The Western Hockey League on Wednesday announced Seattle Thunderbirds center Mathew Barzal has been named the Western Conference Player of the Year and defenseman Ethan Bear has been named the Western Conference Defenseman of the Year.
Barzal and Bear will be eligible for league awards at the 2017 WHL Awards in Calgary, Alberta, on Wednesday, May 3.
Barzal and Bear were also each named a Western Conference First Team All-Star by the WHL for the second consecutive season.
Barzal had 10 goals and 69 assists for 79 points in 41 games this season. He started the season with the New York Islanders playing two games before returning to the T-Birds. Barzal was selected by the New York Islanders in the first round, 16th overall, of the 2015 NHL draft.
Bear has 28 goals and 42 assists for 70 points this season. Bear set the franchise record for goals scored by a defenseman on Feb. 13 in Kelowna when he scored the T-Birds first goal of the game, which was the 59th goal of his T-Bird career.
Bear was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the fifth round, 124th overall, of the 2015 NHL Draft.
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