# Red Tilson Trophy

The Red Tilson Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the most outstanding player (MVP) as voted by OHL writers and broadcasters. It was donated by The Globe and Mail, and first awarded in the 1944–45 OHA season by the Ontario Hockey Association. The trophy is named for Red Tilson, who played for the Oshawa Generals, and died during military service in World War II. Winners of the Red Tilson Trophy are nominated for the CHL Player of the Year award. The Red Tilson trophy resides in the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame, in the Tribute Communities Centre.

## Red Tilson

The trophy is named for Albert "Red" Tilson, (January 13, 1924 – October 27, 1944) a former Oshawa Generals player killed in service in World War II. Tilson was born in Regina, Saskatchewan to William and Mary Tilson. He was nicknamed "Red" for his hair colour. He played two seasons for the Generals beginning with the 1941–42 OHA season, and won the J. Ross Robertson Cup both seasons. Tilson won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy in the 1942–43 OHA season as the top scorer in the league with 19 goals, and 38 assists. Tilson enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces on May 27, 1943 at Kingston, Ontario. Tilson was a lance corporal in The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada R.C.I.C. Tilson was killed in action in the Netherlands, on October 27, 1944. Tilson is interred in the Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, near Maldegem, Belgium. The Generals retired his uniform #9 on November 12, 2006.

## Winners

List of winners of the Red Tilson Trophy.
| Season | Winner | Team | Goals | Assists | Points |
| 1944–45 | Doug McMurdy | St. Catharines Falcons | 11 | 25 | 36 |
| 1945–46 | Tod Sloan | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | 43 | 32 | 75 |
| 1946–47 | Ed Sandford | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | 30 | 37 | 67 |
| 1947–48 | George Armstrong | Stratford Kroehlers | 33 | 40 | 73 |
| 1948–49 | Gil Mayer | Barrie Flyers | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper |
| 1949–50 | George Armstrong | Toronto Marlboros | 64 | 51 | 115 |
| 1950–51 | Glenn Hall | Windsor Spitfires | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper |
| 1951–52 | Bill Harrington | Kitchener Greenshirts | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper |
| 1952–53 | Bob Attersley | Oshawa Generals | 45 | 43 | 88 |
| 1953–54 | Brian Cullen | St. Catharines Teepees | 68 | 93 | 161 |
| 1954–55 | Hank Ciesla | St. Catharines Teepees | 57 | 49 | 106 |
| 1955–56 | Ron Howell | Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters | 21 | 40 | 61 |
| 1956–57 | Frank Mahovlich | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | 52 | 36 | 88 |
| 1957–58 | Murray Oliver | Hamilton Tiger Cubs | 34 | 56 | 90 |
| 1958–59 | Stan Mikita | St. Catharines Teepees | 38 | 59 | 97 |
| 1959–60 | Wayne Connelly | Peterborough TPT Petes | 48 | 34 | 82 |
| 1960–61 | Rod Gilbert | Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters | 54 | 49 | 103 |
| 1961–62 | Pit Martin | Hamilton Red Wings | 42 | 46 | 88 |
| 1962–63 | Wayne Maxner | Niagara Falls Flyers | 32 | 62 | 94 |
| 1963–64 | Yvan Cournoyer | Montreal Junior Canadiens | 63 | 48 | 111 |
| 1964–65 | Andre Lacroix | Peterborough Petes | 45 | 74 | 119 |
| 1965–66 | Andre Lacroix | Peterborough Petes | 40 | 80 | 120 |
| 1966–67 | Mickey Redmond | Peterborough Petes | 51 | 44 | 95 |
| 1967–68 | Walt Tkaczuk | Kitchener Rangers | 37 | 56 | 93 |
| 1968–69 | Rejean Houle | Montreal Junior Canadiens | 53 | 55 | 108 |
| 1969–70 | Gilbert Perreault | Montreal Junior Canadiens | 51 | 70 | 121 |
| 1970–71 | Dave Gardner | Toronto Marlboros | 56 | 81 | 137 |
| 1971–72 | Don Lever | Niagara Falls Flyers | 61 | 65 | 126 |
| 1972–73 | Rick Middleton | Oshawa Generals | 67 | 70 | 137 |
| 1973–74 | Jack Valiquette | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | 63 | 72 | 135 |
| 1974–75 | Dennis Maruk | London Knights | 66 | 79 | 145 |
| 1975–76 | Peter Lee | Ottawa 67's | 81 | 80 | 161 |
| 1976–77 | Dale McCourt | St. Catharines Fincups | 60 | 79 | 139 |
| 1977–78 | Bobby Smith | Ottawa 67's | 69 | 123 | 192 |
| 1978–79 | Mike Foligno | Sudbury Wolves | 65 | 85 | 150 |
| 1979–80 | Jim Fox | Ottawa 67's | 65 | 101 | 166 |
| 1980–81 | Ernie Godden | Windsor Spitfires | 87 | 66 | 153 |
| 1981–82 | Dave Simpson | London Knights | 67 | 88 | 155 |
| 1982–83 | Doug Gilmour | Cornwall Royals | 70 | 107 | 177 |
| 1983–84 | John Tucker | Kitchener Rangers | 40 | 60 | 100 |
| 1984–85 | Wayne Groulx | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | 59 | 85 | 144 |
| 1985–86 | Ray Sheppard | Cornwall Royals | 81 | 61 | 142 |
| 1986–87 | Scott McCrory | Oshawa Generals | 51 | 99 | 150 |
| 1987–88 | Andrew Cassels | Ottawa 67's | 48 | 103 | 151 |
| 1988–89 | Bryan Fogarty | Niagara Falls Thunder | 47 | 108 | 155 |
| 1989–90 | Mike Ricci | Peterborough Petes | 52 | 64 | 116 |
| 1990–91 | Eric Lindros | Oshawa Generals | 71 | 78 | 149 |
| 1991–92 | Todd Simon | Niagara Falls Thunder | 53 | 93 | 146 |
| 1992–93 | Pat Peake | Detroit Junior Red Wings | 58 | 78 | 136 |
| 1993–94 | Jason Allison | London Knights | 55 | 87 | 142 |
| 1994–95 | David Ling | Kingston Frontenacs | 61 | 74 | 135 |
| 1995–96 | Alyn McCauley | Ottawa 67's | 34 | 48 | 82 |
| 1996–97 | Alyn McCauley | Ottawa 67's | 56 | 56 | 112 |
| 1997–98 | David Legwand | Plymouth Whalers | 54 | 51 | 105 |
| 1998–99 | Brian Campbell | Ottawa 67's | 12 | 75 | 87 |
| 1999–2000 | Andrew Raycroft | Kingston Frontenacs | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper |
| 2000–01 | Brad Boyes | Erie Otters | 45 | 45 | 90 |
| 2001–02 | Brad Boyes | Erie Otters | 36 | 41 | 77 |
| 2002–03 | Corey Locke | Ottawa 67's | 63 | 88 | 151 |
| 2003–04 | Corey Locke | Ottawa 67's | 51 | 67 | 118 |
| 2004–05 | Corey Perry | London Knights | 47 | 83 | 130 |
| 2005–06 | Wojtek Wolski | Brampton Battalion | 47 | 81 | 128 |
| 2006–07 | John Tavares | Oshawa Generals | 72 | 62 | 134 |
| 2007–08 | Justin Azevedo | Kitchener Rangers | 43 | 81 | 124 |
| 2008–09 | Cody Hodgson | Brampton Battalion | 43 | 49 | 92 |
| 2009–10 | Tyler Seguin | Plymouth Whalers | 48 | 58 | 106 |
| 2010–11 | Ryan Ellis | Windsor Spitfires | 24 | 76 | 100 |
| 2011–12 | Michael Houser | London Knights | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper |
| 2012–13 | Vincent Trocheck | Plymouth Whalers | 50 | 59 | 109 |
| 2013–14 | Connor Brown | Erie Otters | 45 | 83 | 128 |
| 2014–15 | Connor McDavid | Erie Otters | 44 | 76 | 120 |
| 2015–16 | Mitch Marner | London Knights | 39 | 77 | 116 |
| 2016–17 | Alex DeBrincat | Erie Otters | 65 | 62 | 127 |
| 2017–18 | Jordan Kyrou | Sarnia Sting | 39 | 70 | 109 |
| 2018–19 | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | Sudbury Wolves | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper |
| 2019–20 | Marco Rossi | Ottawa 67's | 39 | 81 | 120 |
| 2020–21 | Not awarded, season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded, season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded, season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded, season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded, season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021–22 | Wyatt Johnston | Windsor Spitfires | 46 | 78 | 124 |
| 2022–23 | Matthew Maggio | Windsor Spitfires | 54 | 57 | 111 |
| 2023–24 | Easton Cowan | London Knights | 34 | 62 | 96 |