2009 - 2010 NPHL Awards
NPHL announces award winners, All-Star teams
Jason Bouchard of the Falher Pirates tops the list of North Peace Hockey League award winners announced by NPHL president Jack McAvoy Feb. 10. A panel of five was selected to conduct the votiong.
2009-10 North Peace Hockey League Awards
Most Valuable Player: Jason Bouchard, Falher Pirates
Rookie-of-the-Year: Darren Walker, Hythe Mustangs
Coach-of-the-Year: Wade Wallan, Hythe Mustangs (tie)
Ryan Widdifield, Grande Prairie Athletics (tie)
Most Gentlemanly Player: Jordan Bombier, Grande Prairie Athletics
*Best Goaltender: David Larson, Grande Prairie Athletics
Best Defenceman: Adam Loncan, Dawson Creek Canucks
(*) denote unanimous pick.
East Division All-Star Team
Goaltender: Ian Chwok, High Prairie Regals
Defence: Scott Hicks, Falher Pirates
Defence: Graham Campbell, Peace River Stampeders
Centre: Jason Bouchard, Falher Pirates
Left Wing: Daniel Aubin, Falher Pirates
Right Wing: Tyler Shantz, Lakeland Eagles
West Division All-Star Team
Goaltender: David Larson, Grande Prairie Athletics
Defence: Adam Loncan, Dawson Creek Canucks
Donny Lloyd, Fort St. John Flyers
Centre: David Alexander, Fort St. John Flyers
Left Wing: Chris Stevens, Dawson Creek Canucks
Right Wing: Mark Wallman, Grande Prairie Athletics
Bouchard wins first MVP award
Jason Bouchard of the Falher Pirates was chosen as the MVP after being named by all five members of the voting panel. Bouchard only received one first place vote but five second place votes and a third.
Bouchard, the undisputed leader of the Pirates, led the team in scoring with 26-44-70 points and was 27 points ahead of his nearest teammate. Overall, he was second in league scoring behind Lakeland’s Tyler Shantz.
Grande Prairie Athletics’ goaltender David Larson was second despite receiving two first place votes to Bouchard’s one.
Bouchard becomes the first Pirate to win NPHL MVP honours in 26 years since Glen White in 1984-85. According to available league records, Bouchard is only the fourth Pirate to win the award. Roger Gervais and Mike Martel also won MVP awards.
Mustang’s goalie wins Rookie-of-the-Year award
Darren Walker of the Hythe Mustangs was named NPHL Rookie-of-the-Year winner after receiving one more point (11-10) than Adam Horst of the Fort St. John Flyers.
Walker was Hythe’s first string goalie. He posted a 3-7 record in the tough West Division with a respectable GAA of 6.14. Facing NPHL powers Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Grande Prairie most nights, he was able to keep the Mustangs in many games.
Walker becomes the first Mustang to win Rookie-of-the-Year honours and the first goaltender to win the award in 11 years since Valleyview’s Ryan Eggen won in 1998-99.
Davin Bull, Dawson Creek’s goaltender, placed only two points behind Walker in voting which was extremely close.
Wallan wins second straight coaching award; Widdifield also honoured
Wade Wallan of the Hythe Mustangs has won his second straight NPHL Coach-of-the-Year award but he has some company at the top.
Grande Prairie Athletics’ coach Ryan Widdifield tied for the award as both coaches received 11 points. Another West Division coach, Randy Muise of the Dawson Creek Canucks, placed third only two points behind.
Wallan was recognized for keeping Hythe in the battle for top playoff position all season despite having less talent on his roster. Widdifield managed to guide the Athletics to second place in the West Division, one point ahead of Dawson Creek.
Wallan is the only Mustang to win Coach-of-the-Year honours.
Meanwhile, Widdifield becomes the second Athletics coach to win the award. Fraser Berg won the award in 2007-08 when he tied with Falher’s Bob Maisonneuve for the award.
Bombier wins second Most Gentlemanly Player award
Jordan Bombier of the Grande Prairie Athletics has won his second NPHL Most Gentlemanly Player award.
Bombier, who also won the award in 2005-06, continues to play the game at a high level and sportsmanship manner. He had only four PIMs this season in 20 games while scoring 8-13-21 points. In his career, Bombier has played 193 games and only amassed 58 PIMs. Perhaps even more amazing is he received no stick foul penalties this season and only has five in his entire NPHL career for 10 minutes.
The award is the third for Bombier’s trophy case. He alaos won NPHL Rookie-of-the-Year honours in 2002-03.
Bombier is still the only Athletics’ player to win Most Gentlemanly Player honours.
Larson named Best Goaltender
David Larson of the Grande Prairie Athletics has won his first Best Goaltender award, stopping the three-year streak by Fort St. John’s Troy Hunt, who finished in a four-way tie for second.
Larson was a unanimous selection by the panel, the only player to accomplish the feat this season.
Larson posted a 7-6 record this season and 4.29 GAA which placed him second behind Hunt. Larson’s record was not boosted by the fact he played against East team; he did not play in four of the games this season. But, Hunt could also make the same claim.
Larson becomes the first Athletics player to win the award and marks the ninth straight season a player from the West Division has won the award.
Loncan wins first Best Defenceman award
Adam Loncan became the second Dawson Creek Canucks’ player to win Best Defenceman honours after outdistancing Donny Lloyd of the Fort St. John Flyers by only four points in voting.
Loncan’s 5-30-35 points was fourth on DC’s club as he helped lead the Canucks to a third place finish in the West Division, only one point behind Grande Prairie.
Kip Noble, who placed third in voting, won three straight Best Defencemen awards with Dawson Creek from 2001-02 to 2003-04. Noble also won the award in 2004-05 and 2006-07 with Horse Lake and 2007-08 and 2008-09 with Fort St. John.
Pirates dominate East All-Star Team
Three Falher Pirates were named to the East Division All-Star Team.
Jason Bouchard, the league’s MVP, was named to the team. It’s Bouchard’s first first team All-Star award; he was selected to the second team at centre in 2007-08. He had 26-44-70 points this season and was second in league scoring.
Joining him on the team are two first-time winners. Scott Hicks (11-17-28 points) was selected on defence while Daniel Aubin (18-21-39) was selected at left wing.
Peace River’s Graham Campbell (1-10-11 points) is also a first time All-Star after his selection on defence. Campbell and Hicks were selected mainly for strong defensive play rather than huge point totals.
The NPHL’s leading scorer, Tyler Shantz (40-46-86 points) of the Lakeland Eagles, was selected on right wing. It is Shantz’s six All-Star selection; he has previously won MVP honours twice.
High Prairie’s Ian Chwok was named to the team in goal. He joined the Regals in December and almost led the Regals to the playoffs as their undisputed MVP.
West All-Star Team has four new faces
The West Division All-Star team has five first-time All-Stars this season.
NPHL Best Goaltender award winner David Larson heads the list of West Division All-Stars.
Joining Larson are defenceman Adam Loncan of the Dawson Creek Canucks, also the winner of the NPHL Best Defenceman award, right winger Mark Wallman of the Grande Prairie Athletics, left winger Chris Stevens of the Dawson Creek Canucks, and David Alexander of the Fort St. John Flyers.
The only returning All-Star is Fort St. John’s Donny Lloyd, who joins Loncan on defence. Lloyd has been in the NPHL three years and has been selected to the All-Star Team each season.
Voting Results
Most Valuable Player
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Jason Bouchard, FAL 1 3 1 15
David Larson, GP 2 0 2 12
Tyler Shantz, LL 1 0 1 6
Mike Lefley, Hythe 1 0 0 5
Aaron Parenteau, PR 0 1 1 4
Frazier Caron, VV 0 1 0 3
Rookie-of-the-Year
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Darren Walker, Hyt 2 0 1 11
Adam Horst, FSJ 2 0 0 10
Davin Bull, DC 1 1 1 9
Mitch Kohut, PR 0 2 0 6
Travis Bettenson, FV 0 1 2 5
Todd Rodgers, FAL 0 1 1 4
Coach-of-the-Year
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Wade Wallan, Hythe 2 0 1 11
Ryan Widdifield, GP 1 2 0 11
Randy Muise, DC 1 1 1 9
Gerry Noullett, FV 1 0 0 5
Mitch Caron, VV 0 1 0 3
Clyde Goodswimmer, LL 0 1 0 3
Michel Maisonneuve, FAL 0 0 2 2
Adam Brash, FSJ 0 0 1 1
Most Gentlemanly Player
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Jordan Bombier, GP 3 0 0 15
Derrick Honing, FV 1 1 0 8
Donny Lloyd, FSJ 1 0 2 7
Adam Loncan, DC 0 1 1 4
Bob Balderston, Hythe 0 1 0 3
Ryan Hicks, FAL 0 1 0 3
Terry Houlder, PR 0 1 0 3
Lloyd AhKimNachie, HP 0 0 1 1
Mackenzie Caron, VV 0 0 1 1
Best Goaltender
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
David Larson, GP 5 0 0 25
Ian Chwok, HP 0 1 1 4
Cannon Cunningham, LL 0 1 1 4
Troy Hunt, FSJ 0 1 1 4
Darren Walker, Hythe 0 1 1 4
Todd Rodgers, FAL 0 1 0 3
David Bull, DC 0 0 1 1
Best Defenceman
Player, Team 1 2 3 4 Total
Adam Loncan, DC 3 0 1 0 16
Donny Lloyd, FSJ 0 4 0 0 12
Kip Noble, DC 2 0 0 1 11
Ryan Hirtle, GP 0 1 0 0 3
Mike Mohr, GP 0 0 2 0 2
Brad Bablitz, VV 0 0 1 0 1
Graham Campbell, PR 0 0 0 1 1
Andrew Derton, FSJ 0 0 0 1 1
Scott Hicks, FAL 0 0 1 0 1
Darren Noskey, PR 0 0 0 1 1
Steven Thunder, HP 0 0 0 1 1
East Division Best Goaltender
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Ian Chwok, HP 2 2 0 16
Todd Rodgers, FAL 2 0 2 12
Cannon Cunningham, LL 1 2 0 11
Brett Dillman, FV 0 1 1 4
Bretton Stewart, PR 0 0 2 2
East Division Best Defenceman
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Scott Hicks, FAL 3 0 0 15
Graham Campbell, PR 1 2 0 11
Darren Noskey, PR 1 0 0 5
Kaitlin Marshall, LL 0 1 0 3
Don Terpsma, VV 0 1 0 3
Steven Thunder, HP 0 1 0 3
Craig VandeLigt, HP 0 0 3 3
Jeff Dyer, FV 0 0 1 1
Lassiter Johnson, FV 0 0 1 1
East Division Best Centre
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Jason Bouchard, FAL 4 0 1 21
Mackenzie Caron, VV 1 2 0 11
Aaron Parenteau, PR 0 2 2 8
Travis Cunningham, LL 0 1 0 3
Lloyd AhKimNachie, HP 0 0 1 1
Brandon Hill, FV 0 0 1 1
East Division Best Left Winger
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Daniel Aubin, FAL 2 1 0 13
Junior Anderson, LL 1 1 2 10
Ryan Reeves, VV 1 1 1 9
Kelly Cunningham, HP 1 1 0 8
Travis Bettenson, FV 0 1 1 4
Mitch Kohut, PR 0 0 1 1
East Division Best Right Winger
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Tyler Shantz, LL 3 1 0 18
Keith Reade, FAL 1 1 1 9
Nick Laporte, PR 0 2 1 7
Frazier Caron, VV 1 0 1 6
Jay Anderson, LL 0 1 1 4
Rollie Gladue, HP 0 0 1 1
West Division Best Goaltender
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
David Larson, GP 4 1 0 23
Troy Hunt, FSJ 1 1 2 10
David Bull, DC 0 2 1 7
Darren Walker, Hythe 0 1 2 5
West Division Best Defenceman
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Adam Loncan, DC 3 0 1 16
Donny Lloyd, FSJ 0 4 1 13
Kip Noble, DC 2 0 1 11
Mike Mohr, GP 0 1 1 5
West Division Best Centre
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
David Alexander, FSJ 2 2 1 17
Kelly McLeod, GP 1 1 3 11
Dustin Kersey, DC 1 1 1 9
Colin Lefley, Hythe 1 1 0 8
West Division Best Left Winger
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Chris Stevens, DC 3 0 2 17
Mike Lefley, Hythe 0 4 0 12
Todd Alexander, FSJ 2 0 3 13
Rod Bowers, GP 0 1 0 3
West Division Best Right Winger
Player, Team 1 2 3 Total
Mark Wallman, GP 2 3 0 19
Kris Desjrlais, DC 2 1 2 15
Jeff Shipton, FSJ 1 1 2 10
Trevor Mazurek, Hyt 0 0 1 1
By Chris Clegg, NPHL Statistician
