Azevedo wins Red Tilson Trophy as OHL’s Most Outstanding Player

The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Justin Azevedo of the Kitchener Rangers has won the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player for the 2007-08 season as selected by the writers and broadcasters that cover the league.

Azevedo was the top scorer in the OHL this season, scoring 43 goals and 81 assists for 124 points in 67 games this season. The 20-year-old from West Lorne, ON had a quick start to the season, racking up 16 goals and 50 points during a 21-game point scoring streak that stretched from Sept. 30 to Nov. 24. He enjoyed a six-point game (three goals, three assists) on Dec. 30 against Peterborough and five-point efforts against Guelph on Oct. 21 (one goal, four assists) and again on Nov, 23 against Sarnia (three goals, two assists).

Azevedo, who was also the top scorer in the Canadian Hockey League this season, helped the Rangers win the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the OHL’s top team in the regular season with a team record 53 wins and 110 points.

The Red Tilson Trophy is the most prestigious individual award presented by the Ontario Hockey League. It is awarded each year to the player that is voted the most outstanding during the regular season by OHL writers and broadcasters. Players received five points for a first place selection, three points for second place and one point for a third place selection.

Azevedo received 137 points in the voting process while Steven Stamkos of the Sarnia Sting was runner up with 82 points and Brett MacLean of the Oshawa Generals finished third in the voting with 51 points.

Azevedo is the OHL’s nominee for the CHL Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League awards.

Azevedo becomes the fourth Ranger to win the Red Tilson Trophy following Bill Harrington (1951-52), Walt Tkaczuk (1967-68) and John Tucker (1983-84). Other former winners of the Red Tilson Trophy include Frank Mahovlich (Toronto 1957), Stan Mikita (St. Catharines 1959), Mike Foligno (Sudbury, 1979), Doug Gilmour (Cornwall 1983), Jason Allison (1994) and Brad Boyes (2001 & 2002). John Tavares of the Oshawa Generals won the trophy last season.

The trophy is named in honour of Albert “Red” Tilson, who was killed in action in Europe during World War II. Tilson was the OHA scoring champion for the 1942-43 season after scoring 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 22 games with the Oshawa Generals.

Azevedo will be formally presented with the Red Tilson Trophy during the 2007-08 OHL Awards Ceremony, which will be held on Wednesday June 4 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.