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2023-24 BCEHL PLAYERS AND COACHES OF THE YEAR

April 17, 2024

For Immediate Release

Saanichton, B.C. - The BCEHL is excited to announce both the Players of the Year and the Coaches of the Year award winners for the 2023-24 season. Winners have been chosen across the BCEHL for the Female U18 AAA, U18 AAA, U17 AAA and U15 AAA leagues.

Cassandra Kehler (Fraser Valley Rush) - Female U18 AAA

Defender Cassandra Kehler of the Fraser Valley Rush was selected as the 2023-24 Female U18 AAA Player of the Year. Kehler, who led all Female U18 blueliners with 23 points (6g-17a) in 26 games played, also finished eighth in league scoring. Kehler was a key contributor to the success of her Rush squad that finished in first-place for the regular season in a competitive Female U18 League with a record of 23-7-1-1. Earlier this season, the Surrey Female Hockey Association product committed to the NCAA's Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and will lace-up for the Tigers next season.

 

Tyson Moss (Vancouver North East Chiefs) - U18 AAA

After a dominant offensive campaign from the blueliner, Vancouver North East Chiefs defender Tyson Moss was named the 2023-24 U18 AAA Player of the Year. In 36 games played, the Port Moody product led all U18 defenders in multiple categories including goals (12), assists (37), points (49) and power play points (17). He finished eighth in league scoring. The next closest defender finished 29th overall. Moss' on-ice success was recognized on multiple occasions during the regular season as he earned U18 AAA Player of the Month honours in September/October, January and February.

 

Keegan Sanders (Thompson Blazers) - U17 AAA

Thompson Blazers forward Keegan Sanders was named U17 AAA Player of the Year after a season that saw him put up a league-leading 56 points (34g-22a) in 34 games played. The Kamloops Minor Hockey Association (MHA) product was a key contributor to Thompson's run to the U17 Championship Final, as he led all U17 skaters with eight goals during the postseason. The second-year member of the Blazers' program was celebrated as the BCEHL's U17 Forward of the Month on two occasions in December and January.

 

Christiano D'Addabbo (Vancouver North East Chiefs) - U15 AAA

A record-setting season from Christiano D'Addabbo made the Vancouver North East Chiefs forward the obvious choice as U15 AAA Player of the Year. The Chiefs' captain etched his name into the U15 record books as he set single-season records for goals (40) and points (67) across 29 regular season games. The Coquitlam MHA alumnus was a key part of the Chiefs' power play success as he led all U15 skaters with 15 points (4g-11a) on the man-advantage.

Ed Patterson (Thompson - Okanagan Lakers) - Female U18 AAA

Thompson-Okanagan Lakers' Head Coach, Ed Patterson has been named the U18 Female AAA Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Impressively, Patterson has won the award in both of his first two seasons behind the Lakers' bench. This season, Patterson guided Thompson-Okanagan to a second-place finish during the regular season in the highly-competitive Female U18 AAA league with a record of 22-8-1-1. The Lakers ended up hoisting the championship trophy after they toppled the Fraser Valley Rush, who had earned back-to-back Esso Cup silver medals the last two seasons, in the third and final game of the championship series. The Lakers and Patterson will look to bring home a National Championship as they host the 2024 Esso Cup beginning April 21.

 

Ken Guthrie (Vancouver North East Chiefs) - U18 AAA

Vancouver North East Chiefs Head Coach Ken Guthrie was the 2023-24 recipient of the U18 AAA Coach of the Year. The Chiefs' bench boss guided his squad to a second-place finish in the regular season with a record of 28-4-2-2, and allowed a league-low 2.39 goals-per-game. The Chiefs stepped their game up during the playoffs, as they dropped only one contest on their way to a BCEHL U18 AAA Championship victory for the second time in three seasons.

 

Dave Wilkie (Vancouver North West Hawks) - U17 AAA

The U17 AAA Coach of the Year for the 2023-24 season was awarded to Dave Wilkie of the Vancouver North West Hawks. The first-year head coach led the Hawks' to a record of 21-12-2-1, highlighted by a strong finish to the regular season with victories in four of their last five to secure the second-seed for the U17 AAA playoffs.

 

Riley Emmerson (Fraser Valley Thunderbirds) - U15 AAA

A championship campaign helped earn Riley Emmerson of the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds, Coach of the Year honours for the U15 AAA League. This marks the second occasion Emmerson has taken home this hardware. The first came during the 2021-22 season with the U15 Valley West Giants. This season, the Abbotsford native guided his team to a record of 24-5-0-1, which put the T-Birds atop of the regular season standings. Fraser Valley's success came due to a historical defensive game, as they allowed a mere 1.23 goals-per-game during the regular season. This is the lowest single-season total in BCEHL U15 AAA history. The T-Birds duplicated their regular season success as Fraser Valley and Emmerson captured the BCEHL U15 AAA Championship trophy.

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