The Winkler Flyers handed out their 2017-2018 year end awards this past Friday night prior to their regular season finale against Steinbach. The organization also took time to honor their eight 20 year old players who will be graduating from junior hockey after the season.
Winkler Flyer Awards
Rookie of the year
This years recipient has excelled during his first year of play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. He is amongst the team leaders in ice time almost every night and entering tonights action, currently leads Winkler Flyer Defenceman with a +35 rating. A mainstay on the Flyers special teams, and the leading scorer among first year players, ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating the Winkler Flyers Rookie of the Year – #3 – Collin Caulfield
Best Defensive Player
Awarded to the player deemed to make the greatest defensive contribution on a nightly basis, this years top defensive player has shown an incredible ability to keep opposing players off the score sheet. This player consistently matches up with opposing top lines, is a mainstay on the Flyers penalty kill, is on the ice protecting leads late in the game, and still has been on the ice for the fewest number of goals against by any Flyer forward. Congratulations to this years top Defensive Player – #23 – Weiland Parrish.
Coach’s Award
The Winkler Flyers coach’s award goes to a player who has provided steady, consistent play all season long. No matter what was asked of him, from scoring a timely goal, killing a penalty, providing a leadership voice in the dressing room or stepping up physically to help swing momentum for his team, this Flyer is always there when called upon. On and off the ice, this Flyer has made a positive contribution to his team and the community. Congratulations to the winner of this years Coaches Award – #19 – Brett Opperman
Most Valuable Defenseman
This defenceman has been vital to the success of the orange and black this season. Playing in his 3rd season on the Flyer blue line, this player plays key minutes in all situations and leads the Flyer defence corps in scoring. This player has been recognized at the league level as a 2nd team All-Star and runner up for the MJHL defenceman of the year. Congratulations to the winner of the Winkler Flyers Most Valuable Defenseman award, #12 – Mitch Dyck.
Fan’s Choice Award
Voted on entirely by you the fans, the Fans choice award is a combination of your votes over the last 3 Flyer home games as well as fan voting on social media in support of four finalists. With well over a thousand votes cast, this years winner pulled away with a slight edge in the final day of balloting. Ladies and gentleman, please help me in congratulating the winner, as selected by you, #9 – Coltyn Bates.
Most Valuable Player
This years Most Valuable Player award goes to a player who has been a strong, steady influence all season long. Tonight will mark his 48th appearance in the teams 60 games this season. He has been recognized at the league level as the Goaltender of the Month in October, an MJHL 2nd team league all-star, he currently leads the MJHL with 28 wins and was recently named as the MJHL’s Top Goaltender for the 2017-18 season. Ladies and Gentleman, please make some noise for the MVP of your orange and black, #33 – Troy Martyniuk.
GRADUATING 20 YEAR OLD PRESENTATION.
#23 WEILAND PARRISH (2017-2018)
AFTER JOINING THE FLYERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON, WEILAND PARRISH JUMPED RIGHT IN AS A GREAT TEAMMATE AND A RELIABLE FORWARD IN ALL AREAS OF THE ICE. AVERAGING A POINT PER GAME THIS SEASON AND SCORING NINE TIMES IN HIS LAST EIGHT GAMES, THE PRIDE OF BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA HAS BEEN A VERY VALUED MEMBER OF THE WINKLER FLYERS. #23 WEILAND PARRISH.
#33 TROY MARTYNIUK (2016-2018)
A FINALIST AS THE LEAGUE’S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AND WINNER OF THE MJHL’S TOP GOALTENDER AWARD THIS SEASON, TROY MARTYNIUK HAS CEMENTED HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE PROVINCE. DURING HIS TIME IN WINKLER, THE WINNIPEG NATIVE HAD A REGULAR SEASON RECORD OF 39-19-1 WITH A 2.22 GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE AND A .926 SAVE PERCENTAGE. THE BACK BONE OF THE WINKLER FLYERS – #33 TROY MARTYNIUK.
#19 BRETT OPPERMAN (2016-2018)
JOINING THE FLYERS MIDWAY THROUGH LAST SEASON, BRETT OPPERMAN QUICKLY MADE HIMSELF A FAVOURITE BOTH IN THE DRESSING ROOM AND ON THE ICE THANKS TO HIS GRITTY STYLE OF PLAY. SERVING AS AN ASSISTANT CAPTAIN THIS SEASON, OPPERMAN HAS RECORED A CAREER HIGH IN POINTS AND PENALTY MINUTES. #19 BRETT OPPERMAN.
#21 MATT CHRISTIAN (2016-2018)
WITH 127 POINTS IN 117 REGULAR SEASON GAMES IN WINKLER, MATT CHRISTIAN HAS BEEN AN OFFENSIVE LEADER FOR THE FLYERS THE PAST TWO SEASONS. SITTING IN THIRD PLACE IN THE MJHL’S POINT RACE, THE GRAND FORKS NATIVE NOT ONLY LEADS HIS TEAM IN POINTS, BUT IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYERS IN THE ENTIRE MANITOBA JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE AND WAS NAMED THE MJHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY AFTER RECORDING 23 POINTS IN 13 GAMES PLAYED….#21 MATT CHRISTIAN.
#26 WILL BLAKE (2016-2018)
HAVING MISSED JUST ONE GAME IN HIS WINKLER FLYERS CAREER, WILL BLAKE ALSO HAS RECORDED HIS BEST SEASON IN THE MJHL AND HAS NOW POSTED AN IMPRESSIVE 82 POINTS IN AN ORANGE AND BLACK UNIFORM. BLAKE HAS ALSO SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT CAPTAIN IN HIS FINAL SEASON IN WINKLER AND HAS BEEN A GREAT CONTRIBUTOR TO MINOR HOCKEY IN THE AREA. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN – #26 WILL BLAKE.
#9 COLTYN BATES (2015-2018)
AFTER BEING DRAFTED BY THE FLYERS IN THE SIXTH ROUND OF THE 2012 MJHL BANTAM DRAFT, COLTYN BATES HAS GONE ON TO BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE ORANGE AND BLACK OVER THE PAST THREE SEASONS. WITH 145 POINTS IN 166 REGULAR SEASON GAMES PLAYED HE HAS BECOME A PLAYER WHO IS RELIED ON HEAVILY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ICE. PLEASE MAKE SOME NOISE FOR #9 COLTYN BATES
#12 MITCH DYCK (2015-2018)
IT IS SPECIAL AND SOMETIMES RARE TO FIND A PLAYER WHO CAN PLAY SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE WITH HIS HOME TOWN TEAM. MITCH DYCK IS A SECOND GENERATION FLYER WHO IS CALLED UPON TO PLAY IMPORTANT MINUTES IN ALL SITUATIONS AND HAS BEEN A ROCK ON THE FLYERS BLUELINE FOR THE PAST THREE SEASONS. WITH 76 POINTS IN 142 GAMES PLAYED, DYCK HAS SEEN HIS POINT TOTALS DOUBLE FROM ONE SEASON TO THE NEXT OVER THE PAST THREE SEASONS……WINKLER’S OWN #12 MITCH DYCK.
#17 NOLAN McGUIRE (2014-2018)
AS THE LEADER OF THE ORANGE AND BLACK, CAPTAIN NOLAN McGUIRE IS THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER OF THE WINKLER FLYERS HOCKEY CLUB. WITH 103 POINTS IN 181 REGULAR SEASON GAMES PLAYED, McGUIRE HAS BEEN A FAN FAVOURITE NOT ONLY FOR HIS STYLE OF PLAY AND BOOMING SLAP SHOT, BUT FOR HIS WORK WITH MINOR HOCKEY TEAMS AND PLAYERS, AND COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY. PLEASE HELP ME SALUTE YOUR CAPTAIN – #17 NOLAN McGUIRE.
