During the 2009-10 hockey season Ward Szucki of Neepawa, Man. had an impressive rookie year in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Szucki suited up in 51 games with the Battlefords North Stars and notched 19 goals and 12 assists with 30 penalty minutes that season.
He played just one year with the team before moving around the SJHL and Manitoba Junior Hockey League. Szucki played with the Neepawa Natives and Winkler Flyers in his final year of junior hockey, but also suited up with the 2010-11 Humboldt Broncos and Estevan Bruins. Szucki had 75 points in 103 SJHL games.
This season was Szucki's first at the University of Regina and he had six goals and an assist in 15 games.
The U of R coaches and Regina media voted Szucki the team's rookie of the year. Szucki was one of seven freshmen on the roster, which included 17 SJHL alumni this season. The 63?, 205-pound forward was the top-scoring rookie on the Cougars' roster this season.
Regina went 13-12-3 this season in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association and lost out to Manitoba in the first round of the playoffs.
