Kamloops Blazers General Manager Matt Bardsley is the runner-up for the WHL’s Executive of the Year award for the 2019-20 season, finishing second to Lethbridge Hurricanes General Manager, Peter Anholt.

Bardsley was the Western Conference nominee for the top executive award.

Under Anholt’s watch, the Hurricanes posted a 37-19-7 record in 2019-20 before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team has won at least 30 games a season in each of Anholt’s five full seasons as GM, one year behind tying a club record.

He also drafted Slovakian forward Oliver Okuliar in 2019, while trading for forwards Brett Davis and Dino Kambeitz, to help Lethbridge stay competitive in the Eastern Conference

Bardsley in his second season as General Manager, helped guide the Blazers to a 41-18-3-1 record as the Blazers won their first B.C. Division title since 2012. Key trades for defenseman Max Martin and forward Ryan Hughes without giving up much of the future, seemed to be a turning point for the Blazers.

The Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy for top WHL Executive honours a team executive for their contributions to the team’s overall performance on and off the ice during the regular season.