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Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Grab Seven Mentions in 2023-24 OHL Coaches Poll Results

April 2, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Toronto, Ont. - The Ontario Hockey League today announced the results of the Eastern and Western Conference Coaches Polls for the 2023-24 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 Oshawa Generals led the OHL with a total of nine players included in the poll, led by goaltender Jacob Oster who placed first in three different categories (Most Improved, Best Puckhandling Goaltender, Best Shootout Goaltender) while forward Luke Torrance and defenceman Ben Danford each appeared in three different sections. The Ottawa 67's trailed with seven players on the poll while the North Bay Battalion had six, including top scorer Anthony Romani who placed first in two different categories (Smartest Player, Most Dangerous in Goal Area) as well as second in another (Best Shot). Ty Nelson (Offensive Defenceman), Owen Van Steensel (Most Underrated), Liam Arnsby (Defensive Forward) and Paul Christopoulos (Shot Blocker) were also first place finishers from North Bay. Other prominent Eastern Conference competitors include Barrie Colts teammates Cole Beaudoin (Hardest Worker, Penalty Killer) and Beau Jelsma (Best Skater, Shootout Shooter) who each appeared in three different categories, netting a pair of first place finishes respectively. Sudbury Wolves forward Dalibor Dvorsky also fared well, finishing first in both Best Shot and Best Stickhandler while placing second in Smartest Player.

In the Western Conference, the London Knights led all teams with eight players on the poll, including first place finishers Denver Barkey (Best Shootout Shooter) and Kasper Halttunen (Hardest Shot). The Kitchener Rangers featured seven players, but cleaned up with seven different first place finishes thanks in large part to blueliner Matthew Andonovski who came in on top in three categories (Best Body Checker, Best Penalty Killer, Defensive Defenceman). Carson Rehkopf placed first in both Best Shot and Most Dangerous in the Goal Area while Hunter Brzustewicz appeared three times, placing first in Smartest Player. The Saginaw Spirit had a dual first place finisher in Zayne Parekh (Best Offensive Defenceman, Best Playmaker) while Matyas Sapovaliv finished in three categories, headlining Best on Face-offs. Soo Greyhounds forward Owen Allard was one of the league's best individual performers on the coaches poll, leading the way in both Most Improved Player and Hardest Worker while placing second in Best Defensive Forward. Lastly, the Owen Sound Attack featured goaltender Carter George, who placed first in both Best Puckhandling Goaltender and Best Shootout Goaltender while Colby Barlow placed second in three different fields (Most Dangerous in Goal Area, Best Shot, Hardest Shot).

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.

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. Owen Van Steensel, North Bay Battalion (29)

2. Luke Torrance, Oshawa Generals (23)

3. Mason Zebeski, Mississauga Steelheads (9)

Western Conference:

1. Kirill Kudryavtsev, Soo Greyhounds (22) finished t-3rd in 2022-23

2. Trent Swick, Kitchener Rangers (15)

3. Cole Davis, Windsor Spitfires (12)

Most Improved Player:

Eastern Conference:

1. Jacob Oster, Oshawa Generals (30)

2. Marek Vanacker, Brantford Bulldogs (26)

3. Jacob Battaglia, Kingston Frontenacs (23)

Western Conference:

1. Owen Allard, Soo Greyhounds (34)

2. Adrian Misaljevic, Kitchener Rangers (17)

3. Sam Alfano, Erie Otters (13)

Smartest Player:

Eastern Conference:

1. Anthony Romani, North Bay Battalion (22)

2. Dalibor Dvorsky, Sudbury Wolves (17)

3. Luca Marrelli, Oshawa Generals (16)

Western Conference:

1. Hunter Brzustewicz, Kitchener Rangers (20)

2. Jett Luchanko, Guelph Storm (18)

3. Matyas Sapovaliv, Saginaw Spirit (17)

Hardest Worker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Cole Beaudoin, Barrie Colts (25)

2. Luca Pinelli, Ottawa 67's (19)

3. Ben Danford, Oshawa Generals (12)

Western Conference:

1. Owen Allard, Soo Greyhounds (27)

2. Jett Luchanko, Guelph Storm (19)

3. Carey Terrance, Erie Otters (16)

Best Playmaker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Calum Ritchie, Oshawa Generals (33)

2. David Goyette, Sudbury Wolves (21)

3. Braeden Kressler, Ottawa 67's (10)

Western Conference:

1. Zayne Parekh, Saginaw Spirit (25)

2. Denver Barkey, London Knights (20)

3. Hunter Brzustewicz, Kitchener Rangers (19)

Most Dangerous In Goal Area:

Eastern Conference:

1. Anthony Romani, North Bay Battalion (26)

2. Nick Lardis, Brantford Bulldogs (23)

3. Quentin Musty, Sudbury Wolves (19)

Western Conference:

1. Carson Rehkopf, Kitchener Rangers (43)

2. Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack (22) - finished 1st in 2022-23

3. Liam Greentree, Windsor Spitfires (12)

Best Skater:

Eastern Conference:

1. Beau Jelsma, Barrie Colts (26)

2. Paul Ludwinski, Kingston Frontenacs (20)

3. Kevin He, Niagara IceDogs (16)

Western Conference:

1. Oliver Peer, Flint Firebirds (33)

2. Jett Luchanko, Guelph Storm (19)

3. Easton Cowan, London Knights (13)

Best Shot:

Eastern Conference:

1. Dalibor Dvorsky, Sudbury Wolves (29)

T-2. Anthony Romani, North Bay Battalion (15)

T-2. Ryan Roobroeck, Niagara IceDogs (15)

3. Luca Pinelli, Ottawa 67's (9)

Western Conference:

1. Carson Rehkopf, Kitchener Rangers (33)

2. Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack (27) - finished1st in 2022-23 and 3rd in 2021-22

3. Kasper Halttunen, London Knights (15)

Hardest Shot:

Eastern Conference:

1. Connor Punnett, Oshawa Generals (34) - finished 2nd in 2022-23

2. Ty Nelson, North Bay Battalion (17) - finished 1st in 2022-23

3. Samuel Mayer, Ottawa 67's (15)

Western Conference:

1. Kasper Halttunen, London Knights (31)

2. Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack (24) - finished tied for first in 2022-23 and 3rd in 2021-22

T-3. Arttu Karki, Soo Greyhounds (14)

T-3. Carson Rehkopf, Kitchener Rangers (14) - finished 3rd in 2022-23

Best Stickhandler:

Eastern Conference:

1. Dalibor Dvorsky, Sudbury Wolves (29)

2. Beckett Sennecke, Oshawa Generals (22)

3. Beau Jelsma, Barrie Colts (15)

Western Conference:

1. Matthew Sop, Kitchener Rangers (20)

2. Ruslan Gazizov, London Knights (17)

3. Jack Beck, Soo Greyhounds (14)

Best on Face-Offs:

Eastern Conference:

1. Jax Dubois, Kingston Frontenacs (36)

2. Dylan Roobroeck, Oshawa Generals (20)

3. Jacob Maillet, Ottawa 67's (8)

Western Conference:

1. Matyas Sapovaliv, Saginaw Spirit (34) - finished 1st in 2022-23

2. Pano Fimis, Erie Otters (19)

3. Bryce McConnell-Barker, Soo Greyhounds (13)

Best Body Checker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Connor Punnett, Oshawa Generals (36) - finished tied for 2nd in 2022-23

2. Owen Protz, Brantford Bulldogs (15)

3. Maleek McGowan, Kingston Frontenacs (11)

Western Conference:

1. Matthew Andonovski, Kitchener Rangers (23)

2. Owain Johnston, Erie Otters (18)

3. Ryan McGuire, Guelph Storm (12)

Best Shot Blocker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Paul Christopoulos, North Bay Battalion (27)

2. Ben Danford, Oshawa Generals (21)

3. Daniil Sobolev, Brantford Bulldogs (14)

Western Conference:

T-1. Andrew Gibson, Soo Greyhounds (16)

T-1. Taos Jordan, Owen Sound Attack (16)

T-1. Thomas Budnick, Guelph Storm (16) - finished 3rd in Eastern Conference in 2022-23

2. Owain Johnston, Erie Otters (11)

3. Braden Haché, Saginaw Spirit (10)

Best Defensive Forward:

Eastern Conference:

1. Liam Arnsby, North Bay Battalion (31) - finished 1st in 2022-23 and 2nd in 2021-22

2. Cole Beaudoin, Barrie Colts (17)

3. Luke Torrance, Oshawa Generals (12)

Western Conference:

1. Matyas Sapovaliv, Saginaw Spirit (27)

2. Owen Allard, Soo Greyhounds (23)

3. Easton Cowan, London Knights (14)

Best Penalty Killer:

Eastern Conference:

1. Cole Beaudoin, Barrie Colts (19)

2. Luke Torrance, Oshawa Generals (16)

3. Owen Van Steensel, North Bay Battalion (15)

Western Conference:

1. Matthew Andonovski, Kitchener Rangers (26)

2. Isaiah George, London Knights (18)

3. Ethan Hay, Saginaw Spirit (15)

Best Offensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference:

1. Ty Nelson, North Bay Battalion (35) - finished 3rd in 2022-23 and 2022-21

2. Henry Mews, Ottawa 67's (23)

3. Luca Marrelli, Oshawa Generals (11)

Western Conference:

1. Zayne Parekh, Saginaw Spirit (39)

2. Hunter Brzustewicz, Kitchener Rangers (29)

3. Oliver Bonk, London Knights (11)

Best Defensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference:

1. Ben Danford, Oshawa Generals (26)

2. Andre Anania, Sudbury Wolves (18)

3. Matthew Mayich, Ottawa 67's (12)

Western Conference:

1. Matthew Andonovski, Kitchener Rangers (24)

2. Sam Dickinson, London Knights (23)

3. Andrew Gibson, Soo Greyhounds (20)

Best Puck-Handling Goaltender:

Eastern Conference:

1. Jacob Oster, Oshawa Generals (22)

2. Dom DiVincentiis, North Bay Battalion (21) - finished 1st in 2022-23

3. Matteo Drobac, Brantford Bulldogs (14)

Western Conference:

1. Carter George, Owen Sound Attack (26)

2. Michael Simpson, London Knights (20) - finished 2nd in Eastern Conference in 2022-23

3. Ben Gaudreau, Erie Otters (13) - finished 3rd in 2022-23

Best Shootout Shooter:

Eastern Conference:

1. Beau Jelsma, Barrie Colts (25)

2. Connor Lockhart, Oshawa Generals (23)

T-3. Braeden Kressler, Ottawa 67's (12)

T-3. Porter Martone, Mississauga Steelheads (12)

Western Conference:

1. Denver Barkey, London Knights (27)

T-2. Liam Greentree, Windsor Spitfires (15)

T-2. Matthew Sop, Kitchener Rangers (15)

3. Jett Luchanko, Guelph Storm (14)

Best Shootout Goaltender:

Eastern Conference:

1. Jacob Oster, Oshawa Generals (28)

2. Dom DiVincentiis, North Bay Battalion (16) - finished 1st in 2022-23

3. Jack Ivankovic, Mississauga Steelheads (14)

Western Conference:

1. Carter George, Owen Sound Attack (26)

2. Jackson Parsons, Kitchener Rangers (18)

3. Nathan Day, Flint Firebirds (14)

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