Monday, September 11, 2017

2017/2018 Western Hockey League Individual Award Nominees/League Winners

In conjunction with the league preview I just finished, I will now distribute some of the major awards for this upcoming season. The format I'll use is as follows: For each respective club, I'll nominate  their player of the year candidate, top forward because even though it's not an officially recognized award in some cases the player of the year and top defenceman will be one of the same, top defenceman, and top rookie. Once that is concluded, I will announce my conference finalists for each award while adding my observations for who I surmise will land the conference's top goalie and coach honours. A subjective entry yes but one I'm looking forward to penning. The teams will be listed alphabetically.

Brandon Wheat Kings:

Player of the Year: Kale Clague(Lloydminster,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Clague*

Top Forward:Connor Gutenberg(Brandon,Manitoba)

Top Rookie: Ben McCartney(Portage,Manitoba)
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Calgary Hitmen:

Player of the Year:Jake Bean(Calgary,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Bean*

Top Forward: Matteo Gennaro(St.Albert,Alberta)

Top Rookie: Jackson Van de Leest(Kelowna,British Columbia)
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Edmonton Oil Kings:

Player of the Year:Will Warm(West Vancouver,British Columbia)

Top Defenceman:Warm*

Top Forward:Davis Koch(Surrey,British Columbia)

Top Rookie:Jayden Platz(St.Albert,Alberta)
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Everett Silvertips:

Player of the Year:Carter Hart(Sherwood Park,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Kevin Davis(Kamloops,British Columbia)

Top Forward:Connor Dewar(The Pas,Manitoba)

Top Rookie:Gianni Fairbrother(North Vancouver,British Columbia)
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Kamloops Blazers:

Player of the Year:Garrett Pilon(Saskatoon,Saskatchewan)

Top Defenceman: Luka Zazula(Langley,British Columbia)

Top Forward:Pilon*

Top Rookie:Tylor Ludwar(Regina,Saskatchewan)
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Kelowna Rockets:

Player of the Year:Dillon Dube(Golden,British Columbia)

Top Defenceman: Cal Foote(Englewood,Colorado)

Top Forward:Dube*

Top Rookie:Libor Zabransky(Brno,Czech Republic)
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Kootenay Ice:

Player of the Year:Vince Loschavio(Winnipeg,Manitoba)

Top Defenceman:Cale Fleury(Calgary,Alberta)

Top Forward:Loschavio*

Top Rookie:Gilian Kohler(Biel,Switzerland)
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Lethbridge Hurricanes:

Player of the Year:Giorgio Estephan(Edmonton,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Calen Addison(Brandon,Manitoba)

Top Forward:Estephan*

Top Rookie:Dylan Cozens(Whitehorse,Yukon)
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Medicine Hat Tigers:

Player of the Year:Jordan Hollett(Langley,British Columbia)

Top Forward:Max Gerlach(Burnsville,Minnesota)

Top Defenceman:David  Quenneville(Edmonton,Alberta)

Top Rookie:Josh Williams(Langley,British Columbia)
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Moose Jaw Warriors:

Player of the Year:Jayden Halbegwachs(Emerald Park,Saskatchewan)

Top Forward:Halbgewachs*

Top Defenceman:Josh Brook(Roblin,Manitoba)

Top Rookie:Brayden Tracey(Calgary,Alberta)
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Portland Winterhawks:

Player of the Year:Cody Glass(Winnipeg,Manitoba)

Top Forward:Glass*

Top Defenceman:Henri Jokiharju(Oulu,Finland)

Top Rookie:Clay Hanus(Minnetonka,Minnesota)
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Prince Albert Raiders:

Player of the Year:Vojtech Budik(Holice,Czech Republic)

Top Forward:Spencer Moe(Calgary,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Budik*

Top Rookie:Rhett Rhinehart(Lloydminster,Alberta)
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Prince George Cougars:

Player of the Year:Nikita Popugayev(Moksva,Russia)

Top Forward:Popugayev*

Top Defenceman:Josh Anderson(Duncan,British Columbia)

Top Rookie:Reid Perepeluk(Yorkton,Saskatchewan)
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Red Deer Rebels:

Player of the Year:Lane Zablocki(Wetaskiwin,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Alexander Alexeyev(St.Petersburg,Russia)

Top Forward:Zablocki*

Top Rookie:Chris Douglas(Richmond,British Columbia)
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Regina Pats:

Player of the Year:Sam Steel(Edmonton,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Josh Mahura(St.Albert,Alberta)

Top Forward:Steel*

Top Rookie:Logan Nijhoff(Comox Valley,British Columbia)
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Saskatoon Blades:

Player of the Year:Braylon Shmyr(Calgary,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Libor Hajek(Smrcek,Czech Republic)

Top Forward:Shmyr*

Top Rookie:Kirby Dach(Fort Saskatchewan,Alberta)
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Seattle Thunderbirds:

Player of the Year:Turner Ottenbreit(Yorkton,Saskatchewan)

Top Forward:Matthew Wedman(Edmonton,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Ottenbreit*

Top Rookie:Connor Pyne(White City,Saskatchewan)
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Spokane Chiefs:

Player of the Year:Kailer Yamamoto(Spokane,Washington)

Top Forward:Yamamoto*

Top Defenceman:Ty Smith(Lloydminster,Alberta)

Top Rookie:Milos Fafrak(Martin,Slovakia)
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Swift Current Broncos:

Player of the Year:Tyler Steenbergen(Sylvan Lake,Alberta)

Top Forward:Steenbergen*

Top Defenceman:Sahvan Khaira(Surrey,British Columbia)

Top Rookie:Logan Barlage(Humboldt,Saskatchewan)
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Tri-City Americans:

Player of the Year:Juuso Valimaki(Nokia,Finland)

Top Forward:Michael Rasmussen(Surrey,British Columbia)

Top Defenceman:Valimaki*

Top Rookie:Sasha Mutala(Vancouver,British Columbia)
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Vancouver Giants:

Player of the Year:Dylan Plouffe(Sherwood Park,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Plouffe*

Top Forward:Tyler Benson(Edmonton,Alberta)

Top Rookie:Tyler Ho(North Vancouver,British Columbia)
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Victoria Royals:

Player of the Year:Matthew Phillips(Calgary,Alberta)

Top Defenceman:Ralph Jarratt(Fort St.John,British Columbia)

Top Forward:Phillips*

Top Rookie:Tarun Fizer(Chestermere,Alberta)
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LEAGUE WINNERS FOR MAJOR CATEGORIES

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy(Rookie of the Year)

East:Logan Barlage-Swift Current Broncos

West:Sasha Mutala-Tri-City Americans

WINNER:Barlage
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Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy(Coach of the Year)

East:Tim Hunter-Moose Jaw Warriors

West:Jason Smith-Kelowna Rockets

WINNER:Hunter
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Bob Clarke Trophy(Top League Scorer)

WINNER:Jayden Halbgewachs-Moose Jaw Warriors
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Del Wilson Memorial Trophy(Top Goaltender)

East:Jordan Hollett-Medicine Hat Tigers

West:Griffin Outhouse-Victoria Royals

WINNER:Hollett
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Bill Hunter Trophy(Top Defenceman)

East:Jake Bean-Calgary Hitmen

West:Juuso Valimaki-Tri-City Americans

WINNER:Valimaki
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Four Broncos Memorial Trophy(Player of the Year)

East:Sam Steel-Regina Pats

West:Dillon Dube-Kelowna Rockets

WINNER:Dube

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