Tri-City Americans forward Brendan Shinnimin won the 2011-12 Four Broncos Memorial Trophy on Wednesday at the annual Western Hockey League awards banquet in Calgary.

The Four Broncos Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL Player of the Year, is the WHL’s most coveted award.

Shinnimin is just the second Tri-City player to win the award. Stu Barnes won in 1988-89.

Shinnimin led the Western Hockey League and the Canadian Hockey League with 134 points. His points were the highest point total in the WHL since the 1998-99 season, also earning him the Bob Clarke trophy. He also was a unanimous selection as a Western Conference first team all-star.

Shinnimin beat out Medicine Hat's Emerson Etem for the award. Etem had 61 goals while finishing seventh among all WHL players with 107 points. He was a unanimous selection as an Eastern Conference first team all-star.

Tri-City coach Jim Hiller was named WHL Coach of the Year. He follows former Americans coaches Don Nachbaur (2007-08) and Don Hay (1998-99) in winning the award.

Hiller led the Americans to a 50-18-2-2 record, a U.S. Division title and took them to the Western Conference finals, where they lost in four games to Portland.