Ahead of the last weekend of the regular season, the Kelowna Rockets gave out their team awards at Prospera Place on Thursday.
In total, 10 out of 11 awards were handed out. The recipients were:
Scholastic Player of the Year - Tij Iginla;
Most Improved Player - Marek Rocak;
Top Scorer - Andrew Cristall;
Unsung Hero - Max Graham;
Hollis Pearce Award for Top Defensive Forward - Gabriel Szturc;
Top Defenceman - Caden Price;
Most Sportsmanlike - Kayden Longley;
Rookie of the Year - Hiroki Gojsic;
Humanitarian Award - Dylan Wightman and Ty Hurley;
Most Valuable Player (MVP) - Tij Iginla.
The three 20-year-olds on the team were also honoured as it’s their last season in the WHL - Szturc, Wightman, and Kayden Sadhra-Kang.
Fans could argue that the MVP award could be a coin-flip between Iginla and Cristall, and neither answer would’ve been wrong. Cristall, who was named team MVP last year, has 106 so far this season with two games to go. While Iginla is second in points on the team with 83 but fifth in goals in the entire WHL.
“It’s really cool, a huge honour,” said Iginla, regarding the MVP award. “I thought [Cristall] definitely could’ve been it but it’s really cool to be named it.”
At 17-years-old, the Lake Country native is one of the youngest MVPs in team history, and he believes he’s come a long way in his first season with the team.
“I think I’ve gotten a lot better over the course of the season, playing big minutes and lots of different situations has been good for me,” added Iginla. “I believe in myself and work as hard as I can and play as hard as I can and play my game out there.”
Playing in front of his hometown team and having family and NHL hall-of-famer Jarome Iginla watching him all season has been a thrill for Tij, who takes pointers from his dad as well.
“He’s a great dad but a huge help to my game for sure, we’re always looking over video and working in the shooting area, he helps me a lot,” Iginla added.
Cristall had high praise for the team’s newest MVP as well.
“He’s so dynamic, everybody sees the shot,” said Cristall. “He’s such a good player and so big for us getting timely goals.”
The Washington Capitals prospect locked in the highest scorer award, despite having two games to go in the regular season but feels he’s taken a huge step in his overall game this season.
“Better all around for sure,” added Cristall. “I think for me, moving my feet and trying to get in on the forecheck more this season that’s helped me.”
The two other NHL prospects on the team Szturc and Price also won awards. Szturc, who’s in his last season with the Rockets and recently signed his NHL entry-level deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning takes pride in being the complete package on the ice as he’s able to score goals and prevent them going into the back of his own net.
“I like to play a 200-foot game,” said Szturc. “You have a better chance if you don’t get scored on, that’s why I like to play in the defensive zone, cause I want to win games.”
Gojsic, who’s played on a line with Iginla for most of the year, has had a very well deserved rookie of the year campaign as he’s fifth on the team in points with 50 (21 goals, 29 assists).
“I just play my game out and game in and make sure I have a shot mentality,” said the former Penticton Vee.
Dylan Wightman and teammate Ty Hurley split the humanitarian award for their outstanding efforts in the community. Back in December, Hurley saved a man drowning in a hotel pool in Strathmore, Alta. At the 112th Annual Commonwealth Awards for Honour & Rescue in early March, he was awarded the Silver Medal of Merit and the M.G. Griffiths Award by the Lifesaving Society, BC & Yukon.
The only award that wasn’t handed out was the team’s plus-minus award as the race is tight heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Going into the two games, Cristall leads the team with a +20 rating, followed by Szturc at +18 and Iginla at +15.
The Rockets control their own fate as they play a home-and-home game against the Vancouver Giants this weekend. They currently sit sixth in the west, just one point ahead of Vancouver. Kelowna can finish anywhere from fifth-seventh depending on the results of the weekend.
Friday night’s (Mar. 22) game is at the Langley Events Centre at 7 p.m. while Saturday night’s contest at Prospera Place begins at 7:05 p.m.
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