Voodoos hand out awards

The Powassan Voodoos celebrated a successful season that they felt ended too soon. Players and staff congregated at Average Joe's in North Bay for the annual team banquet and awards dinner on Tuesday, March 31. 

 The Voodoos finished second in the NOJHL regular season standings but were upset in four straight by the Soo Eagles in the opening round, including a pair of overtime losses in Soo, Michigan, last week. 

Ryan Saginaw, the Voodoos' 35-goal scorer, was handed the Steve Harland MVP award along with the Tomas Yachmenev Sportsmanship award. Saginaw is the highest Voodoos regular-season goal scorer since Parker Bowman's 38-goal effort in 2019-20. He was also named to the NOJHL Third All-Star Team. Saginaw also won the NOJHL's David Harrison Trophy for Most Gentlemanly Player. The Pittsburgh area product incurred only one minor penalty all season while suiting up in all 52 games.

 Battalion prospect Jax Pereira, who led the Voodoos in playoff scoring (3 G, 4 A, 7 pts), was given the Parker Bowman Playoff MVP award, as well as sharing the Harrison Israels Rookie of the Year award with talented 2008 birth year defender Dylan Rousselle.  

 Rousselle was named to both the NOJHL's Second All-Star Team and the NOJHL's First All-Rookie team as he netted 19 goals and 28 assists totaling 47 points in only 51 games. 

 Pereira, who spent part of the season full-time with the North Bay Battalion, was also named to the NOJHL's First All-Rookie team. He scored 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in only 31 games with the Voodoos. 

 Veteran defender Marcus Krats and rookie blueliner Braeden Begley shared the Alex Little Top Defenceman Award. Krats led all Voodoos' defenders with 13 goals and 38 assists for 51 points in 48 games.  Krats was also named to the NOJHL's First All-Star Team.  Begley scored 9 goals and added 37 assists for 46 points in 50 games. The 2007 birth year blueliner was also named to the NOJHL's Second All-Rookie Team. 

 A pair of former North Bay AAA Trappers teammates share the Nate McDonald Most Improved Player Award in 2025-26. Sophomore forward Heath Bradley recorded 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in only 41 games.  Bradley only recorded 1 goal and 6 assists for 7 points in 32 games in his rookie season in 2024-25. Dawson, a third-year forward, rebounded from a 28-point sophomore season by netting 26 goals and 35 assists for 61 points in 52 games in 2025-26. He also eclipsed the 100-point mark for his career with the Voodoos. 

 Veteran captain Justin Rousseau was named the Eric Nagy Top Overage Award winner. Rousseau, the Voodoos captain, had 12 goals and 36 assists for 48 points in 44 games in his third and final season with the Powassan club. Rousseau also reached the 100-point mark in his career with the Voodoos this season. He was also named the NOJHL's Top Defensive Forward. 

 Jackson Culin, a rookie defender with the Voodoos, was named the winner of the Jim Bruce Education and Hockey Award. The North Bay product had six assists in 26 regular-season games with the Voodoos while balancing his academics at Nipissing University. 

 Here are all the winners:  

 Steve Harland MVP

Ryan Saginaw

 Harrison Israels Top Rookie Award  

Dylan Rousselle/Jax Pereira 

 Parker Bowman Playoff MVP Award

Jax Pereira

 Nate McDonald Most Improved Player

Heath Bradley/Caleb Dawson 

Eric Nagy Top Overager Award

Justin Rousseau 

Tomas Yachmenev Sportsmanship Award

Ryan Saginaw  

Alex Little Top Defenceman Award 

Marcus Krats/Braeden Begley 

Jim Bruce Education & Hockey Award 

Jackson Culin 

Photos of Jax Pereira with Parker Bowman Playoff MVP Award along with GM Chris Dawson and Head Coach Peter Goulet 

Photo of Ryan Saginaw winning the Steve Harland MVP Award along with Voodoos broadcaster Kortney Kenney, Chris Dawson and Peter Goulet