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 St. Catharines Falcons 11 25 36 1945–46 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 43 32 75 1946–47 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 30 37 67 1947–48 Stratford Kroehlers334073 1948–49 Barrie Flyers Goalkeeper 1949–50 Toronto Marlboros6451115 1950–51 Windsor Spitfires Goalkeeper 1951–52 Kitchener GreenshirtsGoalkeeper 1952–53 Oshawa Generals 45 43 88 1953–54 St. Catharines Teepees 68 93 161 1954–55 St. Catharines Teepees 57 49 106 1955–56 Guelph Biltmores 21 40 61 1956–57 Toronto St. Michael's Majors 52 36 88 1957–58 Hamilton Tiger Cubs 34 56 90 1958–59 St. Catharines Teepees 38 59 97 1959–60 Peterborough TPT Petes 48 34 82 1960–61 Guelph Royals 54 49 103 1961–62 Hamilton Red Wings 42 46 88 1962–63 Niagara Falls Flyers 32 62 94 1963–64 Montreal Junior Canadiens 63 48 111 1964–65 Peterborough Petes 45 74 119 1965–66 Peterborough Petes 40 80 120 1966–67 Peterborough Petes 51 44 95 1967–68 Kitchener Rangers 37 56 93 1968–69 Montreal Junior Canadiens 53 55 108 1969–70 Montreal Junior Canadiens 51 70 121 1970–71 Toronto Marlboros 56 81 137 1971–72 Niagara Falls Flyers 61 65 126 1972–73 Oshawa Generals 67 70 137 1973–74 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 63 72 135 1974–75 London Knights 66 79 145 1975–76 Ottawa 67's 81 80 161 1976–77 St. Catharines Fincups 60 79 139 1977–78 Ottawa 67's 69 123 192 1978–79 Sudbury Wolves 65 85 150 1979–80 Ottawa 67's 65 101 166 1980–81 Windsor Spitfires 87 66 153 1981–82 London Knights 67 88 155 1982–83 Cornwall Royals 70 107 177 1983–84 Kitchener Rangers 40 60 100 1984–85 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 59 85 144 1985–86 Cornwall Royals 81 61 142 1986–87 Oshawa Generals 51 99 150 1987–88 Ottawa 67's 48 103 151 1988–89 Niagara Falls Thunder 47 108 155 1989–90 Peterborough Petes 52 64 116 1990–91 Oshawa Generals 71 78 149 1991–92 Niagara Falls Thunder 53 93 146 1992–93 Detroit Junior Red Wings 58 78 136 1993–94 London Knights 55 87 142 1994–95 Kingston Frontenacs 61 74 135 1995–96 Ottawa 67's 34 48 82 1996–97 Ottawa 67's 56 56 112 1997–98 Plymouth Whalers 54 51 105 1998–99 Ottawa 67's 12 75 87 1999–2000 Kingston Frontenacs Goalkeeper 2000–01 Erie Otters 45 45 90 2001–02 Erie Otters 36 41 77 2002–03 Ottawa 67's 63 88 151 2003–04 Ottawa 67's 51 67 118 2004–05 London Knights 47 83 130 2005–06 Brampton Battalion 47 81 128 2006–07 Oshawa Generals 72 62 134 2007–08 Kitchener Rangers 43 81 124 2008–09 Brampton Battalion 43 49 92 2009–10 Plymouth Whalers 48 58 106 2010–11 Windsor Spitfires 24 76 100 2011–12 London Knights Goalkeeper 2012–13 Plymouth Whalers 50 59 109 2013–14 Erie Otters 45 83 128 2014–15 Erie Otters 44 76 120 2015–16 London Knights 39 77 116 2016–17 Erie Otters 65 62 127 2017–18 Sarnia Sting 39 70 109 2018–19 Sudbury Wolves Goalkeeper 2019–20 Ottawa 67's 39 81 120 2020–21 Not awarded, season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021–22 Windsor Spitfires 46 78 124 2022–23 Windsor Spitfires 54 57 111 2023–24 London Knights 34 62 96 2024–25 Saginaw Spirit 62 72 134 2025–26 London/Kitchener 29 42 71
See also Michel Brière Memorial Trophy - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Player of the Year Four Broncos Memorial Trophy - Western Hockey League Player of the Year List of Canadian Hockey League awards
References
External links Ontario Hockey League Elite Prospects - Award - OHL Most Outstanding Player (Red Tilson Trophy)