WHL Awards Luncheon: Today

The Western Hockey League announced its 2009-10 Awards Finalists and Conference All-Star Teams in mid-March, with five members of the Silvertips organization nominated for a variety of WHL awards. The winners of these awards, along with the WHL Player of the Year, will be announced at the 2010 WHL Awards Luncheon in Edmonton, Alberta this afternoon.

Head Coach Craig Hartsburg was nominated as the Western Conference’s finalist for the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL’s Coach of the Year. Joining the Silvertips in June, 2009, Hartsburg guided the club to a 46-21-3-2 record, tying for the conference lead with 97 points. The Head Coach of Hockey Canada’s World Junior Championships teams in 2006-07 and 2007-08, Hartsburg has an established track record at the Major Junior Level, posting an overall record of 272-146-28-23 (W-L-OTL-T) in his seven seasons with the Guelph Storm, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Everett Silvertips. Nominated from the Eastern Conference was Kootenay Ice Head Coach Mark Holick.

Team Captain Zack Dailey was nominated as the Western Conference’s finalist for the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL’s Humanitarian of the Year. Reflective of his volunteer work through five seasons as a leader both on the ice and in the community, Dailey has spoken at hospitals, schools, non-profit organizations, and has been a Silvertips representative at the Scoring Goals for Disabilities fundraiser. He was presented with the Silvertips’ Community Relations Award and Coaches Award in the year-end awards ceremony on March 13th. Nominated from the Eastern Conference was Kootenay Ice forward Matt Fraser.

Director of Business Operations Zoran Rajcic was nominated for the Western Conference’s Marketing / Public Relations Award. By developing close ties with businesses and individuals around Snohomish County, Rajcic has helped facilitate the commercial and marketing interests of the hockey club while maintaining the team’s lofty attendance totals as the Silvertips drew over 200,000 fans for the seventh consecutive season. Nominated from the Eastern Conference was Rick Dillabaugh, the Brandon Wheat Kings’ Director of Sales & Marketing .

Also presented with post-season awards were forward Shane Harper and defenseman Radko Gudas, both of whom were nominated as Second-Team Western Conference All-Stars.

Harper, 20, of Valencia, CA, led the Silvertips in scoring with 80 points on 42 goals and 38 assists and was recently rewarded for his efforts when he signed an NHL contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, March 2nd. The all-time Silvertips goal scorer with 100 career tallies, Harper posted the highest single season goal total in club history and has now played in 214 consecutive games out of a club-record 335 total games in a Silvertips uniform. He was named the Silvertips’ team MVP in the year-end awards ceremony on March 13th.

Gudas, 19, of Prague, Czech Republic, appeared in 65 games for the Silvertips, recording seven goals and 30 assists for 37 points. His +45 rating is the most all-time in both single-season and cumulative franchise records. Appearing in the World Junior Championships, Gudas recorded provided two assists and a team-high +2 rating over six games for the Czech Republic.

The Silvertips open the 2010 WHL Playoffs against the Kelowna Rockets with home games on Friday, March 19th, and Saturday, March 20th. For ticket packages, including group tickets and further ticketing information, please call the Silvertips’ offices at (425) 252-5100. Relevant multimedia and up to date club information can be found at www.everettsilvertips.com, on Facebook under Everett Silvertips Hockey Club, and via Twitter at @WHLsilvertips.

The WHL announced the Finalists in the following categories.

WHL Rookie of the Year, Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Burnaby, BC), Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference – Shane McColgan (Manhattan, CA), Kelowna Rockets

WHL Goaltender of the Year, Del Wilson Trophy
Eastern Conference – Martin Jones (North Vancouver, BC), Calgary Hitmen
Western Conference – Calvin Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Seattle Thunderbirds

WHL Defenceman of the Year, Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Michael Stone (Winnipeg, MB), Calgary Hitmen
Western Conference – Tyson Barrie (Victoria, BC), Kelowna Rockets

WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year, Brad Hornung Trophy
Eastern Conference – Jason Bast (Moose Jaw, SK) Moose Jaw Warriors
Western Conference – Jared Spurgeon (Edmonton, AB), Spokane Chiefs

WHL Scholastic Player of the Year, Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Adam Lowry (Calgary, AB) Swift Current Broncos
Western Conference – Spencer Main (North Vancouver, BC) Kelowna Rockets

WHL Coach of the Year, Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Mark Holick, Kootenay Ice
Western Conference – Craig Hartsburg, Everett Silvertips

WHL Executive of the Year, Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Kelly McCrimmon, Brandon Wheat Kings
Western Conference – Bob Tory, Tri-City Americans

WHL Humanitarian of the Year, Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Matt Fraser (Red Deer, AB) Kootenay Ice
Western Conference – Zack Dailey (Healy, AK) Everett Silvertips

WHL Marketing / Public Relations Award
Eastern Conference – Brandon Wheat Kings, Rick Dillabough
Western Conference – Everett Silvertips, Zoran Rajcic

WHL Regular Season Champions, Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy
Calgary Hitmen: GP – 72W – 52 L – 17 OTL – 1 SL – 2 Pts – 107

WHL Top Scorer – Bob Clarke Trophy
Brandon Kozun – (Calgary, AB) Calgary HitmenGP – 65G – 32A – 75Pts – 107PIM – 50

The WHL Eastern and Western Conference All-Star Teams are as follows:

WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Martin Jones (North Vancouver, BC), Calgary Hitmen
Defenceman – Michael Stone (Winnipeg, MB), Calgary Hitmen
Defenceman – Brayden McNabb (Davidson, SK), Kootenay Ice
Forward – Jordan Eberle (Regina, SK), Regina Pats *
Forward – Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon, SK), Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Brandon Kozun (Calgary, AB), Calgary Hitmen

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Darcy Kuemper (Saskatoon, SK), Red Deer Rebels
Defenceman – Travis Hamonic (St. Malo, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings
Defenceman – Colby Robak (Gilbert Plains, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Dustin Sylvester (Kelowna, BC), Kootenay Ice
Forward – Matt Calvert (Brandon, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Cody Eakin (Winnipeg, MB), Swift Current Broncos

WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Calvin Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Seattle Thunderbirds
Defenceman – Tyson Barrie (Victoria, BC), Kelowna Rockets
Defenceman – Kevin Connauton (Edmonton, AB), Vancouver Giants
Forward – Craig Cunningham (Trail, BC), Vancouver Giants *
Forward – Kyle Beach (Kelowna, BC), Spokane Chiefs
Forward – Mitch Wahl (Seal Beach, CA), Spokane Chiefs

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Drew Owsley (Lethbridge, AB), Tri-City Americans
Defenceman – Jared Cowen (Allan, SK), Spokane Chiefs
Defenceman – Radko Gudas (Kladno, Czech Rep.), Everett Silvertips
Forward – Shane Harper (Valencia, CA), Everett Silvertips
Forward – Nino Niederreiter (Chur, SUI), Portland Winterhawks
Forward – Prab Rai (Surrey, BC), Seattle Thunderbirds

* indicates unanimous selection