Kootenay Ice forward Sam Reinhart and Spokane Chiefs forward Mitch Holmberg will battle for the Western Hockey League player of the year next week.
The winner will be selected at the 2014 WHL Awards luncheon in Calgary on April 30 where all individual award recipients will be announced.
Reinhart, was nominated from the league's Eastern Conference, while Holmberg was nominated from the Western Conference. They were determined through voting by general managers, coaches, broadcast and media representatives of all WHL member clubs.
The WHL's Eastern Conference, includes the East and Central Divisions, while the Western Conference includes the B.C. and U.S. Divisions (the Prince George Cougars compete in the B.C. Division).
Reinhart, an 18-year-old from Vancouver, led the Ice to a 39-28-2-3 record and a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference while helping the club set a new WHL record with their 15th consecutive campaign with a record of .500 or better. Reinhart, who wore the captain's C on his sweater, scored 36 goals and 69 assists for 105 points along with a +24 rating in 60 games.
Reinhart's tally of 105 points tied him for fourth in WHL scoring, while his 69 assists placed him second among all WHL players and established a new Kootenay Ice record for assists in a single season.
He was held off Kootenay's score sheet just nine times and was only held without a point in back-to-back games once, and enjoyed a 22-game point streak. He factored in on 45 per cent of his team's entire offensive output, and the Ice lost all nine games he dressed, but failed to register a point.
Reinhart was selected by Kootenay in the first round, 15th overall in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft. The 2011-12 WHL Rookie of the Year is considered a top prospect for the 2014 NHL Draft.
Holmberg, a product of Sherwood Park, Alta. enjoyed an outstanding 2013-14 season for the Spokane Chiefs, helping the team to a 40-26-3-3 record and sixth-place finish in the Western Conference as they clinched a playoff berth for an eighth straight year.
The 20-year-old was WHL's scoring leader, collecting 62 goals and 56 assists for 118 points to go with a +35 rating while appearing in all 72 games for the Chiefs.
Holmberg became the first member of the Chiefs to win the WHL scoring title since Ray Whitney in 1990-91. In addition, he led all WHL players with 23 power play goals and 10 game-winning goals and finished tied for second with six shorthanded goals.
Holmberg finished with 12 more goals than his nearest competitor (Prince George Cougars forward Todd Fiddler) and is only the second WHL player since the 2000-01 season to reach the 60-goal mark during a season.
The five-foot-10, 175-pound winger scored more than 25 per cent of his team's goals and factored in on more than 48 per cent of the club's entire offensive output. In his fifth and final WHL campaign, Holmberg established a new Spokane Chiefs franchise record for career goals with 147.
Holmberg was the Chiefs first-round pick, 21st overall, in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft. In 314 career regular-season games, he's amassed 296 points along with a +62 rating. Holmberg is a free agent.
The other WHL Award finalists, that include their hometown and WHL team are:
Rookie of the Year
Eastern Conference - Nikita Scherbak (Moscow, Russia), Saskatoon Blades
Western Conference - Nick Merkley (Calgary), Kelowna Rockets
Goaltender of the Year
Eastern Conference - Tristan Jarry (Delta, B.C.), Edmonton Oil Kings
Western Conference - Jordon Cooke (Leduc, Alta.), Kelowna Rockets
Defenceman of the Year
Eastern Conference - Josh Morrissey (Calgary), Prince Albert Raiders
Western Conference - Derrick Pouliot (Weyburn, Sask.) Portland Winterhawks
Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year
Eastern Conference - Sam Reinhart (Vancouver), Kootenay Ice
Western Conference - Mitch Holmberg (Sherwood Park, Alta.) Spokane Chiefs
Scholastic Player of the Year
Eastern Conference - Nelson Nogier (Saskatoon), Saskatoon Blades
Western Conference - Dominic Turgeon (Cherry Hills, Colo.), Portland Winterhawks
Coach of the Year
Eastern Conference - Shaun Clouston, Medicine Hat Tigers
Western Conference - Dave Lowry, Victoria Royals
Executive of the Year
Eastern Conference - Mike Moore, Calgary Hitmen
Western Conference - Cam Hope, Victoria Royals
Humanitarian of the Year
Eastern Conference - Sam Fioretti (Calgary), Moose Jaw Warriors
Western Conference - Mitch Topping (Red Deer), Tri City Americans
