McEwan and DeBrouwer win NPHL awards

James McEwan of the Chatham Maroons – Photo by Dan Hickling

The Northern Premier Hockey League (NPHL) announced their award winners recently, and it included a pair of local hockey players.

Alvinston Killer Bees captain James McEwan of Chatham won the top forward award in the NPHL’s Metropolitan Branch. He was also the leading point-getter with 52 points in 17 regular-season games.

McEwan played for the Chatham Maroons for a season, before jumping to the OHL, where he played four seasons with the Guelph Storm. McEwan played three years for the University of New Brunswick, and then a year of professional hockey in the ECHL.

McEwan has suited up for Alvinston for the past three years. He is a high school teacher with the Lambton Kent District School Board.

Blenheim’s Evan DeBrouwer of the Strathroy Jets is the top goaltender after leading the Metropolitan in saves. He was 8-3-1 in the regular season.

DeBrouwer played three years of college hockey with Arizona State, followed by a year at Bentley University. The past three seasons he has played in Strathroy.