Former Thunderbird, American Huo named WHL Grad of the Month for October
The red-hot UBC Thunderbirds have soared to the top of the Canada West, thanks to its league-best offence and stingiest defence.
Second-year forward Sam Huo has been a key piece of the team’s early dominance, earning the title of Western Hockey League Grad of the Month for October.
“It’s obviously a great accomplishment, I was definitely happy to hear,” Huo said of the honour. “I think it’s just kind of a tribute to our team success that we’ve had so far, so I was just happy that could contribute to my individual success as well.”
Huo led the Canada West in scoring throughout October, scoring seven times and adding 11 assists for a total of 18 points in 10 games- including nine powerplay points.
He kicked off the campaign with a six-game point streak, including a five-point game against the Regina Cougars where he potted his first Canada West hat trick.
“I don’t think I even had one (hat trick) in the Western League,” Huo added. “So that was obviously nice to get here in Canada West. It just goes back to our team’s success so far. We set a program record for the best start to the season.”
What he didn’t mention is that he had two goals and two assists to secure that franchise record-setting 10th straight win to open the campaign.
Huo credits the Thunderbirds’ chemistry as a key to the team’s early success.
The fact that he’s playing on a line with his old Tri-City Americans teammate, Sasha Mutala, doesn’t hurt.
Fresh off a bye week, Huo and the 11-1 T-Birds will hit the road for a highly-anticipated set against the 9-3 Saskatchewan Huskies.
“Teams know that we have a strong record,” Huo said of UBC having a target on its back. “They’re definitely putting their best foot forward and trying to beat us so. But we love the challenge. We’ve got some big games coming up ahead that there’ll be a good test for our team.”
“Last year, they (Saskatchewan) came in and swept us at home. So we’re definitely keeping that in the back of our mind.”
Huo relishes the challenges of playing with and against former WHL teammates and opponents.
The Richmond, B.C. product suited up for 270 games over five seasons in the WHL with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Tri-City Americans, where he closed out his final season of major junior with a whopping 30 goals and 28 assists in 60 games.
He finished his Canada West Rookie season tied ninth in conference scoring with 13 goals and 19 assists in 28 regular season contests.
Huo is utilizing his WHL Scholarship to attend UBC’s prestigious Sauder School of Business.
For each season played in the WHL, a player is awarded a one-year post-secondary scholarship, which includes tuition, compulsory fees, and required textbooks.
In partnership with Canada West universities, numerous WHL Scholarship recipients each year are also awarded additional financial assistance from their university to receive Western Canada’s Premier Hockey Scholarship.
Since 1993, the WHL has awarded over 7,500 scholarships to graduate players.
The WHL is the leading supplier of hockey scholarships in Western Canada and offers one of the most comprehensive scholarships in North America.
WHL Grad of the Month
The WHL Grad of the Month is a partnership between the WHL and Canada West. CW coaches vote to select the winner each month. All nominees must have played at least one full season in the WHL and be in good standing in Canada West.
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 offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six 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 close to 60 years. The WHL is also a 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.
About Canada West
As the leading university athletic conference in the country, Canada West is home to student-athletes that excel in the classroom and their communities. The conference is comprised of 17 member institutions spanning from Victoria to Winnipeg, with over 3,200 student-athletes competing across 14 sports. Canada West’s mission is to train leaders and build champions by providing leadership in the delivery, regulation, and promotion of university level high performance sports programs throughout western Canada.
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