On the evening of May 5, the Pembina Valley Twisters handed out its team awards to cap off an incredible 2023-24 season that saw them reach the MMJHL’s championship final before ultimately succumbing in five games to the St. James Jr. Canucks.
“It was a great chance to see everybody and hand out some hardware for the terrific season we had,” said Twisters’ head coach Braeden Beenaerts.
The complete list of Pembina Valley Twisters team awards is as follows:
- Coaches Award – Jonathan Dyck
- Rookie of the Year – Alex Vandeynze
- Defenceman of the Year – Mike Heppner
- Mike Hesford (Grittiest Player) Award – Cody Clark
- Pat O’Brien (Hard Work and Perseverance) Award – Mark Plett
- Dale Remple (Heart) Award – Cody Clark
- Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award – Derek Wiebe
As the 2024-25 season approaches, the Twisters must say goodbye to a group of senior players who have reached the end of their junior hockey careers. This includes forwards Merek DeGraeve, Riley Goertzen, Brett Bergman, Derek Wiebe, and Cody Clark; as well as defencemen Jacob Carels, Caelan Russell, and Kyle Vandeynze.
“Losing eight guys, there are definitely holes to be filled,” said Beernaerts, “but we are confident in the remaining leadership and prospects coming up that we will be able to reload and come back ready to take another stab at the Jack McKenzie Trophy and win a league championship.”
When it comes to restocking the cupboards, so to speak, on an MMJHL team, there is no leaguewide draft, so anyone under the age of 18 is available whether they are from your region or not. There is a 50-man protection list in place for anyone over 18.
“We’ll be fine for next season. We will find some players and get them playing Twisters hockey, and I anticipate another strong season for our club.”
Photo by Merlin Heppner
