Spitfires’ Carson Woodall Named 2025-26 OHL Humanitarian of the Year – The Hockey Writers –

Windsor Spitfires’ defenceman Carson Woodall has had a career season on the ice. He’s also had incredible success off of it, and on Tuesday, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) acknowledged that effort.

While the club is busy taking on the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL’s 2025-26 Western Conference Championship for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy, Woodall has also been busy off the ice. He’s part of an incredible cause that’s close to his heart and many hearts in Windsor and Essex County. That work has earned him some serious recognition from the league.

Woodall Wins Humanitarian of the Year Award

Every season, the OHL hands out its annual awards during the playoffs. Earlier this month, Woodall was named a finalist for the OHL Defenceman of the Year. While he was beat out by Barrie Colts’ defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson (New York Islanders), he’s now taking home his own hardware, and it’s a big deal.

On Tuesday afternoon, the OHL named Woodall the winner of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy for OHL Humanitarian of the Year for his work with the phenomenal Woody’s Hoodies. It’s a grassroots initiative in Windsor and Essex County that supports local cancer research.

In 2020, Woodall collaborated with his father, Scott, to design hoodies for his minor hockey team as a sign of unity and camaraderie. That became a yearly tradition. Later on, Woodall’s grandmothers were diagnosed with cancer. While Nana Woodall is a survivor, Nana O’Brien tragically passed in 2023. He looked at this as an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for cancer research in the Windsor and Essex County area. In March 2024, Woody’s Hoodies was launched.

While hoodies were the main focus at the start, they’ve grown exponentially. Since then, they’ve added customizable hoodies, shirts, hats, cups, and a variety of smaller accessories with 24 percent (his number with the Spitfires) of all proceeds going to local cancer research.

He has been all over the community for Woody’s Hoodies, including minor hockey tournaments, partnering with teams, schools, and local businesses, plus rappelling down the 14-story Bank of Commerce Building on Windsor’s riverfront on two occasions.

In a press release, Woodall said he’s thankful for all of the support, and they just want to bring awareness to the situation.

“We did a lot in the community for cancer research in honour of my grandma,” he said. “I’m just hoping that this can bring some awareness to it and we can do more with Woody’s Hoodies in the future. I’m thankful for all of the support I’ve received and have really enjoyed doing this work.”

In total, Woody’s Hoodies has sold over 5,500 items, including 4,800 hoodies, and raised over $175,000 for cancer research. It’s become a household name in the city and county.

Not Your Average 10th-Round Pick

When Spitfires’ general manager Bill Bowler chose Woodall in the 10th round of the 2022 OHL Draft, expectations were kept reasonable. Usually, a 10th-round pick gets some seasoning in Junior B or a similar league and then hopefully earns some depth time in the OHL. Woodall has been a bit of a different story, though.

The 5-foot-11, 179-pound Belle River native had 41 points in 47 games for the LaSalle Vipers Junior B team in 2022-23, but then made a strong name for himself at the Spitfires’ 2023-24 training camp. The club was rebuilding, so what better time to stand out? He had 29 points in 57 games in his rookie season and kept earning more and more ice. This season, he had an incredible 12 goals and 63 points in 68 games, plus another seven points in 11 playoff games so far.

In the same release, Bowler said that Woodall has not only succeeded on the ice but has also shown incredible character off the ice.

“His initiative with Woody’s Hoodies also speaks volumes about his character and the values instilled by his family,” Bowler said. “He’s not only made an impact on the ice, but in the community as well, and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”

Woody’s Hoodies made a difference!@SpitsHockey defenceman Carson Woodall is the #OHL Humanitarian of the Year winner after raising more than $175,000 for cancer research.

DETAILS 🗞️: https://t.co/QmyC85iNhP#OHLAwards | @CHLHockey pic.twitter.com/5UWTEVtkok

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) April 28, 2026

This season, Woodall also finished second in the 2025-26 OHL Coaches Poll for Western Conference Most Improved Player (won by Harry Nansi of the Owen Sound Attack) as well as Best Offensive Defenceman (won by Chase Reid of the Soo Greyhounds).

The OHL Humanitarian of the Year Award is named after Dan Snyder, a former Attack (then Platers) captain who played with them from 1995-99. He won his team’s humanitarian award twice in four seasons because of his outstanding efforts in the community. Sadly, he passed away in October 2003 at age 25 in a single-vehicle accident where he was the passenger. In November 2004, the OHL renamed the award after him.

The OHL Awards ceremony will take place at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in June.