Wheat Kings react to award-winning seasons
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Here is a look at the Brandon Wheat Kings players who won awards this season, with a comment from each on what the honour means to them.
The awards were presented before and after Saturday evening’s victory over the visiting Regina Pats.
• Scholastic — Nigel Boehm.
The Brandon Wheat Kings overagers were presented with framed jerseys during the pre-game awards ceremony at Assiniboine Credit Union Place prior’s to Brandon 4-2 victory over the visiting Regina Pats on Saturday. From left to right are Luke Mistelbacher and his mother Rachelle, Grayson Burzynski and his mother Jen, and Nick Johnson and his mother Juanita, along with Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson. (Perry Bergson/The Brandon Sun)
March 21, 2026
“It was a great accomplishment. It’s a big thing moving forward for me showing that I take my academics seriously, and I think that award proves it to people. It shows me how much I enjoy school and how much it affects your life in the future.”
• Community award — Caleb Hadland.
“The community award is special. These fans do a lot for us and come support us all the time and for us to give back to the community and at least do the bare minimum of what we can do for them is important. It’s excited to be around them and get some fun experiences out of it.”
• Top graduate — Luke Mistelbacher.
“Grayson was really good this year and Nick was really good. What was he, +40 almost? I’m happy to get it but it could have gone to any one of us.”
• Unsung heroes — Gio Pantelas, Nick Johnson.
Pantelas: “It’s great. I’m very happy to be named for it. Me and Johnson are both honoured just to be there. Only so many people get awards and a lot of people, so to be one of the people who did it’s lucky and I’m happy for it.”
Johnson: “It was pretty cool, and when they said Gio too, I thought that was a cool moment. I think it’s one of the more valuable awards that we got. It shows a lot of character that it means you have.”
• Top Manitoba-born player — Luke Mistelbacher.
“There are quite a few of us from Manitoba. Me and Jax were probably the top candidates for that and I’m happy I won.”
• Hardest working — Nigel Boehm.
“That’s a big aspect of my game and everyone’s game, so to get hardest working player is a great honour. I take pride in that. I’m working as hard as I can.”
• Most inspirational — Filip Ruzicka.
“Every award is great to win but I think the most important thing is the win. Forty wins is huge. It’s good to think I won but the team is more important.”
• Most improved — Joby Baumuller.
“It’s nice to be recognized. I put in a lot of work in the off-season and that showed into this year. I thought I had a way better year than my first two years.”
• Three stars award — Jaxon Jacobson.
“It’s pretty cool. I thought for sure Filip was winning that one. It’s nice to get the recognition.”
• Most sportsmanlike — Jordan Gavin.
“I won it last year so it was good to get that one again. I kind of expected it.”
• Rookie — Chase Surkan.
“It was a huge honour. I wasn’t expecting it but it’s cool to win and see all the past people who have won it. It’s obviously pretty special.”
• Defenceman — Grayson Burzynski.
“It felt good obviously. It’s nice to be honoured as something and it means a lot but also if they gave it to somebody else, I would have been good too. It means a lot they think of me that highly.”
• Scoring leader — Luke Mistelbacher.
“I didn’t reach my goal but I was close. Me and Jax were fighting for it all year and it was up and down, he was leading, I was leading. Joby, before he got hurt, he was close too. I’m just happy I got it done.”
• MVP — Jaxon Jacobson.
“There were a couple of guys like Luke and Filip who had some pretty good seasons too so I wasn’t too sure. The work I put in, I’m real happy it’s paid off and I’m happy with the steps I’ve taken this year and I’m looking to build it into next year.”
pbergson@brandonsun.com