Four NHL draft prospects claimed CHL hardware at the Monday ceremony, including Chase Reid of the Soo Greyhounds.
Prospect Standouts Lead Major Categories
Chase Reid captured the CHL Top Draft Prospect Award for the Soo Greyhounds. Tommy Bleyl secured the CHL Rookie Of The Year Award with the Moncton Wildcats. Markus Ruck earned the CHL Top Scorer Award for the Medicine Hat Tigers. These three wins represent three of the ten total categories presented at the event.
Maxim Masse of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, an Anaheim Ducks prospect, received the CHL David Branch Player Of The Year Award. This outcome placed one NHL organization prospect at the pinnacle of CHL individual recognition. The award distribution shows prospects winning four categories overall.
Ryder Fetterolf took the CHL Goaltender Of The Year Award for the Ottawa 67’s. Bryce Pickford of the Medicine Hat Tigers claimed the CHL Defenseman Of The Year Award as a Montreal Canadiens prospect. Two Medicine Hat Tigers players therefore collected hardware in different categories.
Cole Beaudoin of the Barrie Colts won the CHL Sportsman Player Of The Year Award as a Utah prospect. Alex Weiermair earned the CHL Scholastic Player Of The Year Award for the Portland Winterhawks as a Vegas prospect. Steve Hamilton of the Everett Silvertips received the CHL Coach Of The Year Award.
Marcus Kearsey of the Charlottetown Islanders was named CHL Humanitarian Of The Year. The ceremony therefore recognized ten distinct recipients across offensive, defensive, and off-ice categories.
Draft-Eligible Players Secure Four Honors
Four of the ten awards went directly to NHL draft prospects. This proportion matches patterns observed in prior draft cycles where CHL recognition preceded first-round selections. The prospects spanned multiple teams and positions.
Chase Reid, Tommy Bleyl, Markus Ruck, and Maxim Masse formed the core group of honorees. Their successes occurred in the same season leading into the 2026 NHL Draft. The awards provide measurable validation ahead of scouting evaluations.
The two Medicine Hat Tigers winners, Markus Ruck and Bryce Pickford, illustrate how one franchise can produce multiple standouts. Their combined accolades add to the team’s historical output of NHL talent. The distribution underscores geographic and organizational depth in the CHL.
Recognition Extends Beyond On-Ice Performance
The CHL Coach Of The Year Award went to Steve Hamilton of the Everett Silvertips. Humanitarian and scholastic categories honored Marcus Kearsey and Alex Weiermair respectively. These selections balanced statistical achievement with community and academic contributions.
The Monday timing placed the ceremony in the immediate pre-draft window. All four prospects therefore carried fresh hardware into final evaluations. The event format maintained consistency with prior years in the number of categories awarded.
The 2026 results continue a trend of CHL awards serving as early indicators for NHL organizations. Four prospects receiving recognition this year aligns with the historical average of three to five such winners per cycle.
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.