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Penticton Vees’ Fred Harbinson wins B.C. Hockey League Coach of the Year award

The head coach previously won the award in 2008 and 2016
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Penticton Vees head coach Fred Harbinson has captured the 2022 Joe Tennant Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the B.C. Hockey League’s Coach of the Year. (Mark Brett - Western News)

After leading the Penticton Vees to a league-best 43 wins during the 2021-2022 B.C. Hockey League regular season, Fred Harbinson has been named this season’s Coach of the Year.

Voted on by his colleagues, the Vees’ president, general manager and head coach was announced as the winner of the Joe Tennant Memorial Trophy on Wednesday, April 27, awarded to the bench boss who “excelled in his role over the course of the regular season based on expectations according to the BCHL.”

Harbinson is now a three-time winner of the trophy, after previously capturing the award after the 2007-2008 and 2015-2016 seasons.

Prior to 2014, though, the league would honour one coach from each of the Interior and Coastal conferences with the trophy.

The Vees captured the Ron Boileau Memorial Trophy in 2022 for having the BCHL’s best regular-season record, marking the fifth time since 2012 that the team has won the award under Harbinson’s leadership.

The BCHL’s year-end award winners are expected to be announced throughout the day on Wednesday. Harbinson’s winning moment is the first of the day, league-wide.

Vees forward Josh Nadeau could also come away with some hardware by the time the day is over, with his nomination for the Bob Fenton Trophy, awarded to the most sportsmanlike player.

Penticton’s coach was joined by Alberni Valley Bulldogs coach Joe Martin and Salmon Arm Silverbacks’ Tyler Shattock as the award’s nominees.

The announcement comes just two days before the Vees and West Kelowna Warriors start a best-of-seven series for the Interior Conference title at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

READ ALSO: Penticton Vees to battle West Kelowna Warriors in conference finals

Games one and two of the conference finals will go on Friday and Saturday, before the set shifts to West Kelowna for the series’ third and fourth games on May 2 and 4.

Tickets for the third-round matchup at the SOEC are available at valleyfirsttix.com.


@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com

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