Orillia's Colby Barlow tops OHL Coaches Poll in three categories

The Ontario Hockey League has announced the results of the Eastern and Western Conference Coaches Polls for the 2022-23 OHL regular season and Orillia's Colby Barlow caught the eye of the league's bench bosses.

The OHL Coaches Poll gives clubs the opportunity to recognize the top three players in 20 different skill categories within their own conference.

Barlow, who grew up playing minor hockey in Orillia and is expected to be selected high up in this year's NHL draft, earned coaches' kudos in three categories.

Barlow, who was named Orillia's athlete of the year for 2022 earlier this year, had a fantastic year with the Owen Sound Attack this season scoring 43 goals while adding 36 assists in a 79-point season while playing 59 games.

The youngest captain in Attack history, Barlow, in the coaches poll, was named the player with the hardest shot, the best shot and most dangerous in the goal area, leading all Western Conference' skaters in those three categories.

In the Eastern Conference, the Barrie Colts featured seven different names on the poll, led by Smartest Player and Best Offensive Defenceman Brandt Clarke.

Veteran defender Connor Punnett was also a favourite, appearing in four different categories as he was considered the Eastern Conference's Best Shot Blocker while also being given consideration in Most Improved Player, Hardest Shot and Best Body Checker. 

The Barrie Colts are in Hamilton tonight to take on the Bulldogs in Game 6. Barrie has a chance to eliminate the Bulldogs with a win. If the Colts lose tonight, Game 7 will be played Tuesday night at Sadlon Arena in Barrie.

The OHL Coaches Poll is tabulated when each team submits one nominee per category, and coaches then vote for the top three players for each category within their conference. Players receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote, and one point for a third place vote. Clubs are not permitted to vote for players from their own team allowing for a maximum of 45 possible points for each winner.

All 20 categories are listed below with Eastern Conference and Western Conference winners including their final point totals in brackets.

Most Underrated Player:

Eastern Conference:

1. Beau Jelsma, Barrie Colts (21)
2. Paul Christopoulos, North Bay Battalion (18)
3. Patrick Thomas, Hamilton Bulldogs (16)

Western Conference:

1. Jacob Maillet, Windsor Spitfires (21)
2. Braeden Bowman, Guelph Storm (19)
3. Kirill Kudryavtsev, Soo Greyhounds (12), Marcus Limpar-Lantz, Sarnia Sting (12)

Most Improved Player:

Eastern Conference:

1. Sahil Panwar, Hamilton Bulldogs (23)
2. Connor Punnett, Barrie Colts (21)
3. Dylan Roobroeck, Oshawa Generals (20)

Western Conference:

1. Alex Christopoulos, Windsor Spitfires (35)
2. Tristan Bertucci, Flint Firebirds (23)
3. Max Namestnikov, Guelph Storm (13)

Smartest Player:

Eastern Conference:

1. Brandt Clarke, Barrie Colts (41) - finished t-1st in 2021-22
2. Logan Morrison, Ottawa 67's (22) - finished 2nd in 2021-22
3. Tucker Robertson, Peterborough Petes (20) - finished 3rd in 2021-22

Western Conference:

1. Amadeus Lombardi, Flint Firebirds (39)
2. Shane Wright, Windsor Spitfires (12) - finished t-1st in Eastern Conference in 2021-22, 2nd in 2019-20
3. Sasha Pastujov, Sarnia Sting (9), Cooper Walker, Guelph Storm (9)

Hardest Worker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Ryan Gagnier, Oshawa Generals (31)
2. Paul Ludwinski, Kingston Frontenacs (14)
3. Charlie Callaghan, Mississauga Steelheads (13)

Western Conference:

1. Matthew Maggio, Windsor Spitfires (30) - finished t-3rd in 2021-22
2. Zacharie Giroux, Flint Firebirds (18)
3. Mark Duarte, Soo Greyhounds (15)

Best Playmaker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Logan Morrison, Ottawa 67's (27) - finished 1st in 2021-22
2. Evan Vierling, Barrie Colts (19)
3. Matvey Petrov, North Bay Battalion (18)

Western Conference:

1. Ty Voit, Sarnia Sting (35)
2. Amadeus Lombardi, Flint Firebirds (29)
3. Matthew Poitras, Guelph Storm (21)

Most Dangerous In Goal Area:

Eastern Conference:

1. Avery Hayes, Peterborough Petes (25)
2. Ethan Cardwell, Barrie Colts (20)
3. David Goyette, Sudbury Wolves (19)

Western Conference:

1. Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack (26)
2. Matthew Maggio, Windsor Spitfires (24)
3. Nolan Burke, Sarnia Sting (19)

Best Skater:

Eastern Conference:

1. J.R. Avon, Peterborough Petes (22) - finished 1st in 2021-22
2. Pavel Mintyukov, Ottawa 67's (19)
3. Nick Lardis, Hamilton Bulldogs (13)

Western Conference:

1. Spencer Sova, Erie Otters (29)
2. Oliver Peer, Windsor Spitfires (21)
3. Hunter Haight, Saginaw Spirit (19)

Best Shot:

Eastern Conference:

1. Kyle McDonald, North Bay Battalion (30)
2. James Hardie, Mississauga Steelheads (20) - finished 2nd in 2021-22
3. Brennan Othmann, Peterborough Petes (18) - finished 1st in Western Conference in 2021-22

Western Conference:

1. Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack (38) - finished 3rd in 2021-22
2. Gavin Hayes, Flint Firebirds (21)
3. Francesco Arcuri, Kitchener Rangers (15)

Hardest Shot:

Eastern Conference:

1. Ty Nelson, North Bay Battalion (39)
2. Connor Punnett, Barrie Colts (20)
3. Jack Matier, Ottawa 67's (11)

Western Conference:

1. Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack (27) - finished 3rd in 2021-22, Logan Mailloux, London Knights (27)
2. Michael Renwick, Windsor Spitfires (19)
3. Carson Rehkopf, Kitchener Rangers (11)

Best Stickhandler:

Eastern Conference:

1. Logan Morrison, Ottawa 67's (30)
2. David Goyette, Sudbury Wolves (19)
3. Evan Vierling, Barrie Colts (16)

Western Conference:

1. Ty Voit, Sarnia Sting (30) - finished 2nd in 2021-22
2. Amadeus Lombardi, Flint Firebirds (20)
3. Filip Mesar, Kitchener Rangers (14)

Best on Faceoffs:

Eastern Conference:

1. Cameron Tolnai, Ottawa 67's (25)
2. Lawson Sherk, Hamilton Bulldogs (15)
3. Jacob Frasca, Barrie Colts (14)

Western Conference:

1. Matyas Sapovaliv, Saginaw Spirit (22)
2. Ethan Hay, Flint Firebirds (21)
3. Sean McGurn, London Knights (17)

Best Body Checker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Liam Arnsby, North Bay Battalion (23) - finished 3rd in 2021-22
2. Charlie Callaghan, Mississauga Steelheads (20), Connor Punnett, Barrie Colts (20)
3. Artem Grushnikov, Hamilton Bulldogs (13)

Western Conference:

1. Nolan Dillingham, Sarnia Sting (37)
2. Artyom Kulakov, Erie Otters (15)
3. Roberto Mancini, Saginaw Spirit (10), Daniil Sobolev, Windsor Spitfires (10)

Best Shot Blocker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Connor Punnett, Barrie Colts (26)
2. Jack Matier, Ottawa 67's (23) - finished 3rd in 2021-22
3. Tommy Budnick, Kingston Frontenacs (12)

Western Conference:

1. Cameron Morton, Erie Otters (22)
2. Kirill Kudryavtsev, Soo Greyhounds (18)
3. Chandler Romeo, Guelph Storm (12)

Best Defensive Forward:

Eastern Conference:

1. Liam Arnsby, North Bay Battalion (28) - finished 2nd in 2021-22
2. Ryan Gagnier, Oshawa Generals (21)
3. Cameron Tolnai, Ottawa 67's (11)

Western Conference:

1. Jacob Maillet, Windsor Spitfires (22)
2. Ethan Hay, Flint Firebirds (20)
3. Nolan Burke, Sarnia Sting (14), Cooper Walker, Guelph Storm (14) - finished 2nd in 2021-22

Best Penalty Killer:

Eastern Conference:

1. Liam Arnsby, North Bay Battalion (37) - finished 2nd in 2021-22
2. Ryan Gagnier, Oshawa Generals (22)
3. Jack Matier, Ottawa 67's (15)

Western Conference:

1. Ethan Del Mastro, Sarnia Sting (28) - finished 1st in Eastern Conference in 2021-22
2. Reid Valade, Kitchener Rangers (16) - finished t-3rd in 2021-22
3. Matyas Sapovaliv, Saginaw Spirit (12)

Best Offensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference:

1. Brandt Clarke, Barrie Colts (43) - finished 1st in 2021-22
2. Pavel Mintyukov, Ottawa 67's (19)
3. Ty Nelson, North Bay Battalion (16) - finished 3rd in 2021-22

Western Conference:

1. Christian Kyrou, Sarnia Sting (27) - finished 2nd in 2021-22
2. Michael Buchinger, Guelph Storm (16), Logan Mailloux, London Knights (16)
3. Dmitry Kuzmin, Flint Firebirds (13)

Best Defensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference:

1. Jack Matier, Ottawa 67's (32)
2. Braden Haché, Barrie Colts (20)
3. Paul Christopoulos, North Bay Battalion (12)

Western Conference:

1. Ethan Del Mastro, Sarnia Sting (38) - finished 1st in Eastern Conference in 2021-22
2. Kirill Kudryavtsev, Soo Greyhounds (12)
3. Nicholas DeAngelis, Windsor Spitfires (11)

Best Puck-Handling Goaltender:

Eastern Conference:

1. Domenic DiVincentiis, North Bay Battalion (32)
2. Michael Simpson, Peterborough Petes (18)
3. Ivan Zhigalov, Kingston Frontenacs (11)

Western Conference:

1. Tristan Lennox, Saginaw Spirit (29)
2. Brett Brochu, London Knights (28) - finished 1st in 2021-22
3. Ben Gaudreau, Sarnia Sting (10)

Best Shootout Shooter:

Eastern Conference:

1. Tucker Robertson, Peterborough Petes (32)
2. Kyle Jackson, North Bay Battalion (15)
3. James Hardie, Mississauga Steelheads (14)

Western Conference:

1. George Diaco, London Knights (20)
2. Filip Mesar, Kitchener Rangers (17)
3. Luca Del Bel Belluz, Sarnia Sting (16)

Best Shootout Goaltender:

Eastern Conference:

1. Domenic DiVincentiis, North Bay Battalion (33)
2. Collin MacKenzie, Ottawa 67's (21)
3. Michael Simpson, Peterborough Petes (19)

Western Conference:

1. Brett Brochu, London Knights (34) - finished 1st in 2021-22
2. Marco Costantini, Kitchener Rangers (14)
3. Ben Gaudreau, Sarnia Sting (13) - finished t-2nd in 2021-22, Tristan Lennox, Saginaw Spirit (13)