The Down-Low with Bristowe

Brett Connolly should win CHL Rookie of the Year.

The Canadian Hockey League will hand out its awards this Saturday for the overall winners. This can’t be easy to choose between 3 players that never played against each other and were spread out across the country. This year’s rookie of the year choice should be interesting. You’ve got Brett Connolly from the Prince George Cougars, Evgeny Grachev of the OHL’s Brampton Battalion, and the QMJHL’s Dmitry Kulikov who’s playing in the Memorial Cup with Drummondville.

If you go by the numbers, the award should be handed to Grachev who had a 40 goal, 40 assist season. Grachev who’s 19 was playing in his first year in the O, but is already drafted by the New York Rangers. Kulikov should be right up there as well as he was a multiple award winner in the Q, where the blueliner had 12 goals and 50 helpers in 57 games. Kulikov wasn’t only named the offensive rookie of the year and overall rookie of the year. The 18 year old was named, top defenceman and best pro prospect. Then there’s Brett Connolly the only Canadian in the bunch for the Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year. Connolly had a great season for a 16 year old. The Prince George product had 30 goals and 30 assists.

I haven’t watched the two other players, but saw enough of Connolly to know he deserves the award, plus he’s the only true rookie. I’ll guess we’ll find out on Saturday afternoon.

That’s the Down-Low with Bristowe.