Each year, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League presents awards for on-ice excellence: Most Valuable Player, Top Scorer, Top Defenceman, Top Goaltender, Rookie of the Year, Most Sportsmanlike Player, Coach of the Year and the newly added General Manager of the Year. Winners are named from the four divisions prior to the start of KIJHL Playoffs, with overall league award winners to be announced at a later date.
- Monday, February 24 – Bill Ohlhausen Division
- Tuesday, February 25 – Neil Murdoch Division
- Wednesday, February 26 – Eddie Mountain Division
- Thursday, February 27 – Doug Birks Division
Today, we start with the award winners for the Bill Ohlhausen Division.
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Most Valuable Player Princeton Posse
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The captain from Sherwood Park, Alta., was important to the Posse as he played in all situations, averaging 17:30 a game and had an impressive plus 38. For a third straight season, Horiachka improved his point totals, this season producing 20 goals, 29 assists for 49 points in 41 games. Last season he had 45 points.
Of his 49 points, 15 came on the power-play and he netted four game-winners. Horiachka has also been vital to the Posse in bringing players together, especially rookies, showing them how to conduct themselves on- and off-the-ice. |
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Top Scorer Princeton Posse
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The sniper from Sherwood Park, Alta., didn’t just lead his division in goals, he also led the KIJHL with 35 goals in 41 games, while averaging 18:42 of ice time a game and was plus 29. He netted a hat-trick twice, with one of those games being a four-goal performance. He had a six-game goal scoring streak in which he netted 12 goals, which was the longest of the season. He scored goals in 21 of his 41 games and was named a Top Forward in October and was named the September/October Top Forward of the Month. |  |
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Top Defenceman Grady Sterling-Ponech Princeton Posse
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The Lethbridge, Alta., native produced 39 points in 44 games, establishing a new career high. He averaged 22:16 of ice time a game and was a plus 30. Those total rank the mobile blueliner fifth among all KIJHL defencemen. He was fourth in assists with 32 and led all KIJHL defencemen with 23 power-play points and 21 power-play assists. Sterling-Ponech was named the Top Defenceman on Oct. 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 8. |  |
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Top Goaltender Kael Svenson Sicamous Eagles
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The Calgary native joined the Eagles from the Alberta Junior Hockey League and kicked off his KIJHL career with six straight wins. Not only did he display tremendous athletic ability, but he made crucial saves when his team needed them. He finished the season with a 15-4-2 record to go with a 2.40 goals against average and a .941 save percentage. That .941 SP by the rookie led the league as he allowed 49 goals and made 786 saves. Svenson was selected as the Top Goalie on Nov. 30, as well as earning a Young Guns selection. |  |
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Rookie of the Year Sam Giangualano Merritt Centennials
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The Calgary native produced 53 points in 41 games, second among all KIJHL rookies. His 25 goals and 28 assists ranked third. He led all KIJHL rookies with three shootout goals and scored two shootout winning goals. Giangualano was a plus 13, while playing an average of 19:26 a game and was used in all situations. He is strong in the circle, having won 56 per cent of faceoffs. Giangualano was named the Top Forward on Nov. 10 and earned a November Young Guns selection. |  |
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Most Sportsmanlike Player Scott Dyck Osoyoos Coyotes
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The Kelowna native spent just two minutes in the penalty box and had 11 points in 40 games for the Coyotes. Dyck collected seven points in 2025. He averaged 13:15 of ice time a game and was utilized on the power-play, while also getting penalty-kill time. |  |
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Coach of the Year Wes McLeod Merritt Centennials
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The Mission, B.C. native led the expansion Centennials to the seventh best record (26-13-3-2 for 57 points in 44 games) in the KIJHL. Under the rookie bench boss, the Centennials allowed the fifth fewest goals with 122. The Centennials scored the first goal 26 times and their record was 19-5-1-1 when they did. They are 13-8-1-2 in their own division. On special teams, the Centennials had the fifth best penalty-kill at 85.3 per cent (31-for-211).
The Centennials had Dylan Ruff and Rhett Serfas selected to the KIJHL team to play in the BCHC Prospects Game in November. |
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General Manager of the Year Brad Anstey Merritt Centennials
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Anstey constructed an expansion team with input from head coach and assistant general manager Wes McLeod that finished seventh overall with a 26-13-3-2 and qualified for the KIJHL Teck Cup playoffs in its first season. They went 15-5-1-2 in the final half. The Centennials improved their depth by signing Cohen Poulin from the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, and days before the trade deadline added forward Dane Dietz from Quesnel. They also added Grady Sluggett and Dylan Kruchten from the SJHL. They received solid goaltending from Andrew Krakora and Mathis Perron, who combined for a 2.68 GAA and a .919 SP. Krakora finished second in the league in SP at .931. |
