NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) announced Thursday that Brooks Bandits (AJHL) centre Hudson Malinoski has been named the recipient of the sixth annual John Grisdale Award, for being the highest picked CJHL player taken in the 2023 NHL Draft, that took place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
The award, which is named after the CJHL Life Member, saw Malinoski selected in the fifth round, 153rd overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Malinoski finished 11th overall in the AJHL scoring race and was third among rookies with 69 points.
He also racked up 10 points, in six outings, at the Centennial Cup in Portage la Prairie, Man., where his four goals and six assists helped the Bandits skate away with the National Jr. A championship.
The 19-year-old forward from Saskatoon, Sask., was a finalist for both CJHL and AJHL Rookie of the Year honours and is committed to attend Providence College on NCAA Division I scholarship in the fall.
Malinoski was rated 65th among North American skaters on the final NHL Central Scouting draft rankings.
ALSO TABBED: Other CJHLers chosen in the 2023 NHL Draft included a pair of defencemen going in the sixth round.
Those two blueliners were Aiden Celebrini, of Brooks, and Warren Clark of the Steinbach Pistons (MJHL).
Celebrini went to the Vancouver Canucks with the 171st overall pick while the Tampa Bay Lightning selected Clark, eight choices later.
Meanwhile, in the seventh round the draft-host Nashville Predators took 2022-23 CJHL MVP Aiden Fink from Brooks of the AJHL, as he went 218th.
Photo credit: Erica Perreaux / Hockey Canada Images
With files from Charla Flett, Executive Director (AJHL)
JOHN GRISDALE AWARD RECIPIENTS
(Highest CJHL player selected in NHL Draft)
2023: Hudson Malinoski, (F) Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 5th round, 153rd overall (Toronto Maple Leafs)
2022: Rieger Lorens, (F) Okotoks Oilers (AJHL) – 2nd round, 56th overall (Minnesota Wild)
2021: Corson Ceulemans, (D) Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 1st round, 25th overall (Columbus Blue Jackets)
2020: Michael Benning, (D) Sherwood Park Crusaders (AJHL) – 4th round, 95th overall (Florida Panthers)
2019: Alex Newhook, (F) Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) – 1st round, 16th overall (Colorado Avalanche)
2018: Jacob Bernard-Docker, (D) Okotoks Oilers (AJHL) – 1st round, 26th overall (Ottawa Senators)