WHL year-end award nominees finalized

Photo Courtesy of Keith Hershmiller/WHL Winnipeg Ice forward Peyton Krebs has already won the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL’s top scorer this season after recording 43 points in 24 games.

The Western Hockey League wrapped up their divisional accolades on Friday as they announced the 2020-21 U.S. Division award winners.

The recipients of each honour, which was voted on by the general managers and head coaches in the division, were as follows:

  • Top Scorer: Cole Fonstad (Everett Silvertips) and Gage Goncalves (Everett Silvertips)
  • Most Sportsmanlike Player: Eli Zummack (Spokane Chiefs)
  • Scholastic Player of the Year: Mason Mannek (Portland Winterhawks)
  • Defenceman of the Year: Nick Cicek (Portland Winterhawks)
  • Goaltender of the Year: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
  • Rookie of the Year: Thomas Milic (Seattle Thunderbirds)
  • Player of the Year: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)

The WHL is now gearing up to hand out their league-wide awards next week, which were voted on by NHL Central Scouting.

The finalists for each award are as follows:

  • Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (Player of the Year): Peyton Krebs (Winnipeg Ice), Dylan Guenther (Edmonton Oil Kings), Justin Sourdif (Vancouver Giants) and Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
  • Del Wilson Memorial Trophy (Goaltender of the Year): Nolan Maier (Saskatoon Blades), Sebastian Cossa (Edmonton Oil Kings), Trent Miner (Vancouver Giants) and Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
  • Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (Defenceman of the Year): Braden Schneider (Brandon Wheat Kings), Matthew Robertson (Edmonton Oil Kings), Alex Kannok-Leipert (Vancouver Giants) and Nick Cicek (Portland Winterhawks)
  • Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Connor Bedard (Regina Pats), Carson Latimer (Edmonton Oil Kings), Koehn Ziemmer (Prince George Cougars) and Thomas Milic (Seattle Thunderbirds)
  • Brad Hornung Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player): Kyle Crnkovic (Saskatoon Blades), Dylan Guenther (Edmonton Oil Kings), Tarun Fizer (Victoria Royals) and Eli Zummack (Spokane Chiefs)
  • Doc Seaman Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year): Nolan Allan (Prince Albert Raiders), Ethan Peters (Edmonton Oil Kings), Jason Spizawka (Victoria Royals) and Mason Mannek (Portland Winterhawks)

The winner of the Bob Clarke Trophy for the league’s top scorer is Winnipeg’s Peyton Krebs, who led the WHL in scoring with 43 points and set an Ice franchise record with a 23-game point streak.

The Vegas Golden Knights prospect is the first Ice player to win the award.

Around the CHL

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will determine their league champion this weekend at the Centre Videotron in Quebec City.

Heading into Saturday’s Game 6, the sixth-ranked Victoriaville Tigres hold a 3-2 advantage over the second-seeded Val-d’Or Foreurs and are one win away from capturing their first QMJHL title since 2002.

The Foreurs, who are hoping to force a seventh and deciding game on Sunday, last won the league in 2014.

Colorado Avalanche prospect Alex Beaucage leads the Tigres in scoring with 24 points in 15 games, while Calgary Flames prospect Jakob Pelletier paces the Foreurs on offence with 23 points in 14 games.

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