BONNYVILLE - It’s been a good season for the Bonnyville Pontiacs. After finishing in fourth place in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and clinching a playoff spot, five members of the Pontiacs received recognition from the league for their hard work during the season.
Last week, Luka Sukovic was named both League MVP and League Top Forward, while Nicolas Beaudoin, from St. Paul, was named Most Dedicated player by the AJHL.
But not all league awards had been handed out by the end of the week, and three more Pontiacs were waiting to hear if they had been successful.
Dante Siciliano was nominated for Rookie of the Year – Dick White Trophy, while teammates JR Ashmead received a nomination for Outstanding Defenceman – W.G. (Bill) Scott Memorial Trophy, and Bodee Weiss also received a nomination for Top Goaltender.
Sukovic
Neil Langridge, associate general manager for the Pontiacs, said receiving two prestigious awards was a “huge testament” to Luka Sukovic’s season. He added that Sukovic is only the fourth Pontiac in franchise history to be bestowed this honour, with only Harry York, Mark Letestu, and Bobby McMann winning before him - all players who went on to play games in the NHL.
“We were very confident in his abilities and were very happy with the league members giving him the recognition we feel he deserved,” Langridge said.
As a double nominee, Sukovic says, "It feels good to get recognition, but it wouldn’t be possible without my billets, teammates and the opportunities the coaches gave me this year.”
Speaking after he found out he had been nominated – but before he knew he had received the awards – Sukovic said the nominations would help him further his hockey career.
"It will be a boost for sure, because playing with confidence is so important for players and being recognized by the league definitely adds to my confidence level, which will only help me in the playoffs and moving onto Clarkson for next year.”
Sukovic will be heading south next year to attend Clarkson University and play hockey and attend university. Clarkson University Golden Knights are a division I team located in Potsdam, New York, and play in the ECAC of the NCAA
Beaudoin
According to Langridge, Beaudoin was voted as the winner for the Most Dedicated award by all 11 member teams of the AJHL, which is a huge honour. Langridge continued by stating that winning the award is very tough as players must be respected by all the teams - as well as their own team’s staff.
“He is also the fourth player in franchise history to capture this award and second in two years after last year’s captain Trey Funk won it,” Langridge explained.
Before he found out he had won the award, Beaudoin said, “It is a great honour to be recognized by the league and to be one of the four nominees for this award. It means the world to me to have my efforts and passion for the game I love most be recognized.”
The Lakeland-area hockey player said he takes “immense pride in setting a positive example and serving as a role model to my teammates and young athletes in the community both on and off the ice.”
When asked what the nomination means to him, Beaudoin said, “I really believe in leaving a place better than when you found it, and ever since I became a Bonnyville Pontiac, that has been my focus.”
Goaltender
Speaking early in the week, last week, Weiss said being nominated for the AJHL Goaltender award is amazing, and it feels great to be recognized as one of the top goalies in the league.
“For myself as a third-year guy, I believe it’s a testament to the work I've put in during the season and in the off-season, making sure I can do everything possible to help my team win,” Weiss said.
Weiss has maintained a 21-14-4 record throughout the season and feels confident going forward into the playoffs.
“I had a great playoff run last season as we made it to the north finals. [I am] looking to build off of that for this playoff run,” he said.
“I believe we have a great group of guys with a lot of talent who can really take it far this year, hopefully outdoing our performance last year and bringing a trophy back to Bonnyville."
Beaudoin acknowledged for dedication
Beaudoin says "It is a great honour to be recognized by the league and to be one of the four nominees for this award. It means the world to me to have my efforts and passion for the game I love most be recognized.”
The hockey player, who is from St. Paul, she he takes “immense pride in setting a positive example and serving as a role model to my teammates and young athletes in the community both on and off the ice.”
When asked what the nomination means to him, Beaudoin says, “I really believe in leaving a place better than when you found it, and ever since I became a Bonnyville Pontiac, that has been my focus.”
Team awards
On March 8, the Bonnyville Pontiacs hosted their annual team awards night at the Nova VIP Lounge.
On this night, Sukovic took home three additional pieces of hardware, being the recipient of the three-star award along with being named top scorer for the team as well as Most Valuable Player.
Results from the night include:
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Most improved player: Jordan Schanbacher
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Three Star Award: Luka Sukovic
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Top Defenceman: Jr Ashmead
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Matt Cook Unsung Hero Award: Josh Simpson
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President Award: Tyler Blocha
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Most Gentlemanly Player: Max Seguin
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Top Defensive Award: Nico Beaudoin
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Top Scorer: Luka Sukovic
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Plus/Minus Award: Jr Ashmead
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Top Forward: Luka Sukovic
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MVP: Luka Sukovic
Langridge explained that the awards night is typically held once the Pontiacs are done for the year. However, this year, with the break before playoffs, staff decided to hold the event earlier.
“The awards have been handed out since 1991, the first year of the franchise,” he said Langridge.
