1ST ANNUAL SJHL BROADCASTERS' POLL

Craig Stein deserves a ton of credit for spearheading this.  It's very interesting if you follow the SJHL on a regular basis.

http://craigstein.blogspot.com/2011/02/1st-annual-sjhl-broadcasters-poll.html

I'm not afraid to show my own votes, so here they are:

WHO'S THE BEST?

Forward
1)  Travis Eggum, La Ronge
2)  Jeremy Boyer, Yorkton
3)  Blake Tatchell, Battlefords
**I left Carre off, but maybe shouldn't have.  I'm hoping he has a huge playoff and then I'll put him in the top three.

2-Way Forward
1)  Doug Lindensmith, La Ronge
2)  Brock Appleyard, Weyburn
3)  Adam Wihak, Melfort

**Again, I'm going off playoffs from last year a little bit.  Lindensmith, to me, is the most complete forward in the league right now.  I've been very impressed with Appleyard this year and Wihak has just gotten better and better.  After seeing the results, Fox would have been a good choice too and Souchotte is definitely an upper echelon defensive player in my book.

Best Shot
1)  Jeremy Boyer, Yorkton
2)  Drew George, Weyburn
3)  Marc-Andre Carre, La Ronge

**I honestly went at this question a little blind and simply recalled some of the better goals I've seen this year.  

Playmaker
1)  Justin Buzzeo, Yorkton
2)  Johnny Calkins, Kindersley
3)  Sanfred King, Kindersley

**I voted for these three, but you can't argue with the poll results either.

Offensive Defenseman
1)  Josh Roach, Humboldt
2)   Brody Luhning, Battlefords
3)  Kurt Leedahl, Kindersley

**I'm surprised Luhning did as well as he did in the overall poll.  Clearly, broadcasters have taken notice how good he is.  

Stay-at-Home Defenseman
1)  Craig Karius, Melville
2)  Sean Flanagan, Kindersley
3)  Lee Christensen, Melfort
**Sonntag and Howden are good choice.  Honestly, I didn't see enough of Notre Dame this year.  Sonntag is a player I actually forgot about.  He would have made my top three too!

Goalie
1)  Russell Abbott, Notre Dame

2)   Charles Corsi, Melfort
3)  PJ Musico, Flin Flon
**To me, this was the easiest question asked.

Rookie
1) Eli Lichtenwald, Nipawin
2) Jesse Ross, Weyburn

3) Roger Tagoona, Melville
**Tagoona didn't make the final grade overall, but I gave him extra points (as I did Lichtenwald) for playing on a team that's really void of a high profile offensive veteran.  Tagoona has also gotten better since Metz and Hanson were traded.

If You Could Take Any 3 Players in a Shootout
1) Justin Hollinger, Melville
2) Marc-Andre Carre, La Ronge
3) Robbie Ciolfi, Yorkton
**Just a shot in the dark for me on this vote.  Hollinger has got some decent shootout moves and Ciolfi is a very dangerous shorthanded player.  So, I figure he's good on breakaways.  Carre is so gifted.

Best Scrapper
1) Tyler Mah, Flin Flon
2) Brant Remenda, Yorkton
3) Andre Parker, Melville
**Tony Oak is an obvious choice, but can you believe I've never actually witnessed him fight?  Mah is a player to watch.  Remenda fought Cody Zubko last year and it takes a special breed to do that.  Parker has the bloodlines.

Agitator/Toughest to Play Against
1) Lucas Ulmer, Weyburn
2) Taylor Johnson, Humboldt
3) Dillan McCombie, Flin Flon

**To get a real accurate measuring stick with this, you'd probably have to ask the players.  These three guys aren't afraid to get greasy.  Duzan definitely should have made my list.

Most Underrated Player
1) Adam Bartko, La Ronge
2) Corey Tyrell, Flin Flon
3) Cole Gibson, Battlefords

**This could have gone to just about anyone.  I picked Bartko because everyone seems to think goaltending is a chink in the La Ronge armor and yet the numbers and his play suggests otherwise.  The Bombers don't play well when Tyrell isn't in the line-up.  Gibson has been on almost half of the teams in this league and he does nothing but score for all of them.  Duzan is an excellent choice here as well.  

Coach of the Year
1)  Rockie Zinger, Kindersley
2)  Trent Cassan, Yorkton
3)  Dean Brockman, Humboldt

**Zinger didn't make the final top three in the league wide poll.  I suspect broadcasters didn't vote for him because he's only coached half of the year.  That isn't a factor for me.  

FAVOURITES

Easiest Coach To Interview1)  Jamie Fiesel, Melville
2)  Darrell Mann, Melfort
3)  Mike Reagan, Flin Flon

**There is no such thing as a hard interview when it comes to a coach in this league.

Most Quotable Coach1)  Jamie Fiesel, Melville
2)  Jamie Fiesel, Melville
3) Jamie Fiesel, Melville

Honorable mention to Karry Biette and Don Chesney, but they weren't eligible!

Favourite Rink To Broadcast From1) Weyburn
2) Melfort
3) Kindersley

**There is a ton of room in Weyburn.  You don't have to leave the booth the entire game.  There are even washrooms up there.

Least Favourite Rink To Broadcast From1) Notre Dame
2) Yorkton
3) Estevan
**Yorkton may surprise some, but I can never see the shot clock!

Loudest Rink1) Flin Flon
2) Weyburn
3) La Ronge
**The other 9 rinks should make it their mission to try and make the top three next year.

Best Rink Food/Coffee1) Yorkton (if steak night counts)
2) Weyburn
3) Melville
**Weyburn did very well with food/arena/city votes.

Favourite Out-of-Town City to Visit1) Flin Flon

2) Melville
3) Weyburn

**I love Flin Flon, I just wish it didn't take so darn long to get there!

Favourite Hotel to Stay at1) Victoria Inn (Flin Flon)
2) Golden Eagle (Casino) (Battlefords)
3) Sandman (Saskatoon)

**David Brooks is a good guy and deserves to have his hotel on the list!

Favourite Restaurant For Pre or Post Game Meals1) BMO Curling Lounge - Yorkton
2) Boston Pizza - Battlefords
3) Tim Horton's - Melfort

AND FINALLY... 

Who represents each Conference in the Credit Union Cup Final
Bauer:  La Ronge

Sherwood:  Kindersley