The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League unveiled their year-end award winners, with a pair of Nipawin Hawks taking home three awards.
Doug Johnson, the Hawks’ head coach, took home Coach of the Year, while Hawks goaltender Kristian Stead was named Top Goaltender and the league’s Most Valuable Player.
The Coach of the Year Honour was Johnson’s second of his career and came as a bit of a surprise, he said, noting there are many terrific candidates throughout the league.
“If you win the award, if you don’t win the award, it doesn’t change how you coach. It doesn’t change the opinion you have of yourself but it’s a nice feather in the cap.”
The award itself is a reflection of the entire organization, said Johnson, who was quick to credit everyone from the scouting staff, to the board, right down to the assistant coaches, trainers and players.
Johnson was voted as Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches.
“That adds that little cherry on top and makes it that much more important.”
Johnson has had a number of great teams over the last number of years but said the difference this year is added depth, saying they have more lines that can score, a tremendous goaltending tandem and an underrated defensive core.
“And that’s not saying anything about past teams. We’re just a little different makeup this year.”
Part of that tremendous goaltending tandem is Stead, who called it a big honour to claim a pair of SJHL awards, noting it was not something he put much thought into.
“I think most of that’s just a reflection of how good our team’s been down the stretch here. I think we’ve had four lines rolling, six D and the guys make my job a little easier they’ve been playing so well.”
Johnson has seen Stead put in a tremendous amount of work throughout the year, which culminated in goals against below two, and a league best save percentage, as well a league high in wins and shutouts, and said he was really pleased to see Stead rewarded for his hard work.
“That’s way more special than getting Coach of the Year, is seeing the players being recognized because we get paid to do this, they don’t... So to see the hard work rewarded, [I’m] very happy for Kristian. It couldn’t happen to a better person.”
While the awards are nice, Stead said there is only one thing he is worried about and that is having a deep playoff run.
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