Catton, Protas, and Sumpf named finalists for the CHL’s 2024-25 Sportsman Player of the Year
Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs (WHL), Ilya Protas of the Windsor Spitfires (OHL), and Julius Sumpf of the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) have been named nominees for the CHL Sportsman Player of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the player judged to be the most sportsmanlike player among the CHL’s 60 clubs.
The nominees for this prize are based on the recipients of the regional league awards, including the OHL’s William Hanley Trophy, the QMJHL’s Frank-J.-Selke Memorial Trophy, and the WHL’s Brad Hornung Trophy.
The recipient of the CHL Sportsman Player of the Year Award will be announced and given his trophy at a ceremony for the 2025 CHL Awards on Friday, June 13, in Toronto, ON.
Over the years, the CHL Sportsman Player of the Year Award has been won by many great players including Eric Daze (Beauport Harfangs), Brad Boyes (Erie Otters), Jeff Carter (Soo Greyhounds), Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings), Sam Reinhart (Kootenay Ice), Samuel Girard (Shawinigan Cataractes), Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack), and most recently Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw Warriors).
WHL Nominee — Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs)
38G-71A, 109 PTS, +46 & 30 PIMs in 57 GP during the 2024-25 season
For the first time in his illustrious WHL career, the Spokane Chiefs’ Berkly Catton was awarded the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Sportsmanlike Player of the Year. The 19-year-old surpassed the 100-point mark for the second straight year as he tallied 109 points (38G-71A) while he took just 30 penalty minutes across 57 games.
In all, the Chiefs’ captain finished third in WHL scoring while his +46 rating was tied for the fifth-best. In the postseason, the Seattle Kraken prospect led all skaters with 42 points in only 20 games as he helped lead the Chiefs to the WHL Championship Series.
Earlier in the season, Catton represented Canada at the 2025 World Juniors while he previously captained Canada to gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He also has medals from the 2022 Hockey World U17 Challenge (silver) and the 2023 U18 World Championships (bronze).
Catton sits eighth all-time in Chiefs scoring with 284 points, where he has averaged 1.42 points-per-game in 197 contests.
The 19-year-old was the eighth overall pick by Seattle in the 2024 NHL Draft.
OHL Nominee — Ilya Protas (Windsor Spitfires)
50G-74A, 124 PTS, +58 & 34 PIMs in 61 GP during the 2024-25 season
Ilya Protas’ debut season in the OHL was nothing short of spectacular after he scored 50 goals and registered 124 points, while he also claimed the William Hanley Trophy as the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player.
Protas finished second in OHL scoring while he was one of just three players to hit 50 goals. His +58 rating was the second-best in the league while he took just 34 penalty minutes across 61 games. His 2.03 points-per-game are the most over a full season by a Windsor Spitfires player since Jason Spezza (2.09) in 2000-01.
In 12 postseason contests, he recorded 25 points as the Spits reached the second round.
The third overall pick in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, the Belarus native is the first Import to claim OHL Most Sportsmanlike honours since Vitali Yachmenev of the North Bay Centennials in 1995.
The 18-year-old was the 75th overall pick by the Washington Capitals in the 2024 NHL Draft.
QMJHL Nominee — Julius Sumpf (Moncton Wildcats)
26G-39A, 65 PTS, +61 & 24 PIMs in 58 GP during the 2024-25 season
Julius Sumpf’s second season with the Moncton Wildcats was one to remember as he claimed the Gilles-Courteau Trophy alongside the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the QMJHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player.
In the regular season, the German had career highs in goals (26), assists (39), and points (65) while he led the Q with a +61 rating. He received just 24 penalty minutes across 58 games.
Sumpf added 10 goals and 16 points in 19 postseason tilts as the Wildcats claimed a third QMJHL championship, while at the Memorial Cup, he had three points (1G/2A) as Moncton reached the semi-finals.
Earlier in the year, he suited up for Germany at the 2025 World Juniors.
Sumpf is the second straight Wildcat to be nominated for the CHL’s Sportsman of the Year after Preston Lounsbury in 2023-24.
