Cranbrook Bucks netminder Nathan Airey has been named BCHL Goaltender of the Year, and is the first player to win a major league award since the franchise debuted three years ago.
Airey backstopped the Bucks for 36 starts this season, winning 23 of them, two of which were shutouts.
Over the course of the season, Airey earned a 0.925 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average, which helped land a scholarship to the University of Minnesota Gophers program.
Airey beat out the other two nominees for the award, which include Oliver Auyeung-Ashton with the Victoria Grizzlies and Eli Pulver with the Surrey Eagles.
He has a longtime connection to Cranbrook, as he was a WHL draft pick by the Kootenay Ice back in 2018, before suiting up for the Bucks in the inaugural, albeit abbreviated pod season in 2021.
Over his three years in the BCHL totalling 88 starts, Airey has tallied a career 0.912 save percentage and a 2.77 goals against average and six shutouts.
In addition to Airey’s BCHL award, Bucks coach and general manager Ryan Donald was also named coach of the year.
