Sting Awards Ceremony
Pictured left to right: Alex Galchenyuk, Daniel Broussard, Joe Rogalski and Nathan Chiarlitti. Photo by Metcalfe Photography
Watch the video highlights of the ceremony here.
By DAVE BORODY
It came as no surprise that the two gifted rookies from this past season stole the show at the annual Sarnia Sting season-ending awards night on Friday at the RBC Centre.
Nail Yakupov took home three awards while Alex Galchenyuk won a pair.
Yakupov was named the team’s most valuable player, was the top scorer and shared rookie of the year honours with Galchenyuk, who shared the commitment to conditioning award with Daniel Broussard.
Galchenyuk was the first overall pick in last year’s Ontario Hockey League draft and finished with 31 goals and 82 points while Yakupov set a Sting rookie record with 49 goals and 100 points. Yakupov was recently named the OHL rookie of the year.
The pair are projected by many scouts to go one-two in the 2012 National Hockey League draft. Yakupov is currently in Russia and did not attend the awards night.
New Sting head coach and general manager, Jacques Beaulieu is glad to have the two players on his bench next season.
“Both are very special players. Nail is like Rick Nash was a few years ago in London. He gets people out of their seats. He shoots the puck like a pro now. It will be a pleasure to not have to coach against them. They are great foundations for this team.
“As for Alex, he plays the game more like the North American style. He’s good defensively and worried about his own end. But as everyone saw, he’s gifted offensively as well. What he showed last year tells me he won’t be in our league too much longer because he’s so talented.”
Sting associated coach Trevor Letowski presented the awards to the young super stars.
“Alex has a great motto in that he wants to get better every day. He’s got a special attitude and he’s going places. He’s very determined. As for Nail, the numbers speak for themselves, but he plays the game with a lot of passion. He loves to play and fans love to watch him. He loves scoring goals and he will be a great pro.”
Letowski provided some special numbers on Yakupov in the fact he became only the fifth player in the last 10 years in the OHL to score 100 or more points in their rookie seasons. The others include Sam Gagner and Patrick Kane of the London Knights, David Legwand of Plymouth and Sheldon Keefe of the Barrie Colts.
Gagner, Kane and Legwand all now play in the NHL.
Captain Nathan Chiarlitti won a pair of awards as he was named humanitarian of the year and also the RBC scholastic player of the year. The three-year veteran took courses online during the season from the University of Guelph.
Joe Rogalski was named defence man of the year. A fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins led all Sting defence men in scoring. It is expected Rogalski will be one of the Sting over agers next year. It will be his fifth season in the OHL and he will break the Sting record for most games played in a Sting uniform.
Team watches were presented to the three overagers from this past season, Troy Passingham, Tyler Peters and Kale Kerbashian. The three had received framed sweaters during the final home game of the season.
The Sting also introduced their draft picks from last week’s OHL priority draft. Eleven of the 15 players selected were in attendance to receive team jerseys and hats. Included in the 11 were first round pick Ryan Kujawinski from the Sudbury minor midgets and second round pick Anthony DeAngelo from Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League.
Letowski welcomed the Sting draft picks.
“It should be a proud day for both you as players and your families. It’s not easy to get drafted and you should hold your heads high. Congratulations to you all and it doesn’t matter what round you got drafted, you are now part of the Sting organization. It’s up to you to work hard and make this team.”
All the drafted players along with some from last season will take part in the annual Sting mini-camp Saturday and Sunday at the RBC Centre. The sessions will include practices, off-ice testing and scrimmages. The scrimmages will be Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m.
Also on Saturday the Sting will hold a school presentation for the players and their families as well as a tour of the city.
Admission to the mini-camp is free.
Dave Borody is a freelance writer who covers Sting games both home and away and also does features for the Sting Website.
