Picking the WHL Award Winners
The finalists for the WHL individual awards will not be announced until a luncheon in Calgary held on Wednesday, April 28th, 2004. We decided to beat them to it and reveal our choices of who should win the hardware.
2003-2004 WHL AWARD FINALISTS
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Player of the Year
Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels
Kelly Guard, Kelowna Rockets
And the winner is ... KELLY GUARD - the Rodney Dangerfield of the WHL as he just doesn't get the respect he deserves, should finally get some recognition this year.
Rookie of the Year
Andrew Ladd, Calgary Hitmen
Gilbert Brule, Vancouver Giants
And the winner is ... GILBERT BRULE - there is little doubt that Ladd had the better overall season, but he is also over a year older and when you're talking about young men a year makes a ton of difference. So we'll give it to the "real" rookie.
Top Goaltender
Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels
Kelly Guard, Kelowna Rockets
And the winner is ... KELLY GUARD - see Player of the Year.
Top Defenceman
Dion Phaneuf, Red Deer Rebels
Josh Gorges, Kelowna Rockets
And the winner is ... DION PHANEUF - quite simply Phaneuf can do it all from bone-jarring hits to timely goals and as good as Josh Gorges was this season, Phaneuf was better.
Most Sportsmanlike
Tomas Fleischmann, Moose Jaw Warriors
Nigel Dawes, Kootenay Ice
And the winner is ... NIGEL DAWES - from an excellent performance in the WJC (shouldn't count, but hard to overlook) as well as the regular season, to being a real leader on his team.
Humanitarian Award
Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels
Braydon Coburn, Portland Winter Hawks
And the winner is ... CAM WARD - we can't shutout Ward from every award so we'll send this his way.
Coach of the Year
Curtis Hunt, Moose Jaw Warriors
Kevin Constantine, Everett Silvertips
And the winner is ... KEVIN CONSTATINE - if he doesn't win this award there should be an investigation!
Executive of the Year
Kelly Kisio, Calgary Hitmen
Bruce Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets
And the winner is ... BRUCE HAMILTON - As host of the Memorial Cup we have to give it to him, not to mention he has done a fine job building arguably the finest organization in the Western Hockey League.
Marketing & Communications Award
Mark Stiles, Calgary Hitmen
Gavin Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets
And the winner is ... MARK STILES - one award per family!