MJHL Notes: Dyck, Hirst coaching at MJHL/SJHL showcase

Both head coaches of the Niverville Nighthawks and Steinbach Pistons will be helping to lead a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team at the league’s upcoming showcase event.

Manitoba all-star teams will be taking on their counterparts in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, with Steinbach’s Paul Dyck behind the bench for one of the two 20U teams and Dwight Hirst coaching the 18U team.

The showcase will take place Jan. 28/29 inside the Seven Oaks Sportsplex in Winnipeg, featuring 60 of the best players from each league.

The games will be broadcast online on FloHockey, with anyone hoping to watch in person able to buy tickets online at mjhlhockey.ca starting Jan. 13 or at the door during the event.

PARANUZZI NABS HONOURS

Connor Parnuzzi is going into the new year on a hot streak.

Paranuzzi scored four goals and 15 assists for Steinbach in December, a performance which vaulted him to the top of the league’s scoring leaderboard, and had him named the league’s player of the month.

The 2005-born forward has already eclipsed his point total from last season, despite appearing in 20 fewer games. He was also named Steinbach’s player of the month.

Recent Alaska Anchorage commit Naaman Hofer (Dauphin) was named the defenseman of the month, with Winkler’s Liam Ernst the goaltender of the month.

The top rookie was given to Northern Manitoba’s Taye Timmerman, who posting a six-win month alongside a 0.945 save percentage. Teammate Miguel Bouvier was the peak performer of the month.

COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS ANNOUNCED

The league’s RBC community ambassador team, made up of one player from each team, was revealed just before the Christmas break.

Each team’s community ambassador must show strong citizenship and sportsmanship on and off the ice in addition to volunteer work.

Paranuzzi doubled up on his awards for the month, nabbing the honour for Steinbach in addition to player of the month recognition from the league. Carter Spirig was recognized for his work in Niverville.

“RBC’s longstanding partnership with MJHL reflects our shared recognition of the impact that these players can make as athletes and as a community member,” Tracey Schofield, RBC’s regional vice president for Manitoba South said.

“Congratulations and thank you to this season’s ambassadors for inspiring more youth to lead and make a positive impact.”

Erik Swar, the MJHL’s director of marketing and partnerships, thanked the bank for their two decades of support, noting the community ambassador program has become one of the league’s highlights each year.

Each player is recognized before a home game, with RBC making a donation to a local school in their honour.

WILLIAMS JOINS NIVERVILLE

With the Canadian junior roster deadline just around the corner, teams across the MJHL continue to make moves.

One of those moves was in Niverville, as Sean Williams joined the team. The 2004-born forward has spent time with four different MJHL franchises over the years, with the Nighthawks picking up his rights to complete a previous trade with Waywayseecappo this summer.

Williams, a Robert Morris University commit, started the season in the North American Hockey League and joined Niverville on New Year’s Eve in a loss to Steinbach.

Teams have until Jan. 10 at 5 p.m. to complete trades or make other changes to their rosters.

For more MJHL coverage including game recaps, standings and statistics, be sure to pick up a print edition of The Carillon every week.