A trio of Bomber players have been selected as the cream of the crop for the SJHL’s Sherwood division.
Several Bombers received division honours from outgoing SJHL commissioner Bill Chow pre-game before Game 6 of the team’s first round series with Battlefords, being handed plaques and photos. Xavier Lapointe, Cal Schell and Jeremi Tremblay each were named as the division’s best in various categories. All three players have also been nominated for the league's award in each category.
Schell skated away with double hardware, receiving both the division's top goalie and most valuable player honours.
Schell, originally from Burlington, Ont., played 41 regular season games for the Bombers this season and ended the regular season with a 25-12-1-1 record, including seven shutout wins, a modern-day Bomber team record and tops in league rankings. Through those 41 games, Schell also had a 2.39 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .923 save percentage - the fourth-best GAA and save percentage in the league among starting goalies. No Bomber starter has had a better GAA since Zac Robidoux in 2016-17 - no Bomber starter has had a better save percentage since Devin Buffalo in 2013-14.
Schell is currently committed to play NCAA Division III hockey next season at State University of New York at Oswego, where he will suit up for the Lakers - the same program where his younger sister, Lauren, plays on the women’s team.
Jeremi Tremblay was named the Sherwood Division's top rookie. Despite missing a good chunk of the season with an ongoing injury, the Quebec City native still managed 35 points in 37 games with the Bombers and will attend Sacred Heart University and join the school’s NCAA Division I hockey program, the Pioneers. Tremblay has not played since Jan. 25.
Xavier Lapointe was named the division's top defenceman. Lapointe, originally from Quebec City, is playing his first (and possibly only) season with the Bombers and ended the year as the SJHL’s top scorer among defencemen and the Bombers’ regular season top scorer. In 58 games, Lapointe managed 50 points and 19 goals. Lapointe also added two points - a goal and an assist - in five games during the Bombers’ first round series. Lapointe will play NCAA Division I hockey next season with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Tigers, where he will join former Bombers Calvon Boots and Caleb Moretz.
