Tristan Keck of the Winkler Flyers is this year’s Manitoba Junior Hockey League nominee for the Canadian Junior Hockey League/RBC Player of the Year award. The former CJHL Rookie of the Year led the Flyers in points this season scoring a league best 43 goals.
“Tristan wants to attend an NCAA school and is looking for the best opportunity in his areas of interest,” MJHL Commissioner Kim Davis said today. “He’s an outstanding nominee. He has ambitions to attend a post-secondary institution and is an outstanding representative of our league. Tristan is an outstanding person, student and hockey player.”
Keck was selected by voting conducted by the MJHL head coaches. A native of Morris, Keck hopes to one day study architecture or history. On the ice, he lists Tampa Bay sniper Steven Stamkos as his favourite NHL player.
“I believe that it is best to lead by example,” Keck said. “I try as hard as I can, and work as hard as I can on and off the ice. I try to encourage my teammates as well—to be the best they can be, to work hard, and to believe in themselves.”
Recently, Keck was named the MJHL’s Most Valuable Player, in addition to his selection to the MJHL’s first all-star team.
Keck is now one of 10 Junior A nominees eligible for the CJHL/RBC Player of the Year Award which is awarded annually at the RBC Cup (hosted by Portage in May). Manitoba’s last national winner was Portage Terriers’ star Eric DeLong, who won the national award in 2009.