Silvertips Announce 2023-24 Team Awards
March 26, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Everett Silvertips News Release
EVERETT, Wash. - The Everett Silvertips have officially announced their 2023-234 Team Awards, unveiled following their regular-season-ending Sunday night victory over the Tri-City Americans at Angel of the Winds Arena.
Awards were divided up into three categories: Service Awards, given to honored employees of the Everett Silvertips; Everett Silvertips Hockey Booster Club Awards, as voted on by members of the Booster Club; and Coaches Awards, determined by the Everett Silvertips' coaching staff.
Below is an itemized list of the awards:
Service Awards
Jim Leo Distinguished Service Award: Anthony Fletcher, in his second season as police liaison for the Everett Silvertips.
Booster Club Awards
Graduates ('04-born players eligible for professional hockey next season): Dexter Whittle, Hayden Smith, Ben Hemmerling, Beau Courtney, Cade Zaplitny, Austin Roest, Dominik Rymon, Ethan Chadwick.
Over-agers ('03-born players in their final season of eligibility for junior hockey): Teague Patton, Tyler Palmer, Parker Berge.
F.I.E.R.C.E. Predator Award: Austin Roest. Voted on by the Everett Silvertips Hockey Booster Club for the player that best exemplifies Fearless, Inspirational, Enthusiastic, Respected, Courageous and Exceptional play. Roest finished the season with 38 goals and 31 assists in 62 games played, while logging key minutes on both the powerplay and the penalty kill. Roest is in his second season as a member of the Tips' leadership group and first season as co-captain.
Coaches' Awards
Iron Man Award: Ben Hemmerling & Parker Berge. Neither Hemmerling nor Berge missed a game due to injury. Hemmerling appeared in 66 games in 2023-24, only missing time due to NHL Preseason action with the Vegas Golden Knights. Berge played in each eligible game this season with both the Regina Pats and Silvertips.
Scholastic Player of the Year: Cameron Sytsma. Awarded to the player who combines the demands of hockey with the rigors of education. Sytsma maintained a 90% grade-point average in English, social studies, chemistry, biology and French.
Coach's Award: Eric Jamieson & Dominik Rymon. Presented to players that embody the Silvertip Way, leading by example on and off the ice. Rymon and Jamieson have embraced a gritty, two-way style of play as a forward and defenseman respectively. They both have combined highlight-reel-caliber scoring with punishing physical play. Rymon rebounded from an injury-riddled 2022-23 campaign, finishing second on the team in points with 81 in 57 games played. Jamieson, named an alternate captain in January, posted 10 goals and 22 assists in 66 games played.
Most Improved Player: Tarin Smith. Smith appeared in only eight games in 2022-23, recovering from a shoulder injury that required long-term rehabilitation. Back and fully healthy for 2023-24, Smith logged 44 points in 67 games played, including 16 powerplay points.
Most Dedicated Player: Austin Roest. Meant to recognize the Silvertip that shows an undying commitment to bettering themselves on and off the ice. Roest has taken remarkable leaps and bounds forward since joining the Silvertips organization in 2020-21. After winning Most Improved at the 2023 Awards, Roest continued to push himself, culminating in his being drafted- and signed- by the NHL's Nashville Predators.
Unsung Hero: Beau Courtney. Courtney stepped up when the Silvertips needed veteran leadership, particularly during long stretches early in the season marred by injury up and down the roster. Courtney finished with 17 goals and 15 assists, emerging as one of the most relied-upon penalty killers and faceoff-takers.
Leading Scorer: Ben Hemmerling. Hemmerling finished with 30 goals and 61 assists for 90 points in 65 games played, ranking 16th in the Western Hockey League. He is just the fourth Silvertip to record a 90+ point season, joining Patrick Bajkov (100 in '17-18), Zach Hamill (93 in '06-07) and Josh Winquist (93 in '13-14).
Rookie of the Year: Julius Miettinen. Miettinen, entering his first year of NHL Draft eligibility, finished third amongst WHL rookies in goals (31) and points (67). He tied the Silvertips' team lead in powerplay goals with 10, plus an additional 14 helpers on the man advantage.
Most Valuable Player: Ben Hemmerling. Hemmerling finishes the 2023-24 campaign fourth in career assists with 143 and seventh in career points with 207 in 199 games played. He generated 326 shots on goal this season, third-most in the WHL behind only Portland's James Stefan and Saskatoon's Egor Sidorov.
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