2019-20 CHL Award Finalists: Humanitarian of the Year presented by Kia
The Canadian Hockey League is proud to announce the three finalists for the 2019-20 CHL Humanitarian of the Year Award presented by Kia.
Since 1993 the award has been presented annually to the CHL player judged to have made the most notable contribution to his community.
Representing the Western Hockey League for award consideration is Riley Fiddler-Schultz of the Calgary Hitmen, from the Ontario Hockey League is Jacob Ingham of the Kitchener Rangers, and from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is Xavier Simoneau of the Drummondville Voltigeurs.
Fiddler-Schultz earned the WHL’s Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy in recognition for efforts that included the creation of a community program coined ‘Fidds Friends’ that brought kids registered with the Boys & Girls Club of Calgary to Hitmen games throughout the season. On the ice, the 17-year-old product of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, just completed his second WHL season recording 19 points in 44 games.
Ingham was named the OHL’s Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy winner for spearheading a movement that has inspired the hockey community to become more involved in donating blood and stem cells in addition to his ‘Jake Saves’ campaign that raised over $26,000 in support of Canadian Blood Services. Between-the-pipes this season for the Rangers, the 19-year-old Barrie, Ontario, native led the OHL with 33 wins and 1,501 saves while posting a 2.96 goals-against-average and .917 save percentage and two shutouts in 46 games before signing his entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings.
Simoneau was named the QMJHL’s Humanitarian of the Year for his development of the ‘Simy’s Friends’ project that rewards local kids who have done good deeds, to highlight the efforts of those with learning disabilities, and to help kids fighting illness or going through tough times in their lives. The 18-year-old Voltigeurs captain from Saint-André-Avellin, Quebec, finished fifth in league scoring during his third season amassing 89 points in 61 games putting himself back on the radar for the 2020 NHL Draft.
Last season Charle-Edouard D’Astous of the Rimouski Oceanic was the award recipient for serving as a spokesperson for the Rimouski Regional Hospital Foundation. Garrett McFadden of the Guelph Storm was the last CHL winner from the OHL in 2018, with Tyler Wong of the Lethbridge Hurricanes winning on behalf of the WHL in 2017. Hitmen players Cody Sylvester (2013) and Chris Nielsen (2000) were both national award nominees however Fiddler-Schultz would be the first from his team to win. Simoneau would also be the first Voltigeurs to win the national award following previous nominees that include Charles-David Beaudoin (2014) and Daniel Briere (1996). Ingham would become the second national award winner from the Rangers following Ben Fanelli in 2013.
The 2019-20 recipient of the CHL Humanitarian of the Year Award presented by Kia will be announced in the coming weeks.