By Joe Coopersmith
TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2024
Calgary, Alta. – Moose Jaw Warriors Captain Denton Mateychuk has been awarded the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as WHL Defenceman of the Year for 2023-24, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
WHL Defenceman of the Year Nominees
B.C. Division – Hudson Thornton (Winnipeg, Man.) – Prince George Cougars
Central Division – Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary, Alta.) – Calgary Hitmen
U.S. Division – Graham Sward (Abbotsford, B.C.) – Wenatchee Wild
“It’s a huge honor to win the top defenseman award this year,” Mateychuk said. “I want to take the time to congratulate the other division winners on their great seasons. It was pretty cool to be able to tell my family that I won the award after all we’ve been through together and all they’ve done for me. It was also really cool to share with my teammates and my coaches. I want to thank them for all that they’ve done for me this year and in the previous years and for the player that I am today. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect put forth a career-best season, despite playing fewer games than in previous years.
His 1.44 points-per-game average led all WHL defencemen, and his 75 points ranked third.
The Dominion City, Man. product began the season with one of the most impressive point streaks of the campaign, amassing six goals and 29 helpers over 23 straight games from October 10, 2023, to December 8, 2023.
Mateychuk, a WHL East Division First Team All-Star, grew his career total to 41 goals and174 assists for 215 points in 203 regular-season games with Moose Jaw, setting a new franchise record for points by a defenceman on March 17, 2024.
He was also named to Team Canada for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden, where he put up four assists and a +6 rating in five matches.
The 5-foot-11, 191-pound defender was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets 12th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and signed his entry-level contract later that summer.
He posted three assists in four preseason games with the Blue Jackets before returning to the WHL at the start of the season.
Mateychuk is the second Moose Jaw Warriors to be named WHL Defenceman of the Year and the first since Kale Clague earned the honour in 2017-18.
The Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy recognizes a WHL defenceman who has demonstrated the best all-around ability at his position during the WHL Regular Season.
Born in Saskatoon, Sask., Hunter is honoured for his role in the establishment and sustained success of the WHL.
Dedicated to growing Major Junior hockey, Hunter served as the Owner, General Manager, and Coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings in addition to being a co-founder of the league. Along with long-time friend, the late Scotty Munro, the pair helped to lead the league’s growth through its formative years. Hunter was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
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