The Everett Silvertips’ dominance of the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy continued on Wednesday as Dustin Wolf was named the Western Hockey League’s goaltender of the year for the second straight season.
Prior to Wolf, Carter Hart won the award for three straight seasons from 2016 to 2018, with former Prince Albert Raiders netminder Ian Scott breaking up the Silvertips duo’s run in 2019.
The 20-year-old from Gilroy, Calif. posted a league best 18 wins during the 2020-21 campaign, in addition to compiling a 1.80 goals against average, a .940 save percentage and four shutouts.
The Calgary Flames prospect was also a member of the United States’ gold medal winning side at this year’s World Juniors.
With his win, Wolf joins Hart, Chet Pickard, Mike Vernon and Ray Martyniuk to capture the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy in consecutive seasons.
Nolan Maier of the Saskatoon Blades, Sebastian Cossa of the Edmonton Oil Kings and Trent Miner of the Vancouver Giants were the other finalists for the award.
Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard works for a way by Prince Albert Raiders blueliner Nolan Allan during a game at the Brandt Centre this season.
Wednesday’s other award announcement saw Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard receive the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year.
The first overall pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft led all first-year players in scoring with 28 points in 15 games before putting up 14 points in seven games during Canada’s run to the gold medal at the World Under-18’s this spring.
Bedard, who is 15 years of age and calls North Vancouver, B.C. home, is widely expected to be the first player selected in the 2023 NHL Draft.
He joins Jeff Friesen, Dale Derkatch, Dave Michalyuk, Dennis Sobchuk and Ron Garwasiuk as Pats players to previously win the award.
Edmonton’s Carson Latimer, Koehn Ziemmer of the Prince George Cougars and Thomas Milic of the Seattle Thunderbirds were the other finalists.
The WHL will conclude their year-end awards ceremony on Thursday with the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy for player of the year.
Peyton Krebs of the Winnipeg Ice, Dylan Guenther of the Edmonton Oil Kings, Justin Sourdif of the Vancouver Giants and Wolf are all nominated for that accolade.
