Van Loon GOJHL’s top rookie
Liam Van Loon has a new trophy for his shelf.
The speedy Ancaster Avalanche winger was named the Golden Horseshoe Conference’s rookie of the year at the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s awards gala in St. Catharines Monday.
He called the ceremony “unreal” and the honour “a surprise.”
“I didn’t even know I was nominated for it. And when I heard my name, I didn’t know what to do or say.
“All I had was a huge grin on my face,” he added.
He also said he didn’t do it alone — from his coaches to his teammates “they all helped me achieve this goal.”
A third-round pick of the Hamilton Bulldogs last April, Van Loon was the top-scoring 16-yearold in the GOJHL with 26 goals and 27 assists in 42 games. He also led the Jr. B Avalanche in scoring.
Ancaster coach Ken Peroff said Van Loon has been “rock solid, right from the beginning” — in part because of the experience he gained at his tryout with the Bulldogs, who are the Avs’ Ontario Hockey League affiliate.
“He’s a really, really competitive kid, and I think in other situations, perhaps if the Bulldogs weren’t so deep, he might be in the OHL this year.”
A 5-foot-11, 175-pound London native, Van Loon impressed at the Bulldogs training camp and was among the final cuts last September. He’s been called up to the big club twice since.
Van Loon wasn’t the only Ancaster rookie honoured Monday.
Peroff was also named the conference’s coach of the year in his first season behind the bench.
“I was really excited,” said the 28-year-old from North Bay. “To get it was great. I was really humbled.”
Peroff, a former Brampton Battalion defenceman, was hired to fill the vacancy left by Ryan Kuwabara, days before training camp opened last August. He went on to lead the Avs to a thirdplace finish and a 38-10-2 record, a new franchise mark for wins.
“It was my first chance to really do the things that I wanted to implement, and build the program up. It went really well. It was a good year — so far.”
Owner Tim Wilson said Peroff’s confidence, knowledge, passion and on-ice experience all played a role in the team’s regular-season success. It also helps, he added, that “he gets the boys to believe.”
“Honest to God, I couldn’t be happier. These guys really deserve it. I took a calculated chance and a confident chance on hiring Ken as a rookie — he’s never been a head coach before, not even in minor hockey — but obviously it paid off.”
The Avs kick off the first round of the playoffs against the sixthplace Welland Jr. Canadians Saturday. Ancaster took their regular-season series 4-2.
“They’re really, really competitive, really hardworking,” Peroff said of Welland. “It’s going to be a tough series, they’re going to make us earn everything we get.”
Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is at 7 p.m. at Ancaster’s Morgan Firestone Arena.