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WHL Prince George Cougars

Hudson Thornton Named BC Division Nominee for Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy

April 5, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince George Cougars News Release


The Prince George Cougars are excited to announce that defenceman and captain Hudson Thornton has been named the BC Division nominee for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy.

The trophy is awarded annually to the WHL Defenceman of the Year.

The blueliner set new career highs in assists and plus/minus in his fourth season with the Cougars, scoring 18 goals, including six powerplay goals, one shorthanded goal and three game-winners, and adding 56 assists and a +28 rating in 2023-24.

His 74 points rank fourth among WHL defencemen, clinching him a berth on the WHL B.C. Division First All-Star Team.

The 20-year-old was a key player in all situations for the Cougars, who allowed the second-fewest goals against (187) and closed out the regular season on a 17-0-1-1 point streak.

Thornton closes out his major junior career with 56 goals and 140 assists for 196 points in 207 regular-season games.

The 5-foot-11, 181-pound rearguard owns the all-time record for points, goals and assists by a Cougars defenceman since the team moved to Prince George in 199-95.

Thornton was originally selected by the Cougars in the second round, 33rd overall in the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft.

WHL Defenceman of the Year Nominees

B.C. Division - Hudson Thornton (Winnipeg, Man.) - Prince George Cougars

Central Division - Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary, Alta.) - Calgary Hitmen

East Division - Denton Mateychuk (Dominion City, Man.) - Moose Jaw Warriors

U.S. Division - Graham Sward (Abbotsford, B.C.) - Wenatchee Wild

Previous winners include Olen Zellweger (Everett), Braden Schneider (Brandon) and Ty Smith (Spokane), who also won CHL Defenceman of the Year.

All WHL Division Award winners are eligible for the overall WHL Awards, which will be announced from Wednesday, May 1 through Thursday, May 9.

Check out the Prince George Cougars Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from April 5, 2024


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