BROOKS, AB (April 25, 2016) – Brooks Bandits defenceman Cale Makar (Calgary, AB) has been nominated for the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Rookie of the Year award, it was announced today.
The award is given annually to the top first-year player in the ten member leagues of the CJHL, with five nominees each year.
With a 55-point season (10 goals, 45 assists) in 54 games played, Makar ranked second among all rookies in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) in points, second among all defencemen in points, as well as ninth among all players in assists.
He also added 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 13 playoff games, ranking third on the team and sixth in the league.
Makar was not only named the 2015-16 winner of the AJHL’s Dick White Trophy as Rookie of the Year, but was also a unanimous selection to the AJHL South All-Rookie Team, and selected to the AJHL South All-League Team. Makar is committed to the University of Massachusetts, one of a CJHL-high 16 Bandits committed to an NCAA Division I institution.
The CJHL Rookie of the Year award is one of seven national CJHL awards introduced in 2013. The Bandits have won one such award since their introduction, when head coach Ryan Papaioannou was named CJHL Coach of the Year in 2013. Former captain Cam Maclise was also honoured by the CJHL’s with its long-standing RBC CJHL Player of the Year Award that year.
Also nominated alongside Makar are Nick Henry of the Portage Terriers, Kohen Olischefski of the Chilliwack Chiefs, Jack Jacome of the Georgetown Raiders, and Charles Levesque of the Hawkesbury Hawks. The winner will be selected in May.