Staff
The Fort Frances Lakers honoured the cream of this year’s crop at the team’s annual awards banquet held Saturday afternoon at La Place Rendez-Vous.
To no one’s surprise, goalie Jacob Gnidziejko took home the trophy as most valuable player.
The 21-year-old has been steady between the pipes for the Lakers this season and has given them a shot to win most times out.
In 37 games with the Lakers this year, Gnidziejko compiled a 7-25-0 record to go along with a 4.25 GAA and .893 save percentage.
The best defenceman award went to Nate Drobnick, who has been a pillar on the blueline and suited up for all 56 of the team’s regular-season games.
The Burnsville, Mn. native also tallied six goals and seven assists this season.
Edmonton, Alta. native Ethan Knutsen was chosen as the top rookie.
The 19-year-old forward had seven goals and 19 assists in 46 games during his first campaign with the Lakers.
Fort Frances native Nick Hahkala was tapped as the team’s most improved player.
The 17-year-old forward finished 16th in team scoring with six goals and five assists in 51 games.
The most dedicated player honour went to defenceman Anthony Antonelli, a 20-year-old from Commack, N.Y. who tallied five times and set up 17 others this season.
In two seasons with the Lakers, Antonelli racked up eight goals and 22 assists in 108 games.
Captain Nick Lucas earned the most gentlemanly player award.
The 21-year-old from Cottage Grove, Mn. recorded just 10 penalty minutes in 44 games this season to go along with 48 points.
Despite missing time with an injury to end the regular season, the forward still finished second in team scoring–just two points back of Brett Hahkala.
Lucas also was named a finalist for the SIJHL’s most sportsmanlike player award, which he was a co-recipient of last season.
Brett Hahkala, meanwhile, was selected for the PITA Award (i.e., pain in the butt) for being the player most effective in getting under the opposition’s skin.
Hahkala, a 19-year-old from Fort Frances, also led the team in scoring with 22 goals and 28 assists in 46 games–making him a double threat for opposing teams.
Gnidziejko also won the leadership award.
The veteran netminder led by example both on and off the ice, and was a no-brainer for this honour, as well.
And the Bev Kotnik Memorial Award, a tribute to the much-loved member of the Lakers’ board of directors who succumbed to cancer in 2016, was presented to Drobnick for his contributions as a community volunteer.
