The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League has announced its Eddie Mountain Division award winners.
The league annually recognizes on-ice excellence with awards for most valuable player, top scorer, top defenceman, top goaltender, rookie of the year, most sportsmanlike player, coach of the year and general manager of the year. Divisional winners are named ahead of the KIJHL playoffs. Overall league honourees will be announced later.
Luke Davies, Kimberley Dynamiters – Most Valuable Player and Top Scorer
Davies earned both top player honours in the division after recording 25 goals and 33 assists for 58 points in 36 games. He averaged 1.61 points per game and finished plus-52.
The second-year forward added 25 points on the power play and scored three game-winning goals. He also contributed three short-handed goals and was twice named to the KIJHL Team of the Week.
Jackson Murphy, Kimberley Dynamiters – Top Defenceman
Murphy ranked third among league defencemen in scoring with six goals and 40 assists for 46 points in 43 games. He averaged more than 21 minutes of ice time per game and posted a plus-52 rating.
The veteran blueliner collected 20 power-play points and earned three Team of the Week selections. He was also named the league’s top defenceman for October and November.
Leo den Besten, Fernie Ghostriders – Top Goaltender
Den Besten led the league with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in 25 games. He compiled a 16-5-1 record with three shutouts.
The St. Albert, Alta., native was selected to the Team of the Week four times and recorded a four-game winning streak between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7.
Hayden Iron Shirt, Golden Rockets – Rookie of the Year
Iron Shirt finished third in rookie scoring with 57 points, including 22 goals and 35 assists, in 40 games. His assist total led all first-year players.
The Lethbridge, Alta., product, a draft pick of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, also spent time with the Vancouver Giants. He scored five game-winning goals and averaged 22 minutes per game.
Peter Godley, Columbia Valley Rockies – Most Sportsmanlike Player
Godley recorded 51 points in 42 games while spending just eight minutes in penalties. The Calgary native added 17 goals and 34 assists and finished plus-21.
Jed Houseman, Golden Rockets – Coach of the Year
Houseman guided the Rockets to a 23-18-3 record and 49 points, good for third place in the division.
Golden posted an 82.2 per cent penalty kill and was led offensively by Iron Shirt. Goaltender Beck Boiteau went 20-11-1 with a .917 save percentage and a 3.18 goals-against average.
Derek Stuart, Kimberley Dynamiters – General Manager of the Year
Stuart was recognized after Kimberley finished 31-9-2-2 in 44 games for 66 points, placing fourth overall in the league.
The Dynamiters scored 201 goals and allowed 121. Key additions during the season included forwards Braeden Jack, Jaden Rusznak and Brayden Schwartz, defencemen Owen Bambrick and John Lozeman, and goaltender Connor Baumbach.
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