The Canadian Hockey League announced Saturday the ten national award winners for the 2009-10 season.
Top Prospect:
Tyler Seguin, Plymouth Whalers
Seguin is the number one ranked player for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft as determined by NHL Central Scouting. He finished the OHL regular season tied for first overall in league scoring with 106 points including 48 goals and 58 assists in 63 games for the Whalers, with a plus-minus rating of plus-17 and 54 penalty minutes. An 18-year-old from Brampton, ON, he recorded 29 multi-point games and tallied five hat-tricks, and captained Team Orr at the 2010 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Also considered for the award was Brett Connolly of the Prince George Cougars, and Brandon Gormley of the Moncton Wildcats.
Sportsman:
Jason Bast, Moose Jaw Warriors
Bast enjoyed a solid season in his final year in the WHL serving as Warriors team captain. The 20-year-old from Moose Jaw, SK, scored a team-leading 33 goals while adding 31 assists for 64 points in 60 games, while recording just 16 minutes in penalties all season. His +25 rating also led the Warriors. In his fifth WHL season, Bast has been a leader for the Warriors in all areas of the ice, and plays in all situations. Also considered for the award was Ryan Spooner of the Peterborough Petes, and Mike Hoffman of the Saint John Sea Dogs.
Top Scorer:
Brandon Kozun, Calgary Hitmen
Kozun finished the 2009-10 regular season with 32 goals and 75 assists for 107 points in 65 games for the Hitmen. A 19-year-old from Calgary, AB, and Los Angeles Kings prospect, he led all WHL players this season with 75 assists and 39 power play assists, and finished tied for second among WHL players with 10 game-winning goals. He recorded at least one point in 52 of his 65 games, and did not go more than three games without registering a point. Also considered for the award was the tandem of OHL scoring leaders Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires and Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers, with Sean Couturier of the Drummondville Voltigeurs leading the QMJHL in scoring.
Humanitarian:
Ryan Hayes, Plymouth Whalers
Hayes, a 20-year-old from Syracuse, New York, led the Whalers organization in his third OHL season with 54 official community appearances representing participation in nearly a quarter of the team’s total community events. This season Hayes took on a leadership role for the Whalers in the “Friends of Jaclyn” program which supports the non-profit charitable organization that improves the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors. He also showed extensive participation with Special Olympics Michigan at their annual hockey tournament cheering on the participants, passing out the medals, and staying afterwards to pose for pictures and sign autographs. Also considered for the award was Matt Fraser of the Kootenay Ice, and Nick MacNeil of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.
Scholastic:
Dominic Jalbert, Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Jalbert captured the Marcel-Robert trophy as QMJHL Scholastic Player of the Year for the Sagueneens.
A 20-year-old from Hull, QC, he completed his four-year career with registering 14 goals and 49 assists for 63 points in 68 games in his final season. Also considered for the award was Erik Gudbranson of the Kingston Frontenacs, and Adam Lowry of the Swift Current Broncos.
Coach:
Gerard Gallant, Saint John Sea Dogs
Gallant, a native of Summerside, PEI, led Sea Dogs to their first ever Jean-Rougeau trophy as regular season champions with 53-12-1-2 record for 109 points. Also considered for the award was Mark Holick of the Kootenay Ice, and Dale Hunter of the London Knights.
Rookie:
Matt Puempel, Peterborough Petes
Puempel, a 17-year-old from Essex, ON, was selected by the Petes with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection and led all OHL rookies in scoring with 64 points in 59 games with a rookie and team-high 33 goals with 31 assists. His 64 points placed him 39th overall in league scoring and was the only rookie listed in the OHL’s top-80 scorers. This season, Puempel also competed as a member of Team Ontario winning silver at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Also considered for the award was Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels, and Petr Straka of the Rimouski Oceanic.
Goaltender:
Jake Allen, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Allen, a 19-year-old from Fredericton, NB, also captured the Jacques-Plante trophy with the best goals-against-average in the QMJHL with a mark of 2.20. He also posted a save percentage of .922 and produced a 29-14 record in 45 games with the Voltigeurs and Montreal Juniors this season. Allen also backstopped the Canadian National Junior Team to a silver medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship. Also considered for the award was Martin Jones of the Calgary Hitmen, and Chris Carrozzi of the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.
Defenceman:
David Savard, Moncton Wildcats
Savard also took home two awards in the QMJHL this season including the Emile-Bouchard and Kevin Lowe trophies for best defenceman and best defensive defenceman. He scored 13 goals and 64 assists for 77 points in 64 games this season for the Wildcats. A 19-year-old from St-Hyacinthe, QC, and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, Savard became the first defenceman to lead the league in assists. Also considered for the award was Tyson Barrie of the Kelowna Rockets, and Jacob Muzzin of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Player:
Jordan Eberle, Regina Pats
Eberle enjoyed an outstanding 2009-10 WHL season scoring 50 goals and 56 assists for 106 points in just 57 games for his hometown Pats. His 1.86 points-per-game average marked the highest points-per-game average for any WHL player since the 1998-99 season. He finished tied for second among all WHL players with 19 power play goals, and also tied for second in shorthanded goals with six on the season. The leading goal-scorer in the history of Canada’s National Junior team and Edmonton Oilers prospect, Eberle recorded at least one point in 50 of 57 games he played for Regina this season. Also considered for the award was Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers, and Mike Hoffman of the Saint John Sea Dogs.