Second-year Victoria Grizzlies blueliner Jake Stevens was announced Thursday as winner of the B.C. Hockey League's top defenceman award for the 2016-17 season.
Stevens, a 20-year-old import player from Napierville, Ill., was the league's second-highest scoring defenceman, tallying eight goals and 45 assists for 53 points in 58 games. He was up against Mainland Division nominee Tyler Anderson of the Prince George Spruce Kings, and Interior rep Michael Ufberg of Vernon Vipers.
Other Grizzlies nominated for awards were goaltender Matthew Galajda, for the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy as most valuable player (the winner was Brendan Harris of the Wenatchee Wild); and head coach Craig Didmon, whose lost the Joe Tennant Memorial Trophy for coach of the year to the Wild's Bliss Littler.
Some onlookers may have been surprised at the coach award, as Didmon took a team that missed the playoffs last season to first place in the tough Island Division, recording a 31-point improvement.
By comparison, Littler's team had the BCHL's best record at 45-9-4-0, posting an 18-point improvement over last year's second-place finish behind the Chilliwack Chiefs.
The Grizzlies open the BCHL playoffs by hosting game 1 and 2 of their Island Division best-of-seven semifinal against the Nanaimo Clippers this Friday and Saturday (March 3-4) at The Q Centre. Game time is 7 p.m. both night. Visit victoriagrizzlies.com for tickets or stop by the Grizzlies office in The Q Centre at West Shore Parks and Recreation.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com