The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) today announced the 2021-22 Viterra AJHL All-Rookie Teams. Players are selected to the respective rosters through a voting process completed by the General Managers and Coaches of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Viterra South Division All-Rookie Team
- G Matthew Malin – Canmore Eagles
- D Zach Bookman – Brooks Bandits
- D Boston Buckberger – Brooks Bandits
- F Rieger Lorenz – Okotoks Oilers*
- F Bowden Singleton – Okotoks Oilers*
- F Vann Yuhas – Drumheller Dragons
Viterra North Division All-Rookie Team
- G Carson Ironside – Whitecourt Wolverines
- D Rylan Brown – Drayton Valley Thunder
- D Cale Ashcroft – Sherwood Park Crusaders
- F Jayden Davis – Spruce Grove Saints
- F Ethan Aucoin – Lloydminster Bobcats
- F Luigi Benincasa – Spruce Grove Saints
The Viterra North Division AJHL All-Rookie roster is comprised of players from five different teams, including two players from the Spruce Grove Saints. The Viterra South Division AJHL All-Rookie Team has two representatives from both the Brooks Bandits and Okotoks Oilers and represents four teams in total.
The four finalists for 2022 AJHL Rookie of the Year were each selected to the AJHL All-Rookie Teams (Aucoin, Bookman, Davis, Lorenz). Forward Rieger Lorenz of the Okotoks Oilers was the recipient of the Dick White Trophy as AJHL Rookie of the Year.
Lorenz was the highest-ranked NHL Draft prospect in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) after NHL Central Scouting released its Midterm Rankings in January 2022, ranking him as 24th among North American skaters in the agency’s Round One category. Teammate Bowden Singleton also cracked the rankings at 192nd as did Zach Bookman at 208th among North American skaters.
Forwards Rieger Lorenz and Bowden Singleton (Okotoks Oilers) were unanimous selections to the South Division AJHL All-Rookie roster.
A total of eight players on the 2021-22 AJHL All-Rookie rosters have committed to an NCAA College or University:
- Zach Bookman – Brooks Bandits (Merrimack College)
- Boston Buckberger – Brooks Bandits (University of Wisconsin)
- Rieger Lorenz – Okotoks Oilers (University of Denver)
- Bowden Singleton – Okotoks Oilers (University of North Dakota)
- Cale Ashcroft – Sherwood Park Crusaders (University of Denver)
- Jayden Davis – Spruce Grove Saints (University of Notre Dame)
- Ethan Aucoin – Lloydminster Bobcats (St. Cloud State University)
- Luigi Benincasa – Spruce Grove Saints (Ferris State University)
The AJHL will announce the 2021-2022 AJHL All-League Team for the Viterra North and South Divisions on March 28th, 2022.