THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League announced Thursday that Mitchell Soderberg of the Thief River Falls Norskies has been selected the SIJHL’s Best Defensive Forward award recipient for the 2017-18 season.
Soderberg earned the accolades over fellow Best Defensive Forward finalists Jaedin Ness of the Fort Frances Lakers and Avery Siau of the Thunder Bay North Stars in voting completed by each of the league’s member clubs.
Among the efforts of the 20-year-old Grand Forks, N.D., product was helping Thief River Falls allow the fewest goals-against in the SIJHL this season at 134 while also aiding his club’s efforts in boasting the best penalty kill in the league at 88%.
Soderberg also produced offensively for the Norskies by notching a personal single-season high 54 points on 19 goals and 35 assists.
This marked a 15-point improvement for him over 2016-17 as he ended up tied for ninth in SIJHL scoring.
The following are the SIJHL’s all-time best defensive forward award recipients:
2017-18: Mitchell Soderberg, Thief River Falls Norskies
2016-17: Brett Wolframe, Thunder Bay North Stars
2015-16: Dylan Robertson, Fort Frances Lakers
2014-15: Wyatt Cota, Fort Frances Lakers (Co-recipient)
2014-15: Kris Kellaway, Thunder Bay North Stars (Co- recipient)
2013-14: Jonathon Losurdo, Minnesota Iron Rangers
2012-13: Jeremy Johnson, Minnesota Wilderness
2011-12: Sam Dubinsky, Thunder Bay North Stars
2010-11: Blake Boaz, Fort Frances Lakers
2009-10: Ryan Magill, Fort William North Stars
2008-09: Cale Brown, Fort William North Stars (Co- recipient)
2008-09: Mitch Cain, Fort Frances Jr. Sabres (Co- recipient)
2007-08: Travis Jaspers, Fort William North Stars
2006-07: Jason MacMillan, Thunder Bay Bearcats
2005-06: Jordan Chong, Dryden Ice Dogs
2004-05: Matt Tryuba, Dryden Ice Dogs
2003-04: Cory Bruno, Fort William North Stars
2002-03: Tom Grant, Fort William North Stars
2001-02: Josh Baxter, Borderland Thunder (Co- recipient)
2001-02: Tom Grant, Thunder Bay Bulldogs (Co- recipient)
Photo credit: Allison Garrigan