Staff
It was time to hand out the hardware.
The Fort Frances Lakers honoured the cream of this year’s crop at the team’s annual awards banquet Saturday afternoon at La Place Rendez-Vous.
To no one’s surprise, forward Jared Virtanen carted home the trophy as most valuable player.
Despite being injured for two significant stretches, including his current arm problem that has him out of action, Virtanen put together a terrific 74-point season in just 44 games.
Barring a late flurry from linemate Dylan Kooner over the team’s final four games, that’s enough to make the 20-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C. the team’s scoring champion this season.
Virtanen, the cousin of Vancouver Canucks’ prospect Jake Virtanen, currently leads the SIJHL in assists (52) and is fourth overall in points behind the Dryden GM Ice Dogs’ trio of Braeden Allkins (90), Jacen Bracko (76), and Braedyn Aubin (75).
The best defenceman award went to Ryan Gazich, who returned to the Lakers part-way through the season after spending four games with the Kenai River Brown Bears, who picked him in the seventh round of the NAHL draft last spring.
Gazich, a 20-year-old from Eagan, Mn., has 27 points in 40 games this season.
Kenora native Connor Keith was chosen as rookie of the year.
The 18-year-old defenceman has 17 points in 41 games during his first campaign with the Lakers.
Jack Bernie, another Kenora product, was tapped as the team’s most improved player.
The 19-year-old forward is tied for fourth in team scoring with 30 points in 51 games after notching just 21 points in 49 games last season.
The most dedicated player honour went to defenceman Mark Richter, an 18-year-old from Eden Prairie, Mn. who has six points in 43 games.
Ian Jarvis earned the most gentlemanly player award.
The 19-year-old from Quesnel, B.C. recorded just six penalty minutes in 52 games this season to go along with 20 points.
Tyler Malpass 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.
Malpass, a 17-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, has 27 points in 43 games this season.
And captain Dylan Kooner won the leadership award.
The third-year Laker and 20-year-old native of Abbotsford leads the team in goals (31) and is second in points with 62 in 51 games.
A new award closed out the proceedings.
The inaugural Bev Kotnik Memorial Award, a tribute to the much-loved member of the Lakers’ board of directors who succumbed to cancer last year, was presented to defenceman Brandon Zajicek for his contributions as a community volunteer.
Zajicek, a 20-year-old from Albertville, Mn., has chalked up 24 points in 34 games this season.
