Fan Choice Awards | MVP Preview
A game changer, a player that is a crucial pillar in a team’s performance. The final piece to the puzzle that makes a work of art complete. A hockey team’s most valuable player is someone who if you were without, would change the outlook on a season.
Since Prince Edward Island’s QMJHL franchise was branded the Charlottetown Islanders, MVP has been an award where fans have favoured the team’s goaltender.
Jakob Robillard was the recipient last year. Matthew Welsh three-peated from 2017-18 to 2019-20. Mason McDonald was the award’s original victor back in 2014-15. During the COVID-19 hindered 2020-21 campaign, Colten Ellis and his .926 SV% backstopped the Islanders to a 35-5-0 record; Ellis recorded just one loss that season.
In the Arsenault Bros. Most Valuable Player Award’s nine-year history, only three times has a skater gone home with the trophy. Oliver Cooper had the honour in 2015-16, Filip Chlapik is the only European player to win it when he did back in 2016-17. Xavier Simoneau was the last player and most recent to win it when his nearly two-points-per-game average helped lead the Islanders to their first-ever QMJHL finals birth in 2021-22.
These seven names will all be familiar to Islanders faithful, both for their impact on the ice and how they captured the hearts of those in the stands. Now, a fresh batch of nominees will look to leave their mark on an award with a distinguished lineage.
Giovanni Morneau came to Charlottetown on an invite to training camp last season. The Ottawa, Ontario native quickly proved he was deserving of his shot in the QMJHL. Morneau led the Islanders in scoring last season with 51 points in 68 games and became a fan favourite with the character he showed both on and off the ice. This year, the 5’9” centerman sits third in the team’s scoring race and was given the honour of assistant captain for his 20-year-old season. Now, Morneau looks to be the first Ontario-born player to win the team’s MVP award.
Will the Arsenault Bros. MVP trophy have a fifth goalie added to it? That’s a task Carter Bickle will be looking to accomplish. Bickle was signed by the Islanders at the start of this season after being waived by the Oshawa Generals of the OHL. Bickle stumbled out of the gate to start the year but since 2024 hit, he has kept his team in a lot of games. Across the new year’s first three months, the Toronto, Ontario native sports a .903 SV%; he also logged his first QMJHL shutout in February. Can Bickle follow up Robillard and make it back-to-back years with a crease guardian receiving the MVP honour?
A Deer Lake, Newfoundland native will look to be the first from his province to claim the MVP title. Marcus Kearsey has enjoyed a very productive sophomore QMJHL season. He’s already well past his rookie points total of 29, now sitting with 42 across 59 games. The 17-year-old received the assistant captain title coming out of training camp showcasing his importance to the organization. Kearsey will look to usher in the new age of Islanders hockey and become the youngest player to win the team’s MVP award.
Michael Horth was named the 10th captain in Islanders franchise history at the start of this year. The 20-year-old from Saint-Michel, Quebec has been enjoying a career year posting 30 goals in 52 games. In his three years in the QMJHL, Horth has recorded over 100 points. The Isles points leader also leads the league in power-play goals this season with 17. Now, after growing his skills and hockey career in an Islanders uniform, Horth will look to cap it all off with the team’s MVP award.
Cole Huckins is a five-year QMJHL veteran. Originally drafted by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, Huckins spent three seasons there before being traded to Sherbrooke for their playoff run last year. Huckins was acquired this past off-season from the Phoenix and was named an assistant captain halfway through his 20-year-old season. Over this season, he has been an impactful piece of the offence collecting 39 points. Huckins embraced the P.E.I. culture immediately by helping create the Hometown Heroes program. A leader both on and off the ice, Huckins has helped honour military families on P.E.I. He now looks to end his QMJHL career with his name on the Arsenault Bros. MVP trophy.
This season’s home stretch is about to be in full swing and these five will look to end the 2023-24 campaign in a strong fashion and secure the Islanders MVP honours.
Cast your vote now and Go Isles Go!
