Jordan Eberle Named WHL Player of the Year

From whl.ca

Regina Pats Jordan Eberle named WHL Player of the Year
April 28, 2010

Edmonton, AB - The Western Hockey League announced today at the annual WHL Awards Luncheon that Regina Pats forward Jordan Eberle has been named the 2009-10 WHL Player of the Year and recipient of the Four Broncos Memorial trophy.

Eberle enjoyed an outstanding 2009-10 WHL season, despite his Regina Pats not qualifying for the WHL playoffs. The 19-year-old from Regina, SK, scored 50 goals and added 56 assists for 106 points in just 57 regular-season games for his hometown team to finish second in WHL scoring. Eberle’s 1.86 points-per-game average marked the highest points-per-game average for any WHL player since the 1998-99 season.

The 5’11”, 184-lb forward finished tied for second among all WHL players with 19 power play goals, and also tied for second in shorthanded goals with six on the season. In addition, Eberle was selected among the 3 Stars in 26 of 57 games he played, earning the 1st Star selection 13 times. The leading goal-scorer in the history of Canada’s National Junior team, Eberle recorded at least one point in 50 of 57 games he played for Regina this season, and was held pointless in consecutive games on only two occasions all season.

Drafted in the first round (22nd overall) by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Eberle has piled up 155 goals and 155 assists for 310 points in 254 games through his four years with the Pats. He was selected by the Pats in the seventh round (126th overall) in the 2005 WHL Bantam Draft.

Jordan Eberle is the WHL’s nominee for the CHL Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League Awards, which will be handed out during the 2010 MasterCard Memorial in Brandon, Manitoba.

From tsn.ca (via The Canadian Press)

REGINA'S EBERLE NAMED WHL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
THE CANADIAN PRESS
4/28/2010 4:01:54 PM

EDMONTON -- Considered one of the most dangerous junior players around the opponent's net, Jordan Eberle of the Regina Pats was named the Western Hockey League's player of the year Wednesday.

The Edmonton Oilers draft prospect scored clutch goals in back-to-back world junior championships for Canada, but he was also a big producer for his Pats with 50 goals and 56 assists in 57 regular-season games for his hometown team.

Eberle was the recipient of the Four Broncos Trophy, which is awarded in memory of four Swift Current Broncos -- Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff -- who died in a team bus crash in 1986. The WHL awards luncheon was held Wednesday in Edmonton.

The five-foot-11, 184-pound forward finished second in WHL scoring, one point behind Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen. Kozun, with 32 goals and 75 assists, took home the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL's top scorer.

Eberle's 1.86 points per game was the highest average in the WHL since Calgary Hitmen forward Pavel Brendl's 1.97 during the 1998-99 season.

Eberle finished tied for second in power-play goals (19) and short-handed goals (six). He was the 22nd overall pick in the 2008 NHL entry draft by the Oilers, who have since signed him to an entry-level contract.

Eberle was assigned to the AHL's Springfield Falcons at the conclusion of the Pats' regular season and the Regina native had six goals and eight assists in 11 games.

Known for his cunning and tenacity with Canada's national junior team, Eberle is Canada's all-time leading goal scorer at the world junior championship with 14 goals.

With his team down 5-3 to the U.S. and 3:11 remaining in the third period of this year's final in Saskatoon, Eberle scored twice in the span of a minute 14 seconds to send the game into overtime.

Canada lost 6-5 to the U.S. in extra time, but Eberle was named the tournament's most valuable player.

At the 2009 world junior championship in Ottawa, his tying goal with 5.4 seconds remaining in the semifinal against Russia sent the game into overtime.

Eberle later scored the winner in the shootout. Canada went on to beat Sweden in the final for the country's fifth straight gold medal. He was a late pick -- 126th overall -- in the seventh round of the 2005 WHL bantam draft.

Eberle was chosen for the Four Broncos Trophy ahead of Vancouver Giants centre Craig Cunningham, who was the Western Conference finalist.

Eberle is the WHL's nominee for the Canadian Hockey League's player of the year. He will be up against Saint John Sea Dog Mike Hoffman out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Plymouth Whalers forward Tyler Seguin from the Ontario Hockey League.