Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Hodgson wins the Tilson Trophy

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Cody Hodgson of the Brampton Battalion is the recipient of the Red Tilson Trophy for the 2008-09 season. The award is presented to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player of the Year as selected by the writers and broadcasters that cover the league.

Hodgson finished fourth in league scoring with a career-high 43 goals and 49 assists for 92 points in 53 games with a plus-minus rating of plus-41 with 33 penalty minutes. The Battalion captain led the league with 11 game-winning goals and had a league-high point scoring streak of 23 games from November 21 to February 11 where he collected 40 points. Hodgson recorded 26 multi-point games with four hat-tricks. He had a five-point game November 6 in an 8-4 win over the Plymouth Whalers with four goals and an assist as first star of the game.

Hodgson, a 19-year-old from Markham, ON, has played three OHL seasons with the Battalion. He was drafted by Brampton in the first round, 17th overall at the 2006 OHL Priority Selection. This season, Hodgson competed at the 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge and was an assistant captain for Team OHL. He was named game MVP with a hat-trick and an assist in the 6-3 win November 20 over Team Russia. He represented Canada as an assistant captain at the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa, capturing a gold medal and leading the tournament with 16 points in six games. He competed at the 2009 Subway OHL All-Star Classic in Windsor as an assistant captain for the Eastern Conference All-Stars. Hodgson was named game MVP scoring a hat-trick and an assist in the 11-6 victory over the Western Conference. He was named the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week twice for the week ending November 10 and February 2. He also claimed Kal Tire OHL Player of the Month honours twice for November and March of this season.

Hodgson was selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, 10th overall by the Vancouver Canucks. He has scored 106 goals and 117 assists for 223 points in 184 career games. He was also named the recipient of the William Hanley Trophy as the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player for the 2008-09 season. Hodgson also led the 2008-09 Eastern Conference Coaches Poll where he was voted the smartest player, the hardest worker, best on face-offs, and best penalty killer. This season Hodgson led the Battalion to second place in the Eastern Conference setting club records for wins and points in a season with a record of 47-19-1-1 for 96 points.
The Red Tilson Trophy is the most prestigious individual award presented by the Ontario Hockey League. It is awarded each year to the player that is voted the most outstanding during the regular season by OHL writers and broadcasters. Players received five points for a first place selection, three points for second place and one point for a third place selection.

Hodgson received 161 points in the voting process ahead of John Tavares of the London Knights who finished second with 115 points and Mike Murphy who finished in third place with 76 points.

Hodgson is the OHL's nominee for the CHL Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League awards.

Hodgson follows Wojtek Wolski, who won the award for the 2005-06 season, as the second member of the Battalion to receive this honour. Other winners include Frank Mahovlich (Toronto 1957), Mike Foligno (Sudbury, 1979), Doug Gilmour (Cornwall 1983), Jason Allison (London 1994), Brad Boyes (Erie 2001 & 2002). John Tavares of the Oshawa Generals won the trophy in 2006-07 and Justin Azevedo of the Kitchener Rangers won the award last season.

The trophy is named in honour of Albert "Red" Tilson, who was killed in action in Europe during World War II. Tilson was the OHA scoring champion for the 1942-43 season after scoring 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 22 games with the Oshawa Generals.

Hodgson will be formally presented with the Red Tilson Trophy at the 2008-09 OHL Awards Ceremony taking place on Wednesday June 3 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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