March 27, 2025, Mississauga, ON – …. David Paglia of the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Stouffville Spirit is the OJHL’s Humanitarian of the year for 2024-25, the league announced today.
The third-year defenceman from King City has led the resurgent Spirit on and off the ice this season.
“Whenever something had to be done, David was first in line, the first player to have his hand up to volunteer,” said Stouffville GM Kenny Burrows. “That’s just who is. As our captain, he works hard to get the rookies involved and feeling at home in Stouffville. And that includes volunteering.
“He’s such a positive guy, a role model in our dressing room and our community – and an amazing ambassador for the Ontario Junior Hockey League in York Region.”
Paglia worked with team staff, often taking the lead, at many community events and mentorship opportunities. This year alone, that included:
- Stouffville Minor Hockey learn to skate and Try Hockey weekly programs, which were featured in a 2025 Hockey Canada video.
- Visits to three local schools to read or play sports with elementary-aged students.
- Staffing refreshment stops for the 1,000 participants in Stouffville’s Terry Fox Run.
- Distributing poppies at local retail outlets on behalf of the Stouffville Royal Canadian Legion.
- Assisting coaches at local AA and A level minor hockey practices.
- Touring the local animal shelter for a photo opp ahead of the Spirit’s annual OSPCA Game Day.
- Organizing teammates for two Skate with the Spirit charity events, in support of the Stouffville Food Bank and Stouffville Library.
Paglia took over the captaincy in Stouffville this season from Odaro Ewere, who was the OJHL’s Humanitarian of the Year in 2023-24. He credits Ewere with showing him the ropes during their two seasons together with the Spirit.
“I know I’m getting the award, but I feel our whole team should get it,” Paglia told the OJHL. “Everyone here is a big part of this and this franchise probably does the most in the community of all teams in the league.”
Paglia enjoys talking to people in the community, especially the youngsters.
“It’s really nice to be able to communicate with the fans,” he said. “Our fanbase has so many kids. They’re always with us when we come out, high-fiving us; they bring a lot of posters and they’re always talking to us. It’s always good when we get a chance to give back.”
The OJHL Humanitarian of the Year is awarded to the player adjudged to have made the most notable contribution to his community in a humanitarian sense, including, but not limited to charitable work, school visits and extra-curricular on-ice activities.
Paglia will be honoured along with the other OJHL award recipients at a ceremony during the OJHL Championship Series in April.
The Spirit are playing the Trenton Golden Hawks in the second round of the OJHL playoffs. Game 4 in the series is scheduled for tonight at the Stouffville Arena.
The OJHL is announcing its 2024-25 award winners throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs.
NEXT: Athletic-Therapist-of-the-Year
About the OJHL – “League of Choice”
The Ontario Junior Hockey League is the largest Junior ‘A’ league operating under the auspices of the Canadian Junior Hockey League with 24 member clubs – including the 2024 national champion Collingwood Blues. A proud member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey Association, the OJHL was originally named the Ontario Provincial Junior ‘A’ Hockey League and it was formed out of the Central Junior ‘B’ Hockey League in 1993-94. With a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, including the CHL, U SPORTS, the NCAA, minor pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL has had more than 100 NCAA Division I scholarships already this season.
For more information on the Ontario Junior Hockey League, follow us on Instagram (@OJHLOfficial), X (@OJHLOfficial) and Facebook (OJHLOfficial) and visit www.ojhl.ca
