Trifecta of honours for Raiders at WHL Awards Banquet

Three members of the Prince Albert Raiders have been saluted for their accomplishments during the 2018-19 Western Hockey League season.

During the league’s year-end awards ceremony in Red Deer Wednesday, Ian Scott received goaltender of the year honours, Marc Habscheid was named as the coach of the year and Curtis Hunt took home the executive of the year award.

Scott, who edged out Dustin Wolf of the Everett Silvertips to win the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy, is the second Raiders netminder to receive the award.

Kenton Rein was a co-winner of the award in 1987 with Dean Cook of the Kamloops Blazers.

“It’s a very special honour,” Scott said. “I wouldn’t be here without the help of all of the boys back in Prince Albert who have bought in every night.

“I need to thank (goalie coaches) Mike Brodeur and Kelly Guard, Marc and Curtis, along with my billets and parents for their help both on and off the ice.”

Habscheid, who beat out Michael Dyck of the Vancouver Giants for the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy, previously won the award in 2003 with the Kelowna Rockets.

“It’s a great job that we all have as coaches in the league,” Habscheid said. “The job that everyone does throughout the league makes it a special place to be a part of.

“It’s a special group that we have here. We’ve faced some tragedy over the last year with the passing of Donn Clark, Ron Gunville and Adam Herold, but that’s really brought everyone together.”

Terry Simpson was the last Raiders bench boss to take home the accolade, which he received in 1984 and 1986.

Hunt is the first Raiders general manager to win the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy, as he topped Garry Davidson of the Silvertips for the honour.

“It’s very humbling, especially as you are voted by your peers,” Hunt said. “It’s a group of gentlemen that I really respect.

“This is all due to the work of our organization as a whole. It’s a small group, but there’s lots of work that’s goes one with our coaching staff, business staff and our scouting staff.”

Raiders rookie forward Jakob Brook was a finalist for the Doc Seaman Memorial Trophy for Scholastic Player of the Year, but lost out to Wolf.

Habscheid and Scott are now finalists for the Canadian Hockey League Awards, which will be handed out at the Memorial Cup in Halifax later this month.

Scott will be up against Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves) and Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) for goaltender of the year, while Habscheid will join Andre Tourigny (Ottawa 67’s) and Mario Pouliot (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) as the nominees for the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award.

Habscheid received that honour in 2003 over longtime 67’s bench boss Kilrea and Shawn MacKenzie of the Halifax Mooseheads.

The other award winners from Wednesday’s banquet were as follows:

  • Player of the Year (Four Broncos Memorial Trophy) – Joachim Blichfeld (Portland Winterhawks)
  • Defenceman of the Year (Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy) – Ty Smith (Spokane Chiefs)
  • Rookie of the Year (Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy) – Brayden Tracey (Moose Jaw Warriors)
  • Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year (Brad Hornung Trophy) – Justin Almeida (Moose Jaw Warriors)
  • Humanitarian of the Year (Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy) – Will Warm (Edmonton Oil Kings)
  • Official of the Year (Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy) – Brett Iverson (winner for the third consecutive season)
  • Business Award – Everett Silvertips
  • Scholastic Team of the Year – Portland Winterhawks
-Advertisement-