Award winners announced
NORTH BAY, Ont. — Kent Greer garnered his second consecutive Don (Hockey) Hadley Memorial Award as the fans’ favourite player when the North Bay Battalion’s individual awards for the 2025-26 Ontario Hockey League season were announced Thursday night.
Defenceman Greer, a Renfrew, Ont., resident who turned 18 on Feb. 7, was a second-round pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the Barrie Jr. Colts U16s.
The Hadley award for fan voting is named for a Second World War veteran who was a longtime season ticket holder in Brampton, where the Battalion played its first 15 seasons.
Bronson Ride and Ryder Cali each won two awards, with Ride repeating as defenceman of the year and earning recognition as the overage player of the year. Ride, who turned 21 on Jan. 14, was a second-round pick in 2021 by the Windsor Spitfires from his hometown Oakville Rangers U16s.
Centre Cali was named rookie of the year and won the Judy Smith Award for scholastic player of the year. A resident of Penetanguishene, Ont., who turns 18 on Sept. 6, he was a first-round pick by the Soo Greyhounds in the 2024 Priority Selection from the North Central Predators U16s.
Centre Ethan Procyszyn was recognized as the most outstanding player, an honour he shared last year with goaltender Mike McIvor. Captain Procyszyn, a Wasaga Beach, Ont., resident who turns 20 on July 11, was the Battalion’s first-round selection in 2022 from North Central.
Lirim Amidovski and Nolan Laird shared the Jerry Callaghan Memorial Award as humanitarian of the year. Callaghan served in various capacities with the Battalion in Brampton.
Right winger Amidovski was a ninth-round selection in 2022 from the Barrie U16s. The Alliston, Ont., resident turned 19 on Dec. 22.
A Port Perry, Ont., resident who turned 20 on Jan. 4, left winger Laird was an eighth-round pick in 2022 from the Clarington Toros U16s.
Centre Kaden Pitre was named most sportsmanlike player. The Newmarket, Ont., resident, who turned 20 on Feb. 8, was a first-round pick by the Flint Firebirds in 2022 from the Vaughan Kings U16s.
Goaltender Jack Lisson won the True Grit Award presented by the Algonquin Regiment, a new award this season which honours perseverance and dedication to the game. Lisson, an Oakville, Ont., resident who was a 15th-round choice in 2022 from the Rangers, turns 20 on March 31.
Award winners were honoured before the Battalion’s game against the Brampton Steelheads.
