As his Western Hockey League career comes to a close, Tyler Wong of Cochrane is going out in style.

Wong, who recently bowed out of the WHL's Eastern Conference Final, losing in six games to the Regina Pats, yesterday (May 3) was named the winner of the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy as Humanitarian of the Year in the WHL.  It was the second straight year that Wong won the honour, making him just the second player in league history to win it back to back.  It's also the third straight year that Wong was the award's Eastern Conference nominee.

The 21 year old Wong spent almost as much time volunteering off the ice as he did on it for the Canes this season, starting with his KidSport Lethbridge and Taber program where he donated $5,000 of his own money to the charity.  Wong recruited three teammates for the 2016 - 2017 campaign and between them they raised over $13,000 for KidSport.

Wong took part in numerous other charitable endeavors which included spearheading the "Hurricanes Spread Christmas Cheer" program, volunteering as a teacher's assistant in a Lethbridge school, serving as an on-ice instructor for many minor hockey teams and spending time with the Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association where he helped individuals with mental and physical disabilities to ride horses.

Wong called the award a very big honour.  "It's always been number one for me to be able to be remembered for more than just a hockey player and more than just a guy that was in Lethbridge just to play hockey.  Whenever I had a chance to put a smile on a kids face or go out of my way to do something that would be appreciated in the community, I did it."

The award is named after Doug Wickenheiser who was drafted first overall in 1980 by the Montreal Canadians after playing in the WHL for the Regina Pats.  Wickenheiser died from a rare form of cancer in 1999 at age 37.   

 

Questions, comments or story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com