MHKY: MRU athletes, coach take four of seven major awards

CALGARY – Mount Royal University has a strong showing in the end-of-season major awards announced by Canada West.

The conference honours six athletes and one coach for their tremendous contributions both on and off the ice.

Forwards Nolan Yaremko and Riley Sawchuk make history this year as the first men's hockey players from Mount Royal University to win Canada West's Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards.

Yaremko did it in a particularly impressive fashion, also taking home the conference's top honour for sportsmanship and ability.

British Columbia's goaltender Rylan Toth made some history of his own, setting program records and writing his name in the CW record books with an astounding performance in a shortened season. He earns the CW Goaltender of the Year award.

The conference's top team after the regular season, the Alberta Golden Bears, saw their top defenceman named the best in the league. Clayton Kirichenko impressed on both ends of the ice while leading his team to a nearly-perfect record on the season.

The captain of the Manitoba Bisons, Keaton Jameson, is recognized with the Student-Athlete Community Service award after showing leadership on and off the ice.

Rounding out the major award selections is Bert Gilling, the head coach of the Mount Royal Cougars who has led his team steadily up the standings over the past few season.

Alberta and UBC are now set to meet in the Canada West Championship series, set for March 18-20 at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton.

You can catch all the action on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nolan Yaremko

Nolan Yaremko earns the prestigious Player of the Year Award

The second-year Mount Royal forward led Canada West in points and goals this season, averaging nearly two points per game. In 20 games, the Spirit River, AB product notched 19 goals and 20 assists, finding ways to contribute from all over the ice.

Yaremko made an impact on every shift with his hockey IQ and offensive abilities. The pure scorer's eye for the net was unrivalled while he set up plays for teammates or battled in front of the crease. He registered multi-point games 13 times, and was only held off the scoresheet four times.

Yaremko makes history as the first MRU player to receive this award. He now moves ahead as the CW nominee for the Sullivan Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top university hockey player

From the coach:

"From start to finish his season was, in a word, exceptional. He did it all for us and was an impactful player every time he hit the ice. Nolan was remarkably consistent in his productivity throughout the regular season and playoffs while playing and contributing in all situations of the game." ​ ​ ​ -Bert Gilling, Mount Royal Cougars Head Coach

DEFENCEMAN OF THE YEAR (MERVYN 'RED' DUTTON TROPHY): Clayton Kirichenko

On the other end of the ice, a versatile athlete has earned the conference’s top defenceman honour. Clayton Kirichenko is this year’s recipient of the Mervyn "Red" Dutton Trophy.

The fourth-year Alberta Golden Bear is a challenging defender and a formidable point presence, making him dangerous in every zone. He boasts a lethal shot from the blue line and finds ways to set up the offence as he pushes the pace from the back end.

The Sherwood Park, AB product worked his way to this title, as the first to show up to the rink every day with his mind set firmly on improving. His drive and skill have shown him to be the best in the west.

Kirichenko’s abilities on both end of the ice have led the Golden Bears to the conference’s top spot this season. They’re now through to the CW Championship series that starts March 18.

For Kirichenko, it would be his third Canada West title in four years.

From the coach:

"A well deserved honour for Clayton! It shows the respect the other programs have for him. Clayton is a player whose work ethic and dedication to the program sets a powerful example for every current and future Golden Bear hockey player. First to the rink every day, Clay’s attention to detail and his commitment to improve - combined with his natural skills - have made him an impactful player this entire season. Clay's positive attitude and drive will serve him well in his future pro hockey career." ​
​- Ian Herbers, Alberta Golden Bears Head Coach

GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR: Rylan Toth

The Goaltender of the Year is British Columbia’s Rylan Toth. The fifth-year goalie simply knows how to win. He tied for the conference lead with 11 during the regular season. Four of them were shutouts. That put him just one short of the Canada West all-time record in a shortened season.

His streak of 227 minutes without a goal is the third longest in conference history.

Toth was a major factor in UBC clinching second in the conference, earning hosting rights to a semifinal series for the first time in more than 50 years.

Toth is proving even more impressive in the big moments: he has a .957 save percentage and another shutout through the first two rounds of the playoffs.

He will lead his UBC Thunderbirds into the Championship series starting March 18.

From the coach:

“We’ve always known his potential and what he’s capable of doing, it’s great he’s getting recognition from the Canada West, he’s deserved everything. He’s here early, he’s on the ice before everybody, he’s a fifth year guy that takes nothing for granted. His habits are very professional which will give him a great chance to play at a high level of pro. He’s just been a great leader for the young goalies as well.”
​-Sven Butenschön, British Columbia Thunderbirds Head Coach

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (U OF A HOCKEY ALUMNI TROPHY): Riley Sawchuk

Mount Royal's Riley Sawchuk is the league’s Rookie of the Year and U of A Hockey Alumni Trophy winner.

Sawchuk was just one point short of his teammate Nolan Yaremko for the league’s top scoring title, posting 38 in 20 games. He had four-point nights five times this season, taking the conference by storm in his very first year.

Sawchuk’s abilities on the offensive end are never-ending. He scores from all over the ice and displays excellent playmaking skills.

Sawchuk is the first Rookie of the Year to come out of MRU.

The Prince Alberta, SK product will be one to watch in the years to come.

From the coach:

"You knew Riley was going to be special as soon as he stepped on the ice for the first time at MRU. This is a fitting achievement for the high level of play that he performed at for the entire season. At any given moment Riley could be either a play making or a scoring threat that is reflected in his high point totals consistently achieved throughout the year." ​ ​ ​ -Bert Gilling, Mount Royal Cougars Head Coach

SPORTSMANSHIP AND ABILITY (UBC HOCKEY ALUMNI TROPHY): Nolan Yaremko

If winning the Player of the Year Award wasn’t enough, Nolan Yaremko also gets the nod as the UBC Hockey Alumni Trophy winner, awarded for sportsmanship and ability.

Yaremko has drawn admiration from across the league not only for his conference-leading offensive statistics, but his gamesmanship.

Yaremko has shown he plays the game with class and discipline, setting a positive example for Cougars fans. His on-ice respect has earned him the off-ice respect from players and coaches around the league.

Yaremko had just six penalty minutes all season.

From the coach:

"Beyond the remarkable goals and assists Nolan racked up this year, he also simply plays the game the right way. As a player this season he was both disciplined and extremely competitive while demonstrating great pride in being a student-athlete in Canada West and for MRU. This award shows that his actions and behaviours on the ice in combination with his skill and ability are also respected around the league."
​-Bert Gilling, Mount Royal Cougars Head Coach

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE: Keaton Jameson

The CW Award for Student-Athlete Community Service goes to Keaton Jameson.

The captain of the Manitoba Bisons, had 16 points on the season and was a major contributor in every situation, on and off the ice.

The Brandon, MB product spearheaded the Bison student athletes' annual Christmas hamper project to deliver goods to Winnipeg families in need. He was also the CAN U Executive on the Bisons Student Athletes' Council, while speaking out for mental health. He’s a role model for children, spending time with them through the Bisons Against Bullying and Book Buddies programs.

A true leader in every sense of the word, Jameson set the example for his teammates on the ice and in the locker room while maintaining a 3.9 GPA in actuarial mathematics.

Jameson will graduate from the Asper School of Business in the Spring before heading to Fort Wayne to start his pro hockey career in the ECHL.

He will move forward as a nominee for the U SPORTS Dr. Randy Gregg Award.

From the coach:

“Community service is an integral part of the Bisons program so we are extremely proud of Keaton Jameson winning the Student-Athlete Community Service Award! Keaton is an exceptional leader who has made a very positive impact in our community through his empathy and caring for others. Keaton exemplifies what Canada West student athletes strive for: achieving excellence in athletics, academics, and community service!” ​ ​ ​ ​
​-Mike Sirant, Manitoba Bisons Head Coach

COACH OF THE YEAR: Bert Gilling

Bert Gilling takes home the Coach of the Year award after leading his Mount Royal Cougars to a 13-6-1 record.

This is the third time in his Canada West career Gilling has taken home the honour. He earned the title in 2014-15, and 2015-16, his first two years in Canada West.

Gilling has been able to steadily pull his Cougars up the standings, from a below-500 win percentage in 2017-18 to a .675 record this season.

That was good for third in the league. The plus 29 goal differential is a marked improvement from minus 14 four years ago.

Gilling is coming off a U SPORTS All-Star Series nod that had him coach Alberta students against the Canadian World Junior trial teams in 2021.

He can now add this award to the list on his impressive resume.

From the Athletic Director:

"It's an honour for Bert to win the Coach of the Year for CW. While the award is for this season, we are so proud of the work he has done over the past few years, in particular, to get the program to where it is today. Countless hours of unselfishness, dedication, and perseverance cumulated to winning this award. We are extremely proud of his accomplishments because he is so deserving of the recognition by his peers."
​-Karla Karch, Mount Royal Cougars Director