Portland Winterhawks defenseman Derrick Pouliot has been named the Canadian Hockey League Defenseman of the Year, becoming the first Winterhawk player to win the award.
The CHL encompasses the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Pouliot is the first WHL player to win the award since 2009, and comes a month after he won the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the WHL Defenseman of the Year.
Pouliot registered 70 points (17 goals, 53 assists) in 58 regular season games during the 2013-14 season, then ranked third on the team and in the WHL with 32 points in 21 playoff games. In addition to winning the CHL and WHL Defenseman of the Year Awards, he was named to the WHL’s Western Conference First All-Star Team, and represented Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
“He’s won a championship, set franchise records and competed internationally,” Winterhawks general manager and head coach Mike Johnston said in a press release. “Derrick will go down as one of the great players to wear a Winterhawks uniform.”
