The Airdrie Thunder celebrated their best players, coaches, volunteers and sponsors at their annual year-end banquet last night (April 18th).

Head Coach Derek Stamp says it was a great time to honour those that made the Thunder what it was last season.

The Airdrie Thunder Award winners from their year-end banquet last night

“It was great to be able to celebrate the success that these guys had individually and to recognize all of the people that make it possible and then to celebrate the success that the team had overall.”

The majority of the banquet was spent thanking the many volunteers and sponsors from the last season, from scorekeepers to equipment managers and 50/50 workers.

Stamp and his coaching staff were also recognized for their effort in the 2017/2018 season and looked back on how it went.

“We were happy with the way we played in the regular season. We had our ups and downs but our guys were able to get better as the season went on and make some adjustments. We fought through a lot of adversity in the playoffs and as a coaching staff and an organization, we’re so proud of what those guys did.”

Stamp says that the coaching staff will return next year, hoping to build on last season where they made the Northern Conference Final before losing out to the Red Deer Vipers.

The night ended with a celebration of the top performers for the Thunder last season.

In what was deemed as a close decision by the Thunder managers and coaches, Dante Raposo was named team MVP. He says though that anyone on the Thunder could have won it.

“It’s obviously a team award. I wouldn’t be able to be considered the MVP if it weren’t for my teammates. My linemates, whoever I played with, they always made me look better, made me play better. That’s kind of the player I am, I try to use my teammates the best I can to make myself look better and if it weren’t for them I wouldn’t be nearly as good as I was.”

Raposo won’t be with the team next year after recently being accepted to Adrian College in Michigan starting in the fall.

The unsung hero award went to goaltender Ryan Simpson for his outstanding performance in the playoffs following a tragedy.

Simpson’s twin brother Morgan passed away in March and explains how his Thunder teammates supported him following the loss.

“They’ve helped me just by being themselves, not treating me any different and that’s exactly what I needed, I just needed all the guys just being their normal selves.”

Here are the other award winners of the night.

Playoff Performer-Jason Wenzel

Rookie of the Year- Jack MacCready

Heart, Pride and Sacrifice-Rylan Plante-Crough

Dedication-Kris LeClair

Most Improved Player-Jacob MacDonald

Most Sportsmanlike Player-Andrew McLennan

Best Defensive Player-Ben Orde

Top Scorer-Clay Murray 

Best Defensive Forward-Brett Campbell