Tigers captain Pickford, nominated for CHL Player and Defensemen of the Year

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Also nominated for the David Branch Player of the Year award are Sam O’Reilly of the OHL and Memorial Cup Champion Kitchner Rangers, and Maxim Massé of the QMJHL Champion Chicoutimi Saguenéens.

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If Pickford is named the CHL’s Player of the Year, the Tigers will become just the second team since the award’s inception to have had consecutive CHL Players of the Year.

The QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic saw Sidney Crosby win the award in 2004 and 2005, and Alexis Lafrenière win in 2019 and 2020.

Olen Zellwegger of the Kamloops Blazers was the last WHL’er to take home the CHL’s Defenseman of the Year award back in 2023.

Pickford stands a great chance of bringing the award back out west after compiling 45 goals this season and setting a modern-day CHL record for goals from a blueliner.

Also nominated for the CHL’s Defenseman of the Year award are Kashawn Aitcheson of the OHL’s Barrie Colts and Tommy Bleyl of the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats.

The award ceremony takes place on June 15th in downtown Toronto.