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Hawks players make the cut as national award finalists

May 4, 2018 | 12:00 PM

Prince Albert’s Josh McDougall and Saskatoon’s Declan Hobbs have been named as finalists for two of the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s top awards. 

McDougall is one of six finalists for the CJHL’s Top Defenceman Award.

“It’s a big surprise, but it’s pretty cool to be nominated for that,” McDougall told northeastNOW.

McDougall led the Nipawin Hawks in scoring this past season with 17 goals and 55 assists, more than doubling his output from his rookie year.

“This year was just one of those years that a lot of things were going right for me,” he said.

McDougall has also been named the SJHL’s IBAS Top Defenceman of the Year. Next season, McDougall will play with the NCAA Division 1 Mercyhurst and will participate in the inaugural SJHL/MJHL Showcase in Regina in mid-January.  

Saskatoon’s Declan Hobbs was named a finalist for the CJHL’s Top Goaltender Award. Hobbs appeared in 29 games with the Hawks in the regular season recording a 22-4-1-2 record.

“It’s nice to be rewarded for all that hard work I did, but it would not have happened without my other teammates helping me out,” he said.

Hobbs’ goals-against average of 2.20 was the second-best in the league during the regular season, and he tied for fourth in save percentage at .919.

“I think I just had the mindset coming to the rink that I could stop every puck if I saw it. I know I battled for every puck in practice and in games and you know if things weren’t going my way I’d figure out what was wrong and try to change it,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs was named a co-recipient of the SJHL’s Top Goaltender Award. The RBC Cup Awards Banquet is scheduled to take place May 10 in Chilliwack, B.C.

 

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell