THUNDER BAY – Sports – The Superior International Junior Hockey League announced Thursday its’ first-ever CCM first and second all-star teams for the 2013-14 season.
Each of the awards, which are presented by CCM Hockey, recognizes the individual accomplishments of six forwards, four defencemen and two goaltenders during regular season play in the SIJHL.
Along with the players, a pair of head coaches, two general managers and trio of individuals who serve in trainer and/or equipment manager capacities with the their respective clubs have been honoured for their efforts during the 2013-14 campaign.
The top two teams in the SIJHL standings, in the Fort Frances Lakers and Thunder Bay North Stars, dominated the award winners with the two Canadian Junior Hockey League ranked clubs garnering 14 of the 18 selections in voting done in conjunction with team coaching staffs and general managers.
The Minnesota Iron Rangers and Dryden Ice Dogs both had a defenceman earn accolades while the first-year English River Miners picked up two of the staff honours.
“We at the SIJHL would like to recognize the recipients of these well-deserved CCM all-star awards for their significant contributions on and off the ice,” stated SIJHL President/Commissioner Ron Whitehead.
“A special note of acknowledgment also goes out to CCM Hockey for their commitment and partnership of the first annual CCM first and second all-star teams,” added Whitehead.
The following are the CCM first and second all-star team recipients for the 2013-14 SIJHL season.
CCM 1ST ALL-STAR TEAM
FORWARD: LUCAS DEBENEDET, FORT FRANCES LAKERS – Was the leading point producer in the SIJHL with 112. … Led all skaters in the league in goals with 48. … 41 of his tallies came while the Lakers were at even strength or shorthanded. … Second overall in game-winning goals with seven. … Finished second overall in assists with 64. … 18-year-old Debenedet hails from International Falls, Minn.
FORWARD: MASON MEYER, FORT FRANCES LAKERS – Finished fourth in SIJHL scoring with 90 points. … Third in the league in goals with 40. … Fourth in assists with 50. … His 13 power play markers tied him for second among all skaters in the SIJHL. … Also hails from International Falls, Minn.
FORWARD: DANIEL DEL PAGGIO, THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS – Topped all SIJHL players in point-per-game average at 2.06. … Led the league in assists with 69. …Notched 36 goals and was second in league scoring with 105 points. …Is the second youngest player in the league. … Thunder Bay product wrapped up the regular season by registering at least one point in each of the last 36 games he played in. … Was only held pointless four times in 2013-14 and just once in his last 46 outings dating back to Oct. 8. …Tied for second in power play goals with 13. … Shared third overall in game-winners with six.
DEFENCE: CODY WICKSTROM, FORT FRANCES LAKERS – Tied for second in offensive production among SIJHL blueliners with 38 points while also helping stabilize the Lakers’ defensive corps. … Had seven goals of which two were game-winners. … 20-year-old D-man is from Marquette, Mich.
DEFENCE: AUSTIN FRANK, MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS – Led all both the Iron Rangers as well as SIJHL defencemen in points with 42. … Also topped all blueliners in goals with 15. …20-year-old D-man hails from De Pere, Wis.
GOALTENDER: ERIC MANN, THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS – The 18-year-old Thunder Bay native produced 21 victories in his rookie season in the league against just five losses and four overtime or shootout setbacks. … Played more minutes than any goaltender in the league during regular season play. … Finished in the top five in both goals-against average and save percentage.
COACH: WAYNE STRACHAN, FORT FRANCES LAKERS – Led his team to the best record in the SIJHL at 46-6-2-2. … His club was also tabbed fifth in the final Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings of the 2013-14-season. … His efforts behind the bench helped his team record the most victories of any Fort Frances-based team in SIJHL history, which includes the Fort Frances Jr. Sabres and Borderland Thunder.
GENERAL MANAGER: WAYNE STRACHAN, FORT FRANCES LAKERS – Built the roster that was an impressive 46-6-2-2 on the season finish regular season with the best record in the SIJHL. … Also named to the first all-star team at head coach.
TRAINER/EQUIPMENT MANAGER: DALE COOPER/DWAYNE SINCLAIR, FORT FRANCES LAKERS – The Lakers duo of Dale Cooper and Dwayne Sinclair share first team all-star laurels for their efforts. … The duo were instrumental in handling all of Fort Frances’ training and equipment needs both home and away while also assisting opposing teams when required.
CCM 2ND ALL-STAR TEAM
FORWARD: LYNDON LIPINSKI, FORT FRANCES LAKERS – Finished an impressive third in SIJHL scoring with 91 points for league-leading Fort Frances. …Was fourth in the league in goals with 39 and third in assists with 52. … Tied for second in power play goals with 13. … His six game-winners tied him for the third most in the league. … Hails from Grande Prairie, Alta.
FORWARD: MATTHIAS GARDIMAN, THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS – Was a 31-goal, 46-point man for the North Stars during the regular season. … Finished sixth in SIJHL scoring with his 77 points. … Had four power play tallies, four more shorthanded and supplied four game-winners. … Notched five hat tricks during the campaign. … A Thunder Bay native.
FORWARD: ZACH GRZELEWSKI, THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS – As the youngest player in the SIJHL, Grzelewski finished second overall in goals with 43. … Led the league in power play goals with 17. …Fifth in overall points with 79. … Thunder Bay product was only held pointless three times since mid-December.
DEFENCE: TIM KAVANAUGH, DRYDEN ICE DOGS – Produced 32 points in 36 games for the Ice Dogs. … Veteran D-man from Eagle River scored 11 times and doled out 21 assists in 36 games for Dryden. … Boasted the best point-per-game average among SIJHL defencemen among those who played more than half of their team’s games at 0.89.
DEFENCE: TIM CAVAR, THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS – North Stars assistant captain nearly tripled his offensive totals from a year ago by picking up 32 points in 51 games on six goals and 26 assists. … Four of his markers came on the power play. … Also helped stabilize his club’s defensive zone efforts. …19-year-old D-man is from Thunder Bay.
GOALTENDER: JORDAN CARTNEY, FORT FRANCES LAKERS – Was first in the league among eligible goaltenders in both goals-against average and save percentage at 2.48 and .911 respectively. …Played the third most minutes of any netminder in the league. … Topped all goaltenders in wins with 24. … Cartney, who just turned 20 earlier this month, tied for the league lead in shutouts with three. … Is from Calgary, Alta.
COACH: JEREMY ADDUONO, THUNDER BAY NORTH STARS – First year coach in the SIJHL guided his club to the second best overall record in the league, including 40 wins, despite seeing his side suffer 200 man-games lost due to injury. … His team played the whole season without making one roster move other than the use of affiliates. … Saw his team ranked 15th in the final CJHL rankings.
GENERAL MANAGER: KEVIN KAHOOT, ENGLISH RIVER MINERS – Helped build a first-year team that was very respectable both on and off the ice. … Also serves as head coach of the team. … His combined efforts as both GM and coach helped English River finish fourth in the SIJHL standings. … Is the Mayor of Ear Falls, where the Miners are based out of.
TRAINER/EQUIPMENT MANAGER: MARTHA PARIS, ENGLISH RIVER MINERS – Was recognized for putting in countless hours with the team both home and away in her capacity as athletic trainer with the Miners.
ABOUT THE CCM 1ST & 2ND ALL-STAR TEAMS – This marks the first time in the 13-season history of the SIJHL that that league has awarded first and second all-star teams. Through partnership with CCM Hockey the two all-star squads honours the elite talent within the league both on and off the ice as well as behind the bench.
ABOUT CCM HOCKEY – CCM is the legendary hockey brand that has been rooted in performance for over a century. CCM Hockey offers the innovation and performance that will help write the next chapter in the history of the game. … Your legend starts here.
