QMJHLers Receive National Recognition at CHL Awards
June 3, 2023 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) News Release
Kamloops, BC - Before the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia comes to a close, this past season's best and brightest stars from the Canadian Hockey League were recognized at the CHL Awards.
Presented annually, the CHL Awards celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of players from across the CHL with a total of ten trophies based on individual performances. The nominees for each award are the winners of the corresponding award presented in each member league: the OHL, the QMJHL and the WHL.
Two players from the QMJHL were honored during this year's ceremony.
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Nathan Darveau wins Goaltender of the Year Award presented by Real Canadian Superstore
The Victoriaville Tigres netminder had himself a career year during the 2022-23 QMJHL season. Nathan Darveaustarted 50 games for the Tigres, helping his club to a fifth-place finish in the league standings largely thanks to his 27-14-2-6 overall record.
Picked by Victoriaville in the 11th round of the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft, the 5'8'' goaltender has become an inspiring success story. On top of finishing sixth in the Q with 27 wins this past season, Darveau led the entire CHL with an outstanding .929% save percentage. The 20-year-old also finished second in the QMJHL with a stellar 2.34 goals against average.
On top of winning the CHL Goaltender of the Year Award, the Rouyn-Noranda native was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team and was among this season's nominees for the Michel-Brière Trophy as QMJHL MVP.
Darveau was named as the top goaltender in the Canadian Hockey League ahead of this year's nominees Thomas Milic (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL) and Domenic DiVincentis (North Bay Battalion / OHL).
Maxim Massé wins Rookie of the Year Award
The Chicoutimi Saguenéens right winger did nothing but impress throughout his initial QMJHL campaign. Maxim Massé finished with nearly a point-per-game average after racking up 62 points over his first 65 games played.
The third overall pick of the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft wasted no time showing the Sags' organization that hey had made the right move in selecting him. Massé not only led all QMJHL rookies in scoring this past season, but he also finished first on the Saguenéens with 29 goals while sitting third on the team with 33 assists.
Aside from winning the CHL's Rookie of the Year Award, the Rimouski native was also named as QMJHL Rookie of the Year, took home the Michel-Bergeron Trophy, and landed on the QMJHL Rookie All-Star Team.
Massé topped other nominees Ryder Ritchie (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL) and Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL) as this season's top first-year player in the CHL.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from June 3, 2023
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