TORONTO - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds blue-liner Ryan Sproul was named the Ontario Hockey League's most outstanding defenceman of the year on Thursday.

The 20-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., led all OHL defencemen in scoring with 66 points (20 goals, 46 assists) in 50 games.

"This is the greatest accomplishment of my life to date," Sproul said in a release. "I am extremely honoured to be given this award and I have to thank the Greyhound organization for everything they have done for me over the last three years."

Sproul received 80 of the maximum 95 points in the voting process. Scott Harrington of the London Knights was second with 59 points and Dylan DeMelo of the Mississauga Steelheads finished third with 17 points.

Boston Bruins rookie Dougie Hamilton won the award last season with the Niagara IceDogs.

Sproul will be presented with the Max Kaminsky Trophy at the OHL Awards Ceremony on June 4 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. He will also be the OHL?s nominee for CHL defenceman of the year.