2018-19 Kia Humanitarian of the Year Award Finalists
Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman Will Warm, Mississauga Steelheads left-wing Nicholas Canade, and Rimouski Oceanic blue-liner Charle-Edouard D’Astous are the 2019 finalists for the Kia Humanitarian of the Year Award.
The winner of the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy as WHL Humanitarian of the Year is Will Warm of @EdmOilKings! #WHLAwards pic.twitter.com/yMWJ9xDwCa
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 1, 2019
Warm took home the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy, presented to the WHL player who best demonstrates humanitarian values and a commitment to his community. A native of West Vancouver, B.C., the 20-year-old started the ‘Will Warms the Community Initiative’ and worked alongside such ventures as the Ronald McDonald House, spending much of his time dedicated to it while sidelined with a knee injury as he visited children and donated tickets to Oil Kings games. During the Christmas season, Warm also worked alongside Santas Anonymous to help collect stuffed animals for the Oil Kings’ annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
Limited to 33 appearances in 2018-19, Warm tallied two assists, bringing his WHL totals to 10 goals and 28 assists for 38 points in 153 career games. The Oil Kings originally selected Warm in the fifth round of the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.
#OHL Humanitarian of the Year 🐟
Canade becomes first member of @OHLSteelheads to receive the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy following efforts in support of @cancersociety & @PinballFdn and for his time visiting @THP_hospital and @PeelSchools.
MORE 📰: https://t.co/q6F82DmFoP pic.twitter.com/4BvldKug5I
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 7, 2019
Canade was the winner of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy as the 2019 OHL Humanitarian of the Year in recognition for his work in his hometown of Mississauga, both in representing the club and in leading his own initiatives, including visiting sick children in the hospital as well as several visits to local elementary schools. Furthermore, Canade is recognized for his generous $2,500 donation to the Steelheads’ ‘Pink in the Rink’ campaign for breast cancer awareness.
In 63 appearances in 2018-19, Canade collected six goals and 16 assists for 22 points, bringing his career total to 36 points in 126 appearances. Canade was an 11th round selection by the Steelheads in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection.
For his great implication in the community, most notably in the Rimouski hospitals, @oceanicrimouski captain Charle-Édouard D’Astous wins the QMJHL Humanitarian Player Award! #GoldenPuck pic.twitter.com/lo5XBDtzYv
— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 4, 2019
D’Astous was named the QMJHL’s Humanitarian of the Year for his work in the Rimouski community, including serving as a spokesperson for the Rimouski Regional Hospital Foundation, for which he helped fundraise $3,500 from various donors. The Rimouski native and Oceanic captain also led by example by participating in a number of other local charitable causes.
This season, D’Astous collected 14 goals and 52 assists for 66 points to lead all QMJHL defencemen in scoring, while that production also helped him land a two-year contract with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, the minor-league affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. Originally selected in the fourth round of the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft, D’Astous has tallied 49 goals and 132 assists for 181 points in 244 career games.