Wellwood wins William Hanley Trophy

The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Kyle Wellwood of the Windsor Spitfires won the William Hanley Trophy for the 2002-03 season.

Wellwood was fifth among all OHL scorers with 41 goals and 59 assists for 100 points in 57 games and played the entire regular season and playoffs without receiving a single penalty.

The 19-year-old Oldcastle native has played 86 consecutive regular season games without a penalty minute. The last penalty he received was on December 30, 2001 while a member of the Belleville Bulls.

Wellwood also played six penalty-free games while scoring a goal and four assists for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Toronto Maple Leafs pick from the 2001 NHL Entry Draft was named OHL Player of the Week on October 15 and March 24.

The William Hanley Trophy winner is awarded annually to the most sportsmanlike player as selected by OHL member team coaches and general managers. Teams were not permitted to vote for players from their own hockey club. Players receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.

Wellwood received 62 points in the voting while Eric Staal of the Peterborough Petes was second with 46 points and Matt Stajan of the Belleville Bulls was third with 39 points.

Previous winners of the William Hanley Trophy include Wayne Gretzky (Sault Ste. Marie 1977-78), Kirk Muller (Guelph 1982-83), Andrew Cassels (Ottawa 1987-88) and Alyn McCauley (Ottawa 1996-97). Brad Boyes of the Erie Otters won the award in each of the past two years.