Kasper Halttunen Wins Playoffs MVP
Last night, at the conclusion of the OHL Playoffs, Kasper Halttunen was given the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, which is given out to the OHL Playoffs MVP as voted by accredited members of the media. Halttunen is the first import player to be given the award.
"Obviously it means a lot, but that's a team trophy right there," said Halttunen. "I couldn't have done it without any of those guys. It doesn't matter who wins individual trophies, what matters is the trophy that the boys are lifting right now together."
Halttunen performed fantastically in the playoffs scoring 15 goals and 21 points in 17 games. He played a critical role in the Final scoring eight goals in the final three games. His back-to-back hattricks in games three and four helped put the Knights up 3-1 in the series. He also picked up a pair of goals in game five.
With a total of nine goals in the OHL Championship Series, Halttunen is the highest-scoring individual player in a Finals Series since Belleville Bulls forward Jonathan Cheechoo in 1999. In an amusing twist of fate, both Cheechoo and Halttunen were second-round picks of the San Jose Sharks. The pair were picked 25 years apart.
Cheechoo went on to play more than 500 games in the NHL between San Jose and Ottawa. In Halttunen, the Sharks are likely looking at another prospect who can be a solid NHL player.
Sam Dickinson had nothing but praise for Halttunen throughout the series, listing him as the best shooter and goal scorer in the OHL.
A London player has won the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award for the last two seasons. Last year, Halttunen's teammate and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan was named Playoffs MVP.
The win means London and Halttunen will have another shot at winning a Memorial Cup. The team fell short last year, losing in the final game to the Saginaw Spirit. This year, the tournament will be held in Rimouski.
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