2018 Bagskate Hockey Podcast Awards – Rookie of the Year

Jake Anthony (Nipawin Hawks)

• Joined the Hawks after a season with the Sherwood Park Kings
• Had a 20-3-3 record with a 1.94 goals against average and a .929 save percentage
• His 1.94 goals against average and .929 save percentage were the best in the SJHL
• His 20 wins were the most by a rookie in the SJHL
• Played in 28 minutes during the SJHL playoffs
• Has gone undrafted the last two years.

Riley Brandt (RMC Paladins)

• Joined the Paladins after three seasons with the Vernon Vipers
• Had 21 goals and 12 assists in 33 games
• His 21 goals were the most in U Sports
• Was named OUA East Rookie of the Year
• An undrafted player, he has has yet to sign a pro contract

Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes)

• Joined the Hurricanes after a season with the Yale Hockey Academy
• Had 22 goals and 31 assists in 57 games
• His 22 goals were the most by a rookie in the WHL
• His 0.93 points per game was the best by a rookie in the WHL
• In the playoffs, he had seven goals and six assists in 15 games
• Was named WHL Rookie of the Year
• At the World Under-17’s, he had a goal and six assists in six games for Canada Red
• Is a potential first round pick for the 2019 NHL Draft

Colten Ellis (Rimouski Oceanic)

• Joined the Oceanic after two years with the Cape Breton West Islanders and following a trade with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in June 2017
• Had a 33-8-6 record with a 2.35 goals against average and a .913 save percentage
• His 33 wins and six shutouts were the most by a rookie in the CHL and the QMJHL
• In the playoffs, he had a 3-4 record with a 3.12 goals against average and a .885 save percentage
• At the World Under-18’s, he had a 2-0 record with a 3.50 goals against average and a .887 save percentage for Canada
• Is eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft

Matthew Galadja (Cornell Big Red)

• Joined the Big Red after two seasons with the Victoria Grizzlies
• Had a 21-5-2 record with a 1.51 goals against average and a .939 save percentage
• His 1.51 goals against average was the best in the NCAA
• His nine shutouts were the most in the NCAA
• His 21 wins were the most by a freshman in the NCAA
• His .939 save percentage was the best by a freshman in the NCAA
• Was named the ECAC’s Goalie of the Year and Rookie of the Year
• An undrafted player, he has yet to sign a pro contract

Mitchell Gibson (Lone Star Brahmas)

• Joined the Brahmas after two seasons with the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers
• Had a 26-7-9 record with a 1.59 goals against average and a .935 save percentage
• His 11 shutouts were the most in the NAHL
• His 1.59 goals against average and .935 save percentage were the best in the NAHL
• In the playoffs, he had a 5-3 record with a 1.37 goals against average and a .950 save percentage
• His 1.37 goals against average and .950 save percentage were the best in the NAHL playoffs
• Was named the NAHL’s Goalie and Rookie of the Year
• Was selected in the fourth round by the Washington Capitals at the 2018 NHL Draft
• Is committed to play for the NCAA’s Harvard Crimson for the 2019-20 season

Jack Hughes (US NTDP)

• Joined the US NTDP after a season with the Toronto Minor Midget Marlboros
• Had 21 goals and 33 points in 27 games
• His 2.00 points per game was the best in the USHL
• At the World Under 18’s, he had five goals and seven assists in seven games
• His 12 points were the most at the event
• Was tied with Maxim Cajkovic for the most assists at the event with seven
• At the World Under-17’s, he had five goals and 10 assists in six games
• His 10 assists and 15 points were the most at the event
• Is currently projected to be the first overall pick at the 2019 NHL Draft

Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)

• Joined the Bulldogs after a season with the Compuware U16 program
• Had 31 goals and 17 assists in 68 games
• In the playoffs, he had three goals and eight assists in 21 games
• At the Memorial Cup, he had no points in four games
• Is eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft

Peyton Krebs (Kootenay Ice)

• Joined the Ice after a season with the CFR Chemical Bisons
• Had 17 goals and 37 assists in 67 games
• His 54 points were the most by a rookie in the WHL
• At the World Under 17’s, he had a goal and five assists in five games for Canada Red
• Is projected to be a Top 10 pick at the 2019 NHL Draft

Alexis Lafreniere (Rimouski Oceanic)

• Joined the Oceanic after a season with the Saint-Eustache Vikings
• Had 42 goals and 38 assists in 60 games
• In the playoffs, he had four goals and three assists in seven games
• Was named CHL and QMJHL Rookie of the Year
• At the World Under 18’s, he had four goals and two assists in five games for Canada
• At the World Under 17’s, he had three goals and three assists in six games for Canada Red
• Is currently projected to be the first overall pick at the 2020 NHL Draft

Alex Newhook (Victoria Grizzlies)

• Joined the Grizzlies after a season with the York Simcoe Minor Midget Express
• Had 22 goals and 44 assists in 45 games
• His 1.47 points per game was the most in the BCHL
• His 44 assists, 66 points and 1.47 points per game was the most by a rookie in the BCHL
• In the playoffs, he had three goals and six assists in 12 games
• Was named BCHL and CJHL Rookie of the Year
• At the World Under 17’s, he had a goal and three assists in five games for Canada Black
• Is projected to be a top 10 pick at the 2019 NHL Draft
• Has committed to the NCAA’s Boston College Eagles for the 2019-20 season

Zachary Okabe (Grande Prairie Storm)

• Joined the Storm after a season at Shawnigan Lake School
• Had 22 goals and 35 assists in 58 games
• In the playoffs, he had a goal and four assists in nine games
• Was named AJHL Rookie of the Year
• Is eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft
• Has committed to the NCAA’s Vermont Catamounts for the 2019-20 season

Max Paddock (Regina Pats)

• Joined the Pats after two seasons with the Brandon Midget Wheat Kings
• Had a 19-7-2 record with a 2.90 goals against average and a .904 save percentage
• Did not play in the WHL playoffs due to an injury
• At the Memorial Cup, he had a 3-1 record with a 3.65 goals against average and a .908 save percentage
• Went undrafted at the 2018 NHL Draft

Matej Pekar (Muskegon Lumberjacks)

• Joined the Lumberjacks after one season with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies
• Had 14 goals and 40 assists in 56 games
• His 40 assists were the most by a rookie in the USHL
• Was named the USHL’s Rookie of the Year
• At the World Under 18’s, he had a goal and four assists in five games for the Czech Republic
• At the Ivan Hlinka, he had an assist in five games for the Czech Republic
• Was selected in the fourth round by the Buffalo Sabres at the 2018 NHL Draft
• Has committed to the NCAA’s Miami RedHawks for next season

Scott Perunovich (Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs)

• Joined the Bulldogs after a season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
• Had 11 goals and 25 assists in 42 games
• Was named the NCHC Rookie of the Year
• Won the Tim Taylor Award as the top freshman in NCAA Hockey
• At the World Juniors, he had a goal and two assists in seven games for the United States
• Was selected in the second round by the St. Louis Blues at the 2018 NHL Draft

Emile Samson (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)

• Joined the Armada after a season with the Sainte-Foy Dynamiques
• Had a 17-3-2 record with a 2.12 goals against average and a .907 goals against average
• His 2.12 goals against average was the best by all rookies in the CHL and QMJHL
• In the playoffs, he had a 13-7 record with a 2.21 goals against average and a .916 save percentage
• Has gone undrafted the last two years

Rasmus Sandin (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

• Joined the Greyhounds after five games in the SHL with Rogle, where he had an assist
• Had 12 goals and 33 assists in 51 games
• In the playoffs, he had a goal and 12 assists in 24 games
• At the Ivan Hlinka, he had three assists in five games for Sweden
• Was selected with the 29th overall pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2018 NHL Draft

Jordan Spence (Summerside Western Capitals)

• Joined the Western Capitals after a season with the Charlottetown Midget Islanders
• Had 13 goals and 39 assists in 50 games
• His 39 assists were the most by all defencemen in the MHL
• His 39 assists, 52 points and 1.04 points per game were the most by all rookies in the MHL
• In the playoffs, he had four goals and 13 assists in 12 games
• His 13 assists, 17 points and 1.42 points per game were the most by all defenceman in the MHL playoffs
• Was named MHL Rookie of the Year
• After being undrafted in the 2017 QMJHL Draft, he was selected in the second round by the Moncton Wildcats in June and later signed a contract with the team
• Is eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft

Matthew Thiessen (Steinbach Pistons)

• Joined the Pistons after one year with the Rink Hockey Academy
• Had a 28-3-1 record with a 2.06 goals against average and a .923 save percentage
• His 2.06 goals against average was the best in the MJHL
• Was tied with Troy Martinyuk for the most wins in the MJHL with 28
• His 28 wins were the most by a rookie in the CJHL and MJHL
• His .923 save percentage was the best by a rookie in the MJHL
• Was tied Ethan Peterson for most shutouts by a rookie in the MJHL with two
• In the playoffs, he had a 10-4 record with a 1.60 goals against average and a .944 save percentage
• His four shutouts were the most in the MJHL playoffs
• His 1.58 goals against average and .944 save percentage were the best in the MJHL playoffs
• Was tied with Riley McVeigh for the most wins in the MJHL playoffs with 10
• In the Anavet Cup, he had a 4-2 record with a 2.47 goals against average and a .904 save percentage
• At the RBC Cup, he had a 0-1 record with a 3.03 goals against average and a .896 save percentage
• Was selected in the seventh round by the Vancouver Canucks at the 2018 NHL Draft
• Has committed to the NCAA’s Maine Black Bears for the 2019-20 season

Filip Zadina (Halifax Mooseheads)

• Joined the Mooseheads after five seasons with HC Pardubice
• Had 44 goals and 38 assists in 57 games
• His 44 goals and 82 points were the most by a rookie in the CHL and the QMJHL
• His 38 assists were the most by a rookie in the QMJHL
• In the playoffs, he had five goals and seven assists in nine games
• At the World Juniors, he had seven goals and an assist for the Czech Republic
• Was selected with the sixth overall pick by the Detroit Red Wings at the 2018 NHL Draft