WHL announces Division nominees for Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy – Kamloops Blazers
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the 2022-23 Division nominees for the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the WHL Humanitarian of the Year.
All individual WHL Division Award winners will be eligible for the overall WHL Awards, which will be announced from Tuesday, May 2 through Wednesday, May 10. The winner of the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy awarded to the WHL Humanitarian of the Year will be announced Thursday, May 4.
WHL Humanitarian of the Year Nominees
B.C. Division – Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
Central Division – Riley Fiddler-Schultz (Sherwood Park, Alta.) – Calgary Hitmen
East Division – Calder Anderson (Brandon, Man.) – Brandon Wheat Kings
U.S. Division – Beau Courtney (Parker, Colo.) – Everett Silvertips
WHL Humanitarian of the Year Biographies
Forward Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers): For the second consecutive season, Logan Stankoven is the WHL B.C. Division Humanitarian of the Year. The Dallas Stars prospect and Blazers hometown star serves as a prominent ambassador for the Hockey Gives Blood campaign, which serves to engage and educate the hockey community about the importance of blood and stem cell donation. On March 11, 2023, the 20-year-old Stankoven helped spearhead Hockey Gives Blood Night in Kamloops when the Blazers hosted the Vancouver Giants. Thanks to his involvement, Hockey Gives Blood Night raised over $41,000 in support of Hockey Gives Blood and Canadian Blood Services. Beyond his work with Hockey Gives Blood, Stankoven worked to raise another $10,000 for the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation through three separate campaigns.
Forward Riley Fiddler-Schultz (Calgary Hitmen): For the second time since 2020, Riley Fiddler-Schultz is the WHL Central Division Humanitarian of the Year. The Hitmen star was also named WHL Humanitarian of the Year during the 2019-20 campaign. Since joining the Hitmen in 2018-19, Fiddler-Schultz has prioritized his community through a number of causes close to his heart. In November 2022, the native of Sherwood Park, Alta., conducted his annual “Fiddler-Schultz Fills A Ford” food drive, collecting over 800 pounds of food and another $2,500 in donations, which were directed to the Veterans Food Bank of Calgary. Three years of the “Fiddler-Schultz Fills A Ford” campaign has resulted in 3,000 pounds of food collected and another $5,000 in donations. In cooperation with Trellis Society (formerly the Boys and Girls Club), Fiddler-Schultz established the “Fidd’s Friends” initiative in 2019, welcoming youth from Trellis Society to experience Hitmen hockey once a month. By partnering with Canadian Tire, Fiddler-Schultz was able to secure a suite to host Trellis Society youth. Prior to every game, the 20-year-old prepared goodie bags and autographed cards for his guests, before visiting the suite following each contest.
Forward Calder Anderson (Brandon Wheat Kings): The WHL East Division Humanitarian of the Year is Calder Anderson, hometown hero of the Brandon Wheat Kings. In his first season back in his hometown, the 20-year-old Manitoban showed he understands the importance of being a Wheat King in Brandon. On December 2, 2022, Anderson was one of four Wheat Kings who came to the aid of a distressed man on the First Street Bridge in Brandon. Instrumental in assisting the individual, Anderson stepped out of the car and began to converse with the man, offering him help and listening to his circumstance. After helping the distressed man get help, Anderson quickly became an unofficial spokesperson for the importance of mental health, sharing the story with national media and hockey media across North America. Beyond his spur-of-the-moment actions in an unplanned scenario, Anderson was a leader for the Wheat Kings Read to Succeed Program, volunteered at minor hockey practices and skating lessons in Brandon, and dedicated many hours to the Samaritan House Food Bank and other community fundraisers throughout the season.
Honourable Mention: Jake Chiasson of the Saskatoon Blades (formerly of the Brandon Wheat Kings) along with Wheat Kings teammates Nolan Ritchie and Ben Thornton were also on scene to support the individual in distress on the First Street Bridge in Brandon and are to be commended for their efforts.
Forward Beau Courtney (Everett Silvertips): In only his second WHL season, Beau Courtney is the WHL U.S. Division Humanitarian of the Year. Hailing from Parker, Colo., the 19-year-old Courtney has been an enthusiastic volunteer for the Everett Silvertips all season long. One of Courtney’s first initiatives this season was to visit Marshall Elementary School in nearby Marysville, Wash., to speak with students about the importance of kindness and positivity before joining in a friendly game of floor hockey alongside Silvertips mascot Lincoln. Beyond working with children, Courtney was instrumental in the success of a Silvertips program at Bethany Nursing Home in downtown Everett. Courtney led a group featuring three other Silvertips in friendly competition and exercise with residents of Bethany Nursing Home. On March 1, 2023, Courtney put his restaurant server skills to the test at the Silvertips “Tip-A-Tip” event in support of the Naval Recruiting District Seattle Officer’s Fund. By volunteering as a server at a local restaurant for the evening, Courtney generated tips and raffle ticket sales to the tune of more than $4,000.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.