[{"id":297375,"date":"2026-04-07T13:59:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T17:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/?p=297375"},"modified":"2026-04-07T13:59:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T17:59:34","slug":"2026-ohl-awards-rangers-pridham-named-overage-player-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/ohl\/article\/2026-ohl-awards-rangers-pridham-named-overage-player-of-the-year","title":{"rendered":"2026 OHL Awards – Rangers’ Pridham named Overage Player of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

TORONTO –\u00a0<\/strong>The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that Kitchener Rangers forward Jack Pridham<\/a> is this year’s recipient of the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the OHL Overage Player of the Year as voted by the League’s General Managers.<\/p>\n

Pridham keeps the award in the Rangers franchise for a third straight season, following Jackson Parsons (2024-25) and Matthew Sop (2023-24) in having his named etched on the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy. The Chicago Blackhawks finished with 46 goals, the second-most in the OHL, along with 44 assists and 90 points over 65 games along with a plus\/minus rating of plus-38.<\/p>\n

“It’s a tremendous honour to win the Overage Player of the Year Award,” said Pridham. “I want to thank my teammates and the coaching staff for everything they’ve done to help me this season. To continue the tradition after Soppy and Parsons is great as well. It’s awesome to keep that award in the organization.”<\/p>\n

Pridham’s season included three hat-tricks along with 16 power play goals and six shorthanded markers, with both figures among the OHL’s league-leaders. He also potted seven game-winning goals and was voted the Western Conference’s best shot in the OHL Coaches Poll.<\/p>\n

“We are very excited and proud of Jack for this award and accomplishment,” said Rangers General Manager Mike McKenzie. “He has had a great year and been a big part of our team from start to finish and scored a lot of big goals for us. It is very cool for our organization to have three winners of this award over the last three seasons and is a testament to our coaching staff on developing players and being patient with their development over long stretches of time.”<\/p>\n

A 20-year-old from Stouffville, ON, Pridham completes his second season with the Rangers after producing 54 points (27-27–54) over 48 games in 2024-25. The 6-foot-2, 185Ib. right-wing was chosen by Kitchener in the ninth round (177th overall) of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection before he competed in the St. Andrew’s College prep hockey program and parts of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons with the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors. The Chicago Blackhawks selected Pridham in the third round (92nd overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft.<\/p>\n

Pridham emerged as the award recipient out of a group of finalists that also consisted of defenceman Maleek McGowan of the Kingston Frontenacs, forward Cooper Foster of the Ottawa 67’s and forward Marco Mignosa of the Soo Greyhounds.<\/p>\n

First presented in 1984, the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy was donated by the trainers of the Ontario Hockey League, in memory of the late Leo Lalonde, former Chief Scout of OHL Central Scouting. Leo Lalonde was also former the Chief Scout for the Belleville Bulls as well as a scout for the Peterborough Petes.<\/p>\n

Pridham will be formally recognized as OHL Overage Player of the Year at the 2026 OHL Awards Ceremony held at The Hockey Hall of Fame in June.<\/p>\n