2023-24 OHL awards tracker
Max Kaminsky Trophy — OHL Defenceman of the Year
Zayne Parekh — Saginaw Spirit
Parekh led all OHL defencemen with 33 goals and 96 points in 2023-24 to establish new Spirit franchise records in each category. He follows John Slaney (Cornwall, 1989-90) as just the second defenceman in OHL history to score more than 30 goals in his first season of NHL Draft eligibility. Parekh is the first Saginaw Spirit player to ever win the OHL Defenceman of the Year Award. Parekh was listed as the fifth ranked North American skater in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft.
Jim Rutherford Trophy — OHL Goaltender of the Year
Jacob Oster — Oshawa Generals
Oster’s 35 wins led the OHL, and were tied for the most in the CHL, while he also registered a 2.82 GAA and .935 save percentage. Oster, who played 3,569 minutes, also tied a Generals franchise record by appearing in 60 games.
Emms Family Award — OHL Rookie of the Year
Jake O’Brien — Brantford Bulldogs
O’Brien led all rookie OHL skaters with 51 assists and 64 points across 61 games with Brantford, both of which established Bulldogs rookie franchise records. His 51 assists were the most by an OHL rookie in his first year of eligibility since Sarnia’s Alex Galchenyuk registered 52 in 2010-11.
Matt Leyden Trophy — OHL Coach of the Year
Derek Laxdal — Oshawa Generals
Laxdal led Oshawa to a 40-win season and to the top seed in the OHL’s Eastern Conference. In his second season behind Oshawa’s bench, Laxdal joins other past Generals coaches in DJ Smith (2013-14), Paul Theriault (1986-87), Bill White (1977-78) and inaugural winner Gus Bodnar (1971-72) as the fifth coach in franchise history to win the Matt Leyden Trophy.
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy — Overage Player of the Year
Matthew Sop — Kitchener Rangers
In his final season, Kitchener native Sop had a career high 43 goals and 90 points in 67 games. Sop’s 10 game-winning goals and five overtime goals were tied for the OHL lead. Sop, who spent four seasons with the Rangers, finished his OHL career with 76 goals and 169 points in 203 games.