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WEYBURN, Sask. – Michael Olson of the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League has been selected the RBC Financial Group/Canadian junior A player of the year.
Olson was presented with the RBC Financial Group/Canadian junior A player of the year trophy May 13 at the RBC Royal Bank Cup national junior A championship awards banquet.
The Nanaimo captain completed his third season in the BCHL since leading the Tisdale, Sask., Trojans to the Air Canada Cup midget AAA national championship in 2002. He is a Tisdale native.
David Besner of les Braves de Valleyfield of la Ligue de Hockey Junior AAA du Quebec and Rob Nolan of the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League were the runners-up for the award.
“Michael is truly a coach's dream player,” Nanaimo general manager/coach Bill Bestwick said in his letter of support for Olson's nomination to Hockey Canada.
“As Michael's coach for the past three seasons, I have observed the impact Michael has made on his teammates, his peers, the BCHL and the community he represents. He is truly a leader on and off the ice and has led our team with dignity, honour, courage and a will to succeed, beyond expectations, as our captain for two seasons.”
Olson, 20, totalled 32 goals and 70 points in 60 regular-season games as Nanaimo finished first in the Island Division, Coastal Conference and overall with a 48-9-3 record.
The 48 wins was a franchise record as Nanaimo was rated first or second for most of the season in the SP Apparel rankings in the Canadian Junior 'A' Hockey League.
Olson was chosen captain of the Coastal Conference team in the BCHL all-star game and spent countless hours volunteering as a Clippers' ambassador in the community. He has committed to a National Collegiate Athletic Association scholarship with St. Cloud State University in 2005-06.
Besner led the Quebec league and CJAHL with 52 goals in 45 games. He led the Quebec league and tied for the CJAHL lead with 105 points and was the only player in Canadian junior A to surpass 50 goals.
Nolan established an AJHL record and was second in the CJAHL with a 1.75 goals against average in 2,604 minutes. He led the league with a .929 saves percentage, tied for the league lead with five shutouts and had a 27-13-4 won-lost-tied record as Fort McMurray finished first in the North Division and was the league finalist.
Travis Friedley of the AJHL and Doyle Cup champion Camrose Kodiaks was selected the most valuable player and outstanding defenceman in the five-team Royal Bank Cup.
Brenden Cuthbert of the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League was chosen the outstanding goalie. Mason Raymond of Camrose was picked the outstanding forward.
Mathieu Picard of the Central Junior Hockey League and Fred Page Cup champion Hawkesbury Hawks was honoured as the leading scorer. Picard had six goals in four games in the round-robin.
Brendon Vertefeuille of Weyburn was recognized as the most sportsmanlike player.
Please check the CJAHL web site at www.cjahl.com
for all your Canadian junior A information
