Locke Named Most Outstanding Player in the Ontario Hockey League

The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Corey Locke of the Ottawa 67's is the Red Tilson Trophy winner as the OHL's Most Outstanding Player as selected by the media for the 2003-04 season.

Locke, who also won the Red Tilson Trophy and was named Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year in 2002-03, led the OHL scoring race for the second straight season with 51 goals and 67 assists for 118 points in 65 games. He helped the 67's win the East Division regular season title with a 29-26-9-4 record and 71 points.

Locke recorded 36 multiple point games during the regular season, including 10 four-point games and a five-point effort against the Toronto St. Michael's Majors on September 27. He scored 47 points during a 17-game scoring streak that stretched from December 17 through February 3. Locke has 312 regular season points in three years with the 67's.

The 19-year-old Newmarket native was named OHL player of the week twice this season and was the OHL player of the month in January. He was named to the OHL's First All-Star Team for the second straight season.

Locke is the seventh 67's player to win the Red Tilson Trophy following Peter Lee (1976), Bobby Smith (1978), Jim Fox (1980), Cassels (1988), Alyn McCauley (1996 and 1997) and Brian Campbell (1999). He is the fourth player to win the Red Tilson Trophy twice, following Andre Lacroix of the Peterborough Petes (1965-65 and 1965-66), McCauley and Brad Boyes of the Erie Otters (2000-01 and 2001-02).

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.

Locke received 58 points in the voting, while runner-up Corey Perry of the London Knights received 52 points. Patrick O'Sullivan of the Mississauga IceDogs finished third with 41 points. Locke is the Ontario Hockey League nominee for the CHL Player of the Year award at the Canadian Hockey League awards next month in Kelowna, BC.

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). Brad Boyes of the Erie Otters won the trophy in 2001 and 2002.

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.