SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Wayne Strachan of Fort Frances Lakers named SIJHL coach of the year
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League announced Tuesday that Wayne Strachan of the Fort Frances Lakers has been named the SIJHL’s coach of the year for the 2015-16 season.
Strachan earned the honour over fellow coach of the year finalists Kurt Walsten of the Dryden GM Ice Dogs and Jeremy Adduono of the Thunder Bay North Stars in voting for the award completed by each of the league member clubs.
This marks the fifth time Strachan has earned SIJHL coach of the year laurels, which is now the most in league history surpassing the four that Todd Howarth won back during his tenure with the Fort William North Stars.
During the course of the regular season, the Fort Frances product led his hometown Lakers to a franchise-record 46 victories against just eight losses in regulation and two others in a shootout.
The 2015-16 campaign also saw Fort Frances win their third consecutive SIJHL regular season title and finish fifth overall in the 131-team Canadian Junior Hockey League in the final Pointstreak Top 20 rankings.
The Lakers are also the two-time defending Bill Salonen Cup SIJHL champions.
As a player, Strachan won a Dudley-Hewitt Cup with the Thunder Bay Flyers in 1991 as well as two NCAA hockey championships as a member of the Lake Superior State Lakers in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. in the mid-1990s.
The following is the list of the SIJHL’s all-time coach of the year award recipients:
2015-16: Wayne Strachan, Fort Frances Lakers
2014-15: Jeremy Adduono, Thunder Bay North Stars
2013-14: Wayne Strachan, Fort Frances Lakers
2012-13: Chris Walby, Minnesota Iron Rangers (Co-winner)
2012-13: Rod Aldoff, Minnesota Wilderness (Co-winner)
2011-12: Rod Aldoff, Wisconsin Wilderness
2010-11: Wayne Strachan, Fort Frances Lakers
2009-10: Clint Mylymok, Dryden Ice Dogs
2008-09: Todd Howarth, Fort William North Stars
2007-08: Wayne Strachan, Fort Frances Jr. Sabres
2006-07: Randy Lulashnyk, Dryden Ice Dogs (Co-winner)
2006-07: Todd Howarth, Fort William North Stars (Co-winner)
2005-06: Bobby Spadoni, Schreiber Diesels
2004-05: Todd Howarth, Fort William North Stars
2003-04: Todd Howarth, Fort William North Stars
2002-03: David Vescio, Thunder Bay Bulldogs
2001-02: Wayne Strachan, Borderland Thunder