NEWS

The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced that Brennan Roy (photo credit - Ed McPherson/OJHL Images) of the Cobourg Cougars has been named the recipient of the OJHL Top Defenceman Award.

After being named runner-up for the same award last season, Roy becomes the fifth defenceman in franchise history to win the league's Top Defenceman Award and the first since Jarrett Winn was the East Division recipient in 2000-01 (also won by Randy Jones in 1999-00, Darryl Buttar in 1996-97 and Darryl Latoski in 1995-96).  The first East Division recipient of the award since Kevin Christmas of the Kingston Voyageurs won the award for the OJAHL in 2009-10, Roy tied for the league scoring lead among blueliners with 57 points in 53 regular season games played.

The back-to-back OJHL 1st Team All-Star, who led the league with 20 goals last season as one of just 16 players in league history to reach the mark, turned the tables this year and was the top playmaker from the point.  Roy led all defencemen with 43 assists this season, helping the Cougars finish with the OJHL's third-best offensive attack, recording 240 goals, while also providing a stabilizing force in the defensive zone.

The Iroquois Falls, Ontario native logged heavy minutes on the Cougars blueline and got off to another quick start during his second OJHL season, earning runner-up honours for the OJHL Bardown North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month in October after recording 14 points in 12 games played during the month.  A key member of the club's special teams units, Roy was instrumental in the club finishing fifth in the OJHL with a 22.60% success rate on the power play, as well as the league's best penalty killing unit at 89.30%.  

Roy's early season play and Player-of-the-Month consideration earned him a spot on Team OJHL Oates at the 2016 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge that took place in Cornwall, Ontario.  He was then named a member of the OJHL '96 All-Star Team that played an exhibition game versus Team Canada East in preparation for the 2016 World Junior 'A' Challenge.  

The OJHL Top Defenceman Award is awarded annually to the defenceman adjudged to have demonstrated the greatest all-round ability at his position throughout the regular season.

Mark Paolini of the St. Michael's Buzzers is runner-up in the OJHL Award balloting to Roy.  

Also named an OJHL 1st Team All-Star, Paolini tied for the league scoring lead among rearguards with Roy by registering 57 points in 50 games played.  He also finished second with both 20 goals and 37 assists and is committed to join the Princeton University Tigers next season.

The OJHL Top Prospect and Goaltender-of-the-Year Award recipients will be announced next week.