Wilson hauls in hardware
By Laurence Heinen

CALGARY, AB. – Ben Wilson hauled in a lot of hardware at the 2010-11 Calgary Hitmen Awards Banquet Sunday night at the Fairmount Palliser.

In addition to winning the Enmax Energy Humanitarian Award and the Molson Coaches Award, Wilson shared the Booster Club Fan Favourite trophy with fellow defenceman Peter Kosterman.

The trio of awards helped ease the disappointment of a 2-0 loss earlier in the afternoon to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

“It makes it a little more enjoyable,” said Wilson, who predicted the Hitmen will be a much improved team next season. “Obviously you still want to keep on playing right now. Next year I think we’re going to be a really good hockey team.”

Preferring to let his play speak for itself on the ice, Wilson was a man of few words when he went up to the podium to accept his awards.

“I’ll keep it short and sweet, just like myself,” said Wilson upon sharing the Fan Favourite award with Kosterman.

Wilson then thanked Brad Curle, Blake Heynen and other Hitmen employees for helping him coordinate the many charity and community endeavours that he took part in this season.

“I had it easy,” said Wilson, who was the lone Hitmen player to appear in all 72 games. “I just showed up.”

After winning the Coaches Award, Wilson once again kept his words positive.

“We’ll go get them next year, that’s all I’ve got to say,” he said.

Hitmen head coach Mike Williamson said Wilson is a deserving recipient of all the accolades he received after a season that saw him fill in at forward when needed and wear the captain’s C when Cody Sylvester and Tyler Fiddler were both out with injuries.

“The Coaches Award and all the awards he got are about selflessness and team first attitude, doing whatever’s asked and whatever it takes and that’s what Ben’s all about,” Williamson said. “Just to play 72 games at this level is no simple feat. He competes hard, he finishes checks, he takes hits, he fights. He works as hard off the ice as anybody to give himself that chance and opportunity. We’ve kind of joked about it before, but he’s a warrior and that attitude is something we hope rubs off on other players.”

After being named the Petro-Canada Player of the Year, Sylvester said several of his teammates, like Wilson, could have also received the honour.

“I didn’t expect it at all,” said Sylvester, who scored the first goal in the annual Petro-Canada Teddy Bear Toss game to lead the Hitmen to a big 2-0 win over the Red Deer Rebels on Dec. 12. “The Teddy Bear Toss goal is probably the biggest goal I’ve scored. It’s special and hopefully I can do it again next year.”

Veteran forward Kris Foucault, who played his final game for the Hitmen on Sunday, won the Remax 3 Star Award.

“For sure the season was tough, but it’s good to go out on a good note like this,” said Foucault, while adding he believes that with leaders like Wilson and Sylvester, the Hitmen will return to prominence once again next season. “I’ll be watching them and seeing how they do and giving them a hard time if they’re not playing up to their potential.”

Kosterman was also recognized as the Chrysler Canada Inc. Scholastic Player for the second straight year, Spencer Humphries was named Husky Energy Top Defenceman, Justin Kirsch earned accolades as the National Sports Development Most Sportsmanlike Player, while Trevor Cheek took home the Wendy’s Restaurant Rookie of the Year award.

“Those guys are all guys that we consider leaders and they’re going to come back and have the potential to play prominent roles,” Williamson said.

“There’s just so much talent with each guy,” said Humphries, who’s excited to return to Calgary next season for a full season after being acquired from the Tri-City Americans at the trade deadline. “I’m pretty excited next year to see who steps up really big out of all of us.”

Cheek also believes that there’s nowhere to go but up for the Hitmen.

“There’s no doubt about it if you look at us on paper,” Cheek said. “Even all the learning we’ve had this year, we’ve really had our ups and downs obviously and I think we’ll be really good next year.”

Keynote speaker Sean McAslan, who played five years with the Hitmen and suffered through a 15-win season in the 1996-97, encouraged the returning players stay positive.

“The great thing about this league is that there’s always a quick turnaround,” said McAslan, who went on to the Hitmen win a WHL title in 1999 and advance to the Memorial Cup where they lost in overtime to the host Ottawa 67’s. “If you stick together and put in the work, there are brighter days ahead.”