KUEMPER NAMED WHL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

The Western Hockey League announced today at the annual WHL Awards Luncheon that Red Deer Rebels goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been named the 2010-11 WHL Player of the Year and recipient of the Four Broncos Memorial trophy.

Kuemper enjoyed an outstanding season for the Red Deer Rebels, backstopping them to their first Central Division title since the 2003-04 season.  The 20-year-old from Saskatoon, SK, appeared in 62 games for the Rebels during the 2010-11 WHL regular season, posting a 45-12-3-2 record as the Rebels finished with 104 points in the standings.

Kuemper led all WHL goaltenders in wins (45), goals-against average (1.86) and save percentage (.933) during the regular season, helping the Rebels to the WHL’s best defensive record.  In addition, Kuemper tied a WHL single-season record by posting 13 shutouts.  During the regular season, Kuemper maintained a high level of consistency, losing back-to-back decisions on only two occasions.  He was named the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week on three different occasions during the regular season – the only goalie in the CHL to win the award three times this year – and was named the Vaughn WHL Goaltender of the Month for January.

Originally selected by the Spokane Chiefs in the 3^rd round, 45^th overall, of the 2005 WHL Bantam Draft, Kuemper was acquired by the Rebels in 2007 and has played 178 regular-season games for Red Deer over the last three seasons.  Kuemper was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 6^th round, 161^st overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Darcy Kuemper is the WHL’s nominee for the CHL Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League Awards, which will be handed out during the 2011 MasterCard Memorial in Mississauga, Ontario.