Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

PLAYERS OF THE MONTH (January)

By Mike Stackhouse

RBC SJHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH:  Layne Young, Battlefords North Stars
1997 F Layne Young (Frenchman Butte SK) led all SJHL players during the month of January with 7-goals and 13-assists in 12-games played.  Young had a three point game on January 12th in Flin Flon, three more points a week later in Yorkton, and then followed that up with two goals in Balcarres against Melville as part of Hockey Day In Saskatchewan.  On the 27th, he contributed a goal and three assists in a win over La Ronge.  Young has a realistic shot at the first 100 point season in the SJHL since Travis Eggum in 2011, as he goes into the final month with 26-goals and 56-assists in 43-games.  Runner-up:  Cole Johnson, Battlefords.

SASKTEL SJHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH:  Declan Hobbs, Nipawin Hawks
1998 G Declan Hobbs (Saskatoon SK) won all six of his starts during the month of January, posting back to back shutouts on January 19th and 20th, and finishing with a miniscule 0.84-GAA and a .969-SPCT.  Hobbs had a 27-save shutout against Notre Dame and then one night later, turned aside 21-shots in Yorkton for his two bagels.  Four of his six wins came on the road.  He hasn’t lost a regulation game since November 10th and enters February with a 16-2-and-1 record, 1.69-GAA, and .935-SPCT.  Runner-up:  Colby Entz, Melville.

IBAS SJHL DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH:  Josh McDougall, Nipawin Hawks
1998 D Josh McDougall (Prince Albert SK) followed up his CJHL Player Of The Month December with an SJHL Defenseman Of The Month January for his second straight honor.  McDougall finished with 5-goals and 7-assists in 10-games, including a big four point game on January 30th against Yorkton.  He also had points in seven of his first eight games to kick off the New Year.  McDougall goes into next month with 15-goals and 43-assists in 43-games.  Runner-up:  Loch Morrison, Melfort.

MYSASK 411 SJHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH:  Jared Hamm, Notre Dame  Hounds
1999 F Jared Hamm (Warman SK) finished the month of January with 3-goals and 9-assists in 9-games played, including a stretch in which he picked up 10-points in 6-games to end the month.  From January 20-24, Hamm had four consecutive games of two points and then he got two more on January 30th after being blanked on January 27th.  He has 10-goals and 29-assists in 39-games heading into February.  Runner-up:  Matthias Urbanski, Battlefords.