Thursday, April 26, 2012

Otters' Pelech named Top High School Student and Scholastic Player of Year

Press Release

The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Adam Pelech of the Erie Otters is this year’s recipient of both the Bobby Smith Trophy as Scholastic Player of the Year as well as the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award as the top High School Student Athlete.

Pelech, a 17-year-old from Toronto, ON, is a Grade 12 student at McDowell Senior High School in Erie, PA, where he received a 95% average with a full course load including Algebra, Computer Applications, English, Introduction to Business, Physical Education, and Sports and Entertainment Studies.  Pelech becomes the Otters’ second Bobby Smith Trophy winner following Brad Boyes who received the honour in 2000.  He is the organization’s first Ivan Tennant Memorial Award winner but follows in the footsteps of his older brother Matt who was the award’s first recipient in 2005 as a member of the Sarnia Sting.  Pelech becomes the first player to receive both awards in the same season.
"It's awesome, it's an award that my brother won when he was playing in the league so it's cool that I have won it as well,” said Pelech.  “Both academics and on-ice performance go hand in hand and it's great to be recognized for both."

Pelech has completed his second season with the Otters and is among the top OHL defencemen eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.  He recorded 20 points in 44 games this season for the Otters and represented Canada earning a bronze medal at the recent IIHF World Under-18 Championship where he was an Alternate Captain.

"Adam Pelech shows his leadership by conduct,” said Otters General Manager Sherry Bassin.  “He is truly a leader on the ice and a leader in the classroom.  He does it quietly and shows by his conduct that goals can be accomplished if you stick with it.  We are proud of his accomplishments in the classroom and on the ice.  His dedication to being the best is why he will have a long career in the National Hockey League."
Each year the Bobby Smith Trophy is presented to the OHL Scholastic Player of the year who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence.  The trophy is in honour of Bobby Smith, former Ottawa 67's star who exhibited a standard of excellence in both of these areas.  The Ivan Tennant Memorial Award is given to the Top Academic High School Player and is named in honour of Ivan Tennant, who spent a lifetime combining hockey and education.  He was the Kitchener Rangers' Education Consultant for 20 years and a key figure on the OHL's Education Consultant's Committee. 

Former winners of the Bobby Smith Trophy include NHL stars Dustin Brown who was a three-time award winner with Guelph from 2001-03, Steven Stamkos (Sarnia 2006-07), and Matt Duchene (Brampton 2008-09).  The two most recent recipients include Erik Gudbranson and last year’s winner Dougie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs who was later named the CHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year.  Hamilton also won the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award in 2010 one year after his brother Freddie Hamilton.  Goaltender Andrew D’Agostini of the Peterborough Petes was last year’s winner. 

Following Pelech in consideration for the Bobby Smith Award was runner-up Matt Murray of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and Daniel Altshuller of the Oshawa Generals.  Chris Bigras of the Owen Sound Attack and Spencer Turcotte of the Guelph Storm were both runner-ups for the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award. 
Pelech will be formally presented with his awards at the OHL’s annual Awards Ceremony June 5 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.  He will also be the OHL’s nominee for the CHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year award.

All 20 of the OHL’s member clubs provide nominees for each award with the Bobby Smith Trophy nominees representing the 2011-12 OHL Scholastic Team.

Bobby Smith Award Winner- Adam Pelech, Erie Otters
Nominees:
Barrie
Ekblad, Aaron
Innisdale
Belleville
Gaunce, Brendan
Quinte SS
Brampton
Auld, Justin
Univeristy of Toronto
Erie
Pelech, Adam
McDowell SHS
Guelph
Finn, Matt
Our Lady of Lourdes CS
Kingston
Blight, Braydon
Holy Cross
Kitchener
Pederson, Brent
Eastwood Collegiate
London
Welychka, Brett
St. Thomas Aquinas
Mississauga
Duhaime, Ryan
Philip Pocock CSS
Niagara
Hamilton, Freddie
Brock University
Oshawa
Altshuller, Daniel
Henry Street HS
Ottawa
Monahan, Sean
Hillcrest HS
Owen Sound
Bigras, Chris
West Hill SS
Peterborough
Ritchie, Nicholas
Thomas A Stewart SS
Plymouth
Wilson, Tom
Plymouth HS
Saginaw
Kea, Justin
Saginaw Heritage HS
Sarnia
Chiarlitti, Nathan
University of Guelph
Sault
Murray, Matt
Superior Heights
Sudbury
Schutt, Samuel
Lockerby
Windsor
Clarke, Michael
St. Anne's HS

Ivan Tennant Winner- Adam Pelech, Erie Otters

Nominees:

Barrie



Ekblad, Aaron



Innisdale SS
Belleville
Simmonds, Scott
Quinte Secondary
Brampton
Robinson, Brandon
Turner Fenton HS
Erie
Pelech, Adam
McDowell SH
Guelph Turcotte, Spencer Our Lady of Lourdes
Kingston
Smith, Jacob
Holy Cross Catholic
Kitchener
Pedersen, Brent
Eastwood Collegiate
London
Athanasiou, Andreas
Oakridge SS
Mississauga
Martin, Spencer
Philip Pocock
Niagara
Graham, Jesse
Governor Simcoe SS
Oshawa
Altshuller, Daniel
Henry Street HS
Ottawa
Monahan, Sean
Hillcrest HS
Owen Sound
Bigras, Chris
West Hill SS
Peterborough
Varga, Steven
Thomas A. Stewart SS
Plymouth
Wilson, Tom
Plymouth HS
Saginaw
Kea, Justin
Heritage HS
Sarnia
Latta, Nick
Northern Collegiate
Sault
Nurse, Darnell
St. Mary's High School
Sudbury
Schutt, Samuel
Lockerby
Windsor
Johnson, Ben
St. Anne's HS

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

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