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Connor McDavid named OHL's most outstanding player

Erie Otters captain Connor McDavid. (Photo by Ken Andersen/Getty Images)
Erie Otters captain Connor McDavid. (Photo by Ken Andersen/Getty Images)

There was no surprise on Tuesday afternoon when the OHL announced Connor McDavid had won the Red Tilson Trophy, awarded to the league’s most outstanding player in the regular season.

The only question before the hardware was handed out in Erie, Pa., would be how many votes the 18-year-old superstar would garner. In 80 ballots collected from various members of the media, McDavid received 407 points in the voting process with first place votes on over 94 per cent of all ballots.

“It’s really hard to put into words what this award means,” said McDavid. “To be a part of this group of guys … I might be the guy standing up there but this is the definition of a team award. It makes it a lot easier when you’re playing with the league’s leading scorer (Dylan Strome) and the OHL rookie of the year (Alex DeBrincat).”

McDavid is the clear favourite to be the first-overall pick at the June NHL entry draft in Sunrise, Fla.

“If he’s not first overall I’m going to an ophthalmologist or an optometrist,” said Erie general manager Sherry Bassin.

The Edmonton Oilers surprisingly won the highly anticipated draft lottery sending the city into frenzy over a player many consider to be a generational talent. He was in studio with TSN when the network broadcast the results live to a captive audience.

“That draft lottery night was a pretty crazy night and was certainly exciting,” said McDavid. “It was a lot to take in, but Edmonton is a great place and it’s got such a rich hockey history. You look at the names that have been through there – it’s unbelievable - so just to maybe be a part of it, if I’m fortunate to be able to play there, then obviously it would be a tremendous honour.”

In the regular season, McDavid was third in league scoring with 44 goals and 76 assists for 120 points in 47 games and a league-high plus-minus rating of plus-60. He finished nine points behind teammate and scoring champ Strome, despite playing 21 fewer games. McDavid missed roughly a month after breaking a bone in his right hand. As soon as the injury was healed, he was playing at the world junior championship with Team Canada, winning gold for the first time at the tournament since 2009.

“It’s been a great year and it’s been a lot to handle,” said the forward. “You get off to the start you would hope in a draft year and I thought I was playing some of the best hockey I’ve played in a long time. Breaking your hand isn’t necessarily how you dream of going about your draft year but I got through that and winning the world juniors was so special.”

McDavid is running ahead in the post-season scoring race with 20 goals and 45 points in 18 playoff games. The Otters are down 2-1 in their best-of-seven OHL final against the Oshawa Generals with Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday night in Erie. As a first time captain with the Otters, adding that leadership element to his game has been part of his growth this season.

“Y’know I’ve never really been a captain for a team, so this is my first experience with that,” said McDavid when asked about what he’d learned this season. “Being a captain comes with all kinds of learning curves. I think that would be one of the main things I’ve learned and then obviously just getting bigger and stronger throughout the year.”

Overager Joseph Blandisi of the Barrie Colts, a New Jersey Devils prospect, finished second in voting with 123 points, while Soo defenceman Anthony DeAngelo and London Knights forward Max Domi tied for third with 79 points.