Byfield among finalists for Red Tilson Trophy
Quinton Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves was among five members of the 2020 NHL Draft class nominated by OHL member clubs for the Red Tilson Trophy as most outstanding player, the league announced Friday.
The Red Tilson Trophy was first presented in 1945 and is named in honour of Albert “Red” Tilson, who was killed in action in Europe during World War II. Tilson was the OHA scoring champion for the 1942-43 season with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists) in 22 games with the Oshawa Generals.
Ontario Hockey League clubs determine the nominees before the Red Tilson Trophy is voted on by the sports writers and broadcasters of the league.
Byfield, No. 2 in Future Considerations’ Spring ranking for the 2020 draft, led the Sudbury Wolves and finished 14th in OHL scoring with 82 points (32 goals, 50 assists) in 45 games. The 17-year-old also won gold with Canada at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship and was a captain at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in January.
Marco Rossi, ranked 8th, was nominated for the Ottawa 67’s. He received the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the Ontario Hockey League’s top scorer in March after amassing 120 points (39 goals, 81 assists) in 53 games.
Cole Perfetti, ranked 9th, was nominated by the Saginaw Spirt. Perfetti, who topped all OHL players with first-place finishes in four different categories in Eastern and Western Conference Coaches Polls for the 2019-20 OHL regular season, was second in league scoring behind Rossi with 111 points (37 goals, 74 assists) in 61 games played.
Tyson Foerster of the Barrie Colts and Rory Kerins of the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds were also nominated for the award. Foerster, 39th, had 80 points (36 goals, 44 assists). Kerins, 71st, had 59 points (30 goals, 29 assists) in 60 games.
Shane Wright, who was granted exceptional status into the Ontario Hockey League last March and was the first pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, was also nominated. Wright, 16, had 66 points (39 goals, 27 assists) in 58 games with the Kingston Frontenacs.
Full nominees are available HERE.