BCJALL AWARDS: Martel is Top Rookie

MARCOLIS GILSON AWARD 

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR 

RYAN MARTEL, LANGLEY THUNDER

Stepping into a new team that is ready to enjoy serious success is never an easy transition, but Ryan Martel's ability to make it so easy has landed em the honour of being the league's top rookie this season.

Martel was an offensive dynamo, continuing the success he enjoyed with a stacked Langley Thunder Intermediate A team in 2016. He took over as one of the most feared scorers in that league and has the rare ability of being a goal scorer who gets it done in more ways than one. If you can score at the Inter A level, evidently you can at the Junior A level as well. 

Martel led all rookies in scoring, potting 43 goals and 54 assists for 97 points in 20 games - also good enough to lead all Langley scorers this season. He was a threat in all situations and became a complete player who can play any phase of the game. Of those 43 goals, 11 were with the man advantage, but Martel also had five tallies with the man down. Those five shorthanded goals ranked second in the league, tied with Coquitlam's Tommy Scanlan and Delta's Liam Macdonald and just two behind Connor Robinson.

Martel took that excellent regular season and also turned in a great playoff performance in Langley's playoff loss to Victoria, potting five points.

We'll see if Ryan can continue his ascent to being one of the best players in the league next season, when he likely commands more attention from clubs on a regular basis.