The London Knights' vice president and general manager has received a prestigious league honour.
Mark Hunter has been named the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) 2023 Jim Gregory Award winner for top general manager.
“I'm very honoured to receive this award in the name of the late Jim Gregory. He was so highly respected in our great game of hockey and set a high standard of leadership," said Hunter. "It's a very proud moment for the London Knights organization. This is first and foremost a team award, and I’d like to take the opportunity to recognize everyone in the Knights community who came together during a very challenging season."
The Knights had to overcome the loss of forward Abakar Kazbekov this season. The 18-year-old died in December after falling from a condo tower in downtown London.
"Losing Abakar was tremendously difficult for all of us, and the players, their families, our staff and billet families all had a part in helping us persevere as an organization. We will always remember Abakar," said Hunter.
While the Knights fell short of winning the OHL championship this season, they did earn their seventh Western Conference Championship.
OHL general managers selected Hunter and Adam Dennis of the North Bay Battalion as finalists for the annual award. The final winner was decided upon by a committee made up of media representatives from a market in each of the OHL’s four divisions, a representative from NHL Central Scouting, and a representative from the Ontario Hockey League.
Hunter will be formally presented with the award at the OHL’s awards ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto June 14.
The Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award was established in 2019 and is awarded annually to the general manager who best excelled in his role during the regular season.