The AAA Stars team award winners for 2022-23. (Submitted photo/Byron Hildebrand Photography)

By Martin Martinson

Best and Brightest

Battlefords AAA Stars celebrate year-end awards banquet

May 5, 2023 | 8:00 AM

The Battlefords AAA Stars recently held their annual year-end awards banquet, celebrating the best of the past year on the ice.

Treycen Wuttunee took home the team’s Top Scorer Award after leading the Stars with 44 points in 39 games, while Austin Shepherd, who finished second in scoring with 33 points, took home Team MVP honours, playing all 44 games with the club this season.

Tyce Penrod, who finished fourth in team scoring with 27 points in 44 games, took home Rookie of the Year honours and the Coaches’ Award. Head coach Dale Grayston said he really brought a nice spark of speed and skill to the lineup.

“He’s an energy guy with lots of speed and lots of good offensive upside; I think he’s going to have a standout year next year,” he said. “He just has a little more quickness than a lot of players possess, and I think with another summer of getting stronger it’ll just benefit him. He’s one of those guys who’s just always excited when he’s at the rink to be there and [he] plays hard in practice and plays hard in games.”

Veteran Dayne Henry was awarded the Wade Belak Memorial Award as Top Defensive Player. He was the team’s go-to Swiss Army Knife excelling at both forward and defense, playing wherever needed throughout the year.

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Captain Wyatt Wurtz was named the Bruce Yockey Award recipient for Top Defenseman, for his efforts leading a young blue line in all facets of the game, while setting an example through his heart and determination.

“Wyatt had a major injury that sidelined him for quite a while during the season breaking his arm, but just an idea of the type of player he is, he broke his arm but finished the penalty kill [before finding out],” Grayston said. “That really shows the toughness he has to compete hard for his teammates.”

Captain Wyatt Wurtz led by example all season as a force on the backend for the AAA Stars. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Cohen Noreikat took home the +/- Award and Most Improved awards for his continued growth through his first full season in the league, which saw the 18-year-old finish just a point back of fourth in team scoring, with 19 points in 44 games.

Rylen Leroux was named Most Underrated Player for his versatility in switching from the blue line to forward, while Ayden Belanger took home the Alan Welykochy Memorial Award for Hockey, Education & Citizenship. Goalie Brady Carr was named the team’s Brian Wallin Memorial Award winner for Most Dedicated Player.

While the 2022-23 season itself may have been a bit of a rebuilding year for the AAA Stars (10-30-4), Grayston said the future is bright for this team moving forward.

“We had so many terrific young guys playing for us and it’s always nice to have the banquet and honour them,” Grayston said. “We were in so many games but for different reasons found ways to not come away with the win, but the compete level for every game and every practice was always there and guys were consistent in bringing their best.”

All total, nine Stars’ players took home awards on the night. The full awards breakdown is available below:

Team MVP: Austin Shepherd

Top Scorer: Treycen Wuttunee

Most Improved and +/- Award: Cohen Noreikat

Rookie of the Year and Coaches Award: Tyce Penrod

Bruce Yockey Award for Top Defenseman: Wyatt Wurtz

Wade Belak Memorial Award for Top Defensive Player: Dayne Henry

Brian Wallin Memorial Award for Most Dedicated Player: Brady Carr

Most Underrated Player: Rylen Leroux

Alan Welykochy Memorial Award for Hockey, Education & Citizenship: Ayden Belanger

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1