Predator owner, coach names top players

When the Niagara Predators announced their team awards last Saturday, it was no surprise that the one-two punch of Reese Bisci and Dante Massi led the way, with five awards between them. And their top goalie award went to a Swedish phenom who hadn’t laced up for Niagara since late November. 

To choose the award winners, team owner, coach and general manager Robert Turnbull consulted with his assistants Connor Shipton and Samantha Marson, as well as one of his U.S. scouts who spent a lot of time at Virgil’s Meridian Credit Union Arena watching the Predators play. Following is the list of honours.

Reese Bisci - Best Defensive Forward, Most Improved,
Rookie of the Year

The 5’9” Welland native was a shoo-in for Rookie of
the Year. Playing in his first Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League season, Bisci notched 13 goals and 19 assists, his 32 points in 36 games making him the sixth highest scoring Predator this year. 

“He started at right wing on the fourth line,” Turnbull told The Local. “We moved him to centre, and he worked his way up to the first line. He started making players around him better. He killed penalties and won faceoffs at a 75-percent clip.”

As well, in game after game all season the 20-year-old was regularly the first forward back in the Predators zone to help out the defensive corps. And he certainly earned the Most Improved award as he stepped up late in the season when Swedish forwards Emil and Jesper Eriksson didn’t return to the team following the Christmas break. Ten of his goals came in the final 13 games of the Predators 38-game season.

“I’m hoping he’s coming back next year,” Turnbull adds.“He told me it was the best time he’s ever had playing hockey, so that’s a promising sign. He skates, he back-checks, he by far was our most improved player.”

Dante Massi, Heart Award,
Most Valuable Player

Massi finished the season with 74 points, leading all Predators with that total. His 59 assists placed him in the top 10 in the GMHL. The Niagara Falls native, just 5’7“ tall, played like a much bigger skater, throwing his shoulders into opponents while fighting for the puck in both the offensive and defensive zones. Massi played every shift all season with 100 per cent effort, earning him most valuable honours. “The Heart Award is for the guy who puts their team on his back,” Turnbull explained. “Dante is the guy that made this thing go all season. When he was at his best everyone was at their best. He grew as a player and as a person this season.”

At 21 years old, Massi will be ineligible to play for the Predators next year.

Alexander Insulander
Leadership Award 

Insulander was the Predators’ leading goal scorer, with 31, and ended up second to Massi in total points with 57. Originally playing on a line with fellow Swedes Jesper and Emil Eriksson, his production dipped a bit when those two left the team. The now 22-year-old Insulander was often seen encouraging the other Predators before, during and after games. 

“He did so much, both on and off the ice, arranging extra practices and other things,” Turnbull said. “He was runner-up for MVP and a couple of other awards too. He talked to the players on the bench, in the dressing room, on the ice. All the things you need from a leader on a daily basis, Alexander brought it.”

Brenden Morin
Best Defenceman 

This award came down to 21-year-old Welland native Morin and Swedish defender Pontus Madsen. Though Madsen was given a little more ice time all year as a pure defenceman, Turnbull said Morin shone in the one-on-ones and did all the little things right. Madsen outscored Morin, with 31 and 26 points respectively, but Morin was a stalwart presence on the blue line all season.

“Pontus carried the puck a lot, but he got caught a lot, too,” Turnbull said. “When I went through all the strengths and weaknesses, there were actually three guys that could have won this award, but Morin edged out the others.”

Oskar Spinnars Nordin
Best Goalie

In the short time he was with the Predators, Oskar Spinnars Nordin built a reputation as one of the GMHL’s best goalies. Before leaving for the Bismarck, North Dakota Bobcats of the North American Hockey League, the Swedish import had a record of seven wins and three losses, a 1.90 goals against average and a 0.952 save percentage in 10 games between the pipes. Though Niagara used six other goaltenders during the season, Spinnars Nordin was by far their standout. With him in the crease, the team, who played with a short bench early in the season, always had confidence their goalie would give them a chance to win.

Following his late November departure, it took some time for the Preds to truly find their groove again. In Bismarck, Spinnars Nordin amassed 17 wins, three losses and two shootout losses, along with a 2.88 goals against average. 

Dawson Walker
Coaches Award

Forward Dawson Walker played in 36 games for the Predators this year. The 19-year-old from Niagara Falls scored two goals and eight assists, but it was his attitude and work ethic that earned him the recognition. 

“I always award a player that works their butt off,” Turnbull explained. “He may not have gotten the same amount of ice time, but he supported the players on the bench, never complained, and asked for additional help when needed. He skated hard at every practice, arrived early, stayed late. Dawson by far stood out.”

Noah Caperchione
Most Sportsmanlike Player

Through 21 games with the Predators, the 21-year-old Port Colborne native had a single penalty for a total of two minutes spent in the box. 

“Considering the number of goals he got,” said Turnbull, “and the areas he had to work in to get those goals, he played smart as a power forward and stayed out of the penalty box.”

Though he joined the team about a month into the season, Caperchione immediately made an impact. He finished the year with 22 goals (including five game-winners) and 13 assists. His experience with the Pelham Panther and Caledonia Corvairs of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) was a boost to the Predators roster. 

Durham Roadrunners win the Southern Division

After knocking the Predators out of the second round of the Russell Cup playoffs three games to one, the North York Renegades faced the first place Durham Roadrunners for the South Division title. Throughout the seven-game series the home ice advantage seemed to be a factor, with the hosts winning each of the seven games. The final two games went to overtime, and Durham won the seventh game, a  3-2 thriller on their home ice to clinch the South. They now face the Northern Division winners, the Temiscaming Titans, in a seven-game series for the Russell Cup title.