Giants’ Byram named WHL Rookie of the Month
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Vancouver Giants defenceman Bowen Byram has been named the WHL Rookie of the Month for February 2018.
Byram, a prospect eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft that will be held in Vancouver, B.C., registered nine points (3G-6A) in 12 games as the Giants continued to make waves in the competitive B.C. Division, closing in on clinching a playoff spot. He led all Giants’ defencemen in scoring throughout the month, finishing fourth among all teammates as well.
The 6-foot-0, 176-pound product of Cranbrook, B.C. picked up points in six of his 12 games this month, including the first multi-goal game of his career Friday, February 2 against the Calgary Hitmen. He also put points together in three straight games, equalling his career-high from earlier in the season.
Byram earned second star of the game honours once throughout the course of the month while also being recognized by the WHL as their second star of the night once too. Of Byram’s nine points this month, four (2G-2A) came at even strength while five (1G-4A) came on the power play.
A former gold medalist at the WHL Cup and silver medalist with Canada Red at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Byram was originally selected third overall in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft by the Giants.
After an 11-game audition last year, Byram has become a regular in the Giants’ lineup this season, recording 23 points (6G-17A) in 51 games, leading all WHL rookies in defensive scoring. He has three power-play goals and two game-winning goals.
The Giants return to action Friday, March 2 (7:00 p.m. PST) when they travel to the Sandman Centre to take on the Kamloops Blazers, a matchup you can also watch on this week’s broadcast of WHL in 30.
WHL Rookie of the Month
February: Bowen Byram, Vancouver Giants
January: Ethan Anders, Red Deer Rebels
December: Peyton Krebs, Kootenay ICE
November: Brodi Stuart, Kamloops Blazers
September/October: Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge Hurricanes
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 consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five 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 over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 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.