The Jim Rutherford Trophy is given to the best goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League, as voted by coaches and general managers. The winner is also nominated for the CHL Goaltender of the Year award.
From 1988 until 2019, the award was named the Ontario Hockey League Goaltender of the Year Award. On May 19, 2020, the OHL unveiled the Jim Rutherford Trophy, in honour of former goaltender Jim Rutherford. Rutherford played with the Hamilton Red Wings from 1967-69 before playing in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings from 1970-83. Following his playing career, Rutherford joined the Windsor Compuware Spitfires as the general manager of the team from 1984-88, winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup in the 1987-88 season. In 1990, Rutherford became the general manager and president of the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors. He remained in this position as they were renamed the Detroit Junior Red Wings in 1992 until accepting a job promotion to become the general manager, president, and minority owner of the Hartford Whalers in 1994. Rutherford remained with the club as general manager when they relocated and became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997. In 2006, Rutherford won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes. He stayed with the club until 2014 before stepping down and selling his shares in the Hurricanes to become the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins. With the Penguins, Rutherford has won the Stanley Cup two more times, in 2016 and 2017. Rutherford was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.
Winners Prior to 2020, the Jim Rutherford Trophy was called the Ontario Hockey Goaltender of the Year.
Season Winner Team1987–88 Rick Tabaracci Cornwall Royals1988–89 Gus Morschauser Kitchener Rangers1989–90 Jeff Fife Belleville Bulls1990–91 Mike Torchia Kitchener Rangers1991–92 Mike Fountain Oshawa Generals1992–93 Manny Legace Niagara Falls Thunder1993–94 Jamie Storr Owen Sound Platers1994–95 Tyler Moss Kingston Frontenacs1995–96 Craig Hillier Ottawa 67's1996–97 Zac Bierk Peterborough Petes1997–98 Bujar Amidovski Toronto St. Michael's Majors1998–99 Brian Finley Barrie Colts1999–2000 Andrew Raycroft Kingston Frontenacs2000–01 Craig Anderson Guelph Storm2001–02 Ray Emery Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds2002–03 Andy Chiodo Toronto St. Michael's Majors2003–04 Paulo Colaiacovo Barrie Colts2004–05 Michael Ouzas Mississauga IceDogs2005–06 Adam Dennis London Knights2006–07 Steve Mason London Knights2007–08 Mike Murphy Belleville Bulls2008–09 Mike Murphy Belleville Bulls2009–10 Chris Carrozzi Mississauga St. Michael's Majors2010–11 Mark Visentin Niagara IceDogs2011–12 Michael Houser London Knights2012–13 Jordan Binnington Owen Sound Attack2013–14 Alex Nedeljkovic Plymouth Whalers2014–15 Lucas Peressini Kingston Frontenacs2015–16 Mackenzie Blackwood Barrie Colts2016–17 Michael McNiven Owen Sound Attack2017–18 Michael DiPietro Windsor Spitfires2018–19 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Sudbury Wolves2019–20first year as renamed Jim Rutherford Trophy Nico Daws Guelph Storm2020–21 not awarded, season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021–22 Brett Brochu London Knights2022–23 Dom DiVincentiis North Bay Battalion2023–24 Jacob Oster Oshawa Generals2024–25 Jackson Parsons Kitchener Rangers2025–26 Ryder Fetterolf Ottawa 67's
See also Patrick Roy Trophy – Quebec Major Junior Hockey League top goaltender Del Wilson Trophy – Western Hockey League top goaltender List of Canadian Hockey League awards
References
External links Ontario Hockey League