Canberra Brave skater Nick Christensen has submitted his selections for the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) awards. The HHA crew have made their predictions, now we are pleased to present a players’ perspective.

Coach – Tyler Huberty

Coaching awards I find are always difficult to judge, because coaching is somewhat of a private experience, and the impact they have isn’t strictly measurable. However, Tyler Huberty took what I thought was a solid up mid table roster and had them consistently playing first place hockey. With a changing of the guard in net (Downie taking over for Kimlin due to injury), young bloods such as the Moncrieffs stepping into their own (yes, plural), and the emergence of Lindal into a local star – everything seemed to click for the Bears this season. How much of this is Tyler Huberty’s impact is unclear, but he was the clear standout pick for this award. It’s a shame he was let go on such unceremonious terms. Following Huberty’s departure the teams has lost two big games (Perth, and Canberra) and are somewhat limping into finals. Huberty receiving the Coach’s award would be poetic. However, all would be forgotten with a Bears championship.

Rookie – Drew Robson

I’ll note that this is a tough pick. Not to take away form Drew who had a fantastic first full season in the AIHL. But because AIHL rookies don’t usually get a ton of ice time. Looking at that list I can only remember playing a handful of the nominees, and making an impression is a challenge. That being said, Drew Robson, made huge impact this season. He is a sneaky good skater and moves the puck well. He gave some depth to a wanting Newcastle D core. With a clear top three of Matthews, Yuill, and Hawes that fourth slot needed to be filled, and Drew did a great job. Furthermore, stepping into the AIHL at a young age on D is difficult and Drew did exceptionally well.

– Honourable mention to Koudelka who performed well above my expectations, (and he isn’t even 18 yet!)

MVP – Kaden Elder

One of the easier picks. This man put the Adrenaline on his back this season. I don’t have the exact stat, but it was like 79% of points from Adelaide Elder was involved in. He has been balling out this season, scoring disgusting goals (e.g., going bar down with Bayley Kubara draped over his back), automatic in the shootout, and coming up clutch on numerous occasions. Without him I don’t think Adelaide would even been close to playoff contention.

Goalie – Tatsunoshin Ishida

Isida and the Ice had an incredible start to the season and Ishida posted one of the more ridiculous save percentages I have seen in the AIHL. Unfortunately, his season has been tainted with some tough suspensions, and the Ice’s recent struggles. There are some strong contenders for the award with Meager, Flodell, and Downie but I think Ishida has been too consistent throughout the whole season to fall even with his recent stumbles.

Defence – Mitchell Dyck

The runaway winner of this award. Dyck is huge, skates well, and is an absolute force out there. I wish we could calculate his WAR (Wins above replacement) because it would be like 3.5. Without him on the back end lugging the mail, scoring points, and shutting down the other team’s top scorers Brisbane would look completely different. Now I am not saying that there aren’t other great candidates. Baazzi, and Wishart have both have had great seasons just not to the extent Dyck has. Furthermore, Dyck would come second in my MVP voting.

BONUS AWARDS:

Finals MVP predictions:

This award usually goes to the MVP of the championship team. So, we’ll leave that up to the imagination for now.

Skaters Local Player of the Year – Brody Lindal

I think its time we put some respect on the kid’s name. There have been a few seasons put together by local players this year who I think could win Casey Kubara, Mackenzie Bolger, Mac Caruana, Rob Hazelhurst, but for some reason Brody Lindal just stands out the most for me. Maybe it’s because it’s been such a breakout season or maybe because the Bears did so much better than I expected. I am not sure, but I don’t think I can make the argument for anyone else over Lindal. As such, Brody Lindal you are my pick for local player of the year and I hope your free Bauer sticks last more than a few games.

Conclusion

Overall, it’s been a fantastic season and in my opinion the best season the AIHL has ever produced. The overall competitiveness and parity within the league has been great to see. Any team can beat any team on any given night. The inclusion of the Aisa league players (and one Ukrainian) has been a great boon for the league. Boosting competitiveness and legitimacy of the league. Sites like Hockey Hype Australia have improved fan interaction and has consistently produced great content. AIHL.tv continues to improve and show that this league is making the right steps. In comparison to 2019 where 3 teams and two locations were streaming games (Newcastle, and Melbourne) now 10 teams are streaming, and any game is viewable. I often catch myself on a night off tuning into games and watching the competition.

Overall, reflecting on the season, whilst there have been complaints from fans regarding refereeing, suspensions, and league transparency I believe we are on the right path. Due to fan demands and engagement its forcing the league to be more transparent with their decisions. Next year I hope this can improve even more with a publicised points system, and maybe even a player’s union. Finals should be a great weekend filled with memorable moments.

PS: The burgers are better at Hungry Jack’s.