The National League’s end of season awards have arrived and here we’ll cover who’s won what.
These have been voted on by clubs and media and will cover the first and second All Star squads plus the player, young player and coach of the season awards.
First up:
First All Star Squad
NM – Sam Gospel (Leeds Knights): A league best 91% save percentage in 41 league games, winning 25 of them for the Knights.
D – Ed Bradley (Bees): The 21-year-old was also in the shortlist for Young Player of the Year, he scored 43 points in 46 games for the Bees.
D – Callum Buglass (Peterborough Phantoms): Omni-present on the Phantoms’ blueline, with 26 points in 48 games and only 4 PIMs.
F – Kieran Brown (Leeds Knights): A shoe-in pick across the board, he played in all 48 games across the season, scoring an impressive 54 goals and 55 assists for 109 total points for the Knights.
F – Jason Hewitt (Sheffield Steeldogs): Another prolific campaign for the former Hull man. An impressive 42 goals and 50 assists for a total of 92 points from 44 games.
F – Aaron Nell (Swindon Wildcats): Managing to combine being a player/coach and GM at the Wildcats, despite these responsibilities he still had time to bag 85 points in 47 games.
The National League 1st All Star Squad (PHOTO: EIHA)
Next:
Second All Star Squad
NM – Brad Day (Telford Tigers): Winning a second consecutive league title with 29 wins and 90% save percentage combined with a 2.92 GAA.
D – Tom Norton (Peterborough Phantoms): The 31-year-old played all 48 games on the Phantoms blueline and bagged 41 points in that time.
D – Jonathan Weaver (Telford Tigers): Integral to the Tigers this season, 36 points from 39 games and added more silverware to the cabinet.
F – Glenn Billing (Peterborough Phantoms): The top scorer for Slava Koulikov’s side with 23 goals and 40 assists, also scoring some key goals to see them into the Final Four.
F – Scott McKenzie (Telford Tigers): The Tigers #77 potted 77 points in 43 games to lead Tigers scoring ranks in their title winning season.
F – Jason Silverthorn (Telford Tigers): In his seventh season with the Tigers he scored 53 points in 43 games and lifted the trophy as a victorious Captain, yet again.
The National League 2nd All Star Squad (PHOTO: EIHA)
And now:
Player of the Year
A sweeping victory for Leeds Knights’ Kieran Brown after what has been a phenomenal season for him personally. He’s picked up a whopping 54 goals and 55 assists for a 109-point season in the yellow and blue. The 21-year-old has impressed the league this season and has rightly so won this award, congratulations Kieran.
National League Player of the Year Kieran Brown of the Leeds Knights (PHOTO: EIHA)
Same again, but younger:
Young Player of the Year
It’s a double for Brown who picks up this award too, with his young age he could get even better. He has 22 EIHL appearances under his belt from time with the Sheffield Steelers so who knows what his career trajectory is. He has clearly settled well at Leeds, scoring prolifically all season long.
National League Young Player of the Year was also Leeds Knights’ Kieran Brown (PHOTO: EIHA)
Finally:
Coach of the Year
It’s been an impressive season for Telford who wrapped up another league title this season, this is in part down to one man. Tom Watkins; he has a wealth of experience in the Elite League with Coventry Blaze, winning the Elite League on four occasions with them. On top of this a Bronze medal with Team GB sets him out as a winner. It is for this reason he is this years Coach of the Year after another successful campaign with Telford where he even skated twice.
National League Coach of the Year, Tom Watkins of Telford Tigers (PHOTO: EIHA)
And that is all the awards, a massive congratulations to all the winners who’ve been fantastic all year round.
There are some very deserving winners there, who do you think missed out?
Let us know on our Twitter @BritIceHockey and tell us who you voted for.
