TISDALE — Trojans goalie Tanner Martin received both the provincial top goalie and the goalie most valuable player award from the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) at the Trojans’ awards night April 13.
The top goalie award is given to the goalie with the best goals-against average. The goalie most valuable player (MVP) is given to the goaltender deemed by the coaches as the most valuable goaltender in the league.
“All these provincial awards are voted on by the coaches, and throughout the season the coaches felt Tanner was the most valuable goaltender to their team, which happens to be Tisdale,” said Lloyd Friese, SMAAAHL president.
Martin credits his team with helping him win the awards.
“My team did amazing this year, and they made it so easy to play,” Martin said. “Landon Kosior on the back end – unreal defenceman. Happy to be alongside him and five other defencemen. We had a great run. We were very offensive but also really good in the defensive end. I can thank that a lot for how well my season was.”
Martin believes his greatest challenge this year was Bryson Garton, the other Trojans goalie, who received injuries that resulted in him being unable to play some of the games.
“It put a lot of pressure on me to play the majority of the games, and just to be ready to go every single night that we played. That was a task that I think I had to handle,” Martin said. “Bryson got to play quite a few games after he came back and the team is really happy with how he did. He’s an amazing goalie and even a better friend.”
This season he believes he improved on communication skills on and off the ice.
“I feel like playing the majority of the games, they helped me build up my confidence and be ready to go every single night.”
Trojans coach Darrell Mann said Martin has been a rock for the team in net.
“Tanner has just had a fabulous year on the net, and if you look throughout the league and stuff, everybody loves him,” Mann said. “To have a 1.58 goals-against average, 10 shootouts counting playoffs – he has pretty much done it all this year.”
Martin is hanging up his Trojans jersey after this year.
“My main goal right now is just to help the guys win a national championship and everything will fall into place after that.”
Defenceman Landon Kosior received the Adam Herold Memorial Award in its first year. He also received the most valuable player award and best defenceman.
Kosior, Martin and Cade Hayes all received provincial first team all star awards.
“Landon Kosior has just been our quarterback all year,” Mann said. “Top D Man in the league – how he goes, we go. He’s one of those guys you can’t afford not to have in your lineup. He has just had a fabulous two years here and capped off with an MVP. Hopefully we can cap it off with a Telus Cup.”
Kosior said he couldn’t have received the MVP without his teammates.
“It was definitely a team effort. I wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for them,” Kosior said. “I just worked really hard and tried to be the hardest working player out there, and just get the pucks on net. They just really helped me out a lot.”
His advice to other defencemen his advice is to keep working hard.
“Make sure you’re the hardest working player on the ice and somebody will notice you,” Kosior said.
Mann said it was very special for Kosior to receive the first Adam Herold Memorial Award. The award is named after the late Humboldt Broncos player who died in the bus crash on April 6, 2018. Herold was the former captain of the Midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians, and a friend of Kosior’s.
“We played against him for two years – one of the best defenceman I’ve ever seen at this level,” Mann said. “It’s just an honour for the Trojans organization and for Landon.”
During Mann’s speech to the team and supporters, he said it may have worked in the team’s favour for them to have to have lost to the Saskatoon Blazers leading up to the Telus Cup Western Regionals.
“Obviously you want to win your way through any title, but our hockey club, we were banged up at the time,” Mann said. “The ultimate prize is the Telus Cup and we thought the best way to win a Telus Cup is to get some rest and get ourselves focus and regenerated and recharged. I really thought we did that with our 17 days off. Obviously it wasn’t planned; that’s what happened. But now looking back on our season, that probably was the most crucial thing for us getting an opportunity to win in the Telus Cup.”
The next step for the Trojans will be to compete in the national midget AAA championship, which will be played April 22 to 28 in Thunder Bay, ON.
Mann said the team was proud to be able to represent the Town of Tisdale at a national event. “We’re going to go there and we’re going to do our best and hopefully we’ll be able to bring home the big prize,” he said.
Award winners
Most Popular Player: Liam Rutten and Zach Robbins
Most Gentlemanly Player: Trenton Curtis
Most Dedicated Player: Luke Arndt
Community Service Award: Kalen Ukrainetz and Dylan Ashe
Hardest Working Player: Luke Arndt
Scholastic Award: Luke Arndt
Goaltender Award: Tanner Martin
Best Defenceman: Landon Kosior
Most Points: Cade Hayes
Dutch Crunch: Liam Rutten
Most Improved Player: Mackenzie Carson
Playoff MVP: Jayden Wiens
MVP: Landon Kosior
Rookie of the Year: Jayden Wiens
