The Ontario Hockey League has announced that former award-winning Ontario Junior Hockey League forward Matthew Sop (OJHL Images photo by Shawn Muir) is the 2023-24 recipient of the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy awarded to the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year as voted by OHL general managers.
A 21-year-old, Sop racked up 43 goals and 90 points over 67 games in his third season with his hometown Kitchener Rangers. He finished tied with teammate Carson Rehkopf for the league-lead in game-winning goals with 10, and was knotted with Sudbury’s Quentin Musty for the most overtime goals with five. He also led Kitchener in shorthanded goals with three.
A seventh-round pick (135th overall) by the Rangers in the 2019 OHL U16 draft, Sop scored 23 goals and added 25 assists while with the Mississauga Chargers of the OJHL in 2019-20. He was named to the OJHL’s Second All-Prospect Team after the season.
“This recognition from the league means a lot to me,” Sop said Friday. “I am really honoured to receive it, but I definitely could not have gotten it without all of my teammates and coaches around me!”
Sop’s production climbed over each of his three OHL seasons, starting with 22 points (10-12—22) as a rookie in 2021-22, climbing to 56 points (23-33—56) in 2022-23 to 90 (43-47—90) this past season, giving the former seventh-round pick in 2019 a total of 169 points (76-93—169) over 203 regular season games with his hometown Rangers.
“We are so excited and proud of Matthew on this individual accomplishment,” said Rangers General Manager Mike McKenzie, a fellow graduate (St. Michael’s, Bowmanville, Oshawa) of the OJHL. “It has been tremendous to see the growth in his game throughout his career with the Rangers and this is well-earned recognition for a great season.
“Also, as a seventh-round pick, it is fitting this award will be handed out on OHL Draft weekend,” McKenzie added. “Matthew is another example that development looks different for everyone and players that aren’t top picks can still make a big impact.”
The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Top Overage Player of the Year as selected by OHL General Managers. Teams were asked to submit a nominee for the award and were not permitted to vote for players from their own hockey club.
First presented in 1984, the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy was donated by the trainers of the Ontario Hockey League, in memory of the late Leo Lalonde, former Chief Scout of OHL Central Scouting. Leo Lalonde was also the Chief Scout for the Belleville Bulls as well as a scout for the Peterborough Petes.
-with files from the Ontario Hockey League
