Chilliwack Chiefs forward Nico Grabas, Blackfalds Bulldogs forward Nikita Ivashchenko and West Kelowna Warriors goaltender Angelo Zol have been named the 2025-26 finalists for the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy as the BCHL’s Most Valuable Player.
Nico Grabas (F) – Chilliwack Chiefs
Grabas has already won this year’s Brett Hull Trophy as the league’s leading scorer, finishing his fourth season in the league with 76 points in 50 games. His 31 goals in 2025-26 are tied for third in the league, while his 45 assists rank fourth.
The Canisius College commit tied for a single-game high in points this season when he recorded seven in a Jan. 27 game against the Langley Rivermen. Six of his points came via assists, which also tied a single-game high. The game prior, Grabas notched his second career BCHL hat trick, while adding an assist, in another victory over Langley, giving him 11 points in a two-game span.
Nikita Ivashchenko (F) – Blackfalds Bulldogs
Ivashchenko tied for third in the league with 31 goals in 53 games and also finished fourth in points with 69. The Ukraine international piled up the points on the power play as well, finishing second in the league with 12 goals and 31 points with the man advantage.
The Stonehill College commit went on a seven-game point streak from Dec. 12 to Jan. 10, compiling 16 points over that stretch. He finished off that run with a one-goal, three-assist performance in a win over the Chilliwack Chiefs, one of four different occasions that he finished a game with four points during the season.
Angelo Zol (G) – West Kelowna Warriors
Zol, who is also nominated for the Michael Garteig Trophy as the BCHL’s Top Goaltender, led the league in almost every statistical goaltending category in 2025-26, including shutouts (six), save percentage (.925) and goals-against average (1.98). His 27 wins in 36 appearances were the second most in the BCHL and his 2,179 minutes played were fourth.
The Kelowna, B.C. native had his best stretch of the season from Dec. 6 to 13 when he recorded two shutouts in three games and three straight victories where he gave up a combined one goal. Zol won his first seven starts of the season and did not look back from there as he was a big part of West Kelowna’s Ron Boileau Memorial Trophy win as the league’s top team in the regular season.
Zol and his goaltender partner Bor Glavič have already won this year’s Wally Forslund Memorial Trophy as the goaltending duo playing for team with the lowest goals-against average.
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Finalists were determined after a vote among the 20 BCHL head coaches and general managers. Winners will be announced between Rounds 2 and 3 of the playoffs.
