Wednesday, February 23, 2011

AJHL Announces League Award Winners

Press Release

The Alberta Junior Hockey League is proud to announce the League Award Winners for the 2010-2011 AJHL Season. Each recipient will be presented with the award at their respective home arenas during the 2010 AJHL Enerflex Cup Playoffs.

Most Valuable Player - Alberta Old Time Hockey Players Trophy
Tanner Fritz of the Grande Prairie Storm is the winner of the Alberta Old Time Hockey Players Trophy as the Most Valuable Player for the 2010-2011 AJHL Season.

Fritz completed the season, his fourth with the Storm, with 74 points and 4th overall in the League Scoring Race. Fritz was a unanimous selection to the 2010-2011 AJHL North Division All-League Team after a season in which he averaged 1.2 points per game and led the North Division in scoring. Fritz recorded 7 game winning goals for the Storm in the 2010-2011 regular season.

Fritz was named the AJHL Player of the Week on two occasions and was honoured as Player of the Game for the Storm 13 times. Fritz is a two-time World Junior A Hockey Challenge participant.

The 19 year-old forward of Grande Prairie, Alberta is committed to Ohio State University for the 2011 season.

Fritz is the 3rd Storm player to capture the League MVP Award, the most recent being Dustin Sather (2006-2007). Cody Kunyk of the Sherwood Park Crusaders was the recipient of the Most Valuable Player Award for the 2009-2010 season.

Scoring Champion - Ernie Love Trophy
Kyle Reynolds has captured the first AJHL Scoring Champion Title for the Okotoks Oilers. Reynolds led the Alberta Junior Hockey League with 78 points, an average of 1.6 points per game in 2010-2011.

Reynolds was also a finalist for the League MVP Award and was recently selected to the 2010-2011 AJHL South Division All-League Team. Reynolds was awarded Player of the Game 12 times throughout the regular season and was also recognized as the AJHL Player of the Week during a 10-game point streak in November 2010.

Reynolds (Sylvan Lake, AB) has set new franchise records for Most Career Goals (79) and Most Career Points (165). Reynolds has also tied the franchise record for Most Points in a Single Season (78), shared with Elliot Sheen of the 2007-2008 Oilers.

The Okotoks Oilers clinched top spot in the AJHL South Division for a second straight season and have earned a bye in the first round of the 2011 AJHL Playoffs.

Zahn Raubenheimer of the Grande Prairie Storm and Bryce Williamson of the St. Albert Steel were co-recipients of the Ernie Love Trophy in 2009-2010 with 107 points.

Top Goaltender - Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey League Trophy
Bonnyville Pontiacs goaltender Julien Laplante is the Top Goaltender for 2010-2011 after a record breaking season. Laplante set a franchise record for Lowest Goals Against Average (2.09 GAA) and Most Shutouts (9). He also tied the League record for Most Consecutive Shutouts (3) and now sits second in the AJHL Record Book for Most Shutouts in a Single Season (9).

Laplante was named a finalist for the 2010-2011 AJHL League MVP Award. He was also selected to the 2010-2011 AJHL North Division All-League Team. Laplante is the first Pontiac player to win the Top Goaltender Award.
Laplante was third overall amongst AJHL goaltenders with a 2.09 GAA and .925 Save Percentage and led the League with 9 shutouts. Laplante was the Player of the Game for the Pontiacs five times in 2010-2011.
Laplante has committed to attend Union College beginning the Fall of 2011. The 20 year-old goaltender from Sherwood Park, Alberta is in his third season for the Pontiacs.
The Top Goaltender Award is awarded to the goaltender who demonstrated the greatest ability in his position throughout the season as voted on by the League General Managers and Coaches. Goaltender Travis Rolheiser of the Spruce Grove Saints earned the Top Goaltender Award for the 2009-2010 AJHL Season.

Top Team Goaltenders - Reebok / CCM Top Team Goaltenders Award
For a second consecutive year, the goaltending duo of the Spruce Grove Saints have won the Top Team Goaltenders Award. The Top Team Goaltenders Award is an annual award given to the goaltenders of the team with the lowest goals against average (GAA) in the regular season.

Goaltenders Vincenzo Marozzi and Joel Miller of the Spruce Grove Saints are the recipients of the 2010-2011 Reebok / CCM Top Team Goaltenders Award. The Saints allowed just 106 goals this year, a 1.77 GAA. This stingy defence has placed the Saints 2nd overall in the AJHL Record Book, behind their own record of 99 goals allowed in 2009-2010.

The Spruce Grove Saints captured the Dave Duchak Trophy as the 2010-2011 AJHL Regular Season Champions for the third consecutive season and earned a bye in Round One of the 2011 AJHL Playoffs.

Marozzi has tied his current franchise record of 7 shutouts, and has sets new franchise records with 21 career shutouts and a career GAA of 1.80, both previously set by himself from 2008-2010. Marozzi was also a finalist for the AJHL Top Goaltender Award. Marozzi (Edmonton, AB) and Miller (Chestermere, AB) received the Player of the Game Award a combined eight times in the regular season.

Vincenzo Marozzi and Travis Rolheiser of the Spruce Grove Saints were the recipients of the 2009-2010 Top Team Goaltenders Award.

Rookie of the Year - Dick White Trophy
Rookie goaltender Cole Cheveldave of the Drumheller Dragons is the 2010-2011 AJHL Rookie of the Year. Cheveldave posted a remarkable year for the Dragons and was a finalist for the AJHL MVP Award and Top Goaltender Award. Cheveldave is the first Dragons player to capture the Rookie of the Year Award.

Cole Cheveldave was a unanimous selection to the 2010-2011 AJHL South Division All-Rookie Team. He was selected as the Player of the Game 14 times for the Dragons this season.

The 17 year-old goaltender from Calgary, Alberta led all rookies in minutes played (2,521) and shots faced (1,474). Cheveldave recorded his first AJHL shutout in January 2011 and followed up with a second shutout just seven days later. Cheveldave was 7th amongst AJHL goaltenders with a .917 Save Percentage.

Defenceman Dillon Simpson of the Spruce Grove Saints won the Dick White Trophy as the 2009-2010 AJHL Rookie of the Year.


Outstanding Defenceman - W.G. (Bill) Scott Memorial Trophy
Colten Hayes of the Okotoks Oilers has been named the League's Outstanding Defenceman for the 2010-2011 AJHL Season. The award is given annually to the defensive player who demonstrates the greatest all-round ability in the position throughout the season.

Hayes was nominated to the 2010-2011 AJHL South Division All-League Team. Hayes is the first player in franchise history to win the Outstanding Defenceman Award.

Hayes received the Player of the Game Award for the Oilers 6 times in the regular season. He led all d-men in assists with 42 and averaged 1.0 points per game. Hayes recorded 54 points and 7 powerplay goals in 2010-2011, which placed him amongst the League's Top 25 Scorers.

Hayes and the Oilers captured 1st place in the South Division to guarantee a first round bye in the 2011 AJHL Playoffs. 20 year old defenceman Colten Hayes has committed to the University of Western Michigan for the 2011 season.

Matthew Register of the Bonnyville Pontiacs was awarded the W.G. (Bill) Scott Memorial Trophy in 2009-2010.

Most Dedicated Player - Don McNabb Memorial Trophy
Forward Kevin Carthy of the Bonnyville Pontiacs is the winner of the Don McNabb Memorial Trophy as the Most Dedicated Player. Carthy becomes the first player in franchise history to receive the award. The Don McNabb Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged the most dedicated to his team.

Carthy played in all 60 regular season games for the Pontiacs this year and tallied 4 game winning goals. The hard working veteran is one of three League award winners from the Bonnyville Pontiacs. The 19 year-old from Edmonton, Alberta is in his second full season with the Pontiacs. Carthy was the recipient of the Most Improved Player Award for the Pontiacs in 2009-2010.

Nate Fleming of the Spruce Grove Saints was the 2009-2010 recipient of the Most Dedicated player Award.

Coach of the Year
Chad Mercier of the Bonnyville Pontiacs has been honoured with the 2010-2011 AJHL Coach of the Year Award. Mercier is the first Coach in franchise history to receive the prestigious award.

The Bonnyville Pontiacs were nominated for five League Awards, including League MVP, Top Goaltender, Rookie of the Year and Most Dedicated Player. Two members of the Bonnyville Pontiacs were named to the 2010-2011 AJHL North Division All-League Team and a third player was selected to the 2010-2011 AJHL North Division All-Rookie Team.
The Bonnyville Pontiacs clinched third place in the North Division, a franchise high for the Pontiacs. The team allowed a franchise low 150 goals, the third lowest in the AJHL, and posted a record 9 shutouts in 2010-2011.
Chad Mercier has led the Pontiacs since April 2006 when he was hired as the General Manager / Head Coach. Prior to joining the Pontiacs he was as Associate Head Coach and Assistant Coach in the Western Hockey League.
Spruce Grove Saints Coach Steve Hamilton was voted the AJHL Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season in 2009-2010.

Stewy Stewart Memorial - Stewy Stewart Memorial Trophy
The winner of the 2010-2011 Stewy Stewart Memorial Trophy is Jeremy Burns of the Brooks Bandits. Burns was nominated by the Bandits Coaching Staff as a team leader and ideal candidate for the award.

The Stewy Stewart Memorial Trophy is named in honour of a long-time Calgary area fan who supported hockey at all levels. "Stewy" died in 1997 and the award was created to honour his support and commitment to the game. The Stewy Stewart Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the AJHL player in the South Division that best exhibits the following attributes: character, dedication, perseverance, integrity and sportsmanship.
"Jeremy's ability to lead by example both on and off the ice made him an easy selection for this award" said Brooks Bandits Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou. "His off ice conduct and commitment show his strong upbringing and the positive character he demonstrates at all times."
The Bandits acquired Burns (Edmonton, AB) as a 19 year-old forward from the Camrose Kodiaks. "His addition to the Bandits organization has been very well received and his character is something you must have on any successful hockey team."

Evan Warner (Calgary, AB) of the Drumheller Dragons has been selected as the 2009-2010 recipient of the Stewy Stewart Memorial Trophy.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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