OHL: Perry named Most Outstanding Player

London, ON - The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Corey Perry of the London Knights is the Red Tilson Trophy winner as the OHL's Most Outstanding Player as selected by the media for the 2004-05 season.

Perry won the OHL scoring title after scoring 47 goals and 83 assists for 130 points in 60 games. The 19-year-old from Peterborough became the Knights' all-time scoring leader with 380 points in 253 regular season games over four seasons. The former first round pick enjoyed a 17-game point scoring streak to start the season. He posted 36 multiple-point games, including an eight-point effort against the Saginaw Spirit on March 4.

Perry, a first round pick of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2003, was one of five OHL stars that helped Team Canada win the gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota in January. He was named OHL player of the month in October, January and March and was selected to the OHL's First All-Star Team for the second straight season. Perry was named the Best Playmaker, Most Dangerous in the Goal Area and Best Stickhandler in the Western Conference in the OHL Coaches Poll.

Perry is the fourth member of the London Knights to win the Red Tilson Trophy following Denis Maruk (1974-75), Dave Simpson (1981-82) and Jason Allison (1993-94).

The Red Tilson Trophy, the most prestigious award presented by the Ontario Hockey League, is awarded each year to the player that is voted the most outstanding during the regular season by OHL writers and broadcasters. Players received five points for a first place selection, three points for second place and one point for a third place selection.

Perry received 109 points in the voting, while runner-up Brad Richardson of the Owen Sound Attack received 41 points. Jeff Carter of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Patrick O'Sullivan of the Mississauga IceDogs tied for third with 32 points. Perry is the Ontario Hockey League nominee for the CHL Player of the Year award at the Canadian Hockey League awards.

Other former winners of the Red Tilson Trophy include Frank Mahovlich (Toronto 1957), Stan Mikita (St. Catharines 1959), Eric Lindros (Oshawa 1991) and Jason Allison (1994). Corey Locke of the Ottawa 67's won the trophy in each of the past two seasons.

The trophy 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 after scoring 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 22 games with the Oshawa Generals.