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WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Recognize Overage Players, Hand out Team Awards in Pre-Game Ceremony Saturday

March 25, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Spokane, Wash. - The Spokane Chiefs recognized their three over-age players and handed out team awards in a pre-game ceremony on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at their season finale, versus the Tri-City Americans.

Nineteen-year-old Chase Bertholet, who will finish the season as Spokane's leading scorer, and captain Raegan Wiles, were both recognized with two awards each. Wiles was also honored with fellow 20-year-olds Mac Gross and Cade Hayes in the final games of their WHL careers. Grady Lane was named the Players' Player.

Bertholet was named the Ken Rabel Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year and as the team's Player of the Year. The forward from The Pas, Manitoba set career highs with 28 goals, 41 assists and 69 points. He recorded two four point games and had multiple points in 20. Bertholet recorded just 20 penalty minutes in 65 games.

Wiles was named the Chiefs John "Hitman" Hern Defenseman of the Year as well as the Humanitarian of the Year for his work in the community. Wiles went from being added to the to the Chiefs 50-player protected list in 2018 to being named captain. Wiles will finish his WHL career with 190 games played. This year, he led all blueliners in points with 39 including nine goals and 30 assists. He also made numerous appearances in the community and was a part of the organization's Movember campaign.

For the second season in a row, Jake Gudelj was named the Scholastic Player of the Year. Gudelj averaged 98% in his five classes this season, including Pre-Calculus, English and Anatomy. Entering Saturday's game, the 17-year-old forward has eight goals and 16 points. He has appeared in every game this year.

Berkly Catton was named the Chiefs Rookie of the Year. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan is second on the Chiefs in scoring, and the top 16-year-old in the WHL, with 23 goals and 55 points. Catton entered Saturday night's game tied for second as a 16-year-old with 23 goals, fifth with 32 assists and fourth with 53 points. He is the first 16-year-old forward since Jaret Anderson-Dolan in 2016 to earn the award.

Lane, a 19-year-old veteran forward, was selected by his teammates as the Players' Player. Lane is second on the Chiefs with 111 penalty minutes in 64 games and has scored six goals and 11 points.

Gross, a four-year-Chief, was originally a third-round selection in the 2017 WHL Prospect's Draft and joined the Chiefs in 2019 with 27 games played. Coming into Saturday night, he has played in all 67 games and scored a career high nine goals and 30 points. Overall, he played 168 career WHL games.

Hayes was acquired by the Chiefs in a mid-season trade with the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2022 and has spent the last year-and-a-half in Spokane. The Eatonia, Saskatchewan native is fourth on the team in scoring with a career high 21 goals and 43 points. Hayes appeared in his 200th career game on March 19th in a 3-2 win over Everett.

SPOKANE CHIEFS 2022-23 AWARDS WINNERS

Player of the Year - Chase Bertholet

John "Hitman" Hern Defenseman of the Year - Raegan Wiles

Rookie of the Year - Berkly Catton

Ken Rabel Most Sportsmanlike Player - Chase Bertholet

Humanitarian of the Year - Raegan Wiles

Players' Player - Grady Lane

Scholastic Player of the Year - Jake Gudelj

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2023


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