2019-20 NPHL Award Winners
Award Winner, Team
Most Valuable Player Kiefer Smiley, Grande Prairie Athletics
Rookie-of-the-Year Christian Kenny, Grimshaw Huskies
Coach-of-the-Year Faron Duthie, Dawson Creek Canucks
Most Gentlemanly Player Pat Rowan, Falher Pirates
*Best Goaltender Kiefer Smiley, Grande Prairie Athletics
Best Defenceman Alan Mazur, Grimshaw Huskies
* unanimous selection.
2019-20 NPHL First All-Star Team
Goaltender Kiefer Smiley, Grande Prairie Athletics
Defence Alan Mazur, Grimshaw Huskies
Defence Kevin Swales, Dawson Creek Canucks
Centre Braden Crone, Grande Prairie Athletics
Right Wing Morgan MacLean, Falher Pirates
Left Wing Brett Norman, Dawson Creek Canucks
2019-20 NPHL Second All-Star Team
Goaltender Braden Gamble, Manning Comets
Defence Riley Boomgaarden, Grande Prairie Athletics
Defence Reid Campbell, Dawson Creek Canucks
Centre Owen LeClare, Dawson Creek Canucks
Right Wing Kevin Hope, Dawson Creek Canucks
Left Wing Ty Wiebe, Grimshaw Huskies
GP’s Smiley first Athletic to win NPHL MVP honour
In all the years the Grande Prairie Athletics have been part of the NPHL, they have never had a player selected as the MVP.
Not any more.
Goaltender Kiefer Smily wins the award this year after posting the best goals against average in the league at 2.68 this season. It was 0.79 GAA better than Dawson Creek’s Payton Lee.
Smiley also posted an 8-2 record. His eight wins were second to Lee’s but he played two less games.
In NPHL MVP award nominees, Smiley was one of four goaltenders nominated along with the league’s leading scorer, Brett Norman, of Dawson Creek. Norman placed second in voting, Gamble third. Gamble is a former four-time winner of the MVP award.
GRIM’s Kenny wins Rookie-of-the-Year
It’s tough enough to win your team’s scoring title in the NPHL, but when you’re a rookie, it’s even tougher.
Grimshaw forward Christian Kenny did exactly that with 6-15-21 totals, good enough for tenth in NPHL scoring. It’s the biggest reason why Kenny was chosen as Rookie-of-the-Year despite playing on the last place Huskies.
Kenny is the first Husky to win the award since now teammate Ty Wiebe in 2015-16. Another teammate, Corson Fairless, won the award in 2012-13.
Overall, Kenny is the tenth Husky to win the award. Others were Chris Houlder in 2006-07, Danny Noskey in 1996-97, Joe Fawcett in 1991-92, Clayton Noskey in 1986-87, Dennis Aspeslet in 1970-71, Dwayne Bolkoway in 1968-69, and Wynn Dempster in 1967-68.
Dawson Creek’s Liam Craig was second in voting and Grande Prairie’s Max McNeil third. All were separated by two points.
DC’s Duthie stars in NPHL, now he’s named Coach-of-the-Year
He starred in the NPHL with the Spirit River Rangers for many years, winning many titles, now he is recognized as the best coach.
Faron Duthie wins Coach-of-the-Year honours after leading the Dawson Creek Canucks to the Lawrence Cup title [best team record] this year with a 15-1-1-1 record.
Duthie wins the award in his first year coaching. He took over from last year’s Coach-of-the-Year, Chris Stevens. DC has now had two coaches win back-to-back awards since their first and only winner prior to 2018-19, Clint Switzer, in 2001-02.
Duthie posted 90-129-219 points in 125 GP in his NPHL career with 385 PIMs.
Grande Prairie’s Glen Bauer was second in voting and Manning’s Terry Whillans third.
FAL’s Rowan wins second Most Gentlemanly Player award
Falher Pirate Pat Rowan not only plays the game at a high level, but also in a gentlemanly and sportsmanlike manner. It’s why he wins his second Most Gentlemanly Player award. He last won in 2015-16.
Rowan was assessed only seven PIMs this season in 18 GP. In his NPHL career, Rowan has played 204 games and recorded only 107 PIMs.
In winning, Rowan breaks the three-year stranglehold Grimshaw’s Ty Wiebe had on the award.
Grimshaw’s Josh Peters was second in voting, Dawson Creek’s Kevin Swales third.
Rowan is only the third Pirate overall to win the award. Vic Tardif won in 1974-75 and Roland Turcotte in 1954-55.
GP’s Smiley unanimously wins Best Goaltender Award
Goaltender Kiefer Smily wins the award this year after posting the best goals against average in the league at 2.68 this season. It was 0.79 GAA better than Dawson Creek’s Payton Lee.
Smiley also posted an 8-2 record. His eight wins were second to Lee’s but he played two less games.
The selection was the only unanimous choice in voting.
In winning the award, Smiley breaks the seven-year run of Braden Gamble, who won each year as a member of the Manning Comets, except for 2016-17 when he played in Grimshaw.
Smiley becomes only the second Athletic to win the award. David Larson won it in 2009-10.
Gamble placed second in voting, Grimshaw’s Ryley Medves third.
GRIM’s Mazur wins Best Defenceman award
Grimshaw’s Alan Mazur is the NPHL’s Best Defenceman this season.
Stats don’t always tell the story. Mazur had 2-7-9 points in 11 GP this season, but this strong work in his end earned him recognition amongst peer voters.
Mazur starred for the Spirit River Rangers from 2012-13 to 2014-15 and was part of SR’s first three of five year in a row title winning teams.
Dawson Creek’s Kevin Swales was second in voting, Grande Prairie’s Riley Boomgaarten third.
Mazur is only the second Husky to win the award since Ky Forbes in 1991-92. Kevin Monfette won in 2016-17. Forbes was also a co-winner in 1987-88 and sole winner in 1985-87 and 1984-85. Dennis Aspeslet also won the award in 1979-80 as a member of the Huskies.
4 new members on NPHL’s First All-Star Team
Bring on the new blood!
Four players were selected to the NPHL’s First All-Star Team this season for the first time while two others were named for the second time.
Goaltender Kiefer Smiley of Grande Prairie, defenceman Alan Mazur of Grimshaw, centre Braden Crone of Grande Prairie, and Falher’s Morgan MacLean can now call themselves all-stars. Being named for the second time are defenceman Kevin Swales of the Dawson Creek Canucks and teammate Brett Norman. Both were named last year for the first time.
Canucks place 3 on NPHL’s Second All-Star Team
The Dawson Creek Canucks placed three players on the Second All-Star team while a Manning Comet, Grimshaw Husky and Grande Prairie Athletic join them.
Defenceman Reid Campbell, centre Owen LeClare, and right winger Kevin Hope made the team. Joining them are Manning goaltender Braden Gamble, Grande Prairie defenceman Riley Boomgaarden, and Grimshaw left winger Ty Wiebe.
For Gamble it is his eighth selection. He has been an all-star every year since joining the NPHL in 2012-13.
For Wiebe, it’s his third selection. He previously made the team in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
It is Campbell’s second selection. He previously made the squad last year as a member of the Fort St. John Flyers.
It is the first all-star honour for LeCalre, Hope and Boomgaarden.