MACAULAY HUSKY WHL GRADUATE OF THE MONTH
CANADA WEST – The Canada West Universities Athletic Association and Western Hockey League proudly announce that Manitoba Bisons forward #26 BLAIR MACAULAY is the Canada West men’s hockey Husky-WHL Graduate of the Month for January 2011.
In late 2010 WHL Commissioner Ron Robison announced that a total of 275 graduate players have been awarded WHL Scholarships for the 2010-11 academic year, with 102 being active players for the seven Canada West men’s hockey teams.
During six January conference games, MACAULAY recorded three goals and six assists for nine points, scoring one game-winning goal and recording an overall rating of +8 as the Bisons went 4-2-0. He had three multi-point games and picked up at least one point in five of six contests.
The second-year Winnipeg native had 12 goals and 29 points through January and sits third in Canada West scoring.
Macaulay’s game-winning goal came on Friday, January 21st, in a 5-1 win at Lethbridge, and he was instrumental during a 5-3 come-from-behind victory at then CIS #7-ranked Saskatchewan on January 14th. Down 3-0 in the second period, Macaulay assisted on a goal by Jordan Cyr and found twine himself midway through the third to tie the game at three, earning First Star on the evening.
The 22-year-old University of Manitoba Arts major played three full seasons in the WHL – two with the Saskatoon Blades, one with the Tri-City Americans – and parts of two others at the start and finish of his WHL days. Over his Junior hockey career, Macaulay picked up 27 goals, 40 assists for 67 points in 212 regular season games. He also had two goals, six points in 26 playoff contests. Macaulay and the Americans went 52-16-2-2 in 2007-08, eventually losing to rival Spokane in seven games at the Western Conference final.
Western Hockey League teammates included San Jose Sharks 30-goal scorer Devin Setoguchi, active Canada West all-time points leader, Alberta’s Chad Klassen, Minnesota Wild goaltender Anton Khudobin and 2005 Los Angeles Kings draft pick T.J Fast.
MACAULAY is the 10th monthly winner for Manitoba, the seventh different Bisons student-athlete to win the award since it was first handed out in October 1989. The 5-11, 185-pound forward is the first Bisons winner since forward Mike Hellyer took honours after his outstanding effort at the March 2010 University Cup in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
MACAULAY was one of three players nominated for the January Canada West WHL award. With 34 voting points, he edged out Alberta defenceman Jesse Craige (30) and UBC goaltender Jordan White (29) in a league-wide coaches’ poll. White actually made national headlines last month when he signed an Amateur contract with the San Jose Sharks to be the back-up netminder during a game at Vancouver.
“HUSKY, proud sponsor of the WHL Education Program & the Canada West men’s hockey Graduate of the Month”
2010-11 Husky WHL Graduates of the Month
January: Blair Macaulay, University of Manitoba Bisons
November/December: Dustin Butler, University of Calgary Dinos
October: Derek Ryan, University of Alberta Golden Bears
