Mississauga, ON, April 7, 2026 — The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is pleased to announce that Will Hughes of the Collingwood Blues has been voted the 2025-26 OJHL Most Gentlemanly Player.
The award, voted on by general managers from across the league, recognizes a player who competes at the highest level while exemplifying fair play, sportsmanship, and respect for the game. Hughes, a 20-year-old centre from Ottawa, Ontario, embodied all of those qualities throughout a remarkable season in which he established himself as one of the top players in the West Conference.
The numbers tell a compelling story. In 50 regular season games, Hughes led the Collingwood Blues in scoring with 26 goals, 52 assists and 78 points — the second highest point totals in the West — while accumulating just 24 penalty minutes all season. That combination of elite offensive production and disciplined play is precisely what the Most Gentlemanly Player Award is designed to honour, and it is a testament to Hughes’ character.
“On behalf of our entire organization, we want to congratulate Will Hughes on being named the recipient of the Most Gentlemanly Player Award,” said Blues Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Campoli. “This recognition speaks to the way Will carries himself every day — with respect for the game, his teammates, and his opponents. He competes hard, plays the game the right way, and represents our team with tremendous class and integrity. We’re incredibly proud of Will and this well-deserved honour.”
Hughes arrived in Collingwood for the 2024-25 season from the South Kent School in the Prep Hockey Conference. His exemplary performance, both on and off the ice, led to him being named captain of the Blues in his second year during the current 2025-26 season.
“After an incredible rookie season where he stepped seamlessly into an important role, Will has continued to raise the standard on and off the ice,” Campoli told the OJHL earlier this season. “His professionalism, work ethic and outstanding communication skills make him the perfect choice to lead our team as captain for this season.”
As captain, Hughes set the tone for a Blues squad that competed hard all season and earned a spot in the ongoing Western Conference Championships. His 52 assists led the club and his 78 points ranked him among the top forwards in the league, earning him a spot on the 2025-26 OJHL First Team All-Star squad.
The fifth-round pick by the Guelph Storm in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, and his fellow Blues teammates, continue their push for the Western Conference Championship tomorrow in Game 3 against the Toronto Patriots in a 1-1 tied series.
Hughes will be honoured alongside the other OJHL award winners at a ceremony during the OJHL Championship Series later this month.
The OJHL is announcing its 2025-26 award winners throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Tomorrow: Top Defenceman
About the OJHL – “League of Choice”
The Ontario Junior Hockey League is the largest Junior ‘A’ league operating under the auspices of the Canadian Junior Hockey League with 24 member clubs – including the 2024 national champion Collingwood Blues. A proud member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey Association, the OJHL was originally named the Ontario Provincial Junior ‘A’ Hockey League and it was formed out of the Central Junior ‘B’ Hockey League in 1993-94. With a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, including the CHL, U SPORTS, the NCAA, minor pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL has had more than 100 commitments already this season.
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