OLDS — Five Olds Grizzlys players received a total of seven awards during the 41st Olds Grizzlys Awards Night banquet, held March 4 at the Pomeroy Inn & Suites.
Head coach Scott Atkinson presented the awards.
Goaltender Marcus Cumberworth was named Most Valuable Player.
Defenceman Tristan Baumung picked up two awards. He was named Defenceman of the Year and Community Player of the Year.
August Olson was named Top Teammate, a players’ choice award.
Rookie forward Cade Moxham also received two awards: Rookie of the Year and Most Dedicated Player. He was also named the Pit Barbecue Player of the Month.
Defenceman Avery Trotter received the award for Most Sportsmanlike player.
The event, sponsored by ScottCo Chemicals, came just before the end of the season. The team played one last game Sunday, March 5 (a 5-0 loss) at the Sportsplex, versus the Canadian Junior Hockey League-leading Brooks Bandits.
The evening was a chance to thank the players for their hard work and dedication as well as to families who billeted them and the fans who came out to watch the team.
The team said farewell to three players who aged out this season, having turned 20 years old: centre Connor Michaud, goaltender Marcus Cumberworth and forward Sheldon Kwiatkowski. Kwiatkowski also celebrated playing his 100th game.
Atkinson thanked all those who were involved in the season in one way or another, including staff and volunteers.
“I’d especially like to thank the players and the effort that they’ve given this year and I’d like to thank them for the privilege of coaching them. I just really appreciate the opportunity here in Olds,” he said.
“Obviously the results aren’t quite what we want, but we do feel like we’re heading in the right direction and we have a really good group of young men here that I’m sure will start to fulfill our expectations in the near future.”
The night was capped off with a hot stove session that lasted more than an hour during which former NHL player and Olds resident Jay Rosehill, former NHL player and coach Brian Sutter took to the stage.
They recalled memories of their careers and took questions from the audience as well as former Grizzly play-by-play announcer Kevin Watson and CKFM broadcaster Galen Hartviksen.