Austin Daae has earned a major recognition for his stellar play in his final season of junior hockey.
The Estevan Bruins left winger was named the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's player of the year on Monday, beating out fellow finalists Tad Kozun of the Nipawin Hawks and Sam Aulie of the Notre Dame Hounds.
Among the other award winners, Battlefords North Stars goalie Michael Gudmandson was named most valuable player, Kale Thomson of the Yorkton Terriers was awarded goalie of the year, Yorkton's Chase Norrish was named defenceman of the year, Humboldt Broncos goalie Ryland Pashovitz was recognized as rookie of the year, and Jamie Fiesel of the Melville Millionaires was named coach of the year.
All of the awards except for coach of the year were voted on by league media.
Daae, 20, said the honour will be something to remember for a long time.
"I'm excited about it now, but it's one of those things you look back on when you're older and it's on your resume, no one can ever take it away from you. It's exciting and it's an honour."
The Estevan native led the SJHL in scoring this year with 30 goals and 71 points. He was the first Bruin to do that since Scott Burfoot in 1988.
He also put up five goals and four assists in 10 playoff games.
Daae, who was also a finalist for league MVP, said the player of the year award is "another thing to look back on a pretty good year."
Bruins head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood said it's good to see Daae receive accolades for his efforts this year.
"It's nice because sometimes as an organization or a coach, you have players within your club that you feel deserve to be recognized and so seldom do you see it happen. It's nice to see him be rewarded.
"I think Austin was given an opportunity and ran with it."
After spending most of the last two years in the Western Hockey League, Daae said it was important to spend his last season in one place and find some consistency.
"It was good. I think that's what I needed. I never got to really be the player I wanted to be, and this year was (about) getting a lot of confidence back and playing the way you want to play, and getting your name out there as that kind of player."
