FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
PENTICTON, BC–The Penticton Vees Jr. ‘A’ Hockey Club is pleased to announce defenseman Troy Stecher (94) has been named one of five finalists for the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) 2013 Top Defenseman Award. This is the first time the award is presented on a national level and is one of five newly created national player awards.
Stecher, 19, just concluded his three-year BCHL career with the Penticton Vees. This past season, Stecher set career highs in goals (8) assists (36) and points (46) in 52 regular season games, and was named Interior Conference Defenseman of the Year. The Richmond, BC native was also named a First Team All-Star in the Interior Conference. In the post-season, Stecher led his team to their second consecutive Fred Page Cup Final and collected six assists in 15 playoff games.
Stecher is one of the most decorated players in the BCHL in recent memory. In 2012 Stecher was named a Second Team BCHL All-Star, and he was a double medalist with Team Canada West at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge tournament. Stecher won gold in 2011 in Langley, BC and silver in 2012 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Stecher is one of just three players to win a WJAC gold medal and the RBC Cup in the same season; the other two former Vees in Travis St. Denis and Curtis Loik. Stecher was named the Top Defenseman at the 2012 RBC Cup in Humboldt, Saskatchewan.
Over his three-year career, Stecher amassed 22 goals and 130 points in 198 career games with the Penticton Vees. Including the 2012 Doyle and RBC Cup, Stecher played in 209 games. Stecher is off to the University of North Dakota this fall and will be joined by teammate Wade Murphy.
The first ever recipient of the CJHL Top Defenseman award will be announced during the week of May 6th-10th. The five new national player award categories include Most Valuable Player, Top Forward, Top Defenseman and Top Goalie.
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