BCHL announces 2024-25 individual award winners

The BCHL has announced the winners of its year-end awards for the 2024-25 season.

Award winners were determined after a vote was conducted between the league’s 21 head coaches and general managers.

Vern Dye Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player)

Jeremy Loranger (F) – Sherwood Park Crusaders

Loranger finished as the BCHL’s top scorer in 2024-25 with 105 points in 54 games, becoming just the fifth player since 2015-16 to eclipse the 100-point plateau.

The University of Nebraska-Omaha commit tied for the league lead in assists and was the second highest goal scorer with 40.

Loranger started the season on a 15-game point streak and never looked back. The 2025 NHL Draft prospect notched his first career BCHL hat trick and added an assist for a four-point night in an Oct. 4 win over the Spruce Grove Saints. A couple of months later, he set his season high for points in a single game with five when he registered a goal and four helpers in a victory over the Okotoks Oilers.

In their first full season as members of the BCHL, Loranger becomes the first Crusaders player to win the award.

Runners up: Mateo Mrsic (Chilliwack Chiefs), Rasmus Svartström (Cranbrook Bucks)

Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)

Jeremy Loranger (F) – Sherwood Park Crusaders

As the league’s leading scorer, naturally Loranger topped all rookies in points this season, but by a staggering 49 points. He also led all first-year players with 40 goals, 11 more than his closest competitor, and 65 assists, 31 clear of second place.

12 of Loranger’s goals came on the power-play this season, which was tied for second most in the BCHL, as did 24 of his assists, also second most. The Trois-Rivières, Que. product also scored twice while shorthanded and had six game-winners.

Loranger’s massive season helped Sherwood Park finish as the second highest scoring team in the league, averaging 4.67 goals per game.

He is the first Crusaders player to win this award.

Runners up: Poul Andersen (Sherwood Park Crusaders), Hayden Russell (Cowichan Valley Capitals)

Top Defenceman Award

Bryce Sookro – Cranbrook Bucks

The Clarkson University commit finished as the BCHL’s highest scoring defenceman with 56 points in 53 games, while his 43 assists were also the most among league blueliners and his 13 goals were just one back of top spot.

In his third and final BCHL season, Sookro saw his point total jump up by 25 compared to his previous career high of 18 set last season.

The 21-year-old was deadly with the man advantage throughout 2024-25 with six of his goals and 14 of his assists coming on the power play.

Sookro’s strong play in his own end helped the Bucks achieve the fifth ranked penalty kill in the league with a rate of 81.1 per cent.

He is the first player in Bucks franchise history to win this award.

Runners up: Connor Gengle (Sherwood Park Crusaders), Nolan Stevenson (Penticton Vees)

Michael Garteig Trophy (Top Goaltender)

Teagan Kendrick – Trail Smoke Eaters

Kendrick’s .915 save percentage led all active goalies at year’s end, while his 2.69 goals-against average was third best. The Sacred Heart University commit finished his third BCHL season with a record of 23-8-4 and one shutout.

His efforts helped Trail allow the fourth fewest goals per game in 2024-25, averaging 2.89 against per contest. Kendrick also helped anchor a penalty kill that ranked second in the league with a rate of 84.4 per cent.

The 21-year-old was also one of the busiest netminders in the BCHL, finishing with the third most minutes played.

Kendrick’s shutout came in a 23-save performance that saw the Smoke Eaters blank the Blackfalds Bulldogs on Dec. 4. In maybe his signature performance of the season, the Calgary, Alta. product stopped 38 of 40 shots in a 3-2 overtime win against the league leading Penticton Vees on Jan. 4.

He is the first Smoke Eaters goaltender to win the award.

Runners up: Andrew Ballantyne (Salmon Arm Silverbacks), Will Ingemann (Penticton Vees)

Bob Fenton Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player)

Dylan Kinch (F) – Nanaimo Clippers

Kinch ended his 2024-25 campaign with 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points in 52 contests, tying for sixth in the BCHL scoring race, all while taking just four minutes in penalties all season long.

For the 20-year-old forward, his third and final season in the BCHL was by far his best, setting career highs in all offensive categories. He notched a hat trick in a Nov. 15 win over the Powell River Kings, then had a two-goal, two-assist performance in an overtime win Dec. 28 against the Prince George Spruce Kings

Kinch seemed to set the tone for the rest of his teammates as Nanaimo received the fourth fewest penalty minutes of any team in the league. This season was not an outlier for him either. In his rookie season in 2022-23, the Long Island University commit only took six minutes in penalties.

Kinch is the fourth player in Clippers history to win this award, joining Andy Faulkner (1992), Brent Murcheson (1993) and Steve Kariya (1995).

Runners up: Kale Dach (Sherwood Park Crusaders), Christian Kim (Trail Smoke Eaters)

Joe Tennant Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year)

Tim Fragle – Trail Smoke Eaters

Fragle led the Smoke Eaters to a 35-15-3-1 record in 2024-25 and third place in the highly competitive Interior Conference with 74 points. This was a 12-point improvement from the previous season where Trail finished fifth in the conference standings.

The Smokies finished fourth in the league in both goals for and against, averaging 4.17 scored per game and 2.89 against. Their plus-69 goal differential was also fourth in the BCHL, while the team finished with the second best penalty kill (84.4 per cent).

In his fifth season as the team’s head coach and general manager, this year’s team had the most wins and points of any during his tenure.

Fragle is the second Smoke Eaters coach to win this award, joining Kelvin MacKay (1997).

Runners up: Fred Harbinson (Penticton Vees), Brian Maloney (Chilliwack Chiefs)

Non-Voting Awards