WALTERS NAMED EXECUTIVE OF YEAR
The Ontario Junior Hockey League announced today that Greg Walters (photo credit - Amy Deroche/OJHL Images) of the Georgetown Raiders has been named the recipient of the 2016-17 OJHL Executive-of-the-Year Award.
Named runner-up for the award in 2012-13 to Michael Peca of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, Walters six-year tenure with the Raiders as both General Manager and Head Coach has seen him turn the franchise into a perennial contender, while consistently finding new young talent that competes among the upper echelon of the league's star players.
The OJHL Coach-of-the-Year in 2011-12, as well as runner-up for the award last season to Mark Jooris of the Burlington Cougars, Walters joins his ownership group in encouraging their athletes to make a significant impact in the community with countless off-ice charitable endeavours throughout each season, while also excelling in the classroom.
Without question, his most significant impact, however, is the on-ice hockey product as he led the club to its second OJHL regular season title in the past six years, after finishing as runner-up to the Trenton Golden Hawks in 2015-16. Georgetown entered the 2016-17 OJHL season facing the loss of two of the club's top five scorers from last year, as well as their top defenceman and OJHL Top Prospect Award recipient Matthew Cairns, who was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the 3rd round, 84th overall of the 2016 NHL Draft. They would also lose OJHL Goaltender-of-the-Year Andrew Masters to NCAA graduation. The replacements started during last season with the addition of Austin Cho to the blueline, who was picked-up from the BCHL Langley Rivermen for the club's playoff drive. Cho took-on significant minutes this season and would be selected as an OJHL 2nd Team All-Star. Perhaps his most significant addition, however, was grabbing 20-year old netminder Josh Astorino from the GOJHL's Thorold Blackhawks during the off-season. Astorino would lead all goalies with a .936 save percentage and finished as runner-up for the OJHL Top Goaltender Award with a 1.93 goals against average to Stefano Durante of the Cobourg Cougars.
With his team among the league's elite, Walters continued to look for options to improve throughout the season and his first significant move came in November as the Raiders traded second year forward Bailey Molella to the Orangeville Flyers in exchange for netminder Nicholas Latinovich, who would solidify their position between the pipes and finish the year as the runner-up for the OJHL Bardown Goaltender-of-the-Month in February. Next up, just four days later, was the acquisition of Keegan Blasby from the North York Rangers for Ethan Wiseman, who they had picked-up from Orangeville in September. Blasby finished the season second on the club with 25 goals and fourth in overall scoring with 61 points. Finally, at the trade deadline, Walters added forward Colin Rigney and defenceman Louis Kereakou from the Orangeville Flyers and North York Rangers respectively, and the regular season champion was born.
The OJHL Executive-of-the-Year Award is awarded annually to the Executive that is adjudged to have exceeded expectations in his role with the club throughout the course of the regular season, including, but not limited to, President, Vice-President, General Manager, Assistant General Manager and Marketing Executives.
Brent Tully of the Cobourg Cougars was named runner-up in the OJHL award balloting to Walters.
The Cobourg Cougars General Manager was a key component of the club's winning application that saw them awarded the 2017 RBC Cup, National Junior 'A' Championship by Hockey Canada for this May. Tully has proven his worth with key acquisitions leading up to and during the season that saw the Cougars finish with the second best record, 39-11-4 for 82 points and a .759 winning percentage, in the always tough East Division and North-East Conference, as well as the fourth best record in the entire OJHL. The Cougars have consistently been ranked among the CJHL's Top 20 for much of the season.
The Humanitarian-of-the-Year Award and the Trainer-of-the-Year Award recipients will be announced later this 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)
Previous OJHL Executive-of-the-Year Recipients
Award Winner Runner-Up
2015-16 John McDonald (TRE) Mark Jooris (BUR)
2014-15 Rob Campbell (OAK) James Richmond (AUR)
2013-14 Mike Tarantino (TLP) James Richmond (AUR)
2012-13 Michael Peca (BUF) Greg Walters (GEO)
2011-12 Ken Burrows (STO) Kelly Martin (COB)
