After becoming the first Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League player since 2011 to crack the 100-point plateau in the regular season, Battlefords North Stars captain Layne Young has been rewarded for his efforts.
The 20-year-old from Frenchman Butte was named the 2017-18 SJHL's most valuable player and player of the year Sunday as the league announced their year-end award winners.
Young, who was the SJHL's rookie of the year winner in 2016, has already wrapped up the league scoring title with 105 points in 55 games following a three-assist performance Saturday in a 6-1 win over the Humboldt Broncos.
The future Saskatchewan Huskies forward is the first player to win all three awards since former Melfort Mustangs forward Travis Mayan took home the honours in 2015.
Goaltender Michael Gudmanson was the last North Stars player to win the most valuable player award in 2014, while Cody Loughelan was the last member of the team to lead the SJHL in scoring with 91 points in the 1999-2000 season.
According to Elite Prospects, no one from the North Stars had previously won the player of the year honours, but the archives for that award are incomplete.
Levi Kleiboer was a finalist for the defenceman of the year honours this season, which was won by Josh McDougall of the Nipawin Hawks.
There was a tie for two year-end awards, which were voted on by members of the media.
Nipawin's Declan Hobbs and Justen Close of the Kindersley Klippers split the goaltender of the year honours, while the rookie of the year accolades were shared by Weyburn Red Wings forward Cade Kowalski and Humboldt Broncos netminder Jacob Wassermann.
The coach of the year award, which is voted on by the 12 bench bosses in the SJHL, was won for the second straight season by Nipawin's Doug Johnston.
