Connolly Named Rookie of the Year

Saturday, May 23, 2009 02:18 PM

Prince George, B.C.- More hardware has been presented to Prince George Cougars rookie standout Brett Connolly. Connolly, who turned 17 earlier this month, has been named the Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year.

Connolly received the trophy today at the CHL awards luncheon, which took place Rimouski, Quebec, part of the Memorial Cup festivities. Connolly, who led the Cougars in scoring with a team rookie record 30 goals and 30 assists during the 2008-09 Western Hockey League regular season, earned the WHL’s rookie of the year award in April. That honor put Connolly up for contention for the CHL’s Rookie of the Year award against the best rookies in the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Evgeny Grachev of the Brampton Battalion earned the OHL top rookie award, after posting 40 goals and 80 points this past season, while defenceman Dmitry Kulikov of the QMJHL champion Drummondville Voltigeurs took the top rookie and best defenceman awards.

“To win this award at this level is once again a great honor, like all the other awards that I have been recognized for this season,” says Connolly, who arrived in Rimouski Friday. “To be the first Cougar to win this award is something special and to be able to enjoy it with my father is tremendous, since he didn’t get to be with me in Edmonton at the WHL awards last month.”

The Cougars are equally as excited about Connolly’s accomplishment. “The Prince George Cougars are very proud of Brett winning the CHL rookie of the year award.” says Cougars General Manager Dallas Thompson. “Winning an award with the names of past winners like Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane is very exciting for the future and for our fans.”

Being at the Memorial Cup tournament in Rimouski is providing something more than just the CHL rookie of the year award for Connolly to bring back to Prince George. “I want to be on a winning team and being here at the Memorial Cup is a huge inspiration for me. I want nothing more than to be here as a player on the ice and hopefully we can take the right steps to get there in the next couple of years.”

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