Mississauga, ON, April 8, 2026 — The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is pleased to announce that Reid Forster of the Burlington Cougars has been voted the 2025-26 OJHL Top Defenceman.
Forster, a 19-year-old defenceman from Cambridge, Ontario, earned the recognition after a dominant season on the Burlington blue line, finishing the regular season as the top-scoring defenceman in the OJHL with 12 goals, 42 assists and 54 points in 54 games.
The combination of offensive production, defensive reliability, and leadership that Forster brought to the Cougars in 2025-26 set him apart in a league full of talented defencemen. His 42 assists and 54 points led all blue-liners in the league, and he did it all while serving as team captain — a role the Cougars entrusted to him heading into his first full season in Burlington.
Forster was acquired by the Burlington Cougars in a mid-season trade with the Collingwood Blues on January 11, 2025, and closed out that season with 15 points in 38 combined games between the two clubs. The leap he made from 2024-25 to 2025-26 was extraordinary: 39 more points in 16 more games, a transformation that speaks to his relentless work ethic and demonstrates his on-ice skills that led him to be named captain in his first full season with the Cougars. Entering 2025-26 as Burlington’s captain, he seized the opportunity and produced one of the finest seasons by a defenceman in the OJHL this year. He was also selected to represent the league at the 2026 OJHL All-Star Celebration, further cementing his standing among the best blueliners in the game.
“Reid Forster is a truly deserving recipient of the Top Defenceman award, as he consistently demonstrated elite skill, reliability, and leadership all season long,” said Burlington Cougars GM and Head Coach Mark Jooris. “He played a key role in both shutting down top opponents and contributing offensively, all while maintaining a calm, steady presence on the ice. His work ethic, consistency, and team-first mentality set him apart, making him an invaluable part of the team.”
Forster was selected in the 10th round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection by the Peterborough Petes.
Reid will be honoured alongside his fellow OJHL Award recipients 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: Goaltender of the Year
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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