Left: Easton Daneault; Right: Cooper Moore. (Supplied/AJHL)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

seasons of excellence

Two Red Deer products finalists for AJHL Rookie of the Year

Mar 12, 2025 | 7:01 PM

Two Red Deerians are up for AJHL Rookie of the Year.

The Alberta Junior Hockey League announced Wednesday the finalists for its 2024-2025 regular season awards, and they include both Cooper Moore and Easton Daneault as nominees for the season’s best first-year player.

Moore, who plays for the Lloydminster Bobcats, has scored 13 times and added 32 assists so far this season, for 45 points in 40 games. Those 32 assists give him the twelfth most across the league, plus his numbers include five power play markers with 24 penalty minutes.

A former U18 AAA Red Deer Optimist Chiefs forward, Moore was twice named AJHL Rookie of the Week — once in November and again in February; additionally, he earned AJHL Player of the Week honours twice, once in November and again in December.

In late February, Moore committed to Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

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Daneault, meantime, has notched 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points in 53 games for the Drumheller Dragons. With a handful of games remaining, that’s good for the eighth highest total league-wide.

He’s also added 60 penalty minutes and eight power play goals. In December, the 16-year-old former U18 AAA Red Deer Optimist Chiefs forward signed a contract with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes. He’s played six games with the Canes so far this season, contributing one assist.

Two weeks in a row this past December, Daneault was named AJHL Rookie of the Week. He committed to North Andover, Massachusetts-based Merrimack College last October.

Awards also include Most Valuable Player, Top Forward, Outstanding Defenceman, Top Goaltender, Most Dedicated Player and Coach of the Year.

AJHL general managers and coaches have selected two finalists from both divisions for each award. Award winners will be determined through a final stage of voting and announced following the completion of the AJHL regular season, which ends March 15.

Most Valuable Player – Alberta Old Time Hockey Players Trophy

• Vincent Filion – Fort McMurray Oil Barons
• Zac Onyskiw – Whitecourt Wolverines
• Jack Plandowski – Calgary Canucks
• Alex Scheiwiller – Canmore Eagles

Top Forward Award

• Tomis Marinkovic – Grande Prairie Storm
• Jalen Bianchet – Whitecourt Wolverines
• Jack Plandowski – Calgary Canucks
• Bradley Gallo – Drumheller Dragons

Rookie of the Year – Dick White Trophy, Presented by Canalta Hotels

• Porter Byrd Leitner – Bonnyville Pontiacs
• Cooper Moore – Lloydminster Bobcats
• Nathan Maloney – Calgary Canucks
• Easton Daneault – Drumheller Dragons

Outstanding Defenceman – W.G. (Bill) Scott Memorial Trophy, Presented by Alberta Ford Dealers

• Logan Cunningham – Grande Prairie Storm
• Xavier Lacoste – Whitecourt Wolverines
• Nathan Maloney – Calgary Canucks
• Tate Yule – Drumheller Dragons

Top Goaltender – Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey League Trophy

• Nicholas Jones – Grande Prairie Storm
• Zac Onyskiw – Whitecourt Wolverines
• Alex Scheiwiller – Canmore Eagles
• Sean Cootes – Drumheller Dragons

Most Dedicated Player – Don McNabb Memorial Trophy

• Jaxson Martin – Devon Xtreme
• Braden Keeble – Whitecourt Wolverines
• Rhett Dekowny – Canmore Eagles
• Tate Yule – Drumheller Dragons

Coach of the Year

• Chris Schmidt – Grande Prairie Storm
• Jeff Woywitka – Lloydminster Bobcats
• Andrew Milne – Canmore Eagles
• Kevin Hasselberg – Drumheller Dragons

The winners of the following league awards and scholarships will also be announced at the completion of the regular season and throughout the 2025 Inter Pipeline Cup AJHL Playoffs.

• Regular Season Champion – Dave Duchak Trophy
• Scoring Champion – Ernie Love Trophy
• Top Goal Scorer
• Top Team Goaltenders
• Inter Pipeline AJHL Playoff MVP
• Viterra Star of the Game Standings Leader – Viterra Cup
• Viterra All-League and All-Rookie Team
• Inter Pipeline AJHL All-Academic Team
• RBC Community Ambassadors
• AJHL Executive of the Year – Ken Bracko Award
• AJHL Broadcaster of the Year
• Viterra Salute to Service Volunteer Award
• Inter Pipeline AJHL Scholarship
• RBC Community Ambassador Scholarship

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