Bears' Klassen closes CIS career as Canada West "Husky-WHL Graduate of the Month"

Canada West Communications / Photo credit Jonathon Howe, One Lion Photography

CANADA WEST - The Canada West Universities Athletic Association and Western Hockey League proudly announce that University of Alberta Golden Bears forward #27 Chad Klassen is the Canada West men's hockey Husky-WHL Graduate of the Month for March 2011.

The fifth-year right winger scored 11 points (2-9-11) in six games to help lead the Golden Bears to their 49th Canada West conference championship and a record 35th appearance at the CIS University Cup tournament.

In receiving his third career Husky-WHL Award, March saw Klassen conclude his collegiate career being named to the CIS All-Canadian team for a third consecutive season and he was voted to the Canada West first All-Star team for a third straight season.

After finishing second in the conference scoring race with 15-31-46 in 28 games, the Saskatoon native scored nine points in four Canada West playoff games to tie with linemate Derek Ryan for the lead in playoff scoring. Klassen's month was highlighted by seven points in Alberta's sweep of the Calgary Dinos in the conference final on March 11th-12th, including a five-point performance in Game 2 as the former Spokane Chief scored once and added a season-high four assists in an 8-1 final to finish the conference playoffs with 1-8-9.

The Alberta assistant captain then made his fourth appearance at the CIS University Cup, scoring 1-1-2 in two games as the Golden Bears went 0-2. Both of Klassen's points came in his final game as a Bear, scoring once and adding an assist versus the McGill Redmen on March 26th, earning Player-of-the-Game honours for Alberta. He finished his career with 5-7-12 in 10 career University Cup games.

One of 102 Canada West student-athletes with a WHL scholarship this past season, Klassen is now playing for the East Coast hockey League's Victoria Salmon Kings, where he did not record a point in his only regular season game, but has two goals and one assist in two playoff games.

Klassen, the 2009-10 Canada West MVP, played 310 regular season games over five seasons in the WHL - 4½ at Spokane and his final 28 games with the Saskatoon Blades. He racked up 109 goals and 175 assists for 284 points, adding 9-8-17 in 25 playoff games. He was a Second Team Western All-Star in 2004 and 2005, and played for Team WHL in the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, where he played alongside many current NHLers.

Former WHL teammates include San Jose Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi, , Austrian-born New York Islanders right-winger Michael Grabner, former Chicago Blackhawk Matt Keith, Minnesota Wild draft pick Anton Khudobin, along with reigning Canada West MVP and Golden Bears linemate Derek Ryan.

The 25-year-old Physical Education & Recreation student becomes the 35th monthly winner for Alberta and is one of just four Golden Bears to win the prize at least three times since it was first awarded in October 1989. Klassen also won the award in January and October of 2009.

Klassen edged out Calgary's Brock Nixon in a 4-3 coaches' vote for the award.

"HUSKY, proud sponsor of the WHL Education Program & the Canada West men's hockey Graduate of the Month"

Alberta's Chad Klassen in March 2011

Date - Opponent - Result G-A-P +/- Notes
March 4 Manitoba W,4-0 0-2-2 +3 1st Star
March 5 Manitoba W,2-1 0-0-0 E
March 11 Calgary W,3-0 0-2-2 +2 3rd Star
March 12 Calgary W,8-1 1-4-5 +3 5 pts, 1st Star, 6 shots
March 25 St. FX L,3-1 0-0-0 -2
March 26 McGill L,6-3 1-1-2 E AB Player of Game
TOTALS 4-2 2-9-11 +6 2x1st Star, 1 POG

About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at least 10 CIS national titles every year, 1997 to 2010. Comprised of 14 schools, from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, the CWUAA produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games. "cwuaa" on Twitter.