Nipawin Hawks give hardware to players

There will be no league championship in Nipawin this year but there were plenty of awards to go around.

After falling 3-0 in Game 7 of their best of seven series against the Flin Flon Bombers, the Hawks hosted their annual awards banquet.

The Hawks handed out 18 awards to ten different players, with the big winner of the evening being captain Carter Doerksen, who took home four awards.

Doerksen called it a big honour to take home four awards.

“To have my teammates think of me in that regard that’s just an honour. I’m just trying to do my job and just help lead the boys and the way they respect me and honour me, it was pretty awesome.”

Among the awards Doerksen took home was the most popular player award, which Doerksen admitted came as a big surprise.

“I’m definitely not the most skilled guy out there so I wasn’t really expecting that award but that’s really cool to have that support.”

Doerksen also won most the most dedicated award, most inspirational award and the community services award.

Getting out in the community is especially important for Doerksen, saying it is always something he has liked to do.

“They support us immensely so anything I can do to give back, that’s easy for us just getting out with the fans, getting out with the kids.”

Not far behind Doerksen in the award haul was Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Most Valuable Player and Top Goalie, Kristian Stead, who took how the regular season and playoff MVP awards, and the first start overall award.

Winning both MVP awards “means a lot”, said Stead, who was quick to credit his teammates for helping him win the award.

“They’re the biggest part of that and it’s just a reflection on how great they were this year.”

While this is Stead’s final season in Nipawin he admitted he has not put much thought into being able to take home the awards in his final year.

“My main goal when I got to Nipawin was to hang a banner there and unfortunately we couldn’t do that but I don’t regret my two years in Nipawin at all and it worked out pretty well.”

One of the players who contributed to Stead’s great numbers was forward Grant Baetsen, who took home two awards, including top defensive forward.

“Putting pucks in the net is important but for me it’s just as important to keep pucks out. My line the whole year, that’s what we did well. We always shut down their top line and kept them from scoring and that’s what I do well,” said Baetsen.

In addition to winning top defensive forward, Baetsen also took home most underrated player honours, which meant a lot, he says.

“They see I’m out there penalty killing. I don’t put up the most points but they definitely recognize I’m playing my role well.”

The Hawks also said goodbye to seven players from this year’s squad, including Stead, Josh Bly, Keegan Milligan, Eric Bolden, Nicholas Riemer, Keegan Kjargaard and Tanner Reynolds.