First place in the SJHL and the Finning Division does not come easily. The North Stars have had an incredible season to date, reaching the milestone with 40 wins and a shot at being crowned regular season champions with a victory against Humboldt. The accolades the players are receiving comes with the territory. Here is a full breakdown of the weekly and yearly awards the SJHL has dished out.
Igor Leonenko has been a man on a mission all season long. Second in the league in scoring with 43 goals and 41 assists, Leonenko has a legitimate opportunity to etch his name in the North Stars scoring record books, and become the leading scorer in the SJHL at the end of the season. The 20-year-old is just one of two players in the league to have 40 or more goals. He is currently riding a nine-game point streak, and is coming off a five-goal, one assist weekend in the series against Flin Flon. He also added two goals and two assists against Humboldt in the game prior to the Bombers. This has earned him the rights to the SJHLs player of the week, an award he has won numerous times. Recently, the big forward has been honoured with the Finning Division MVP. Leonenko leads the most potent offence in the SJHL and has been instrumental in their season success this year. He has 11 multi-point games and, you can expect more from him before this campaign is over.
Rookie Layne Young has eclipsed all expectations, including his own. After a successful AAA season with the Stars, Young has transitioned into the spotlight of the North Stars with tremendous efficiency. He is this weeks Rookie of the Week, and has been nominated for Rookie of the Year, all while being announced as a member of the SJHL’s All Rookie Team. He is currently the leading rookie scorer in the SJHL and was leading the nation (CJHL) at one point. This week, Young amassed a goal and four assists in three games and is currently riding a eleven-game point streak. Young has 23 goals and 49 assists this year.
Linemate Coby Downs and defenceman Cody Spagrud join him on the all rookie squad. Downs, himself, could easily be next in line for the Rookie of the Year nod. He has won the weekly award three different times while exploding in the second half of the season. Number 16 is currently on a eight-game point streak while accumulating 27 goals and 43 assists this year. He is 9th in the SJHL in scoring. Spagrud has had himself a great offensive season for a defenceman, eclipsing more points at the Junior A level than he did at AAA. He has two goals and 23 assists this year, which ranks him 11th among all defencemen.
Connor Sych has earned a nomination for Defenceman of the Year. Sych has been an integral part of the North Stars run, and is a key cog on the blue-line for the best team in the Finning Division. The defenceman logs an incredible amount of minutes on a nightly basis, all while being playing a big role on the power play and penalty kill units. The defensive-minded player has shown that he can play a two-way game this year. Sych led all defenceman in points for the majority of the season, and now sits in third with eight goals and 25 assists.
Newly acquired Tyler Fuhr earned the SJHL Goalie of the Week nod after back-to-back wins against a strong Flin Flon Bombers team. Since being acquired from the Estevan Bruins, Fuhr is 6-0-1 with the North Stars and continues to be an incredible back stop. The netminder stopped 19 of 20 shots Friday before putting together a 33-save performance the following night in a 5-2 win.
