Forward Matt Wilkins of the Brooks Bandits has captured the Ernie Love Trophy as the Top Scorer in the AJHL with 99 points. Wilkins averaged 1.7 points per game and led the League with 15 powerplay goals.
Wilkins has tied the franchise record for Most Points in a Single Season with 99 points, shared with alumnus Jeff Marler in the 2000-2001 season. He also set a new team record for Most Assists in a Single Season with 65. Wilkins is the first Bandit player to win the Ernie Love Trophy in franchise history.
Wilkins recorded a point in all but eight regular season games in 2011-2012 and finished the season on an 18 game point streak. Wilkins was the Pro Hockey Life Star of the Game 16 times in the regular season and the winner of the Pro Hockey Life Cup. Matt Wilkins was also a finalist for the 2012 League MVP Award. Wilkins was twice named the Canalta Hotels AJHL Player of the Week.
Matt led the Bandits in scoring last season with 30 goals and 47 assists which put him second in AJHL scoring. Wilkins, from Kimberley, British Columbia, is in his second and final season with the Bandits and is committed to Union College for the 2012-2013 season
The Brooks Bandits are the 2011-2012 AJHL Regular Season Champions and earned a bye in Round One of the 2012 AJHL playoffs. League President Craig T. Cripps will award the Ernie Love Trophy to Wilkins at the start of Round Two on March 6th in Brooks.