2024 Kelowna Rockets Awards Presented by Orchard Ford Winners Announced
The Kelowna Rockets announced today the recipients of the organization’s annual awards presented by Orchard Ford following the conclusion of the 2023-24 regular season earlier today at Prospera Place
2024 Award Winners:
Best Plus/Minus: TBD
This winner of this award will be determined this weekend once the Regular season end. Entering the weekend Andrew Cristall leads the team with a +20 plus/minus rating, while Gabriel Szturc is second with +18 and Tij Igina is third with a +15 rating.
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Scholastic Player of the Year: Tij Iginla
Forward Tij Iginla has been awarded the Rockets Scholastic Player of the Year award, the 17-year-old achieved significant academic results in his educational programs while balancing WHL commitments.
Acquired from the Seattle Thunderbirds in the offseason, the Lake Country product leads the Rockets in goals with 47 and is second in team scoring with 83 points through 62 games. Iginla is ranked 11th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting Bureau on its mid-season rankings for the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft.
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Most Improved: Marek Rocak
The most improved award is given to the player who has shown the most progress during the regular season. Drafted 43rd overall by Kelowna in the 2022 CHL Import Draft, Rocak joined the Rockets following the holiday break where he recorded seven points (1G, 6A) in 24 games. This season, the Czechia product has recorded 35 points (8G, 27A) through 66 games.
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Top Scorer: Andrew Cristall
For the second season in a row Andrew Cristall has captured the Rockets top scorer award. After recording 95 points through 54 games last season, the Washington Capital prospect cracked the 100 point mark this season after recording 106 points through 60 games. He’s the first Rocket to surpass the century mark since Jesse Schultz in 02/03.
He leads the Rockets in power play points with 34, his 13 goals and 21 assists while on the man advantage lead the team in those categories as well.
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Unsung Hero: Max Graham
Kelowna product Max Graham has stepped up into the role of a power forward on the Rockets top line, often buying time and space for Andrew Cristall and Gabriel Szturc.
After recording 33 points in his first season with the Rockets back in 2021-22, the winger only managed 21 points through 54 games last season, but bounced back this year with 36 points through 65 games. His 133 penalty minutes lead all WHL skaters.
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Hollis Pearce Award, Top Defensive Forward: Gabriel Szturc
For the second year in a row, Rockets captain Gabriel Szturc captured the Hollis Pearce Award, Top Defensive Forward after putting together a solid campaign as a dependable two-way forward.
The Czechia product, in his third season with the Rockets, is second in the Rockets in faceoff percentage (55.3) and ranked second on the team in faceoff wins (583) and draws taken (1055).
The first European-born player to wear the ‘C’ for the organization, Szturc has surpassed his previous career high of 79 points posted last season. Szturc sits second in team scoring with 80 points (31G, 49A) through 60 games this season.
Undrafted in the previous two NHL Drafts, the overage forward signed a three-year entry level NHL contract on March 2 with the Tampa Bay Lightning covering the 2024-25 through 2026-27 seasons.
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Top Defenceman: Caden Price
For the second season in a row Caden Price has been named the Rockets top d-man. The Saskatoon, Sask. product leads the Rockets defence core in goals (12), assists (41) and points (53).
With 53 points though 60 games this season, the Seattle Kraken prospect has bested last year’s previously set highs of 40 points (5G, 35A) through 65 games this year.
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Most Sportsmanlike: Kayden Longley
In 43 games this season, rookie forward Kayden Longley recorded just two penalty minutes.
Selected in the 13th round with the final pick (281 overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, the 2006 boron forward has appeared in 43 games this season, recording 13 points (6G, 7A).
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Rookie of the Year: Hiroki Gojsic
Seventeen-year-old forward Hiroki Gojisc leads all Rockets rookies in scoring with 50 points (21G, 29A) through 66 games this season.
The former 2021 second-round pick signed with the Rockets after his WHL rights were acquired from Victoria in the offseason.
Gojsic is ranked 94th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting Bureau on its mid-season rankings for the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft.
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Humanitarian: Dylan Wightman and Ty Hurley
Dylan Wightman, in his fourth and final season with the Rockets, has been a leader in attending the Rockets school visits in the central Okanagan region.
On December 7 while on a team road trip, Ty Hurley rescued a drowning man from the team hotel in Strathmore, Alta. Hurley was able to get the man out of the pool and began CPR, demonstrating composure and quick thinking, recalling skills learned in the Bronze Medallion course he had taken. Alberta Health Services confirmed the man was taken to hospital in stable, non-life-threatening condition. For his actions, Hurley was awarded the Silver Medal of Merit and the M.G. Griffiths Award by the The Lifesaving Society, BC & Yukon at the 112th Annual Commonwealth Awards for Honour & Rescue in early march.
The Humanitarian award recognizes the work a Rockets player does to help and enhance the community.
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Most Valuable Player: Tij Iginla
After a limited role on the stacked 2023 WHL Champion Seattle Thunderbirds last season, where he only posted 18 points (6G, 12A) through 48 games, Tij Iginla blew out of the gates for Kelowna quickly establishing himself as one of the league’s top snipers.
He leads all Rockets in goals with 47 and is ranked sixth among league skaters.
The Lake Country, BC product is second in team scoring with 83 points (47G, 36A) through 62 games.
Iginla participated in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on January 24 in Moncton, where he was named the Player of the Game for Team White.
He is ranked 11th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting Bureau on its mid-season rankings for the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft.
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You can catch the Rockets on Saturday at Prospera Place in their final regular season game of the season and Fan Appreciation night. Saturday’s game will feature a 50/50 Jackpot that starts at $10,000, a special jersey giveaway, live music from The Hip Replacements and a team poster giveaway.
Single Game Tickets for all Rockets games can be purchased:
- Online at selectyourtickets.com
- By calling Select Your Tickets at 250-762-5050
- Or by visiting the Select Your Tickets box office at the Prospera Place box office. The box office is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and opens at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday home game days.
