Cootes, Beaudoin and Huang named finalists for CHL’s 2025-26 Sportsman Player of the Year Award
Braeden Cootes of the Prince Albert Raiders (WHL), Cole Beaudoin of the Barrie Colts (OHL), and Alex Huang of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL) have been named the three finalists for the CHL Sportsman Player of the Year Award, presented annually to the player judged to be the most sportsmanlike among the CHL’s 61 member clubs.
The finalists are the recipients of their respective Member League honours: the WHL’s Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy, the OHL’s William Hanley Trophy, and the QMJHL’s David-Desharnais Trophy.
The recipient of the CHL Sportsman Player of the Year Award will be announced during the 2026 CHL Awards on Monday, June 15, in Toronto, Ont.
Over the years, the CHL Sportsman Player of the Year Award has been won by many outstanding players, including Eric Daze (Beauport Harfangs / QMJHL), Brad Boyes (Erie Otters / OHL), Jeff Carter (Soo Greyhounds / OHL), Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL), Sam Reinhart (Kootenay Ice / WHL), Samuel Girard (Shawinigan Cataractes / QMJHL), Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack / OHL), Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL), and most recently Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs / WHL).
WHL Nominee — Braeden Cootes (Prince Albert Raiders)
24G-39A, 63 PTS, +27 & 8 PIM in 45 GP during the 2025-26 season
Braeden Cootes earned the Brad Hornung Trophy as the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player after combining elite offensive production with remarkable discipline throughout the 2025-26 season.
Acquired by the Raiders from the Seattle Thunderbirds on Jan. 6, Cootes played 45 games between Seattle and Prince Albert, recording 24 goals and 39 assists for 63 points while taking just eight penalty minutes. A Vancouver Canucks first-round pick, selected 15th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, Cootes matched his career high in points despite playing 15 fewer games than he did in 2024-25.
Following his arrival in Prince Albert, Cootes elevated his production even further, collecting 40 points (14G-26A) in 28 regular-season games with the Raiders. Prior to the trade, the Sherwood Park, Alta., product had served as captain of the Thunderbirds for two seasons, further underscoring the leadership and maturity that have defined his WHL career.
The 19-year-old also represented Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording two goals in seven games while helping his country earn a bronze medal. Earlier in the season, Cootes also made his NHL debut with the Canucks, appearing in three games after signing his entry-level contract with Vancouver in July 2025.
Originally selected by Seattle in the first round, 10th overall, of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Cootes has produced 162 points (64G-98A) in 176 career WHL regular-season games. If selected as the recipient, Cootes would become the first player in Prince Albert Raiders history to win the CHL Sportsman Player of the Year Award.
OHL Nominee — Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts)
33G-56A, 89 PTS, +40 & 29 PIM in 54 GP during the 2025-26 season
Cole Beaudoin captured the William Hanley Trophy as the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player after delivering one of the league’s most complete seasons.
The Barrie Colts captain led his club in scoring with 33 goals, 56 assists, and 89 points in just 54 games, while posting a plus-40 rating and taking only 29 penalty minutes. His 1.65 points-per-game average ranked second in the OHL, placing him among the CHL’s most efficient offensive performers while maintaining the disciplined, hard-driving style that has become his trademark.
Beaudoin’s well-rounded game was recognized in the OHL Coaches Poll, where he led all players with four first-place finishes — hardest worker, best defensive forward, best on face-offs, and best penalty killer — while also placing second in the category of smartest player. He also finished tied for the OHL lead with 10 game-winning goals and won 55 per cent of his face-offs.
On the international stage, Beaudoin represented Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship for a second consecutive year, recording seven points (3G-4A) in seven games. His blend of power, discipline, leadership, and 200-foot reliability also earned him a nomination for the Red Tilson Trophy as the Colts’ Most Outstanding Player.
Selected by the Utah Mammoth in the first round, 24th overall, of the 2024 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-2, 211-pound centreman from Kanata, Ont., has registered 222 points (91G-131A) in 236 career OHL regular-season games. At the CHL level, Beaudoin would become the second Barrie Colts player to win the Sportsman Player of the Year Award, joining Evan Vierling, who received the honour in 2022-23.
QMJHL Nominee — Alex Huang (Chicoutimi Saguenéens)
11G-59A, 70 PTS, +58 & 14 PIM in 62 GP during the 2025-26 season
Alex Huang earned the David-Desharnais Trophy as the QMJHL’s most sportsmanlike player after a breakout third season with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens that showcased poise, production, and discipline from the blue line.
The Nashville Predators prospect raised his career high from 40 points to 70, finishing second among QMJHL defencemen in scoring with 11 goals and 59 assists. His playmaking ability and calm puck-moving presence helped drive Chicoutimi’s offence, particularly on special teams, where he ranked second among QMJHL blueliners with 32 power-play points.
Huang also ranked second among QMJHL defencemen with a plus-58 rating, reflecting his impact at both ends of the ice. Used in all situations — at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill — he handled significant minutes against top competition while being assessed just 14 penalty minutes all season.
Winning the David-Desharnais Trophy carried added significance in Chicoutimi, as the award is named after Saguenéens great David Desharnais, whose jersey has been retired by the club and who won the honour a QMJHL-record three consecutive times during his junior career. Huang was also named a finalist for the 2025-26 Émile-Bouchard Trophy, awarded to the QMJHL’s top defenceman, alongside teammate Tomas Lavoie.
His combination of offensive creativity, defensive reliability, and team-first maturity made Huang one of the QMJHL’s most complete defencemen and a key piece of Chicoutimi’s success throughout the season. Should he be named the CHL recipient, Huang would follow Desharnais as just the second Chicoutimi player to win the league’s Sportsman Player of the Year honour.
