Defence rests at Oilers' awards banquet

For confirmation the Okotoks Oilers’ back end was the backbone of the team look no further than the honourees of the Alberta Junior Hockey League team’s year-end awards.

The Oilers’ defence corps were the big winners at the Junior A organization’s annual year end banquet, March 25 at the DeWinton Community Hall, taking home a combined six trophies.

Rookie blueliner Jordan Swenson was named the team’s Rookie of the Year, an honour the 18-year-old didn’t exactly anticipate.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all, it was a complete shock,” Swenson said. “I had a pretty good year and tried to work my bag off for the guys all year and it turned out well. My goal was to win this (award) I didn’t think I had a chance, but lucked out.”

The top rookie award is especially impressive with the other candidates the Oilers’ coaching staff had to choose from, including AJHL rookie of the year nominee Robert Hamilton.

Swenson was used in all situations and logged considerable minutes on the penalty kill in his freshman season, a testament to his responsible play. He made gains on offence too, tallying three goals and 15 points.

“I just tried to always be in position and never let anyone in the front of the net and jump up whenever I saw the opportunity,” Swenson said.

Fellow rookie defenceman Tariq Hammond skated away with the Most Improved Player award.

“I thought I had a pretty good season and obviously picked up (my play) at the end which it kind of has to for the playoffs,” Hammond said.

“I think just being steady out there,” Hammond said of his strengths. “That’s one thing that coaches have to trust in you to just be consistent and that’s what I tried to focus on all year.”

Hammond was thrust into a heavy workload in the postseason with injuries to veteran defencemen Matt Maleschuk, Craig Gans and rookie Jordan Swenson leaving the team short staffed on the back end.

“We had a couple main guys go down and we had to have some guys step up and I tried to come to that as much as possible and fit in for the guys who were missing.”

Hammond potted three goals and 14 points in 49 games while doing yeomen’s work in his own zone.

The fleet-footed rookie finished with the best plus/minus among blueliners in both the regular season and playoffs.

Hammond is hoping his elite speed will propel him to an increase in point totals in his sophomore season.

“Just getting better overall and doing whatever it takes to get to that next level,” Hammond said.

I think skating is one of my strengths for sure so if I can help (offensively) and get up in the rush I’ll do it.”

With the graduation of top-four defencemen Caylen Walls, Craig Gans and Rhett Holland from the Oilers’ franchise a big void will need to be filled by the five returning blueliners.

“We have some big shoes to fill, those are all quality defencemen and it’s for us guys that are returning to fill those and just make sure that we continue getting better.”

The Oilers’ 2012 campaign will be buoyed by the return of promising defencemen as well as a former blueliner who made a seamless transition up front during his rollercoaster rookie campaign.

Oilers’ forward Robbie Fisher walked away with the Oiler Award given to the individual displaying all around commitment to the Oilers on and off the ice.

Fisher is proud of his passion and commitment level to being an Oiler, reflected by his acceptance of a position switch to forward on the Oilers midway through the season rather than accept a trade to another organization where he could play his natural position of defence.

“I think it just shows the compassion and character I have,” Fisher said. “I come to the rink everyday with a good attitude and I like to have fun with everyone. It could have gone to a lot of guys. Our room was really close this year.”

“It’s different, but I really like it,” Fisher said of playing up front. “I like to get it on the forecheck, use my size and hit some defencemen in the corner and then park myself in front of the net.”

Fisher finished tops among rookie scorers on the Oilers with 11 goals, the fifth highest total on the club.

“There were a lot of growing pains individually,” Fisher said. “I came in as a defenceman and it didn’t really work out, but I came in as a forward and I think I made a lot of big steps and have something to build on for next year now.”

Fisher is eager to fulfill his role as a veteran leader on the club in 2012-13.

Okotoks’ assistant captain Alex Kromm was the big winner among the forwards. The skilled agitator was named the Most Popular Player and the co-Most Valuable Player, an honour he shared with blueliner Caylen Walls.

“There’s guys that score and there’s guys that do stuff behind the scenes so it’s definitely nice to get recognized for that,” Kromm said on his MVP honour. “There are definitely a few other guys that could have got it.”

Kromm characterized his last season at the Junior A level as largely successful, as the versatile winger found a way to contribute any way he could on any given game day.

Kromm finished fourth on the Oilers with 39 points and 154 penalty minutes in 49 games while logging significant minutes on the penalty-kill and playing a strong two-way game.

“I thought that personally if I wasn’t scoring one night that I’d at least be hitting, I wanted to do something every night.”

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