Announcing the 2021-22 Midwestern Conference All-Stars & All-Rookie Team

May 7^th, 2022 – The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) today recognizes the Midwestern Conference All-Stars and All-Rookie teams for the 2021-22 regular season.

The 1st team All-Star team features some impressive point productions this season, led by the Unique Cup winner as Midwestern Conference Leading Scorer & CKCO TV Award winner as Midwestern Conference MVP, Zac McCann of the Stratford Warriors. McCann had 60 points this season including 28 goals and 32 assists this season. He is joined by Jacob Coulson of the Cambridge Redhawks who lit the lamp for 20 goals this season including 5 powerplay goals and added 37 assists. Rounding out the forward unit is Brody Leblanc from the Elmira Sugar Kings who contributed 51 points in his 45 games played this season, Leblanc was a threat in all aspects of the game with 5 short-handed goals and 4 on the powerplay.

On defence, the Midwestern Conference is represented by the Cory Stoyko Memorial Award as Defenceman of the Year in Derek Pys of the Cambridge Redhawks. He was just over a point per game this season with 9 goals and 32 assists in 40 games. He is a smart defender as well who avoided the penalty box with only 10 PIMs on the season. On the other side of the blue line is Nathaniel Mott of the Elmira Sugar Kings. Mott was a key contributor to the success of the Sugar Kings this year with his 26 points while also adding a responsible and dependable defensive effort.

In goal is Nottawa, ON native Daniel Botelho of the Elmira Sugar Kings. In his first year in the GOJHL, Botelho made a big impact for Elmira putting together a 19-6-9-1 record with a 2.13 GAA & .917 SV% while posting 3 shutouts. He received the Twin Cities Trophies Award as the Best Team Goaltending combo in the conference this season.

Congratulations to this season’s Midwestern Conference 1st Team All-Stars.

The 2nd team unit has representation from across the conference, starting with Jacob McEachern of the KW Siskins. McEachern was a balanced threat for the Siskins with 25 goals and 29 assists this season which included 7 powerplay goals. Also on the forward unit is Jaden Goldie of the Listowel Cyclones. Goldie was also an even threat with 26 goals and 26 assists. He was named the Leroy Jamieson Memorial Award winner this season for Outstanding Contribution to One Team. They are joined by the R.J. Noble Memorial Award winner as Rookie of the Year in the Elmira Sugar Kings Jaxson Murray. The 2003 born forward made an impact in his first full season in the GOJHL with 22 goals & 28 assists for 50 points.

The blueliners for the 2nd team all-stars include Daniel Heath of the Cambridge Redhawks who stepped into the Redhawks lineup midway through the season and had 23 points in his 25 games played and included 2 powerplay goals on the campaign, he is joined by Mitchell Young of the KW Siskins. Young had 8 goals and 23 assists this season for the Siskins.

In goal is the other half of the Twin Cities Trophies Award winner as the Best Team Goaltending combo in the conference this season in Matthew Lunghi of the Elmira Sugar Kings who posted a 14-4-0-0 record with a 1.98 GAA & .920 SV%, assing 4 shutouts this year.

Congratulations to this season’s Midwestern Conference 2nd Team All-Stars.

The 2021-22 Midwestern Conference All-Rookie team is spread across the conference, which speaks to the talented future of the entire conference.

The forward trio includes Luke Bibby of the Cambridge Redhawks, Jaxson Murray of the Elmira Sugar Kings & Travis Verbeek of the Listowel Cyclones.

Bibby lit the conference on fire in his first year in the league with 56 points (31 goals & 25 assists) in 48 games this season for the Redhawks. The Brantford, ON was only a single point off of the team lead this season and looks to have a bright future in the GOJHL. He is joined by 2nd team all-star and Midwestern Conference Rookie of the Year Jaxson Murray. Murray had 6 game-winning goals this season and 5 powerplay goals for the Sugar Kings. The third member of the forward unit is Travis Verbeek who had 19 goals and 27 assists for the Cyclones this year. He had 6 powerplay goals and 2 game-winners this year.

On defence is Zack Sandhu of the Ayr Centennials, Sandhu had 7 goals and 13 assists for the newest addition to the GOJHL in the Ayr Centennials. The Toronto, ON native also added 3 powerplay goals this season while racking up 78 PIMS this season. He is joined by 2nd team all-star Mitchell Young of the KW Siskins whose 31 points included 2 powerplay goals and 1 game-winner.

In between the pipes for the All-Rookie team is Marcus Vandenberg of the Stratford Warriors. Appearing in 24 games, he recorded a 15-7-0-0 record with a 2.15 GAA & .927 SV%. A member of the 2021-22 GOJHL Future Stars Team, he was also named the Midwestern Conference Goaltender of the Month for October.

Congratulations to all members of this season’s Midwestern Conference All-Rookie team.