Huo named WHL Grad of the Month for October
UBC forward led T-Birds to a perfect 10-0 start
Nov. 16, 2023 – Bolstered by the most prolific offensive attack in the conference, the UBC Thunderbirds are off to one of the best starts in program history after a season opening ten game win streak.
At the centre of that attack has been second-year forward Sam Huo, who has been recognized as the conference's Western Hockey League Grad of the Month for October.
The Richmond, B.C. product led the conference in scoring throughout the opening month of the season, lighting the lamp seven times and adding 11 helpers for a total of 18 points in 10 games. He started the season strong with a six-game point streak, including a five point game in Regina where he scored his first Canada West hat trick. He also had five multi-point games over that ten game span, including a four point effort in a 7-2 win at MacEwan on Oct. 28.
Nine of his 18 points came on the power play, helping push the Thunderbirds’ man advantage to a conference leading 28.3% through the opening 10 games of the year.
It's been a seamless transition to the university game for the former Seattle Thunderbirds draft pick, who played 270 games over five seasons in the WHL with Seattle and the Tri-City Americans. He nearly recorded a point-per-game in his final WHL season for the Americans in 2021-22, scoring an explosive 58 points in 60 games. He then burst onto the U SPORTS scene with an impressive rookie season for UBC last year, finishing tied for ninth in conference scoring with 13 goals and 19 assists in 28 regular season games.
Huo, a second-year Sauder School of Business student, is utilizing his WHL Scholarship to attend UBC. For each season played in the WHL, a player is awarded with a one-year post-secondary scholarship, which includes tuition, compulsory fees, and required textbooks. In partnership with Canada West universities, numerous WHL Scholarship recipients each year are also awarded additional financial assistance from their university to receive Western Canada’s Premier Hockey Scholarship.
Since 1993, the WHL has awarded over 7,500 scholarships to graduate players. The WHL is the leading supplier of hockey scholarships in Western Canada and offers one of the most comprehensive scholarships in North America.
Huo and the T-Birds are now 11-1 and are preparing for a highly anticipated two-game set with the 9-3 Saskatchewan Huskies this weekend. Fans can catch the action on Canada West TV.
WHL Grad of the Month
The WHL Grad of the Month is a partnership between the WHL and Canada West. CW coaches vote to select the winner each month. All nominees must have played at least one full season in the WHL and be in good standing in Canada West.
About Canada West
As the leading university athletic conference in the country, Canada West is home to student-athletes that excel in the classroom and their communities. The conference is comprised of 17 member institutions spanning from Victoria to Winnipeg, with over 3,200 student-athletes competing across 14 sports. Canada West’s mission is to train leaders and build champions by providing leadership in the delivery, regulation, and promotion of university level high performance sports programs throughout western Canada.
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 offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six 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 close to 60 years. The WHL is also a 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.