This week the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League announces its overall award winners in seven categories – Most Valuable Player, Top Scorer, Top Defenceman, Top Goaltender, Rookie of the Year, Most Sportsmanlike Player and Coach of the Year.
Next is Rookie of the Year – Owen Dewitt of the Sicamous Eagles.
Dewitt (2007-born) is a local product, who collected 19 goals and 31 assists in 44 games. He scored four game-winners and collected 13 power-play points, while playing an average of 18:01 and had a plus-16 rating. He was key on the special teams with 3:40 of playing time on the power-play and 1:49 on the penalty-kill. He won 55 per cent of faceoffs. Dewitt played for Team KIJHL in the B.C. Hockey Conference Prospects Game in Kamloops in November.
The Eagles sat atop the Doug Birks division for most of the season and head coach-general manager Nick Deschenes credited Dewitt for contributing to that success.
“He was definitely an offensive catalyst. As a younger player coming from a U17 level, to be able to transition into our league and have an impact is why he was given this recognition. It’s not an easy task,” says Deschenes. “He truly is a player that loves the game and it’s infectious how much time he spends on it.”
Deschenes says that Dewitt came in and quickly realized he could make an impact and took advantage to insert himself into the lineup to contribute immediately. He put in extra work to make adjustments fast.
“He dove right in with his work ethic and commitment. There was no hesitation,” says Deschenes. “He played like he belonged and had good chemistry with his teammates Everett Boutcher and Hayden Evans. They really created a lot for us in the first half and continued after Christmas. I couldn’t be happier that he got this.”
