Thursday, March 15, 2012

2012 Eastern Conference Coaches Poll

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the results of the Eastern Conference Coaches Poll for the 2011-12 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.

The Niagara IceDogs led the way with representation in 14 of the 20 different categories including seven first place selections with three of them going to forward Alex Friesen.  Friesen, a 21-year-old from Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, is a Vancouver Canucks prospect who was considered by Eastern Conference coaches to be the Best Defensive Forward, the Best on Faceoffs, and tied for Best Penalty Killer.  Friesen had previously appeared in all three categories in previous years including Best Faceoffs the past two seasons winning it in 2009-10 and finishing third last year.  He also won Best Penalty Killer last season and finished third in the Defensive Forward category one year ago.  This season he was also recognized as the third Hardest Working player in the conference after winning that category in the 2009-10 season.

The Sudbury Wolves follow the IceDogs with representation in 13 different categories with forward Michael Sgarbossa appearing in a conference-best five different categories.  The Colorado Avalanche prospect was named Smartest Player and Best Playmaker, the second Most Dangerous in the Goal Area and second Best Stickhandler after finishing third in that category last season.  He also ranked third in the Best Shot category.

Other notable winners included Tyler Toffoli of the Ottawa 67’s who led the way in three different categories including Most Dangerous in the Goal Area after finishing second and third the last two seasons.  He also won the Best Shot category after finishing second last season, and is considered the Best Shootout Shooter in the Eastern Conference in one of four new categories appearing in the Coaches Poll this season along with Best Shot Blocker, Best Puck Handling Goalie, and Best Shootout Goalie.  The IceDogs’ Ryan Strome won Best Stickhandler for the second straight year while teammate Dougie Hamilton won Best Offensive Defenceman for the second year in a row.  Christian Thomas of the Oshawa Generals appeared in the Best Shot category for the third straight year, with the Wolves Josh McFadden made his second appearance in the Best Offensive Defenceman category.  Anthony Camara of the Barrie Colts finished tied for second in the Best Body Checker category after finishing first in votes last year in the Western Conference.

Each team submitted one nominee per category and coaches voted for the top three players for each category within their conference and are not permitted to vote for players on their own team.  Players receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote, and one point for a third place vote.

All 20 Eastern Conference categories are listed below with the player’s final point totals in brackets.

2011-12 Eastern Conference:

Most Underrated Player
1.       Sam Carrick, Brampton Battalion tied Joey West, Peterborough Petes (18)
3.       Josh Leivo, Sudbury Wolves (14)

Most Improved Player
1.       Tanner Pearson, Barrie Colts (34)
2.       Jamie Wise, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (13)
3.       Igor Bobkov, Kingston Frontenacs tied Frank Corrado, Sudbury Wolves (10)

Smartest Player
1.       Michael Sgarbossa, Sudbury Wolves (37)
2.       Riley Brace, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (12)
3.       Ryan Strome, Niagara IceDogs (11)

Hardest Worker
1.       Boone Jenner, Oshawa Generals (24)
2.       Luke Judson, Belleville Bulls (22)
3.       Alex Friesen, Niagara IceDogs (17) – finished first in voting in 2009-10

Best Playmaker
1.       Michael Sgarbossa, Sudbury Wolves (41)
2.       Ryan Strome, Niagara IceDogs (23) – finished first in voting in 2010-11
3.       Brendan Gaunce, Belleville Bulls (7)

Most Dangerous in the Goal Area
1.       Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa 67’s (32) – finished second in voting in 2010-11 and third in 2009-10
2.       Michael Sgarbossa, Sudbury Wolves (23)
3.       Mark Scheifele, Barrie Colts (9)

Best Skater
1.       Ivan Telegin, Barrie Colts tied Shane Prince, Ottawa 67’s (25)
3.       Jesse Graham, Niagara IceDogs (13)

Best Shot
1.       Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa 67’s (36) – finished second in voting in 2010-11
2.       Christian Thomas, Oshawa Generals (16) – finished first in voting in 2010-11 and second in 2009-10
3.       Michael Sgarbossa, Sudbury Wolves (13)

Hardest Shot
1.       Cody Ceci, Ottawa 67’s (21)
2.       Jamie Oleksiak, Niagara IceDogs (15)
3.       Josh McFadden, Sudbury Wolves (13)

Best Stickhandler
1.       Ryan Strome, Niagara IceDogs (26) – finished tied for first in voting in 2010-11
2.       Michael Sgarbossa, Sudbury Wolves (25) – finished third in voting in 2010-11
3.       Riley Brace, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (10)

Best on Face-Offs
1.       Alex Friesen, Niagara IceDogs (24) – finished tied for third in voting in 2010-11 and first in 2009-10
2.       Boone Jenner, Oshawa Generals (18)
3.       Mark Scheifele, Barrie Colts (11)

Best Body Checker
1.       Cameron Wind, Brampton Battalion (25)
2.       Anthony Camara, Barrie Colts tied Alex Cord, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (13) – Camara finished first in West voting in 2010-11

Best Shot Blocker
1.       Jamie Oleksiak, Niagara IceDogs (22)
2.       Zach Bell, Brampton Battalion (15)
3.       Cody Ceci, Ottawa 67’s (14)

Best Defensive Forward
4.       Alex Friesen, Niagara IceDogs (31) – finished third in voting in 2010-11
5.       Joey West, Peterborough Petes (15)
6.       Josh Leivo, Sudbury Wolves (10)

Best Penalty Killer
1.       Jamie Wise, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors tied Alex Friesen, Niagara IceDogs (25) – Friesen finished first in voting in 2010-11
3.       Luke Judson, Belleville Bulls tied Frank Corrado, Sudbury Wolves (11)

Best Offensive Defenceman
1.       Dougie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs (45) – finished first in voting in 2010-11
2.       Cody Ceci, Ottawa 67’s (17)
3.       Josh McFadden, Sudbury Wolves (10) – finished third in voting in 2010-11

Best Defensive Defenceman
1.       Cameron Wind, Brampton Battalion (24)
2.       Dougie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs (19) – finished third in voting in 2010-11
3.       Frank Corrado, Sudbury Wolves (15)

Best Puck Handling Goalie
1.       Mark Visentin, Niagara IceDogs (32)
2.       Brandon Maxwell, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (26)
3.       Malcolm Subban, Belleville Bulls tied Kevin Bailie, Oshawa Generals (7)

Best Shootout Shooter
1.       Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa 67’s (31)
2.       Mark Scheifele, Barrie Colts (28)
3.       Mathew Campagna, Sudbury Wolves (14)

Best Shootout Goalie
1.       Malcolm Subban, Belleville Bulls (26)
2.       Mark Visentin, Niagara IceDogs (19)
3.       Petr Mrazek, Ottawa 67’s (14)


 (Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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