CALGARY – The Everett Silvertips may not be preparing for the beginning of the Western Hockey League championship series this week, the way they would have hoped.
But three members of the organization have a chance of coming away with consolation prizes today.
Forwards Kyle Beach and Damir Alic and head coach Kevin Constantine are among the finalists for the 2006-07 WHL Awards, which will be presented at a luncheon today.
Beach is one of the two finalists for the Rookie of the Year award, Alic is a finalist for the Scholastic Player of the Year award, and Constantine is a finalist for the Coach of the Year award.
Beach had an excellent rookie campaign for the Silvertips. As a 16-year-old the Kelowna, B.C., native compiled 29 goals and 32 assists in 65 games, finishing third on the team in scoring. The left winger also led the team in plus/minus at plus-27 and in penalty minutes with 196.
Beach is up against Prince Albert center Matt Robertson, who as an 18-year-old had 37 goals and 27 assists in 69 games. Should Beach win, he would be Everett’s second straight Rookie of the Year. Peter Mueller won the award last year.
Alic, a 19-year-old center and resident of Kent, played the season while taking a full class load as a freshman at the University of Washington. In 56 games he had five goals and 10 assists as a member of Everett’s checking line. His competition is Brandon defenseman Keith Aulie.
Constantine guided Everett to a 54-15-1-2 record, earning the Tips the Scotty Munro Trophy for the league’s best record. It was also the best record ever compiled by an Everett team.
Constantine faces Kootenay’s Cory Clouston, who led the Ice to a 49-17-3-3 record, the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. If Constantine wins, it will be his second Coach of the Year Award as he also won it during Everett’s expansion season in 2003-04.
The finalists for the other awards are: Medicine Hat defenseman Kris Russell and Seattle center Aaron Gagnon for Player of the Year; Medicine Hat’s Matt Keetley and Tri-City’s Carey Price for Goaltender of the Year; Russell and Vancouver’s Cody Franson for Defenseman of the Year; Swift Current goaltender Kyle Moir and Kamloops defenseman Ryan Bender for Humanitarian Player of the Year; Brandon left wing Mark Derlago and Gagnon for Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year; Medicine Hat’s Will Desjardins and Tri-City’s Bob Tory for Executive of the Year; and Prince Albert’s Bruce Vance and Chilliwack’s Barry Douglas for the Marketing and Communications Award.
The awards luncheon will be followed by the bantam draft, which takes place Thursday.
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