2019-20 CHL Award Finalists: Sportsman of the Year presented by Cavendish Farms

The Canadian Hockey League is proud to announce the three finalists for the 2019-20 CHL Sportsman of the Year Award presented by Cavendish Farms.

Since 1990 the award has been presented annually to the most sportsmanlike player from across the CHL.

Representing the Western Hockey League for award consideration is Seth Jarvis of the Portland Winterhawks, from the Ontario Hockey League is Nick Robertson of the Peterborough Petes, and from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is Jakob Pelletier of the Moncton Wildcats.

Jarvis qualifies as the recipient of the WHL’s Brad Hornung Trophy following a season where he placed second in league scoring with 98 points including 42 goals and 56 assists in 58 games while incurring only 24 penalty minutes.  The 18-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba, helped the Winterhawks capture the league’s regular season title and is a top prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft ranked 11th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

Robertson claimed the OHL’s William Hanley Trophy after leading the entire CHL with 55 goals in just 46 games while adding 31 assists for a total of 86 points along with 40 penalty minutes.  The 18-year-old from Northville, Michigan, and second round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2019 NHL Draft, became just the 13th player in the Petes storied history to reach the 50-goal milestone and first since the 1992-93 season.

Pelletier earned the QMJHL’s Franke J. Selke Trophy by tying for eighth in league scoring with 82 points including 32 goals and 50 assists in 57 games and recording just 16 minutes in penalties.  The 19-year-old from Quebec was chosen in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames and captained the Wildcats to just their second 50-win season in franchise history atop the Maritimes Division standings.

Last season Justin Almeida of the Moose Jaw Warriors was the award recipient finishing the 2018-19 campaign with 111 points in 64 games while recording just 14 penalty minutes.  The last player from the OHL to win the award is Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack in 2017, while Samuel Girard of the Shawinigan Cataractes is the most recent QMJHL winner in 2016.  Jarvis is just the second member of the Winterhawks to be considered for the national award following Lonny Bohonos in 1994, and Robertson is the third Petes nominee following Mike Ricci in 1990 and Ryan Spooner in 2010.  Pelletier is also the third Wildcats nominee following Simon Laliberte in 1998 and Jonathan Roy who was the winner in 2000.

The 2019-20 recipient of the CHL Sportsman of the Year Award presented by Cavendish Farms will be announced in the coming weeks.