Sward Named U.S. Division Defenseman of Year Thursday
WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee Wild are privileged to announce that defenseman and team captain Graham Sward has been named the Western Hockey League’s U.S. Division Defenseman of the Year, following an announcement from the league office on Thursday morning.
Sward was one of the WHL’s elite scorers at the blue line this season, racking up 81 points during the regular season, including 66 assists. Both of those marks ranked second among WHL defensemen, while his +41 plus/minus mark was third in the league at his position. His scoring mark tied the organization’s record for a rearguard as well, set last season by Ben Zloty in Winnipeg’s final season before its relocation to Wenatchee during the offseason. The Colorado Avalanche prospect also holds the organization’s record for the longest point streak by a defenseman with 16 straight games, including the first 15 to start this year.
The Abbotsford, British Columbia native is finishing a storied WHL career, reaching the 250-game milestone in his final regular-season contest March 23 at the Everett Silvertips. He notched 180 total points during those 250 appearances, playing in all 66 games for the Wild this season after returning from National Hockey League training camp in Nashville in late September.
By winning the divisional award, he also becomes one of four finalists for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy, which will be handed out next month to the league’s top defenseman. The WHL’s Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy is named for Bill Hunter, known as the “Fiery Red Leader” for his role as a founder and builder of the league. Hunter served as owner, president and general manager of the original Edmonton Oil Kings organization in the 1960s and 1970s, and took on the role as the WHL’s first Chairman of the Board.
Sward and the Wild continue their Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Kelowna Rockets on Friday evening, with the opening puck drop in Game 5 scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets for Friday’s game are on sale now at 509-888-7825, online here or by visiting the team office at Town Toyota Center. 2024-25 season tickets also remain on sale – updated news and information on Wild hockey are always available through the team’s website and on the team’s social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
