Mirwald, Oster, and Rousseau named finalists for 2023-24 CHL Goaltender of the Year
Brett Mirwald of the Vancouver Giants, Jacob Oster of the Oshawa Generals, and William Rousseau of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have been named nominees for the CHL Goaltender of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the top goaltender in the Canadian Hockey League.
The nominees for this prize are based on the recipients of the regional awards including the OHL’s Jim Rutherford Trophy, QMJHL’s Patrick-Roy Trophy, and the WHL’s Del Wilson Trophy.
The recipient of the CHL Goaltender of the Year Award will be announced and given his trophy at a ceremony for the 2024 CHL Awards on Saturday, June 1, in Saginaw, Michigan. The latter is an event taking place as part of the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow in Saginaw, which is scheduled to run from May 23 – June 2.
Over the years, the CHL Goaltender of the Year Award has been won by many stellar goaltenders including Trevor Kidd (Brandon Wheat Kings), Jocelyn Thibault (Sherbrooke Faucons), Martin Biron (Beauport Harfangs), Ray Emery (Soo Greyhounds), Cam Ward (Red Deer Rebels), Carey Price (Tri-City Americans), Jake Allen (Drummondville Voltigeurs), Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips), and most recently Nathan Darveau (Victoriaville Tigres).
WHL Nominee — Brett Mirwald (Vancouver Giants)
29-22-3-0 record, 3.10 GAA, .913 SV% & 2 SO in 55 GP during the 2023-24 season
Vancouver Giants netminder Brett Mirwald had a strong 2023-24 campaign, posting a 29-22-3-0 record and two shutouts over 55 games this season. Mirwald ended the year leading all WHL goaltenders in saves (1,723) and minutes played (3,190). He also finished in a tie for third among WHL netminders in save percentage (.913) and wins (29), all while he registered a 3.10 goals-against average.
Over the course of the season, the 20-year-old from Saskatoon, Sask., had 10 outings with 40-plus saves, including a pair of contests that saw the Giants netminder turn aside 50 or more shots. Specifically, Mirwald made a season-high 51 saves against Everett on Dec. 8, before posting a 50-save performance against Portland on Dec. 31. Mirwald’s most impressive outing was arguably on Jan. 6 in Brandon, when the 20-year-old stopped all 48 shots he faced to help give Vancouver a 4-0 shutout victory over the Wheat Kings.
By winning the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy as the WHL Goaltender of the Year, Mirwald became the first Vancouver Giants netminder to ever achieve the feat.
OHL Nominee — Jacob Oster (Oshawa Generals)
35-16-7-1 record, 2.82 GAA, .905 SV% & 3 SO in 60 GP during the 2023-24 season
2024 NHL Draft prospect Jacob Oster of the Oshawa Generals had an excellent season playing under a big workload for the Generals. The 20-year-old from Ottawa, Ont., co-led the CHL with 35 wins during the 2023-24 campaign, all while setting a new Oshawa record with 3,569 minutes played in a single season. Oster appeared in 60 of the Generals’ 68 regular season games this season, posting a 2.82 goals-against average, a .905 save percentage, and three shutouts. The Oshawa netminder finished the year second among OHL goalies in both saves (1605) and goals-against average (2.82), while his .905 save percentage ranked tied for third among that same group.
Oster’s 35 wins are the third-highest single-season total in team history and the most since Ken Appleby won 38 in 2014-15. Additionally, Oster’s 60 games played this season equaled the Oshawa Generals’ record set by Peter Sidorkiewicz in 1982-83. Towards the end of the season, Oster capped off the year on a high note, winning 11 consecutive starts to close out the regular season.
By winning the Jim Rutherford Trophy in 2023-24, Oster became just the second goaltender in Oshawa Generals history to be named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year, and the first to do so since Mike Fountain in 1991-92.
QMJHL Nominee — William Rousseau (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
34-10-1-4 record, 2.24 GAA, .924 SV% & 8 SO in 50 GP during the 2023-24 season
Coming off a 2022-23 season that saw him hoist both the Gilles-Courteau Trophy and the Memorial Cup with the Québec Remparts, William Rousseau of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies put together a special year with his newest club. In 50 games with the Huskies during the 2023-24 campaign, Rousseau finished the season with 34 wins, which ranked tied for third in the CHL. His 34 victories, 2.24 goals-against average, and eight shutouts were the best of any goalie in the QMJHL, while his .924 save percentage ranked only behind Halifax’s Mathis Rousseau in the QMJHL.
Rousseau’s eight shutouts this season also established a new single-season record in the QMJHL, breaking the previous mark of seven that was held by seven different goaltenders including Roberto Luongo (Val-d’Or Foreurs). Rousseau’s eight shutouts were also the most by any goalie in the CHL this season. The 21-year-old from Trois-Rivières, Que., now has 15 shutouts over his career, which places him in a tie for fourth on the QMJHL’s all-time list.
Ultimately, Rousseau was the first-ever recipient of the new Patrick-Roy Trophy, which was awarded to the QMJHL’s Goaltender of the Year for the first time this season. Last year, while playing for then Québec Remparts head coach Patrick Roy, Rousseau capped off a magical season by earning the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the 2023 Memorial Cup’s most outstanding goalie, an award he was given moments after the Québec Remparts defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-0 in the final of the 103rd edition of the Memorial Cup.
