Lincolns hold team awards banquet Saturday night at River Valley G&CC
By Pat Payton
A talented veteran and a skilled rookie were double trophy winners Saturday night as St. Marys Lincolns held their annual team awards banquet at River Valley Golf and Country Club.
Ethan Lamoureux accepted the Frank Edye Award for regular-season Most Valuable Player as well as the Harold Maxwell Award for team scoring leader. The 19-year-old forward from Ilderton clicked for 18 goals and 55 points to finish 16th overall in the GOJHL scoring race.
“Lammy is just a fantastic player, and I could play him in so many different roles,” Lincs’ coach Jeff Bradley told the Independent. “He’s the guy we can build around next season. He’s our top player, and a great example to the young players – both on and off the ice. I think he’s one of the top five players in our conference.”
Proved he can play at next level
Noah VandenBrink was a first-year player in the league, but he certainly left his mark. The fifth-round Hamilton Bulldogs draft pick more than proved he can play in the OHL next season.
The 17-year-old Belmont native was selected as Lincolns’ Playoff MVP and received the Jacques Cousineau Award. The winger led the team in playoff goals with five and was second in points with eight. He seemed to elevate his play as the games got tougher.
“It shows why he’s going to play in the OHL next year,” coach Bradley said. “When the pace gets higher, he just becomes a much better player and that’s the sign of a true hockey player. He’s not only great offensively, but he’s very hungry and eager to learn. He’s always asking questions.
“Noah wants to be a hockey player and he wants to see how far the game will take him. He’s mature well beyond his age, and that’s the reason he’s going to go far in this game. The kid is a student of the game, and his work ethic matches it and his skill exceeds it,” Bradley added.
VandenBrink also shared the Earl Leslie Award for rookie-of-the-year with teammate Kyle Morey. VandenBrink finished second in team scoring behind Lamoureux during the regular schedule with 20 goals and 46 points.
Other team award recipients
Other award recipients Saturday were:
Eric Lalonde, David Baynes Award for top defenceman.
Kevin Perrott, R.G. (Kelly) Hearn Award for most improved player.
Kieran Moore, Jack Boyd Memorial Award for most dedicated player.
Joe Mazur, D.R. Stevens Award for leadership.
Spencer Hazell, Bert Stacey Memorial Award for ability and sportsmanship.
Captain Max Mulder, Bannerman Memorial Award for ‘Veteran of the Year.’
Goalie Bryce Walcarius, Fan Appreciation Award as voted on by the fans.
All deserving winners
Greg Smale, the Lincs’ Director of Hockey Operations/GM, said every single award handed out Saturday was well-deserved.
“I think the awards speak to our team this year, that we can have so many different award winners,” Smale said. “It shows how many great guys and talented players we had on our team.
“Every award is deserving. You look at guys like Bryce, a great guy and great story, and you can’t say enough about guys like Joe (Mazur) and Max (Mulder). Along with Jacob Bloomfield, they were players who came to St. Marys when it wasn’t popular to come here. They helped rebuild this organization and take it to where we are today.
“Other guys like Kieran Moore, he did whatever was asked of him. He might not light up the scoresheet, but he worked hard, played different positions, and was one of the first guys at the rink every day . . . he’s just a great kid,” the GM added.
Notes:
–Former Lincolns’ defenceman Jerry Petrie (1960-61), of Stratford, was guest speaker at Saturday night’s awards banquet.
Petrie was a sports agent in Montreal for 17 years in the 1970s and ‘80s, representing stars such as Jean Belliveau, Gordie Howe, Guy Lafleur, Rusty Staub, Gary Carter, Duke Snider, Scotty Bowman and skier Nancy Greene to name just a few. Petrie was a partner in a firm called Sports Administration Inc.
–Conference winners. Chatham Maroons (Western), Cambridge Redhawks (Midwestern) and St. Catharines Falcons (Golden Horseshoe) now advance to the Sutherland Cup round-robin playoff format. The two teams with the best records will play a best-of-three series for the Ontario title.
–Former Lincs’ captain Dan Wildfong (1992-95) was recently named the North American Hockey League’s top general manager for 2021-22. The 46-year-old Clinton native, who also the Lone Star Brahmas’ long-time head coach, built a team that finished first in the South Division with a record of 38-12-10.
It was the NAHL’s best record and the Brahmas also had seven players commit to NCAA scholarships this season. The Lone Star team is based in North Richland Hills, Texas.
Lincolns hand out 11 team awards for 2021-22 season
The following are the winners of St. Marys Lincolns’ 11 team awards for the 2021-22 GOJHL season. The awards banquet was held Saturday night at River Valley Golf and Country Club.
Master of ceremonies was Jamie Hahn, who did a great job. He noted in his opening remarks that Lincs just finished their 66th consecutive season in Jr. ‘B’ hockey.
Frank Edye Award for regular-season MVP
Winner: Ethan Lamoureux. A deserving winner as the talented 19-year-old from Ilderton never took a night off. A great puck-handler, Lamoureux ended up finishing 16th overall (18-37-55) in the GOJHL scoring race. Only four Western Conference players collected more points in the regular season. The winger will be a strong candidate for team captain next season.
Janet Edye made the presentation.
Playoff MVP Award, recently named after Lincs’ Alumni committee member Jacques Cousineau
Winner: Noah VandenBrink. The 17-year-old from Belmont really stepped up his game in the post-season and led the team in goals with five, including late third-period game winners against both LaSalle and Leamington. He finished the playoffs with eight points and was a dangerous threat every time he was on the ice. VandenBrink will be a good player in the OHL with Hamilton next season.
Jacques Cousineau made the presentation.
Earl Leslie Award for Rookie-of-the-Year
Winners: Noah VandenBrink and Kyle Morey. It was a good choice as both first-year forwards deserve to share the rookie-of-the-year honour. Both are great puck-handlers.
VandenBrink finished second in team scoring with 20 goals and 46 points, while Morey was third overall with 18 goals and 44 points. VandenBrink had six powerplay goals and four game winners.
VandenBrink, from Belmont, and Morey, from Kitchener, are fifth-round OHL draft picks and have the talent and hockey IQ to play at the next level.
Don Leslie made the presentation.
The David Baynes Award for top defenceman
Winner: Eric Lalonde. The smooth-skating blue-liner was always an offensive threat when he was on the ice, with his exciting, end-to-end dashes. The 20-year-old from Collingwood had seven goals and 22 points in 35 regular-season games, and added five points in the post-season. Lalonde proved to be a key off-season acquisition for GM Greg Smale.
Former Lincolns’ GM Mike Brogden made the presentation, and Austin Keleher accepted on behalf of Lalonde.
R.G. (Kelly) Hearn Award for most improved player
Winner: Rookie Kevin Perrott. A deserving recipient as the 18-year-old winger from Columbia Station, Ohio continued to get better and better as the season progressed.
Perrott added an element of toughness and physicality, and proved to be a consistent performer in the playoffs. He’s the son of current Lincs’ assistant coach Nathan Perrott.
Donna Aldis made the presentation.
Jack Boyd Memorial Award for most dedicated player
Winner: Kieran Moore. A versatile player, the 19-year-old from Owen Sound played both forward and was also inserted on defence when needed. Offensively, the strong-skating Moore chipped in five goals and 15 points in 43 games. He’s a player who could easily double those totals next season.
Family member Dan Schiedel made the presentation.
D.R. Stevens Award for leadership
Winner: Joe Mazur. One of Jeff Bradley’s best penalty-killers, the big centreman was also one of the hardest-working players on the team.
The 20-year-old Sudbury native had seven goals–including four game winners–and 19 points in 33 regular-season games. Mazur added four points in the playoffs.
Lincs’ GM Greg Smale made the presentation.
Bert Stacey Memorial Award for ability and sportsmanship
Winner: Spencer Hazell. The big centreman proved to be a great addition after being signed midway through the season. In 21 regular-season games, he averaged almost a point a game with nine goals and 18 points.
The 20-year-old Georgetown native then contributed three goals and nine points in the playoffs. A key member of the powerplay, Hazell was also strong in the face-off circles – rarely losing a draw.
St. Marys assistant coach Mike Siddall made the presentation. Eric Smith accepted on behalf of Hazell.
Harold Maxwell Award for 2021-22 team scoring leader
Winner: Ethan Lamoureux. The 19-year-old Ilderton native clicked for 18 goals and 55 points in 47 regular-season games. Lamoureux was a key member of the powerplay and a hard-working player who led by example. He’s a player the team can build around next season.
Lincolns’ Radio Voice Spencer Seymour made the presentation.
Bannerman Memorial Award for ‘Veteran of the Year’
Winner: captain Max Mulder. The hard-hitting defenceman from Stratford was a “class-act” for four seasons in St. Marys. He played some of the best hockey of his Junior career in the playoffs this spring. An overtime winner against Leamington will be a great memory for the graduating blue-liner.
The award is named after the Al Bannerman family, of St. Marys, who have been involved with the Lincs dating back to 1962. Sons Mike and Chris Bannerman made the presentation.
Fan Appreciation Award. It goes to the favourite Lincolns’ player as voted by the fans
Winner: goalie Bryce Walcarius. The 20-year-old puck-stopper from Aylmer was likely a strong candidate for regular-season MVP as he won 20 games, with three shutouts. He had a 2.64 goals-against average, with a .912 save percentage.
‘Wally’ continued to be a force in the playoffs, playing all 13 games, and posting a 2.49 G.A.A., a .910 save percentage, while earning one shutout.
Lincolns’ vice-president Bill Lowe made the presentation.
