The Rockets handed out 11 awards on Tuesday night, including Most Valuable Player, Top Defenceman and Rookie of the Year.
2025 Award Winners:
Best Plus/Minus: Michael Cicek
Cicek enjoyed a solid final season in the Western Hockey League, which included having the best plus/minus on the Rockets. In 52 games the overage forward scored 17 goals and added 23 assists for 40 points. He was relied upon to take many important faceoffs for the Rockets over the course of the season and played heavy defensive minutes against other team’s top players.
Scholastic Player of the Year: Jaxon Kehrig
Forward Jaxon Kehrig has been awarded the Rockets Scholarstic Player of the Year award, exemplifying significant academic results in his educational programs while also balancing WHL commitments.
On the ice, Kehrig played in 49 games with the Rockets, scoring four goals and adding an assist while playing mostly in the Rockets bottom six and featuring on the team’s penalty kill.
Most Improved: Kayden Longley
The most improved award is given to the player who has shown the most progress during the regular season. Kayden Longley has a personal best season, setting new career highs in games played, goals, assists, and points.
Longley went from scoring seven goals and 14 points in 45 games a season ago to double digit goals in 2024-24 with 11, while adding 25 assists and 36 points.
Top Scorer: Jakub Stancl
First-year Rocket Jakub Stancl led the way offensively for the Rockets this season, averaging just under a point-per-game.
The St. Louis Blues fourth-round pick played in 58 games this season, scoring 23 goals and 57 points which included a hat trick against Spokane on October 4th, a game in which Stancl scored at even strength, shorthanded and on the power play while adding another hat trick in a five-point performance over Prince George on January 10th.
Unsung Hero: Michael Cicek
Cicek was asked to play in all situations for the Rockets this season. Over the duration of his 52 games, Cicek played in both the top and bottom six, played on both special teams units and would be on the ice for Kelowna when they were looking for a goal late or defending the lead.
Hollis Pearce Award, Top Defensive Forward: Hayden Paupanekis
Following a midseason trade with the Spokane Chiefs, 2025 NHL Draft eligible Hayden Paupanekis has captured the Hollis Peirce Award for Top Defensive Forward which is awarded to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.
Paupanekis took over 1,200 faceoffs this season, winning close to 50% of those draws. He ranks first on the team in faceoff attempts with 1,235 and first in faceoffs won. His faceoff percentage of 49.7% also ranks first amongst forwards who attempted over 600 faceoffs over the course of the season.
Top Defenceman: Nate Corbet
18-year-old defenceman Nate Corbet has been named the Rockets Top Defenceman for this season. Corbet played a league high 72 games between Medicine Hat and Kelowna, where he scored four goals and added 14 assists for 18 points on the season.
His totals ranked him second in both categories amongst Kelowna defenders while he was also the league leader in penalty minutes with 176, bringing a physical style to the Rockets backend while protecting the team’s top players. Corbet showed strong strides in his all-around game this season and was relied upon by the coaching staff in all situations.
Most Sportsmanlike: Levi Benson
In 54 games during his rookie season, Levi Benson was one of the least penalized players on the Rockets as he recorded only 12 minutes in penalties over those games. The 17-year-old diminutive forward reached double digit goals in his first season, lighting the lamp 10 times while adding 13 assists for 23 points.
Rookie of the Year: Kalder Varga
Sixteen-year-old rookie Kalder Varga led all Rockets rookies in assists (10) and points (24) while he was tied with Levi Benson with 10 goals. Varga suited up in 58 games in his first Western Hockey League campaign and ranked inside the Rockets top 10 in most statistical categories.
Humanitarian: Rowan Guest
Guest, who entered his first season in the WHL with Kelowna, has been a mainstay on the Rockets backend as well as in the community. Guest attended nearly every one of the Rockets school visits throughout the months, participating in floor hockey, book reading, as well as question and answer periods. Rowan has demonstrated the ability to connect with children of all ages and shown willingness to be an active member in the community while balancing a busy Western Hockey League schedule.
Guest’s community work earned him the honour of being named Kelowna’s Foursight Community Player of the Month for October, the first player to earn the honour this season, as voted on by the fans who have recognized not only his on-ice performance, but his off-ice duties as well. His willingness to participate in community activities goes beyond school visits as well, as he was one of the four members of the Rockets who were selected to take part in being the welcoming committee for the 2025 Montana’s Brier which was hosted at Prospera Place.
The Humanitarian award recognizes the work a Rockets player does to help and enhance the community
Most Valuable Player: Jakub Stancl
Stancl doubles up on awards this season, as he was named the Rockets Most Valuable Player to go along with being the team’s top scorer. Stancl became the Rockets offensive leader midway through the season and took on a leadership role as well following the injuries to captain Max Graham and assistant captain Michael Cicek.
Stancl recorded 57 points in 58 games this season with the Rockets, led the team in goals (23) and points, while also finishing second on the team in assists with 34, one behind leader Will Sharpe.
The 19-year-old forward also represented his country, Czechia, at the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa, helping them win their second consecutive bronze medal as he scored seven goals in seven games and added three assists for 10 points in the tournament. His strong performance had him named to the tournament all-star team as he finished tied for second in scoring with Ryan Leonard of the United States.
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