2019-20 BCHL Award winners

After a second round of voting from the 17 BCHL coaches, the league has determined the winners of the 2019-20 BCHL Awards.

Vern Dye Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player)

Kent Johnson (Trail Smoke Eaters): 52GP – 41G – 60A – 101PTS

The Port Moody, B.C. product started the year as a 16-year-old, but has dominated the league since the opening weeks of the season. Johnson cracked the illustrious 100-point plateau when he notched three points in the final week of the season to reach 101, joining last year’s MVP and leading scorer Alex Newhook as the only two players to accomplish the feat since 2015-16. He led the league in almost every offensive category in 2019-20, including points, goals (41), assists (60), power-play goals (14), power-play assists (25), power-play points (39) and points-per-game (1.94). Because of his late birthday, he isn’t eligible for the NHL Draft until 2021. He is committed to the University of Michigan next season.

Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)

Logan Terness (Trail Smoke Eaters): 44GP – 27W – .932 SV% – 2.36 GAA – 1 SO

Not only did Terness lead all rookie goalies in nearly every statistical category, including wins, save percentage and goals-against average, his .932 save percentage was third-best in the league and eighth all-time in a single BCHL season. Terness, like his team, started the year slowly, going winless in his first four starts, but he turned it around quickly, winning six straight after that. He would also go on to produce a second six-game winning streak later in the season. The highlight of his regular season came on Feb. 14 when he notched his first-career BCHL shutout in a 5-0 blanking of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

Defensive Award (Top Defenceman)

Akito Hirose (Salmon Arm Silverbacks): 57GP – 9G – 42A – 51PTS

Hirose has always been a productive defenceman, but in his fourth season in the BCHL, he took over as the league’s top blueliner, putting up career-highs in goals (9), assists (42) and points (51). He finished tied for third among all BCHL skaters in assists and led all defencemen in helpers and points. The 20-year-old was also a clutch performer for the Silverbacks this season, tying for the defenceman lead with three game-winning goals. On top of his breakout offensive year, he remained a steady presence in his own end. Hirose is committed to Minnesota State University next season.

Goaltending Award (Top Goaltender)

Clay Stevenson (Coquitlam Express): 35GP – 30W – .936 SV% – 1.77 GAA – 4 SO

Stevenson put together one of the greatest goaltending seasons in BCHL history in 2019-20. The 20-year-old from Chilliwack, B.C. finished the year with the second-best all-time save percentage in a single season with a mark of .936 and his 1.77 goals-against average also puts him at second all-time. He won an impressive 30 of his 35 games played and only lost two games in regulation all season long. Stevenson earned a 39-save shutout in his first game of the season and never looked back after winning his first six starts, although that didn’t end up being his most impressive streak as he put together 19 straight wins over a stretch from October to January. Stevenson is committed to Dartmouth College next year.

Bob Fenton Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player)

Kent Johnson (Trail Smoke Eaters): 52GP – 41G – 60A – 101PTS – 14PIM

Not only was Johnson the league’s MVP and Top-Scorer, he managed to take only 14 minutes in penalties, despite facing the toughest matchups from his opponents all season long. The 17-year-old lit up the league in his second BCHL season, putting up 101 points and more than doubling his totals from his impressive rookie campaign where he had 46 points and was named to the league’s All-Rookie Team. Johnson, who will head to the University of Michigan next season, is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

Joe Tennant Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year)

Jason Fortier (Coquitlam Express): 47-9-1-1 – 96PTS – 1st overall in the BCHL

The Express were one of the most improved teams in the BCHL this season and that’s thanks in large part to Fortier. In his third season behind the bench for the Express, the Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. native coached the team to the best record in the BCHL, setting new franchise marks in wins (47) and points (96). His defensive scheme, along with elite goaltending, allowed the Express to give up a league-low 127 goals against and also lead the league with a +100 goal differential. Their 89.5 per cent penalty kill rate was also tops in the BCHL and their power play scored at a 24.4 per cent rate, good enough for second in the league.