Don Nachbaur's season-long affiliation with the Spokane Chiefs has been a marriage made in heaven.
His Chiefs are about to tangle with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL Western Conference final and the 51-year-old native of Prince George is a finalist for a league award.
Nachbaur and Jesse Wallin of the Red Deer Rebels have been nominated for the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy that goes to the WHL's coach of the year.
Nachbaur led the Chiefs to a second-place finish in the Western Conference with a 48-18-4-2 record. The Chiefs defeated the Chilliwack Bruins 4-1 in a five-game first-round series, then got past the Tri-City Americans in a six-game series capped by Tuesday's 5-4 win in overtime.
On Thursday, the WHL announced Chiefs forward Tyler Johnson and Rebels goalie Darcy Kuemper as finalists for the Four Bronco Memorial Trophy as player of the year.
Johnson, a 20-year-old from Spokane, collected 53 goals and 62 assists for 115 points in 71 games this season. He led the WHL in goals and was second in the scoring race to Linden Vey of Medicine Hat, winner of the Bob Clarke Trophy. Johnson was not selected in the NHL draft but in March signed an entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Kuemper led the WHL in wins (45), goals-against average (1.86), and save percentage (.933) during the regular season. A sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2009, the 20-year-old Saskatoon native tied a WHL single-season record with 13 shutouts.
The player-of-the-year finalists were determined in a poll of league general managers, coaches, broadcast and media representatives. League awards will be handed out May 4 in Calgary.
Johnson will miss tonight's Game 1 of the Spokane-Portland series in Portland while serving a one-game suspension he received as a result of the kneeing penalty and game misconduct he received in Tuesday's game against Tri-City.
The Eastern Conference final start tonight in Medicine Hat, with the Tigers hosting the Kootenay Ice.
2011 WHL Award finalists (hometowns in parenthesis)
Player of the Year, Four Broncos Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference - Darcy Kuemper (Saskatoon), Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference - Tyler Johnson (Spokane, Wash.), Spokane Chiefs
Rookie of the Year, Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference - Matt Dumba (Calgary, AB), Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference - Sven Bartschi (Langenthal, Switzerland), Portland Winterhawks
Goaltender of the Year, Del Wilson Trophy
Eastern Conference - Darcy Kuemper (Saskatoon), Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference - James Reid (Calgary), Spokane Chiefs
Defenceman of the Year, Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference - Stefan Elliott (North Vancouver), Saskatoon Blades
Western Conference - Tyson Barrie (Victoria), Kelowna Rockets
Most Sportsmanlike Player Award, Brad Hornung Trophy
Eastern Conference - Stefan Elliott (North Vancouver), Saskatoon Blades
Western Conference - Tyler Johnson (Spokane, Wash.), Spokane Chiefs
Scholastic Player of the Year, Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference - Adam Lowry (Calgary), Swift Current Broncos
Western Conference - Colin Smith (Edmonton), Kamloops Blazers
Coach of the Year, Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference - Jesse Wallin, Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference - Don Nachbaur, Spokane Chiefs
Executive of the Year, Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference - Lorne Molleken, Saskatoon Blades
Western Conference - Mike Johnston, Portland Winterhawks
WHL Humanitarian of the Year, Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference - Spencer Edwards (Coquitlam), Moose Jaw Warriors
Western Conference - Jeff Einhorn (Red Deer), Chilliwack Bruins
Marketing / Communications Award
Eastern Conference - Calgary Hitmen, Mike Moore
Western Conference - Tri-City Americans, Brian Sandy
Regular Season Champions, Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy
Saskatoon Blades: 56-13-1-2 record
Top scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy
Linden Vey (Wakaw, Sask.) Medicine Hat Tigers -- 69 GP, 46G, 70A, 116 Pts.
