Recapping the 2023 Silvertips Team Awards

EVERETT, Wash. — Jackson Berezowski took home an armful of hardware at the 2023 Everett Silvertips Team Awards held on Friday, Mar. 24 after the final regular season home game at Angel of the Winds Arena.

Fearless. Inspirational. Enthusiastic. Respected. Courageous. Exceptional.

Bere.#ForEverett pic.twitter.com/6PJhvW3JT0

— x – Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) March 25, 2023

Award winners as determined by the Everett Silvertips coaching staff (with the exception of the F.I.E.R.C.E. Predator Award) were as follows:

F.I.E.R.CE. Predator: Jackson Berezowski. Voted on by the Everett Silvertips Hockey Booster Club for the player that best exemplifies Fearless, Inspirational, Enthusiastic, Respected, Courageous and Exceptional play. Berezowski joins former captain Jonathan Harty as the only Silvertips to win the award twice in franchise history (Harty won in 2006-07 and ’07-08). Award was presented by Ron Olsen, first-ever president of the Everett Silvertips Hockey Booster Club.

Team MVP: Jackson Berezowski. Berezowski finished his final junior season third in the WHL in goals with 48, both setting a single-season franchise record and surpassing the career goals record in the same campaign. Of his 48 goals, 22 came on the powerplay, a mark that finished tied for the most in the WHL. He also finished as a +15 defensively, which ranked second on the team behind only Austin Roest’s +19.

Leading Scorer: Jackson Berezowski. Berezowski’s final line boasted 48 goals and 33 assists for 81 points in 62 games played. He recorded eight points in his final three games including a hat trick in his final regular season home game.

Rookie of the Year: Jesse Heslop. Heslop paced all rookies on the team with 12 goals and 29 assists for 41 points in 66 games played, with a +8 defensive rating that ranked third on the team. He also finished tenth overall amongst all WHL rookies and sixth amongst 2006-born players in scoring.

Most Improved: Austin Roest. The 2004-born Roest more than doubled his point total from last season to 2022-23, finishing with 78 points in 60 games played. He jumped from 13 goals in 2021-22 to 32 this year, with four coming on the powerplay (21 total points on the man advantage) and one coming shorthanded. He finished second on the team and 25th overall in the WHL in shots on goal with 229, with a team-leading +19 defensive rating.

Coach’s Award: Ben Hemmerling. Bestowed upon the player with both earned on-ice success as well as assumed a leadership position in the locker room. Hemmerling, named an alternate captain for the first time this season as an ’04-born forward, posted 21 goals and 41 assists for 62 points in 55 games played. He nearly doubled his shot output from last season, jumping from 115 to 227 in 2022-23 in two fewer games played. The Vegas Golden Knights prospect was an invaluable part of the Silvertips’ culture this season.

Most Dedicated: Ty Gibson. Gibson logged career-highs in all offensive categories this season with six goals and 18 assists for 24 points plus 113 shots-on-goal in 66 games played. Over his four years in the Everett Silvertips system, Gibson has proven to be one of the most consistent and durable blueliners on the team. He has missed just three games in the last two seasons.

Unsung Hero: Aidan Sutter. Sutter, an ’02-born Kamloops native, paced all Silvertips defensemen with 38 points (including 16 on the powerplay) in 62 games played. Named an alternate captain in January, he has been a key presence in the Everett locker room as a positive influence and mentor for younger players on the roster.

Iron Man Award: Kaden Hammell & Cade Zaplitny. Neither Hammell (’05) nor Zaplitny (’04) missed a game in the entire 2022-23 season, even with Hammell arriving to Everett via trade from the Kamloops Blazers in January.

Community Relations Award: Beau Courtney. Courtney (’04) was quick to volunteer for a number of community appearances all across Snohomish County, including elementary school visits in Marysville, activity hour participation at Bethany Nursing Home in downtown Everett, and voluntarily assisting with the Great Small Dog Trial Races at Sam’s Cats & Dogs.

Scholastic Player Award: Eric Jamieson. Presented by education coordinator Darren Parsons, Jamieson (’05) balanced his season with excellence in the classroom, succeeding in several core classes with a 92% average.

Also recognized:

Overagers (’02-born players): Jackson Berezowski, Aidan Sutter, Raphael Pelletier.

Graduates (’03-born players): Ty Gibson, Vincent Lamanna, Tyler Palmer.