Misa Leads with Three Nominations Ahead of 2025 CHL Awards

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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Misa Leads with Three Nominations Ahead of 2025 CHL Awards

June 10, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to unveil the finalists for its 10 major awards (complete list of nominees below), with the winners set to be honoured at the 2025 CHL Awards ceremony taking place this Friday, June 13, at Delta Hotels Toronto in the heart of downtown Toronto.

The nominees for each CHL award are determined by the winners of the corresponding award presented in each of the CHL's Member Leagues: the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

Projected first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) leads all nominees with three nods at the 2025 CHL Awards. Following a historic season in which he became the first player in Spirit franchise history to lead the CHL in scoring with 134 points (62G-72A), Misa heads into Friday's ceremony as a finalist for the CHL's Top Scorer, Scholastic Player of the Year, and the David Branch Player of the Year awards. No player in CHL history has ever captured all three honours in a single season - or even across an entire major junior career.

Also nominated for the David Branch Player of the Year Award is Jonathan Fauchon of the Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL), the only other finalist besides Misa to receive multiple nominations. Fauchon was the QMJHL's only 100-point scorer in 2024-25, accomplishing the rare feat while splitting the season between two teams. He became just the 18th player in QMJHL history to register 50 or more points with two different clubs in the same season, tallying 50 with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and 53 following his midseason move to Rimouski.

Rounding out the finalists for the CHL's David Branch Player of the Year Award is Gavin McKenna of the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL). McKenna capped off the regular season with an outstanding 100 points (32G-68A) during a 40-game point streak, which he extended to 54 games through the 2025 WHL Playoffs - setting a modern CHL record (since 2000) for the longest single-season point streak across the regular season, playoffs, and Memorial Cup. If selected, McKenna would become the first player in Medicine Hat Tigers history to receive this prestigious honour and the third-youngest in CHL history to do so, behind only John Tavares (2007) and Sidney Crosby (2004).

Some of the other compelling storylines to watch heading into the 2025 CHL Awards include:

Nominated for the CHL Rookie of the Year Award, Everett Silvertips (WHL) defenceman Landon DuPont could become the first blueliner in 30 years - and just the third in CHL history after Philippe Boucher (1991) and Bryan Berard (1995) - to earn the honour. He would also become the second-youngest player ever to win the award, behind only John Tavares (2006).

Czech forward Max Curran of the Tri-City Americans (WHL) and Finnish head coach Jussi Ahokas of the Kitchener Rangers (OHL) have been nominated for the CHL's Scholastic Player of the Year and Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award, respectively - marking the first time in CHL history that European representatives have been named finalists for either of these prestigious honours.

After capturing the QMJHL's Marcel-Robert Trophy on his third consecutive nomination as a finalist, Mathieu Cataford of the Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL) now looks to become the first player in Océanic franchise history to win the CHL's Scholastic Player of the Year Award.

Maxwell Jardine, a finalist for the CHL's Humanitarian of the Year Award, becomes the third Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL) player in the past four seasons to earn a nomination for this prestigious honour.

In his first season behind the bench in the QMJHL, Moncton Wildcats head coach Gardiner MacDougall could become just the third coach in CHL history to win the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award in their debut season, joining Craig Hartsburg (1995) and Gerard Gallant (2010).

Presented annually, the CHL Awards celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of players from across the CHL, with 10 trophies presented based on individual performances.

For more information on each award and its three finalists, please visit chl.ca/tag/chl-awards.

David Branch Player of the Year Award

Nominees: Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL), Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Jonathan Fauchon (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL)

The CHL David Branch Player of the Year Award is given out annually to the player judged to be the most outstanding in the Canadian Hockey League. The winner of this award is chosen from the recipients of the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL Player of the Year), the Red Tilson Trophy (OHL Most Outstanding Player), and the Michel-Brière Trophy (QMJHL MVP). The trophy was renamed in 2019-20 in honour of David Branch, who was OHL Commissioner from 1979-2024 and served as CHL President from 1996-2019.

Defenceman of the Year Award

Nominees: Tyson Jugnauth (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Sam Dickinson (London Knights / OHL), Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL)

The CHL Defenceman of the Year Award is given out annually to the top defenceman in the Canadian Hockey League. The winner of this award is chosen from the recipients of the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (WHL Defenceman of the Year), the Max Kaminsky Trophy (OHL Defenceman of the Year), and the Émile-Bouchard Trophy (QMJHL Defenceman of the Year).

Goaltender of the Year Award

Nominees: Max Hildebrand (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Jacob Steinman (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL)

The CHL Goaltender of the Year Award is given out annually to the top goaltender in the Canadian Hockey League. The winner of this award is chosen from the recipients of the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy (WHL Goaltender of the Year), the Jim Rutherford Trophy (OHL Goaltender of the Year), and the Patrick-Roy Trophy (QMJHL Goaltender of the Year).

Rookie of the Year Award

Nominees: Landon DuPont (Everett Silvertips / WHL), Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack / OHL), Matvei Gridin (Shawinigan Cataractes / QMJHL)

The CHL Rookie of the Year Award is given out annually to the top rookie in the Canadian Hockey League. The winner of this award is chosen from the recipients of the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (WHL Rookie of the Year), the Emms Family Award (OHL Rookie of the Year), and the Sidney-Crosby Trophy (QMJHL Rookie of the Year).

Top Scorer Award

Nominees: Andrew Cristall (Spokane Chiefs / WHL), Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Jonathan Fauchon (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL)

The CHL Top Scorer Award is given out annually to the highest-scoring player in the Canadian Hockey League. It was first awarded in 1994. The winner of this award is chosen from the recipients of the Bob Clarke Trophy (WHL Top Scorer), the Eddie Powers Trophy (OHL Top Scorer), and the Jean-Béliveau Trophy (QMJHL Scoring Champion).

Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award

Nominees: James Patrick (Victoria Royals / WHL), Jussi Ahokas (Kitchener Rangers / OHL), Gardiner MacDougall (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)

Named in recognition of former Ottawa 67s head coach and the CHL's all-time winningest coach, the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award is presented annually to one of the winners of the CHL's Member League coaching honours: the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (WHL Coach of the Year), the Matt Leyden Trophy (OHL Coach of the Year), and the Ron-Lapointe Trophy (QMJHL Coach of the Year).

Top Draft Prospect Award presented by Kubota Canada

Nominees: Radim Mrtka (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL), Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters / OHL), Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)

The CHL Top Draft Prospect Award presented by Kubota Canada is given out every year to the top eligible prospect for the NHL Entry Draft from the Canadian Hockey League. The award was first given in 1991.

Sportsman Player of the Year Award

Nominees: Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs / WHL), Ilya Protas (Windsor Spitfires / OHL), Julius Sumpf (Moncton Wildcats / QMJHL)

The CHL Sportsman of the Year Award is given out annually to the most sportsmanlike player in the Canadian Hockey League. The winner of this award is chosen from the recipients of the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy (WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player), the William Hanley Trophy (OHL Most Sportsmanlike Player), and the David-Desharnais Trophy (QMJHL Most Sportsmanlike & Effective Player).

Scholastic Player of the Year Award

Nominees: Max Curran (Tri-City Americans / WHL), Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Mathieu Cataford (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL)

The CHL Scholastic Player of the Year Award is presented annually to a Canadian Hockey League player who is best able to combine success on the ice with success in the classroom. The winner of this award is chosen from the recipients of the Daryl K. Doc Seaman Memorial Trophy (WHL Scholastic Player of the Year), the Bobby Smith Trophy (OHL Scholastic Player of the Year), and the Marcel-Robert Trophy (QMJHL Scholastic Player of the Year).

Humanitarian of the Year Award

Nominees: Kyle McDonough (Portland Winterhawks / WHL), Denver Barkey (London Knights / OHL), Maxwell Jardine (Charlottetown Islanders / QMJHL)

The Humanitarian of the Year Award is presented annually to the CHL player judged to have made the most notable contribution to his community. The winner of this award is chosen from the recipients of the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy (WHL Humanitarian of the Year), the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy (OHL Humanitarian of the Year), and the QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year Award.

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