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Tiger Trauma
04-18-2007, 04:02 PM
GAGNON & RUSSELL NAMED WHL PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Created: Apr 18, 2007
www.whl.ca

Calgary - The Western Hockey League today announced the WHL Eastern and Western Conference finalists for the 2006-07 WHL Player of the Year. The two finalists for WHL Player of the Year were determined through voting by General Managers, coaches, broadcast and media representatives of all WHL Member Clubs.

In the WHL's Eastern Conference, which includes the East and Central Divisions, the Player of the Year Nominee is defenseman Kris Russell of the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Russell enjoyed a tremendous 2006-07 season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. The product of Caroline, AB, in his fourth WHL season with the Tigers, scored 32 goals and 37 assists for 69 points in 59 games, helping the Tigers record the best record in the Central Division and Eastern Conference for the fourth consecutive season.

Russell, the Tigers' captain, led all WHL defensemen in goals while ranking second in points, and was the only defenseman in the League to lead his team in scoring. In addition, Russell ranked third in the WHL with 22 power play goals, and also scored five game-winners. As a defenseman, Russell was held off the score sheet for two or more consecutive games on just two occasions this season.

The 5' 10", 177-pound rearguard was recently selected to the WHL Eastern Conference First All Star team for the second year in a row, and is the Eastern Conference nominee for WHL Defenseman of the Year - an award he won last season.

Russell, 19, was the Columbus Blue Jackets' 3rd round selection at the 2005 NHL Draft.

In the WHL's Western Conference, which includes the B.C. and U.S. Divisions, the Player of the Year Nominee is forward Aaron Gagnon of the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Gagnon, 20, had an outstanding 2006-07 season with the Seattle Thunderbirds. The native of Armstrong, B.C., in his fifth WHL season with the Thunderbirds, scored 42 goals and 38 assists for 80 points in only 59 games this season, leading the T-Birds to a 37-21-3-11 record and a third-place finish in the U.S. Division.

The 5' 11", 189-pound center finished second in the WHL in goals, and tied for 9th in the WHL with a +27 plus/minus rating. In addition, Gagnon led the Thunderbirds in goals, power play goals with 15, game-winning goals with six, and tied for second on the team in assists.

Gagnon's contributions to the Thunderbirds cannot be overstated. Seattle managed just a 3-9-0-1 record without Gagnon, while posting a 34-12-3-10 mark with their captain in the lineup.

Gagnon, who recently signed a professional contract with the Dallas Stars, was selected to the WHL Western Conference First All Star Team, and is the Western Conference nominee for the WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year award.

The WHL also announced today the WHL Eastern and Western Conference finalists for the WHL Humanitarian of the Year award, the WHL Scholastic Players of the Year award, and the WHL Marketing and Communications award.

The WHL's Eastern Conference finalist for the WHL Humanitarian of the Year award is Kyle Moir of the Swift Current Broncos. The WHL's Western Conference finalist for the award is Ryan Bender of the Kamloops Blazers.

The WHL's Eastern Conference finalist for the WHL Scholastic Player of the Year is Keith Aulie of the Brandon Wheat Kings. The WHL's Western Conference finalist for the award is Damir Alic of the Everett Silvertips.

The WHL’s Eastern Conference finalist for the WHL Marketing and Communications award is Bruce Vance of the Prince Albert Raiders. The WHL’s Western Conference finalist for the award is Barry Douglas of the Chilliwack Bruins.

The recipients of all WHL individual awards will be announced at the WHL 2007 Awards Luncheon, which will be held in Calgary, Alberta, at the Round-Up Centre on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007.

nivek_wahs
04-19-2007, 03:17 AM
http://www.medicinehatnews.com/article_5381.php

Russell up for MVP honours
By COLLIN GALLANT, Medicine Hat News
Apr 19, 2007, 17:39

Kris Russell insists it’s a surprise, but few are doubting his selection as a candidate for the Western Hockey League’s player of the year award.
“It’s surprising. It’s quite an honour to be recognized for something like this,” said the Medicine Hat Tigers captain who became the first defenceman in club history to lead the team in scoring this season.
Russell was voted as the Eastern Conference nominee by the league’s general managers, head coaches, radio broadcasters and selected print reporters.
Seattle Thunderbirds’ captain Aaron Gagnon was named the Western Conference finalist for the Four Broncos Trophy, awarded to the league’s top player.
The winner will be announced May 2 at the WHL awards luncheon in Calgary.
Russell, a native of Caroline, Alta., is also nominated for the WHL’s top defenceman award, the Bill Hunter Trophy, an honour he won in 2005-06.
This season, Russell recorded a team high 69 points with the Tigers, leading them to a conference best 107 points in the regular season.
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound, quick-footed blueliner also scored the most goals by a WHL defenceman, 32, through 59 games — shortened by a successful stint with Canada’s world junior team, during which he won a second World Championship.
“It’s nice (to be recognized),” said Russell, 19, whose Tigers host the Calgary Hitmen on Friday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final series.
“My main focus is on Calgary and the Tigers task at hand.”
Gagnon, 20, finished second in league scoring with 42 goals despite missing 13 games with a leg injury. The Armstrong, B.C. native recorded 80 points to lead Seattle to a 37-21-3-11 record.
Both players are signed by their NHL draft clubs, Gagnon with Dallas Stars and Russell with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Both were named WHL first-team all stars prior to the playoffs.
Last season, Calgary Hitmen goaltender Justin Pogge won the Four Broncos trophy.
Two other Tigers have won the award in goaltender Sonny Mignacca in 1993-94, when the award was known as the Most Valuable Player award, and centre Steve Tsujiura won in 1980-81.
Distinguished alumni to win a version of the award include Calgary Flames captain Jerome Iginla (1996, Kamloops Blazers), Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward (2004, Red Deer Rebels), and Colorado Avs captain Joe Sakic (1987, 1988, Swift Current).
Also on Friday, long-time Swift Current Broncos goaltender Kyle Moir was named a finalist for the WHL’s humanitarian award. He’s up against Kamloops Blazer Ryan Bender for the award.
NOTES – The Saskatoon Blades fired head scout Paul Olekszyk just two weeks before the Annual WHL bantam draft, which is set for May 3 and without giving a public reason.
With his junior career over, Regina Pat Kyle Ross has signed on for a professional tryout with the Nashville Predators and will report to the Preds’ American Hockey League affiliate in Milwaukee immediately. Garrett Festerling, another Pat overager who had his junior career end by virtue of Medicine Hat’s second round sweep, will join the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League.


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