The Zoo Accounting Solihull Barons rounded off their 2022-23 season with an evening of reflection and awards as players, sponsors, volunteers and fans got together at Nailcote Hall on Friday evening.
Top points scorer – Niklas Ottosson
Picking up the top points award is long time Barons fan-favourite Niklas Ottosson. With 25 regular season goals Niklas was also the top scorer, one ahead of Phil Mulcahy, while a further 49 play-making assists pushed the Swede comfortably to the top of the points pile.
Young player -Bailey Challans
The Barons number 55 Bailey Challans has had another strong season with Solihull having joined the club at the start of last season from Nottingham. Strong on the puck and able to muscle most forwards away from threatening positions Bailey’s game continues to grow and promises much for the future.
Best defenceman – Richard Crowe
Richard Crowe continued to show his capability in D, combining a strong game in his own end with a considerable offensive threat whether this be quarter-backing powerplays or releasing his trademark rockets from the blue line. A single club player Crowe currently sits at number 3 in the all-time list of player appearances in a Barons shirt.
Supporters’ player – Graham Laverick
Graham Laverick returned once more between the pipes for the 22-23 Barons and showed himself to be a real fan favourite capable of keeping the puck the right side of the goal line time and time again. Initially evenly sharing lead goalie duties with Sam Hewitt, by mid-season injury to Hewitt left Laverick, with backing from Ben Lee, shouldering primary responsibility for Solihull net-minding – a role he performed consistently well through the season.
Players’ player – Dan Mulcahy
While Dan Mulcahy failed to start the season for the Barons, his return, a third of the way into the season, became a catalyst for Solihull’s forward lines to start racking up the goals. Typically forming a line with brother Phil and Niklas Ottosson, Dan’s quick, harrying style, forechecking and plays round the back of the net proved a nightmare for opposition D’s and goalies.
Coach’s player – Brandon Anderton
Having come up through the Solihull youth set-up and begun his senior career with the Barons, Brandon Anderton returned to Hobs Moat for 2022-23. Scooping Phil Lee’s coach’s player of the year Brandon has shown consistently strong commitment to the team on and off the ice with gritty, focussed play at both ends of the rink.
Rob Eley award for SPIRIT OF THE BARONS – Ben Lee
On a two-way contract with the NIHL Coventry Blaze, Ben Lee filled the essential but often thankless role of third goalie for 2022-23. Initially primarily limited to this role, he later stepped up manfully to the official back-up role for most of the second half of the season, sacrificing potential ice time with the Blaze to provide the Barons with this vital roster piece.
