Bisons' Blair Macaulay WHL Grad of the Month

EDMONTON - The Canada West Universities Athletic Association and Western Hockey League proudly announce University of Manitoba right-winger Blair Macaulay as Canada West men’s hockey Husky-WHL Graduate of the Month for January 2013, marking the third time in his career that the former Tri-City American has won the honour.

Each monthly winner throughout the season receives a $500 cheque towards the cost of education, a plaque, a letter from WHL Commissioner Ron Robison and a computer bag.

Macaulay, in his fourth season at Manitoba, collected four goals and 11 assists for 15 points in eight games while leading the Bisons to a 6-1-1 record. Macaulay registered a point in each game and has assumed the Canada West scoring lead, with 32 points. The Bisons, at 15-5-4 and ranked #8 by Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), have clinched a playoff spot and moved into second place with just six regular season games remaining.

For Macaulay, this marks his third Husky-WHL monthly award after taking home the prize for January 2011 and December 2011. The 24-year-old winger becomes the 13^th monthly winner for the Bisons since the award’s inception in October 1989, with goaltender Jesse Deckert the most recent back in October. Macaulay is the eighth student-athlete in league history to win the award three times, with Calgary goaltender Dustin Butler the only other active player to accomplish the feat.

In 84 career Canada West regular season games, Macaulay, who has never missed a game, has amassed 115 points (55G, 60A). In 2011-12 he was voted Canada West MVP when he led the conference in goals, finished third in overall scoring and he went on to be named a CIS First Team All-Canadian. He finished tied for third in league scoring during 2010-11 and was a Canada West Second Team All-Star.

Macaulay was one of 125 Canada West student-athletes to receive a WHL scholarship for the 2012-13, among 28 University of Manitoba recipients, and he has been on the WHL’s post-secondary scholarship award list three years running.

Before joining the Bisons, Macaulay had three full seasons in the WHL - two with the Saskatoon Blades (2005-07) and one with the Tri City Americans (2007-08). In 212 career WHL games, the 5-11 Winnipeg native had 27 goals and 40 helpers for 67 points. In 26 playoff games Macaulay registered 2-4-6, going to the seventh game of the Western Conference final in 2008 with Tri-City.

Blair Macaulay career statistics, courtesy whl.ca / hockeydb.com

                                                                Regular Season                Playoffs

Former WHL teammates include Minnesota Wild forward Devin Setoguchi, Boston Bruins goaltender Anton Khudobin, Washington Capitals netminder Braden Holtby and 2010 Canada West MVP Chad Klassen.

Other nominees for the January 2013 Husky-WHL award were Kurtis Mucha (Alberta), Brad Hoban (UBC), Jacob DeSerres (Calgary) and Lucas Gore (Regina).

“HUSKY, proud sponsor of the WHL Education Program & the Canada West men’s hockey Graduate of the Month”