Red Deer's Easton Daneault is one of five players to be nominated for the Canadian Junior Hockey League's Top Rookie Award.
The 16-year-old forward scored 21 goals and 35 assists for the Drumheller Dragons in his first Alberta Junior Hockey League season. He was recently named the recipient of the Dick White Trophy as AJHL Rookie of the Year.
"Despite being in his first year of junior hockey, Daneault played in all situations for the Dragons and asserted himself as one of the top players in the league," states a CJHL media release.
"Daneault was an impact player for the Dragons throughout the regular season, notching five game-winning goals and earning five Viterra AJHL Player of the Game selections."
Daneault finished tied for seventh in AJHL scoring — 24 of his 56 points were collected with the man advantage. He was twice recognized as the Inter Pipeline AJHL Rookie of the Week back in December 2024.
He is committed to NCAA Division I Merrimack College and is also a prospect of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes where he appeared in six regular season games for them this season.
Prior to joining the Dragons, Daneault played for Red Deer in the Alberta Elite Hockey League. He was on the Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA squad in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He was a member of the Red Deer Chiefs U18 AAA team in 2023-24.
The CJHL announced Monday, April 28 the names of the five players that have been selected finalists for its Top Rookie Award in the 2024-25 campaign.
Joining Daneault as nominees are Émile Fournier, a forward with the Edmundston Blizzard of the Maritime Junior Hockey League; Mitchell Kathler, a goaltender with the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League; Mason Kim, a forward with the Mississauga Chargers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League; and Evan Simeoni a forward with the Thunder Bay North Stars of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
Each of the finalists were determined through a voting process completed by the CJHL’s nine-member leagues, for their respective efforts during the course of the regular season.
