OHL Award Winners
RANDY RUSSON
They are among the best of the best.
As is, the Ontario Hockey League has confirmed its lengthy list of award winners from the ’25-26 regular season.
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Eddie Powers Trophy (OHL Top Scorer) and Jim Mahon Trophy (Top Scoring Right Winger.) Nikita Klepov, Saginaw Spirit
2026 National Hockey League Draft eligible forward Nikita Klepov of the Saginaw Spirit is this year’s recipient of the Eddie Powers Trophy, presented annually to the player that has produced the most points during the OHL regular season.
Klepov’s 97 points included 37 goals and 60 assists over 67 games, with a total of 38 points on the man advantage, the third most in the OHL. The 2008 birth year skater carved out a unique place in OHL history, becoming the first rookie within his first two years of OHL eligibility to claim the honour since Jack Valiquette of the ’73-74 Soo Greyhounds, who also did so as a 17 year old. He is the first American player to lead the OHL in scoring since Jason Robertson of the Niagara IceDogs in ’18-19.
Klepov joins a host of other prominent Americans with their names engraved on the trophy including Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters, ’16-17), Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts, ’15-16), Vincent Trocheck (Plymouth Whalers, ’12-13), Patrick Kane (London Knights, ’06-07) and Rob Schremp (London, ’05-06).
Klepov gives the Spirit back to back Eddie Powers Trophy winners as he followed in the footsteps of Michael Misa, who produced 134 points (62-72–134) before being selected second overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Klepov’s 37 goals tie a Spirit rookie record originally set by Cole Perfetti — now of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets — during the ’18-19 season. He recorded at least three points in a game 13 different times.
As Sault This Week previously noted, it marks the first time the OHL’s leading scorer has produced fewer than 100 points in a span of over 60 years, when eventual OHL coaching legend Wayne Maxner of the ’62-63 J. Ross Robertson Cup champion Niagara Falls Flyers registered 94 points (32-62–94) over 50 games.
Klepov is also the recipient of the Jim Mahon Trophy, presented annually to the OHL’s top scoring right-winger. He becomes the first Spirit player to receive the honour. The award was first handed out following the ’71-72 season in honour of former Peterborough Petes forward Jim Mahon, who accidentally died during the summer of 1971.
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Dave Pinkney Trophy (Lowest Team Goals Against) – Ryder Fetterolf and Jaeden Nelson, Ottawa 67’s
FW ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy (Lowest Rookie Goals Against Average) – Ryder Fetterolf, Ottawa 67’s
The Ottawa 67’s goaltending tandem of Ryder Fetterolf and Jaeden Nelson earned the Dave Pinkney Trophy, presented annually to the team that allowed the least amount of goals during the regular season.
The 67’s completed their seventh 100 plus point season in franchise history, surrendering a league-low 160 goals along the way. It marks a new franchise record for the 67’s as they best the previous club mark of 164 set in ’98-99 and ’19-20.
The 67’s aren’t strangers to defensive excellence, making this the ninth time the franchise has won the Dave Pinkney Trophy as past netminders such as Max Donoso, Collin MacKenzie, Cedrick Andree, Will Cranley, Michael DiPietro, Craig Hillier, Sault Ste. Marie product Seamus Kotyk, Tim Keyes, Darren Pang, Greg Coram, Sault Ste.Marie native Jim Ralph and Michel Larocque all have their names on the trophy.
Additionally, 67’s rookie sensation Fetterolf is the winner of the FW ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy for the OHL’s lowest rookie goals-against average.
Fetterolf’s league best mark of a 2.07 goals-against average set a new Ottawa 67’s single season record, and flirted with history, coming in just a touch higher than Ryan MacDonald’s historic FW ‘Dinty’ Moore best of 2.06 set during the ’03-04 season as a member of the London Knights.
An 18-year-old from Sewickley, Pennsylvania, Fetterolf becomes the first American to claim the honour since Alex Nedeljkovic of the ’12-13 Plymouth Whalers. His outstanding rookie season included a record of 29-9-3 with a .923 save percentage and league high six shutouts.
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’25-26 OHL Regular Season Team Awards.
Hamilton Spectator Trophy (Regular Season Champion) & Leyden Trophy (East Division Champion) – Brantford Bulldogs.
The 48-10-10 Bulldogs finished with 106 points and win their first Hamilton Spectator Trophy since their last championship season in ’21-22. Brantford lost just once in regulation on home ice this season, featuring the OHL’s top goal-scorer in Marek Vanacker (47), while captain Jake O’Brien led the league in assists (65) and points per game (1.75). The Bulldogs had six different players with at least 28 goals in their lineup.
Emms Trophy (Central Division Champion) – Barrie Colts
The 45-14-9 Colts are back on top of the Central for a second straight year, with Dylan Smoskowitz guiding them to 45 wins, the most by a first year OHL head coach since the turn of the century. They boast two of the best players at their position in the OHL, with Utah Mammoth prospect Cole Beaudoin scoring 33 goals and 88 points in just 54 games. New York Islanders first round pick Kashawn Aitcheson doubled down on his record-setting ways from ’24-25, posting a franchise mark 28 goals and 70 points in 56 games on the back end.
Holody Trophy (Midwest Division Champion) – Kitchener Rangers
The 47-14-7 Rangers were Midwest Division champs for the first time since 2018, securing over 100 points in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. Deadline acquisitions in Sam O’Reilly, Dylan Edwards and Jared Woolley have given the Rangers another dimension as they shot up the standings as the best in the Western Conference. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Jack Pridham’s 46 goals were the second-most in the league this season while Christian Humphreys’ 58 assists placed him fifth. Read more
Bumbacco Trophy (West Division Champion) – Windsor Spitfires
In a trophy named after Sault Ste.Marie legend Angelo Bumbacco, the Spitfires needed until the final day of the regular season, but got the job done with a 5-3 win in Sault Ste. Marie to seal their fourth West Division title in the last five seasons. The 44-15-9 Spitfires were led by the always dependable Liam Greentree with 38 goals and 74 points while Carson Woodall produced offence from the blue line with 63 points (12-51–63) on the campaign. Veteran goaltender Joey Costanzo finished the season with 32 wins, and a total of 107 in his OHL career. Late season injuries to Ethan Belchetz and Nathan Villeneuve didn’t stop the Spits, who persevered to the very end.
