The Alliance of European Hockey Clubs has released its list of finalists for its four major awards of the 2023-24 hockey season. The winners will be announced at the annual European Hockey Awards gala on June 11 in Prague.
Perhaps the most interesting of the awards is the Young Player of the Year. To be eligible for this award, the player has to be under 22 years of age as of the end of the year – this year, that means born in 2002 or later.
The nominees are:
Ville Koivunen (2003 F, Kärpät Oulu, FIN) – Pittsburgh Penguins
Jonathan Lekkerimäki (2004 RW, Örebro HK, SWE) – Vancouver Canucks
Jani Nyman (2004 RW, Ilves Tampere, FIN) – Seattle Kraken
Axel Sandin-Pellikka (2005 D, Skellefteå AIK, SWE) – Detroit Red Wings
Jiří Ticháček (2003 D, Rytíři Kladno, CZE) – undrafted
Lekkerimäki, the MVP of the this season’s World Junior Championship, has to be considered the favorite. The Vancouver Canucks prospect has already won the EliteProspects Award for top junior-aged player in the SHL. But the other nominees are interesting as well. Koivunen was sixth in Liiga scoring, Nyman was second in Liiga goals, and Sandin-Pellikka and Ticháček won the best-defenseman awards for the top Swedish and Czech pro leagues, respectively.
The award has been dominated in the past by players from the Swedish Hockey League.
2022-23: William Wallinder, Rögle BK
2021-22: Elmer Söderblom, Frölunda HC
2020-21: Moritz Seider, Rögle BK
2019-20: Nils Lundkvist, Luleå HF
2018-19: Aleksi Heponiemi, Kärpät Oulu
2017-18: Elias Pettersson, Växjö Lakers
2016-17: Kirill Kaprizov, Salavat Yulayev Ufa
Other award nominees are:
Coach of the Year: Rikard Grönborg (Tappara Tampere, FIN), Zdeněk Moták (Oceláři Třínec, CZE), Robert Ohlsson (Skellefteå AIK, SWE), Thomas Popiesch (Fischtown Pinguins, GER), Geoff Ward (Lausanne HC, SUI).
Club of the Year: Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (GER), HK Nitra (SVK), Oceláři Třinec (CZE), Skellefteå AIK (SWE).
Warrior Career Excellence Award: Roman Červenka (Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, SUI), Valtteri Filppula (Genève-Servette, SUI), Beat Forster (EHC Biel-Bienne, SUI), Linus Omark (Luleå HF, SWE), Martin Růžička (Oceláři Třínec, CZE).