CASSELMAN NAMED MOST IMPROVED
The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced that Ryan Casselman (photo credit - Ian Dixon/OJHL Images) of the Cobourg Cougars has been named the 2016-17 recipient of the OJHL Most Improved Player Award.
The Cougars leading scorer this season with 73 points, as well as an OJHL 1st Team All-Star, Ryan Casselman set career junior offensive bests across the board during the 2016-17 season. He becomes the fourth member of the Cougars to win the award, but the first in 16 years to be named Most Improved Player, joining Matt Chafe (2000-01), Kevin Rainey (1999-00) and Otto Hlincik (1994-95).
Joining Cobourg midway through last season from the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the CCHL, Casselman made an immediate impact on the Cougars line-up, registering 9 goals and 25 points in 30 games played, or totals of 19 goals and 42 points in 54 games when combined with his CCHL totals. He turned a great finish in 2015-16 into becoming an offensive force in the OJHL this year. Casselman saw his offensive production increase by an average of 73% across the board in leading his team with 31 goals, 42 assists and 73 points in 53 regular season contests. His 31 goals were fourth best in the entire league, while his 73 points ranked fifth among all OJHL players this season. A key member of the league’s fifth best power play unit during the season, Casselman notched 15 power play points, while his clutch scoring saw him bury 7 game-winning goals that was tied for fourth highest in the league and was more than triple the amount he has scored in his Junior ‘A’ career. Twice this season, the diminutive forward had lengthy scoring streaks, including a nine game point streak in November that helped him be named the OJHL Bardown North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month, and a ten game point streak that helped him be named runner-up for the same award in January.
The impressive season saw Casselman named a member of Team OJHL Nieuwendyk at the 2016 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge held in Cornwall, Ontario, where he would lead his team with two goals before bowing out to the eventual champion QJHL. Most importantly, he would earn a scholarship to join the Niagara University Purple Eagles beginning with the 2017-18 Atlantic Hockey season, but not before finishing out 2016-17 by leading the Cobourg Cougars as the host of the 2017 RBC Cup, National Junior ‘A’ Championship.
The OJHL Most Improved Player Award is awarded annually to the player adjudged to have shown the greatest improvement in his on-ice performance from the previous OJHL regular season(s).
Ryan Heeps of the Whitby Fury was runner-up in the OJHL Award balloting to Casselman.
The former member of the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack recently completed his second full season as a member of the Whitby Fury. Having recorded 9 goals and 18 points in 45 regular season games played during 2015-16, Heeps became one of the club’s top offensive threats this season, finishing tied for second on the team in scoring with 25 goals and 68 points in 52 games played. He would earn an invitation to Team Canada East’s Final Selection Camp and was a member of Team OJHL Oates at the 2016 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge.
The OJHL Scholastic Player-of-the-Year, Most Gentlemanly Player and Top Defenceman Award recipients will be announced next week.
2016-17 OJHL Award Winners
Award Winner Runner-Up
Top Scorer Jack Jacome (GEO) Brayden Stortz (WEL)
Top Goaltender Stefano Durante (COB) Josh Astorino (GEO)
Executive Greg Walters (GEO) Brent Tully (COB)
Humanitarian Kyle Clarke (NYR) Josh Maguire (COB)
Trainer Sarah Ditmars (TRE) Amanda Gilroy (WHI)
Volunteer Lorna Burrows (STO) Joe Goldenberg (NYR)
Coach Greg Walters (GEO) Mark Jooris (BUR)
Most Improved Ryan Casselman (COB) Ryan Heeps (WHI)
Previous OJHL Most Improved Player Award Recipients
Year Winner Runner-Up
2015-16 Luc Brown (WEL) Ryan DaSilva (STO)
2014-15 Gabriel Valenzuela (NYR) Brady Wiffen (TRE)
2013-14 Taylor Best (WHI) Alex Tonge (KIN)
2012-13 John Carpino (NYR) Corey Kalk (NYR)
2011-12 Darcy Murphy (WEL) Chris Porter (STO)
2010-11 Matt Neal (STO) Khaled Alli (PIC)
*Awarded by Division prior to 2010-11
Year OJAHL CCHL East CCHL West
2009-10 Spencer FInney (TRE) Jordan Reed (AJX) Phil Brewer (BUR)
Year Ruddock Central Phillips MacKinnon
2008-09 Cody Rosen (KIN) Giancarlo Iuorio (MAR) Josh Cousineau (COU) Dorian Peca (VAU)
Year South East North West
2007-08 Martin Lee (VAU) Matt Gray (PET) Matt Milne (NEW) Adam Beveliqua (MIS)
2006-07 Richard Schofield (PIC) Matt Baxter (BOW) Jeff Henderson (NEW) Chase Langerap (OAK)
2005-06 Matt Martello (VAU) Nathan Longpre (PET) Jody Halas (COL) Kyle Zettler (HAM)
2004-05 Nathan Morris (MAR) Kyle Hughey (PET) Matt Whitehead (NEW) Chris Moran (BUF)
2003-04 Matt Harris (AJX) Ted Cook (BAN) Cory Konecny (NEW) Jonathan Ornelas (MIL)
Dave Mahoney (PET)
2002-03 Brian Ihnacek (STM) Travis Kauffeldt (BAN) Kevin Jarman (STO) Rob Tarantino (OAK)
2001-02 Tyler McGregor (AJX) Mike Della Mora (PET) Chris Gill (NEW) Mark Mazzetti (HAM)
2000-01 Dan Iliakis (THO) Matt Chafe (COB) Brock Radunske (NEW) Jeff Szwez (STR)
Andrian Kremblewski (STM)
1999-00 Kevin Tompkins (MAR) Kevin Rainey (COB) Will Crothers (AUR) Mike Knoepfli (GEO)
Year East Central West
1998-99 Scott Gordon (LIN) Dominic Moore (AUR) Stace Page (GEO)
Year East West
1997-98 Kevin Edgar (STO Kevin O'Flaherty (MIL)
1996-97 Darcy King/Rick White (STO) Martin Milijko (BRP)
1995-96 David Deeves (COL) Jeff Haydar (MIL)
1994-95 Otto Hlincik (COB) Corey Waring (OAK)
1993-94 Adam Lamarre (MAR) Kent Williams (OAK)
1992-93 Kris Stockdale (ORL) Tom Johnson (BUR)
