2023-24 BWK YEAR-END AWARDS
The 2023-34 BWK Awards night was on Thursday March 21, 2024. Here are each of the award winners highlight packages with the accompanying public address script.
The WHL and the Wheat Kings are committed to recognizing academic excellene. In honour of this achievement, the Wheat Kings present the Maggie Janz Memorial Trophy to the club’s Scholastic Player of the Year. This year’s winner will graduate after taking
Gr 12 Pre calc math, Chem, Biology, Eng
and Law
Having taken 4 of these classes in person while playing his first full WHL season and completing his eng with a 93% avg
Congratulations to #19 – Carter Klippenstein!
When it comes to the WHL’s community outreach programs such as Read to Succeed, local School patrols and grassroots hockey, the Wheat Kings have always been one of the league leaders. This player has made a big impact in our community in a short time here. volunteering for read to succeeds, minor hockey visits, and dancing with our fans whenever he got the chance… #2 Jackson DeSouza!
This next award goes to the team’s Coca Cola Most Inspirational Player…named in honour of former Wheat Kings Athletic Trainer Rob Stouffer, who spent seven seasons with the club and was one of the most respected trainers in the WHL. The winner of this prestigious award is a player who can be counted on to be a leader in all situations both on and off the ice. An instant leader in the dressing room – The most inspirational award, the pride of Carrot River, #14 Jayden Wiens!
Tonight marks the final Home regular season game for at least 3 members of the Wheat Kings. Please join the Wheat Kings in congratulating – first, with 187 Regular season WHL games, playing in his 37th in a Wheat King uniform, from Erie, Colorado – #2 – Jackson DeSouza! Next, with 231 regular season WHL games, suiting up in his 66th game with the Wheat Kings, from Carrot River SK, #14 – Jayden Wiens! And with 193 Regular Season games, 6 playoff games – all with your Brandon Wheat Kings, your captain, #74 – Brett Hyland!
The MAZER GROUP Mike Adamski Hardest Working Player Award…this trophy is named in honour of one of the hardest working people, associated with the Wheat Kings in recent years…Not only was Mike the longtime public address voice of the hockey club, he was a well respected Brandon School Division principal.
For the last 4 seasons, this player has lead by example, competing hard every shift and every practice. The hardest working player is #74 – Brett Hyland!
The Keystone Centre John Scott Kent Trophy goes to the hockey team’s Most Sportsmanlike Player…Four Wheat King winners of this award have gone on to win the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player Trophy, including Darren Ritchie and Ron Chipperfield.
This year’s winner has put up 43 points in 65 games this season, only accruing 10 penalty minutes all season – your most Sportsmanlike is #91 Nolan Flamand!
Our next award…the Wheat Kings Unsung Hero Award.
The only award to have CO WINNERS this season – these 2 guys have been consistent every night, contributing on the ice and being role models off the ice – the unsung heros are – #10 Caleb Hadland and #7 – Charlie Elick!
The Shoppers Mall Fans Choice award is given to the player who recieved the highest number of votes from the fans.
Former Wheat Kings that have won this award, include Matt Calvert, Jordan Papirny and Michael Ferland
This years winner has won the hearts of fans with his infectious smile, positive attitude and stellar play – the fans choice award winner is #64 – Carson Bjarnason!
The Manitoba Hydro Turk Broda Memorial Trophy is presented to Brandon’s Top Manitoba Born player…and is named after one of the most successful players to ever come from Brandon.
The Wheat Kings have been blessed with a number of great Manitobans over the years…from Bill Fairbairn and Ron Chipperfield in the sixties and seventies to Marty Murray in the nineties and Eric Fehr and Mark Stone in the 2000’s…This year’s recipient has had a career year – the pride of Carberry Manitoba, The TOP MB is #64 Carson Bjarnason!
Brandon’s Most Improved Player…named in honour of longtime player, coach and fan…Dennis Truscott
The Wheat Kings’ Most Improved Player for 2023-24 increased his season point total from 14 last year to 51 this season – including 4 game winning goals – the most improved player is #13 Roger McQueen
The 3 Stars award is given to the player who recieved the most points through the season. 3 points for 1st star, 2 points for 2nd star and 1 point for 3rd star.
The 3 star award with 35 points, is awarded to #74 – Brett Hyland!
The Wheat Kings 2023-24 Scoring Champion is not written in stone yet – currently tied is Brett Hyland and Rylen Roersma!
The Art Marshall Memorial Trophy is awarded to Brandon’s Top Graduating 20-year old player…and is named after the longtime Wheat King and Toronto Maple Leaf trainer
This year’s Top Graduating Player has spent the last 4 seasons with the BWK, getting drafted by the Washingto Capitals last summer – The Top grad is your captain, #74 – Brett Hyland!
This next Award has been officially re-named begining tonight. The Wheat Kings Rookie of the Year will now be known as the Mark Johnston Rookie of the Year Award – named in honour of longtime BWK scout, coach and player – Mark Johnston
The Wheat Kings have been blessed with a number of outstanding young players over the years…and a number that have gone on to win WHL Rookie of the Year…such as Brian Propp, Wade Redden, Brayden Schenn and Nolan Patrick…
This year’s winner was drafted by the Wheat Kings in the 3rd round of 2021, putting up 10 goals and 11 assists in his first season – the Mark Johnston Rookie of the Year is #19 Carter Klippenstein
…Our next award is named in honour of not only one of the best Wheat Kings of all time…one of the best defencemen to ever come out of the WHL…Brad MCrimmon was chosen by Boston in the first round of the 1979 NHL draft and went on to play 18 seasons and over 1,200 games with the Bruins, Flyers, Flames, Whalers and Coyotes…He was a 3-time winner of the Wheat Kings Top Defenceman of the Year in the late seventies…and was a member of the 1979 Western Hockey League Champions.
This year we our first back to back winner since Braden Schneider – The Brad McCrimmon TOP D award is going to #8 – Quinn Mantei!
The Wheat Kings’ Most Valuable Player.
This years MVP is a 3 year WHL Veteran who has put up a career best in stats and has stolen a few wins this season – the BWK Most Valuable Player for 23-24 is #64 Carson Bjarnason!
BWK YEAR-END VIDEO