This week the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) will announce its Overall Award winners for on-ice excellence: Most Valuable Player, Top Scorer, Top Defenceman, Top Goaltender, Rookie of the Year, Most Sportsmanlike Player, Coach of the Year and General Manager of the Year.

Today the KIJHL is pleased to announce that Derek Stuart of the Kimberley Dynamiters is the winner of the Wayne March GM of the Year award.

“Derek has a proven track record for building talented rosters that compete for a KIJHL championship each season,” said KIJHL commissioner Jeff Dubois.

“This year’s team represents a blend of homegrown talent and key trade acquisitions that have put the Dynamiters into the league finals for the second time in four seasons.”

Stuart assembled one of the KIJHL’s best rosters that went 31-9-2-2 in 44 games to earn 66 points and finish fourth overall.

Leading up to the Jan. 10 trade deadline, Stuart added 2006-born forward Braeden Jack, 2008-born defenceman Owen Bambrick and 2005-born defenceman John Lozeman.

Earlier in the season, he deepened their roster by adding offensive forward Jaden Rusznak, who had 32 points in 26 games after coming from 100 Mile House, gritty forward Toren Fron from Quesnel, as well as Brayden Schwartz from the AJHL and he finished second on the team with 56 points in 39 games.

Stuart also brought on Connor Baumbach (seven wins in 11 games) in goal to play with rookie Adam Kisilevich. Baumbach played a full season in the SJHL with the Battlefords North Stars.

The Dynamiters finished tied for second with the second highest offence, scoring 201 goals, and allowed 121 – third lowest in the league. The Dynamiters finished with a 2.68 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.

KIJHL

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