BROOKS, AB (February 16, 2016) – Brooks Bandits defencemen Shane Bear (Calgary, AB) and Cale Makar (Calgary, AB) are among finalists for two Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) regular season awards, it was announced today.
Bear, 18, was among four nominees for the W.G. (Bill) Scott Memorial Trophy as the league’s Outstanding Defenceman. He is currently the 6th-highest scoring defenceman in the AJHL in points-per-game, having recorded 9 goals and 26 assists in 38 games in his third full year in the AJHL. Last season, the award was won by Bandit defenceman Linden Springer.
Makar, 17, was nominated for the Dick White Trophy as the league’s Rookie of the Year. Makar is currently the second highest scoring defenceman in the league in points-per-game, second-highest scoring rookie by that metric, and ranks 7th among all players in the AJHL in assists, recording 6 goals and 42 assists for 48 points in 47 games. The Bandits last had a nominee for the award in 2011-12, when Anthony Petruzzelli was voted the winner.
Both Bear and Makar captured gold medals for Team Canada West at the most recent World Junior A Challenge, and are among 15 Bandit players committed to play NCAA Division I hockey, with both committed to the University of Massachusetts.
The nominees were selected through voting by AJHL South division coaches; award winners will be voted on by all league coaches and announced in early March.