SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Photo credit: Clint Bruyere
Dylan Kooner of the Fort Frances Lakers named SIJHL’s most sportsmanlike player
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League announced Wednesday that Fort Frances Lakers captain Dylan Kooner has won the SIJHL’s most sportsmanlike player award for the 2016-17 campaign.
Kooner claimed the honour over fellow most sportsmanlike player nominees Jacen Bracko of the Dryden GM Ice Dogs and Brad Thrower of the Thunder Bay North Stars, in voting completed by each of the league’s member clubs.
Having played in all 54 games with the Lakers so far this season, the 20-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., product has incurred just seven minor penalties in total.
On the ice, Kooner has set personal single-season highs in goals and points with 35 and 66 respectively.
He also enters the final week of the regular season tied for fifth in league scoring.
In 139 career contests with Fort Frances, the forward has only recorded 44 penalty minutes in all while averaging over a point-per-game with 144, including 60 tallies.
In capturing the award, Kooner becomes the fifth player from a Fort Frances-based franchise in the 16-year history of the SIJHL to earn most sportsmanlike player honours.
Andrew Willner won the award last season while Jacob Nolan garnered accolades for the Lakers back in 2012-13 as did Tyler Stevenson in 2010-11.
Meanwhile former Borderland Thunder forward A.J. Tucker was a co-recipient back in 2002-03.
The following are the SIJHL’s all-time most sportsmanlike player award honourees:
2016-17: Dylan Kooner, Fort Frances Lakers
2015-16: Andrew Willner, Fort Frances Lakers
2014-15: Evan Erickson, Minnesota Iron Rangers
2013-14: Matthias Gardiman, Thunder Bay North Stars
2012-13: Jacob Nolan, Fort Frances Lakers
2011-12: Dane Morin, Sioux Lookout Flyers
2010-11: Tyler Stevenson, Fort Frances Lakers
2009-10: Mike Lennon, Dryden Ice Dogs
2008-09: Joel Langevin, Fort William North Stars
2007-08: Michael Thibert, Thunder Bay Bulldogs
2006-07: Justin Gvora, Thunder Bay Bearcats (Co-winner)
2006-07: Josh Slobodian, Fort William North Stars (Co-winner)
2005-06: Tyler Tesh, Dryden Ice Dogs
2004-05: Steve Atkins, Fort William North Stars
2003-04: Joel Poshtar, Dryden Ice Dogs
2002-03: A.J. Tucker, Borderland Thunder (Co-winner)
2002-03: Eric Robin, K&A Golden Hawks (Co-winner)
2001-02: Charlie Washipabano, Featherman Hawks