Attack's Pierce Mbuyi Earns Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year

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Attack's Pierce Mbuyi Earns Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year

April 22, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


Toronto, ON - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that Owen Sound Attack forward Pierce Mbuyi is awarded the Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year as voted by the League's General Managers.

Mbuyi led OHL rookies with 29 goals and 52 points over 63 games, setting a new single season points record by an Owen Sound 16-year-old rookie in the process. He had a highly productive second half of the season, producing 38 points (21-17--38), including three hat-tricks, over 33 games after January 1st. Mbuyi was the OHL's Rookie of the Month for February and earned Rookie of the Week honours three different times.

"It is a huge honour to be named OHL Rookie of the Year," said Mbuyi. "I couldn't have done it without my teammates, coaches and everyone behind the scenes in Owen Sound. I want to thank my coaches for their trust and belief in me, giving me so much opportunity to play every night. I also want to thank my billets Jason and Shirra for welcoming me into their home and treating me as one of their own. Lastly, I want to thank all my friends and family back home for all their support, I really couldn't have done it without them."

Selected seventh overall by the Attack from the Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA program in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection, Mbuyi also led OHL rookies with 11 power play goals and 180 shots on goal in 2024-25. He won a silver medal with Canada Red at the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and will be eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.

"We are incredibly proud of what Pierce has been able to accomplish this season and to be acknowledged as the OHL Rookie of the Year is outstanding," said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray. "With some of the players we've had come through Owen Sound, it's hard to believe that Pierce is the first Attack recipient of this award. It speaks volumes to how Pierce was able to perform this season with such a young team. His skill and effort was certainly noticeable from the very start, as you could tell from the crowd's reaction when he scored a goal. Congratulations Pierce, it's a tremendous accomplishment."

Mbuyi is the first player in Owen Sound's OHL history to win the award. He follows other recent winners in Brantford Bulldogs forward Jake O'Brien (2023-24) and Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa (2022-23).

The Emms Family Award was donated by Leighton "Hap" Emms, former owner of the Barrie, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines OHL franchises. The award is selected by all 20 member team General Managers. Teams were asked to submit only one nominee from their own club for consideration on the ballot and were not permitted to vote for the player from their own hockey club.

Mbuyi finished as the front-runner in the award voting process followed by Windsor Spitfires forward Ethan Belchetz who placed second.

Pierce Mbuyi will be formally recognized as the OHL Rookie of the Year at the 2025 OHL Awards Ceremony to be held at The Hockey Hall of Fame in June.

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