David Wiens (left) was also an All-Star in the PJHL this season along with teammate Luc Marleau (right). (Facebook/Carrot River Outback Thunder)

By Mat Barrett

Wiens Wins

Carrot River product takes home PJHL hardware for Outback Thunder

Feb 12, 2020 | 10:58 AM

The Prairie Junior Hockey League (PJHL) announced its league award winners on Tuesday, Feb. 11 and honoured one Carrot River Outback Thunder player.

Eighteen-year-old David Wiens was named the winner of the PJHL’s Graham Christie Memorial Rookie of the Year Award.

“I was pretty honoured by it,” Wiens told northeastNOW. “To be chosen throughout the whole league as the rookie of the year is pretty big. So to get that, I was pretty pumped.”

Wiens has 19 goals and 18 assists on the year for 37 points. That had him second in rookie scoring in the PJHL, and first on his team. Wiens said he thinks it was his complete game that put him on top.

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“I think of myself as an all-round, two-way player,” he said. “I can play in the [defensive] zone, I can play in the [offensive] zone. I think that’s what kind of persuaded people to choose me.”

It’s also the second straight year that a player from the Carrot River Outback Thunder won the Rookie of the Year award as Caleb Grandfield did the same last year.

A Carrot River native, Wiens midget hockey career saw him play 116 total games with the Tisdale Trojans AAA club over two seasons. He won a Telus Cup Bronze Medal in 2018/2019 and came to Carrot River for his first year of Junior. Wiens was also drafted in the 2016 Saskatchewan Hockey League Draft by the Humboldt Broncos, but was traded to the La Ronge Ice Wolves in 2018.

He said the decision to come to Carrot River and play Junior B was something on his mind for a while.

“I always wanted to play in my hometown,” he said. “Seeing all my friends again, and I can work and make some money. I just thought it was the right fit for me.”

It was somewhat of a regime change for Carrot River this season, with Head Coach Luke Folk and General Manager Brennan Hall entering their first full seasons. The team struggled for a few years prior, but the new personnel gave the program new life.

“I’ve watched it since I was a little kid,” Wiens said. “It’s been one of the top organizations throughout the years, and it’s been one of the bottom ones too. To see it go up now, it’s really awesome to be a part of it.”

Folk gave high praise for his leading scorer, saying Wiens demands a lot from himself, and always gives his all.

“He’s been a work horse for us all year, between his game winning goals, big hits, shot blocks or a timely scrap here and there,” Folk said. “He’s been getting the boys on their feet for all 40 games this year. “

Wiens was also named an assistant captain for the Outback Thunder in his first season with the club, something not seen very often in hockey.

“For the coaches to choose me, it’s pretty big,” he said. “It was awesome. I try to lead by example and do the right things most of the time.”

Carrot River has one game remaining in the regular season on Feb. 15 against the Saskatoon Quakers in Carrot River. The Thunder will make the playoffs this year, but their first round opponent is still to be determined.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6