2022/23 Team Awards Announced
March 27, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
Humanitarian: Every fan across the sport now knows his name. His courageousness over the last few years has been inspirational as he has become a powerful advocate for LGBTQ community and aspiring athletes. The time and work that he has put into these endeavors has made him a humanitarian in the truest sense of the word. This year's Humanitarian of the Year is Luke Prokop.
Scholastic: Given a normal education experience and the study time of a regular student, this player would be at the absolute top of any class. He needs to constantly be reminded that getting grades of 90+ is very impressive and that he doesn't have the time for perfection. However, there is great respect within the organization for the high standards that he holds himself to and his own personal goals to reach his highest potential. This year's scholastic player of the year is Scott Ratzlaff.
Most Dedicated: Voted on by his teammates as the most dedicated player, this Thunderbird fits the cliché first to arrive and last to leave. His vehicle is almost always the first in the lot each morning and he is among the many young Thunderbirds using the extra practice ice to hone his skills. His workout regime is legendary and his commitment to improving on the ice and in the gym is unmatched. The Thunderbirds Most Dedicated Player is Bryce Pickford.
Top Scorer: It was another year of impressive scoring totals for the Thunderbirds. With nine players at or above a point per game and three 30+ goal scorers, this depth of offense exceeded even last year's performance. It was another remarkable season for this year's top scorer. Finishing with 38 goals, 44 assists for a total of 82 points. This year's top scorer is Jared Davidson.
Most Improved: Going into his 3rd season in the WHL, expectations were high for this Thunderbird forward. He has not only improved year after year but continued to progress throughout the season. An invite to, and strong showing at, the Top Prospects Game in February took his game to a new level, and he has since scored his 30th goal of the season while providing exceptional defensive play and penalty killing. This year's most improved player is Nico Myatovic.
Rookie: This year's top rookie has had an excellent first season in the WHL. On pure talent and offensive ability, not many leaguewide can match him. He accumulated 58 points in 58 games and had a very strong showing at the CHL Top Prospects Game in February where he dazzled with his slick stickhandling and superb vision. This year's Thunderbirds rookie of the year is Gracyn Sawchyn.
Defenseman: Once again leading the team in assists despite only playing 54 games, this defenseman has taken his game to new heights after being selected 7th overall at the NHL Draft last summer. He was one of 6 Thunderbirds players to win gold with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in January and continues to develop his game to make the next jump in his career to the NHL. Back-to-back Defenseman of the Year title goes to Kevin Korchinski.
MVP: This is a perfect ending to a great junior career. What started out with little expectations but lots of heart has turned into a 5 year career culminating in this team MVP honor. He earned everything that he got and will forever be a reminder to all undrafted players that you can achieve great things with the right mindset and love for the game. Along the way, he scored 99 goals, was drafted to the NHL, and wears an A as an unquestioned integral part of the team leadership group. The 22-23 Thunderbirds MVP is Jared Davidson.
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