson Trophy
J. Ross Robertson Cup (OHL Championship): London Knights
Losing in the OHL Finals is a tough pill to swallow, but now the Knights’ core knows how to win when it matters most.
London lost four of their top players in Sean McGurn, Ryan Winterton, George Diaco, and Logan Mailloux, but they never struggle to put together a talent-filled roster.
One of their biggest incoming weapons this season is Finland-born import winger and — San Jose Sharks pick — Kasper Halttunen. Halttunen’s size and heavy shot complements the speed and creativity of Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan quite well.
Top talents Oliver Bonk, Denver Barkey, Easton Cowan, and Jacob Julien were all selected in the 2023 NHL Draft, and all have another year of development under their belts.
Michael Simpson will guard the crease, as the Knights acquire the goaltender they lost to in last year’s OHL Finals.
On defence, they bring in 2007 born Henry Brzustewicz, the brother of Hunter, and defender Sam Dickinson returns for his draft year.
The Knights have loads of depth in every position, and are set to make another deep playoff run.
Red Tilson Trophy (Most Outstanding Player): Jack Beck (Soo Greyhounds)
At this point in time, Jack Beck is an easy option to win Most Outstanding Player. He has had a red hot start on the scoresheet, but there are a lot of other factors that make him a likely candidate.
Jack Beck and the Soo Greyhounds are off to a great start this season, which began with an 11-3 win in the home opener, and a two point game for Beck. The Soo is set to have one of the biggest turnarounds this season, as they failed to even make the playoffs last season. Jack Beck will be a big part of this turnaround. The overager joins this team from the Ottawa 67’s, where he gained lots of experience with their rollercoaster of a season.
Beck, who was originally drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2021, hasn’t had a real breakout season since he’s been drafted. Calgary did not sign Beck, and now he faces the pressure of earning a pro contract by season’s end. The pressure is clearly pushing Beck further, with his hot start to the season, and I don’t see this streak ending any time soon. If the Soo’s offence will go through one player’s hands, it will be through Jack Beck’s.
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (Top Scorer): Jack Beck (Soo Greyhounds)
Jack Beck winning the Red Tilson Trophy means that he will most likely win the Eddie Powers Trophy for the top scorer as well.
Max Kaminsky Trophy (Top Defenceman): Zayne Parekh (Saginaw Spirit)
Zayne Parekh put up 21 goals in his rookie campaign, something this league does not see often from defencemen. Parekh will certainly be a consistent scoring threat from the blue line, and may finish over a point per game this season.
As he heads into his draft season, we should expect him to elevate his game to another level. Parekh should be a very high pick, the way he is able to create from the blue line is not easy to find in a defender. If Parekh scores 30+ goals — which is entirely possible for him — he will most likely win defenceman of the year.
Jim Rutherford Trophy (Goaltender of the Year): Michael Simpson (London Knights)
Michael Simpson joins the London Knights with one of the most valuable experiences; he knows what it takes to win.
Simpson led the Petes to an OHL Championship, winning playoff MVP and completely shutting down the Knights in the final. The Knights’ crease is Simpson’s to lose, and he will get a large majority of their starts this year.
Simpson is without a pro contract or rights. The overage goaltender is projected to be one of the very top in the league, and signing a pro contract seems likely if he is able to lead London through a successful playoff run.
Emms Family Award (Rookie of the Year): Tyler Hopkins (Kingston Frontenacs)
Fourth overall pick in the 2023 OHL Draft, Tyler Hopkins is set to play a lot of key minutes for the Frontenacs this season.
Matthew Schaefer, 1st overall pick, is also another likely candidate, but playing on the blue line on a rather weak team, I don’t see an incredibly big rookie season for him. Hopkins — Schaefer’s minor hockey teammate — was in the discussion of 1st overall for the entirety of the season, and the skill gap between the top four picks is slim.
Kingston’s options offensively are bleak, and Hopkins enters this group as one of the top guns up front. His quickness and playmaking ability are eye-catching, and he is able to generate chances in a variety of ways.
Hopkins and Schaefer led last year's U16 Halton Hurricanes to a dominant season. The two of them on the same team was incredibly difficult for teams to play against, as they were able to lead their team to the OMHA semi-finals and the OHL Cup.
There is a lot to like about Hopkins’ upside, and his opportunities to work with the other offensive prospects in Kingston, including Ethan Miedema and Matthew Soto.
Top Goal Scorer: Nick Lardis (Brantford Bulldogs)
Though this is not an official award, it is important to highlight the league's top goal scorer each season. The league's top goal scorer is typically not the top point producer, which is why Nick Lardis fits this bill.
Nick Lardis returns to the Bulldogs this season from Chicago Blackhawks’ training camp and preseason, since being selected by them in this year’s NHL draft.
Lardis joins the Bulldogs where he is the main option offensively, especially after his strong stint with the team in the second half of last season. Lardis scored 25 goals in his 33 games with the Bulldogs, and on that pace, he would put up at least 50 this season.
He has the ability to score in a wide variety of ways, whether it's a one-timer from the off-wing, driving through the middle, or tracking a rebound. Nonetheless, Lardis has that natural scoring ability that very few players have.
