By Greg Nikkel
The Weyburn Red Wings Junior A Hockey Club marked one of their best-ever regular seasons with their team awards night, held Friday at McKenna Hall.
Prior to the presentation of all the hardware for the team’s top awards, team president Larry Tribiger spoke, and coach Bryce Thoma talked about the six graduating 20-year-old players who will be moving on from the Red Wings.
“They’ve given us one of the best seasons in franchise history,” said Tribiger. “I’m sure there’ll lots of playoff action that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.”
He pointed out the Red Wings placed first in the Viterra Division, and third overall in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), and “that just didn’t seem to be good enough for these guys, and they gave us more.”
A highlight of this squad, he added, is that it seemed most every week a player was named as a forward or defenceman of the week or of the month, and at the end of the season, goalie Jack Burgart was named as the SJHL’s Goalie of the Year.
Thoma talked about each of the six graduating players, sharing stories and anecdotes before assistant coach Wes Rudy presented plaques to each one.
The graduating players included Burgart, who ends three years of junior hockey and has a scholarship to Bemidji State; Jacob Jeske, who had three years of junior hockey; Jarrett Fontaine, who’s played five years in junior hockey and was acquired from Humboldt this year; Mason Anderson, three years; Weyburn’s Tucker Neuberger, who played two years in junior hockey; and captain Josh Cronin, who also played for two years.
Two were finds of Ron Rumball, Burgart and Jeske, while Neuberger was noted as a young player who came to the rink wanting to play hockey.
“I want guys who like the game of hockey and want to improve,” said Thoma, adding, “I tell the guys they should play hockey as long as they can. We want guys that want to play here. If they go to school after, then they should play hockey there.”
Noting their players came from all over, including a number from B.C., Alaska and even one from California, Thoma said, “It really doesn’t matter where they’re from. If they can play hockey and can skate and shoot, we’ll take them.”
Offering a comment about his relationship to other coaches in the SJHL, Thoma said, “There are certain coaches in the league I like, and certain coaches I dislike. At certain times, I get upset at things the other guys do.”
In a reference to the coach of the Estevan Bruins, with whom he had some words after the end of the season-ending game at Crescent Point Place, he said, “I don’t send guys out on the ice to fight. I will never do that.”
He added that he had hoped the Red Wings would meet the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, but instead will be facing the Flin Flon Bombers, with two home games to start, on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19.
The presentation of the team awards followed, with the annual auction of team jerseys postponed until later in the playoffs.
Burgart was named as the Weyburn Credit Union Award for the Most Valuable Player, to go along with his league award as Goalie of the Year.
The Weyburn Security Award for Gentlemanly Conduct went to Elvis Jansons, who compiled no penalty minutes over the season.
The NSWB Law Firm’s Community Service Award had two winners this year, Ian Parker and Connor Burk.
Burk also took home the Dee Jay’s KFC Award for Most Popular Player, as selected by the fans.
The Minard’s Leisure World award for Most Valuable Defenceman went to Mike Eskra, while the Barber Motors Award for the Most Valuable Forward went to Drake Glover, who had 47 points in 48 games.
The York Jewellers Award for the Most Improved Red Wing Player went to Jayden Syrota, and Weyburn Co-op Award for the Top Red Wing Scorer was given to Braden Mellon. He accumulated 106 points on the season, and was one of three players who played in all 58 games of the regular season.
The Weimer’s Hometown Award for the Best Defensive Forward went to Jake Wozney, who had 27 points on the season.
The Nick Elchuk Memorial Award for the Most Popular Player as chosen by his teammates was given to backup goalie Carter Phair, while the Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by Altus Geomatics, went to Donavon Lumb.
The Marcel Labelle Memorial Award for the Red Wing Displaying Dedication went to Tucker Neuberger, while the Graham Christie Memorial Award for the Most Inspirational Red Wing went to the team captain, Josh Cronin. The Larry’s Sewer Service Award for Rookie of the Year went to Ty Brown.
