Nelson Leafs defenceman Tyson Lautard has been named the Most Sportsmanlike Player of the KIJHL’s Neil Murdoch Division.
“It was pretty awesome. It’s an honour and it’s nice to be recognized for something,” said Lautard, who spent 14 minutes in the penalty box during the regular season. “I thought I played pretty well and stayed physical and worked hard.”
Lautard has always played a clean game and credits his father, who is a referee, for ensuring he plays that way all the time. He says he’s never wanted to take penalties to impact his team.
Lautard, who was second among Leaf defencemen in points with 27 in 41 games, said he stepped up in a leadership role for their blueline group. He also improved offensively, being more mobile, getting pucks through traffic and to the net.