WHL names Division nominees for Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the 2021-22 Division nominees for the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the WHL’s Coach of the Year.
WHL Division Awards are voted upon by General Managers.
All individual WHL Division Award winners will be eligible for the overall WHL Awards, to be announced June 1, 2022.
WHL Coach of the Year Nominees
B.C. Division – Kris Mallette – Kelowna Rockets
Central Division – Steve Konowalchuk – Red Deer Rebels
East Division – James Patrick – Winnipeg ICE
U.S. Division – Dennis Williams – Everett Silvertips
WHL Coach of the Year Nominee Biographies
Steve Konowalchuk (Red Deer Rebels): In his first season with the Rebels, Konowalchuk guided his Club to a 45-19-2-2 Regular Season record and a second-place finish in the Central Division. Konowalchuk, who won a WHL Championship as coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2017, platooned a pair of 20-game winners in goaltenders Connor Ungar and Chase Coward, while fostering the development of Bob Clarke Trophy winner Arshdeep Bains and WHL goal-scoring leader Ben King. In seven seasons as a WHL Head Coach, Konowalchuk holds a record of 264-199-37.
Kris Mallette (Kelowna Rockets): Mallette helped the Kelowna Rockets to a second-place finish in the B.C. Division during the 2021-22 Regular Season, completing the campaign with a 42-20-1-5 record. Mallette’s group became the seventh Rockets team in the past ten seasons to finish with 90 or more Regular Season points. Mallette, who suited up with Kelowna during his WHL playing career, improved his WHL coaching record to 62-27-10.
James Patrick (Winnipeg ICE): Under Patrick, the ICE enjoyed their best Regular Season in franchise history and a first Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy in 17 years. Winnipeg completed the 2021-22 campaign with a 53-10-3-2 record and was the only WHL Club to surpass 300 goals for during the Regular Season. In five seasons as head coach of the ICE, Patrick holds a 149-122-34 record.
Dennis Williams (Everett Silvertips): The Everett Silvertips captured a fifth U.S. Division title in the past six years, and under Williams finished with the best overall record (45-13-5-5) in the Western Conference. Williams added general manager duties to his portfolio prior to the start of the 2021-22 season, but his Club did not miss a beat on the ice, led by a quintet of skaters with 70 or more points. In five seasons behind the Everett bench, Williams holds a coaching record of 195-62-22.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
