KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville Ice Bears center Justin McDonald was named Southern Professional Hockey League Most Valuable Player on Thursday.
McDonald, a first-year captain for the team, led the league in scoring and was an All-SPHL First Team Selection earlier this month. He is the fifth member of the organization to claim the honors and the first since Berkley Scott in the 2017-2018 season.
He led the SPHL in goals, assists and points. The center is just the second player in the league's history to lead all three categories. The other is another former Ice Bears player. Kevin Swider did so in the 2007-2008 season and was named MVP that year.
McDonald scored 34 goals, which is the most by a player since the 2014-2015 season. He totaled 79 points.
This season, he also joined Swider as the only player to win SPHL Player of the Month in back-to-back months doing so in January and February.
