Trophies
25
Categories
5
Player Awards
15
Active Ledger
11
Award ledger
E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence
Draft Prospect Award / 11 seasons awarded
Description: First awarded in 2014-15, the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence is presented annually “to the NHL Draft prospect who best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness and athleticism.” History: After many years of coaching and scouting at various levels of hockey, E.J. McGuire joined the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau in 2002 and assumed day-to-day responsibility for the department in 2005. McGuire spearheaded an operation that provided scouting and evaluation of draft-eligible players to NHL Member Clubs. He led a team of eight full-time and 15 part-time scouts throughout North America. Just as he brought innovation to the coaching profession throughout his career, McGuire was responsible for several advancements in the area of scouting during his nine years at the League, including the development of a new scouting technology system that brought the “art” of scouting to a whole new level. He was instrumental in raising both the effectiveness and profile of the League’s annual scouting combine. McGuire lost his short, but courageous, battle with cancer in April 2011. 2024-25 Winner: Michael Misa, the second-ranked North American skater for the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft, received the 2024-25 E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence. Misa, who was born in Oakville, Ont., served as captain of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2024-25 and became the franchise’s first player to lead the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) in scoring with 62-72—134 in 65 games. Misa set Spirit single-season records for both goals and points thanks, in part, to 46 multi-point outings, 16 multi-goal performances and a 28-game point streak – the third-longest across the CHL. More Information on Winners: 2024-25: Michael Misa 2023-24: Michael Hage 2022-23: Connor Bedard 2021-22: Lane Hutson 2020-21: William Eklund 2019-20: Zayde Wisdom 2018-19: Brett Leason 2017-18: Humboldt Broncos 2016-17: Nico Hischier 2015-16: Neil Doef 2014-15: Travis Konecny
| Season | Result | Recipient | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Winner | Michael Misa | -N/A |
| 2023-24 | Winner | Michael Hage | -N/A |
| 2022-23 | Winner | Connor Bedard | -N/A |
| 2021-22 | Winner | Lane Hutson | -N/A |
| 2020-21 | Winner | William Eklund | -N/A |
| 2019-20 | Winner | Zayde Wisdom | -N/A |
| 2018-19 | Winner | Brett Leason | -N/A |
| 2017-18 | Winner | Humboldt Broncos | -N/A |
| 2016-17 | Winner | Nico Hischier | -N/A |
| 2015-16 | Winner | Neil Doef | -N/A |
| 2014-15 | Winner | Travis Konecny | -N/A |
Source
NHL records archive, ingested in Phase 18. Winner, runner-up and finalist rows link to surfaced Forensic Hockey player, goalie or team pages when the recipient resolves inside the accepted era.