Four SIJHL players up for CJHL awards

Staff

The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) has recently announced the finalists for its awards for the 2018-19 season, with four SIJHL-based players being named for the accolades.
Each of the finalists were determined in voting completed by each of the CJHL’s 10-member leagues for their respective efforts during the course of the regular season.
Up for the CJHL’s Top Rookie Award is forward Bryce Young of the Red Lake Miners.
The 19-year-old The Pas, Man. product had a tremendous campaign in the SIJHL while also leading his club in offensive production.
His 60 goals during the regular season were the second-most markers in a single campaign by any skater in league history and he also went on to add 41 assists for a total of 101 points.
Young also topped all SIJHL skaters in both power play and shorthanded tallies with 15 and seven, respectively, while chipping in with five game-winning markers.
Among his other notable accomplishments in 2018-19 were registering a point on over 36 percent of his team’s tallies during the year, topping the league in shorthanded points with nine, and he was named to compete in the SIJHL All-Star Game where he dished out a pair of assists.
He was earlier named the SIJHL Rookie of the Year as well for his contributions on the ice with Red Lake and also was named a 1st Team SIJHL All-Star at the forward position.
Keighan Gerrie of the Thunder Bay North Stars, meanwhile, was named a finalist for the CJHL’s Top Forward Award.
The Thunder Bay product–who just turned 18 in April–was rated 129th (sixth-highest ranked CJHL forward) by NHL Central Scouting in their final draft rankings for the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver in June.
Gerrie captured the SIJHL scoring title with a league-best 102 points in just 54 games by notching 41 goals and adding 61 assists while also supplying seven game-winning goals, which were just two off the league-lead.
He is committed to attend Bowling Green State University (WCHA) on NCAA Division I scholarship in 2020 and was named SIJHL Rookie of the Year in 2017-18.
Gerrie has accumulated 153 points in 107 career contests, including 65 tallies.
He skated for Team West at the 2019 CJHL Prospects Game in Okotoks, Alta. and was named to participate in the SIJHL All-Star Game.
Gerrie also was selected as an SIJHL 1st Team All-Star at forward.
Kyle Auger of the North Stars was named a finalist for the CJHL’s Top Defenceman Award.
Auger was a unanimous selection in voting for SIJHL Top Defenceman honours, as the 20-year-old Thunder Bay product had a tremendous campaign leading all SIJHL defencemen in goals (33), assists (69), points (102), game-winning goals (eight), power play tallies (eight), and man-advantage assists (19).
His overall point total established a league record for the most in a single season by a blueliner.
Auger’s overall offensive totals saw him finish in tie for top spot, but he was credited as the runner-up due to less goals scored–eight fewer than teammate Keighan Gerrie.
Auger was selected to take part in the SIJHL All-Star Game and was named a league 1st Team All-Star on defence in 2018-19.
He also was named the SIJHL’s Performer of the Month for November.
In 80 career league games, Auger has scored 48 times and added 92 assists for 140 points. Of his 48 goals, 14 have been game-winners.
The Thunder Bay native still has one more year left of junior ‘A’ eligibility.
And Brock Aiken of the North Stars named a finalist for the CJHL’s Top Goaltender Award.
The 20-year-old Thunder Bay native led all SIJHL netminders in goals-against average (2.12), save percentage (.931), and shutouts (eight) during the course of the campaign and his overall efforts saw him post an impressive 23-2-1-0 record.
Of note, Aiken’s league-best eight shutouts in 2018-19 were just two off the SIJHL single-season record of 10–set by another Top Goaltender Award honouree in current Buffalo Sabres’ netminder Carter Hutton, who back during the 2005-06 season helped lead the North Stars to a Bill Salonen Cup crown, a Dudley-Hewitt Cup title, and a semifinal berth at the Canadian National Jr. ‘A’ Championship.
Aiken was named to participate in the 2018-19 SIJHL All-Star Game and was also selected as an SIJHL 1st Team All-Star in goal.
He also had 16 starts during the 2018-19 season where he allowed two or fewer goals.