2025 award winners
player of the year:
COLTON SMITH, Leamington Flyers (OJHL)
Smith was the OJHL’s Top Scorer for 2024-25. He was also voted MVP of the 24-team league this season. … In 55 games this season, the Windsor, Ont., native had 95 points. … Smith averaged 1.73 points per game. His league-leading 46 goals included eight game-winners. … He is the son of Los Angeles Kings’ assistant coach D.J. Smith. … He scored at least one goal against all 23 other teams in the OJHL this season. … Smith made history earlier this season as the first OJHLer/former OHLer to commit to an NCAA Division 1 school (Clarkson) for next season. … “Colton was a threat every time he was on the ice and was a big reason why we finished at the top in the West Conference,” Leamington head coach Dale Mitchell said. “It’s been a long year this year but it’s been a fun time with these guys and I couldn’t have done it with a better group,” Smith told the OJHL recently. “The guys, the coaches and ownership – there was no place I’d rather have been.”
Photo courtesy of OJHL Images
Trainer of the Year
Lee-Ann Ellis, Sarnia Legionnaires (GOJHL)
Ellis has been involved in hockey for over 50 years…First as a player, then official, Coach and trainer…the friendships made have lasted an entire life time…Ellis would like to thank her family first and foremost for all of their sacrifices, and allowing me the time to follow my passion. Thank the Sarnia Legionnaires organization and all of the players, coaches, board members and volunteers for their support and dedication to the organization. Thank the OHA for this award. She is extremely humbled.
Photo courtesy of Sarnia Legionnaires
Official of the Year
Pat Myers
Originally from Pain Court, Ont., a community located just west of Chatham, Myers recently also won the OHL’s Ken Bodendistel Character Award for Officials. Myers has been living in the Niagara region since 2006 and works for North Country Property Maintenance as a Sales and Office Representative. “This isn’t possible without my family,” Myers added. “I am grateful for the love and support of my wife Jessica and daughter Brodie. My late father Fern was the one who got me started in officiating and was my biggest fan.”
Photo courtesy of OJHL Images
Officiating Prospects of the Year
Laura Gutauskas & Gage Argue
Laura started officiating at age 14 as a part time job. She was invited to join the OHA in 2023/24 where she has had the opportunity to continue to develop as an official, crediting the officials and supervisors in her area. Some of her highlights from this season include being part of the OHA’s first all female officiating crew in an Jr. A game and skating in the GOJHL and PJHL playoffs. On the Women’s side, she skated in the Final Olympic qualifiers, Women’s World Championship, and the PWHL Finals. Laura is thankful for the support from the OHA in her continued development.
Gage just finished his second season as an official after transitioning from junior hockey. In his first season, he earned a spot on the OHA staff in London while completing his degree at Western University. Upon moving back home, he joined the OHA staff in Barrie for the 2024-2025 season. This season, Gage was fortunate to officiate several high-profile events, including the OJHL Showcase in Niagara, a U17 Team Canada game at the OHF Member High-Performance Camp, the OHL Cup in March, and the Schmalz Cup Finals. He is extremely grateful to have found officiating as an outlet to give back to the game of hockey while fueling his passion for the sport, and he looks forward to continuing his progression to higher levels of officiating.
Photo courtesy of OJHL Images
Coach of the Year
Jeff Bradley, St. Marys Lincolns (GOJHL)
In his third full season as head coach of the Lincolns, Bradley guided the team to the best regular season record in the GOJHL; including 14 more points in the standings from 2023-2024 to 2024-2025. Featuring a well-balanced line-up, the Lincolns had five (5) players with 40 or more points. Bradley will return behind the Lincolns bench in 2025-2026 as dual role of head coach and assistant general manager.
Photo courtesy of the St. Mary’s Lincolns
Donald Sanderson award
Chayse Herrfort, Minto 81’s
Despite my strenuous workload in my Doctor of Chiropractic program, I have found the time to compete for my hometown team in Minto. I committed to commuting home from school every weekend because it meant so much to represent my community and to help keep competitive senior hockey in Minto alive. I have always been passionate about hockey and my academics, and I am grateful that I can still do both. I have been successful in both realms, as I currently hold a 92% average in my program and received honours in my first year of study in 2024 at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC).
“My program is a 4-year doctorate, along with the 4-year undergraduate degree that I already received at Wilfrid Laurier University.” Herrfort said. “I would like to help people who have supported me all these years in the stands at my hockey games. I want to give back to my hockey community and provide the next generation of OHA athletes with quality care.”
The award is presented annually to a player in the Ontario Hockey Association that meets the criteria as set out by the Sanderson Family: Dedication, Discipline, Desire, and Deportment; traits that Donald was well known for.
Photo courtesy of the GOJHL
BJ Monro award
Jonathan Kapageridis, Cobourg Cougars (OJHL)
Kapageridis was also selected as the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Hudl InStat Top Prospect for 2024-25, the league announced today..the award is presented annually to the OJHL player selected by NHL Central Scouting as the top-ranked draft-eligible prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft…he was one of five Canadian Junior Hockey League players on the NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2025…Kapageridis had a highlight-filled season, complete with selections to all-star teams, commitments to both Ontario Hockey League and NCAA teams and that aforementioned NHL Draft list…the 18-year-old from Vaughan is a self-described “late bloomer”…Kapageridis, who committed to the NCAA Division I University of Vermont Catamounts in November, had 30 points (8 goals/22 assists) in 37 games as he battled injury this season.
The B.J. Monro Memorial Award is presented annually to the OHA player who is the highest ranked individual according to the NHL Central Scouting List for the current season.
Photo courtesy of the OJHL
Gold Stick
Ken Burrows – Stouffville Spirit (OJHL)
Burrows was selected as the 2025 Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Executive of the year…the Governor and General Manager of the Spirit joined the then two-year-old franchise as a scout in 1997. The lifelong Stouffville resident next spent time as an assistant coach with the team before becoming GM in 2001…Burrows also co-owns the franchise, along with Zeev Werek and Chris Tambos…Burrows won the OJHL Executive of the Year award the first year it was given out, 2012, which coincided with the year the Spirit won the OJHL championship. He was named Stouffville’s Sports Person of the Year later that year.
The Gold Stick is an order of merit in hockey awarded by the OHA for outstanding service to the game other than as a player. Such outstanding service must have been for a period of not less than 10 years continuous duration. The award may be made to any person who has rendered such service to any organized hockey Association or its member clubs anywhere in the world.
Photo courtesy of the Stouffville Spirit
Forward
Colton Smith – Leamington Flyers (OJHL)
Photo by courtesy of OJHL Images
Forward
Liam Campbell, Chatham Maroons (GOJHL)
Photo courtesy of the Chatham Maroons
Forward
Carter Fogarty, Sarnia Legionnaires (GOJHL)
Photo courtesy of Sarnia Legionnaires
Defence
Cameron Eke, Collingwood Blues (OJHL)
Photo courtesy of OJHL Images
Defence
Patrick Babin, Brantford Titans (GOJHL)
Photo courtesy of the Brantford Titans
Goalie
Marcus Vandenberg, Leamington Flyers (OJHL)
