WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Name Award Winners

Published on March 16, 2012 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Brenden Kichton was named the Spokane Chiefs Player of the Year and earned the John "Hitman" Hern Defenseman of the Year honor in a pre-game ceremony on Friday night on the Chiefs Coca-Cola Regular Season Finale. It marks the second straight year that Kichton has been named the Chiefs' Defenseman of the Year. The 19-year-old Kichton is currently leading the Chiefs in scoring with 71 points, including a team high 55 assists. Kichton is the only defenseman in the WHL to lead their team in scoring.

Kichton's point total is the fourth highest for a single season by a defenseman giving him two of the top four seasons in Chiefs' history. Last year he scored 23 goals and 81 points, second all-time.

Mike Aviani was named the Chiefs' Players Player, an award voted on by the 23 players on the Chiefs roster. In his second full season as a Chief, Aviani has scored 13 goals, 44 points and is +27.

For the first time ever, the Chiefs presented the Coaches Award, given to the unsung hero on the roster who does the little things that go unnoticed through the course of the season. Twenty-year-old defenseman Corbin Baldwin was given the honor. In his fourth season as a Chief Baldwin set career highs in every category, including a plus/minus of +37, a team high and eighth in the WHL.

Mitch Holmberg, who has 26 goals and 54 points in 64 games, was named as the Chiefs' Ken Rabel Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year. Holmberg has just eight minor penalties this season, his third in a Chiefs jersey.

Liam Stewart, a 17-year-old from Hermosa Beach, California, was named the Chiefs Rookie of the Year after scoring 14 goals and 25 points in 64 games. He leads all WHL rookies with four shorthanded goals and is +7 this season.

Chiefs' Captain Darren Kramer won the Humanitarian of the Year award for continually giving back to the community through numerous endeavors. Kramer has scored 22 goals and 39 points and is leading the team with 196 penalty minutes as a 20-year-old.

Reid Gow, a 17-year-old defenseman, was named the Scholastic Player of the Year. The two-year veteran has scored 13 of his 19 points this season on the power play and earned a cumulative 95% in his core classes; College Prep English, Advanced Placement Statistics and Sports Marketing. Gow is also taking college level psychology on-line through Athabasca University.

The Chiefs also presented 20-year-old Steven Kuhn with the "Ironman Award" after setting a Chiefs' record for most consecutive games played. In his four year career Kuhn has never missed a game and appeared in his 286th straight on Friday night. Kuhn's streak is the fourth longest in WHL history.

Nineteen-year-old Dominik Uher was also presented with an award for his participation with the Czech Republic at the World Junior Hockey Championships. As an alternate captain, Uher helped the Czech Republic to a fifth place finish at the tournament. He leads all Chiefs with 33 goals and is second in scoring with 68 points.

The Chiefs will honor the leading scorer, plus-minus award winner and the cumulative season winners of the North Cedar Dental Stars of the Game prior to one of the Chiefs' first home playoff game.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2012


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