Attack Get Respect from Western Coaches

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the results of the Western Conference Coaches Poll for the 2010-11 OHL regular season.

The OHL Coaches Poll provides member club coaches with the opportunity to recognize the top three players in 16 different skill categories within their own conference. 

Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires was the biggest winner in the Western Conference with representation in five different categories, finishing first in three of them.  The Nashville Predators prospect selected in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft was named the Best Offensive Defenceman for an impressive third straight year.  He also claimed the Smartest Player and Hardest Shot categories for the second time in three years winning both honours back in 2008-09 and finishing second in both categories last season.  Ellis is also considered by coaches to be the conference’s second Best Playmaker, and finished third in the Best Penalty Killer category. 

Colorado Avalanche prospect Joey Hishon of the Owen Sound Attack reclaimed two titles he won two seasons ago in the 2008-09 poll finishing first this season in the Best Playmaker and Best Stickhandler categories.  Guelph Storm captain Tyler Carroll and Sarnia Sting rookie Nail Yakupov also won two categories.  Carroll earned Most Underrated Player and Best Defensive Forward honours, while Yakupov was named Most Dangerous in Goal Area and winner of the Best Shot category.  2011 NHL Entry Draft prospect Ryan Murphy of the Kitchener Rangers was represented in four different categories earning first place as Best Skater, while finishing second to Ellis as Smartest Player and Best Offensive Defenceman, and also finished second to Hishon as Best Stickhandler.  Hishon’s teammate and Florida Panthers prospect Garrett Wilson was named Hardest Worker for the second straight season. 

Overall, both the Rangers and Attack had nine players represented in the top-three of 16 different categories to lead all Western Conference clubs followed by the Saginaw Spirit with eight players.

Each team submits one nominee per category and coaches then vote 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 16 Western Conference categories are listed below with their final point totals in brackets. 

Western Conference:

Most Underrated Player
Tyler Carroll, Guelph Storm (28)
Jordan Szwarz, Saginaw Spirit (22)
Michael Catenacci, Kitchener Rangers tied Stephen Sanza, London Knights (11)

Most Improved Player
Jason Akeson, Kitchener Rangers (19)
Andrew Fritsch, Owen Sound Attack (18)
Stefan Noesen, Plymouth Whalers (16)

Smartest Player
Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires (36) – finished second in votes in 2009-10 and first in votes in 2008-09
Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers (31)
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack (17)

Hardest Worker
Garrett Wilson, Owen Sound Attack (32) – finished first in votes in 2009-10
Jordan Szwarz, Saginaw Spirit (17) – finished third in votes in 2009-10
Tyler Carroll, Guelph Storm (15)

Best Playmaker
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack (23) – finished third in votes in 2009-10 and first in votes in 2008-09
Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires (22)
Jason Akeson, Kitchener Rangers (19)

Most Dangerous in the Goal Area
Nail Yakupov, Sarnia Sting (33)
Greg McKegg, Erie Otters (32)
Josh Shalla, Saginaw Spirit (11)

Best Skater
Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers (37)
Kale Kerbashian, Sarnia Sting (21)
Daniel Catenacci, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (10)

Best Shot
Nail Yakupov, Sarnia Sting (24)
Taylor Beck, Guelph Storm (20)
Greg McKegg, Erie Otters (14)

Hardest Shot
Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires (28) – finished second in votes in 2009-10 and first in votes in 2008-09
Nail Yakupov, Sarnia Sting (16)
Jesse Blacker, Owen Sound Attack (9)

Best Stickhandler
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack (27) – finished first in votes in 2008-09
Michael Latta, Guelph Storm tied Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers (13) – Latta finished third in votes in 2009-10

Best on Face-Offs
Michael Latta, Guelph Storm (27)
Vincent Trocheck, Saginaw Spirit (14)
Mitchell Heard, Plymouth Whalers tied Kenny Ryan, Windsor Spitfires (11)

Best Body Checker
Anthony Camara, Saginaw Spirit (30)
Gabriel Landeskog, Kitchener Rangers (17)
Mike Halmo, Owen Sound Attack (16) – finished second in votes in 2009-10

Best Defensive Forward
Tyler Carroll, Guelph Storm (31)
Jordan Szwarz, Saginaw Spirit (16)
Stephen Sanza, London Knights tied Garrett Wilson, Owen Sound Attack (9)

Best Penalty Killer
Tyler Brown, Plymouth Whalers (26)
Matt Tipoff, Kitchener Rangers (16)
Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires (15)

Best Offensive Defenceman
Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires (43) – finished first in votes in both 2009-10 and 2008-09
Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers (31)
Ryan O’Connor, Saginaw Spirit (5)

Best Defensive Defenceman
David Shields, Erie Otters (22)
Dalton Prout, Saginaw Spirit (20) – finished second in Eastern Conference votes in 2009-10
Matt Stanisz, Owen Sound Attack (18)