Harkins receiving MVP award from his dad, GM Todd Harkins and President Greg Pocock

Prince George, BC – The season may have wrapped up for the Prince George Cougars with last weekend’s game five loss to the Victoria Royals in the first round of the playoffs, but the team’s Most Valuable Player will be back on the ice next week…

Cougars forward, Jansen Harkins, has been selected to represent Canada at the 2015 World Under-18 Hockey Championships that begin next Thursday, April 16th in Switzerland.

In just his second full year in the Western Hockey League, the 17-year-old registered 20-goals and 59-assists for a team-high 79 points this season.  Those 59 assists made him the all-new franchise leader for assists in a single season.  He added four points in the five playoff games, as well.

“This is a well deserved honour for a very deserving young man,” says Cougars Head Coach, Mark Holick.  “Every time he’s been given the chance to represent his country he’s taken full advantage of it and this time will be no exception.”

Last summer, the young forward scored two goals and added four assists, as Canada won the gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  In January of 2014, he captained Team Pacific to a silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Championships.

As the 2015 NHL Draft draws near, Harkin’s stock continues to rise – earlier this week, he was ranked as the 15th best North American skater on the NHL’s Central Scouting list.