Nick Spaling wins William Hanley Trophy as the OHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player
Published on April 9, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release
Toronto, ON - The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Nick Spaling of the Kitchener Rangers is the William Hanley Trophy winner as the OHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player for the 2007-08 season.
Spaling, a 19-year-old from Drayton, ON, scored a career high 38 goals along with 34 assists for 72 points in 56 games to go along with just 18 minutes in penalties. The third year veteran enjoyed a 17-game point scoring streak during October and November that included back-to-back four point games against the Guelph Storm and Erie Otters. Spaling helped form one of the league's most effective lines during the first half of the season, teaming up with OHL scoring champion Justin Azevedo and Matt Halischuk. Spaling, a sixth round pick of the Rangers in the 2005 OHL Priority Selection, helped the Rangers set new team record for wins (53) and points (110) this season.
The William Hanley Trophy is awarded each year based on selection by the member teams of the Ontario Hockey League. The trophy is presented by the OHL to commemorate William Hanley, former Secretary-Manager of the Ontario Hockey Association for over 25 years.
In a first round of balloting, teams vote for the top player, within their own conference. The top three nominees from both the Eastern and Western conferences are declared as finalists. A second round of voting is then conducted on a league wide basis where teams vote for any of the six finalists. At no time during the voting process can a team vote for their own candidate. Players receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.
Spaling received 60 points in the voting process followed by Cody Hodgson of the Brampton Battalion, who was second with 48 points. Patrick Asselin of the Oshawa Generals finished third in the voting with 22 points.
Former winners of the William Hanley Trophy include Wayne Gretzky, Kirk Muller, Andrew Cassels, Brian Campbell, Wojtek Wolski, Jeff Carter and Brad Boyes. Tom Pyatt of the Saginaw Spirit won the trophy last season.
Spaling will be presented with the William Hanley Trophy during the 2007-08 OHL Awards Ceremony, which will be held on Wednesday June 4 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
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- Nick Spaling wins William Hanley Trophy as the OHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player - CHL
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