Mini monster of the Midwest
It doesn’t matter what junior league it is, to be averaging more than three points per game at this stage of a hockey season ranks as quite the high performance.
To be sure, Adam Jonak of the MC Monarchs of the Midwest Jr. Hockey League is having a season for the ages.
Jonak, a 1994 birth-year centre from the Czech Republic, is the runaway scoring leader in the MWJHL with the league on Christmas break.
In 30 games thus far this season, Jonak has already racked up 39 goals, 53 assists, 92 points for the Monarchs, who despite being a first-year entry, are in third place in the MWJHL with a record of 21-9.
Of note, Jonak’s 92 points to date are 33 more than his closest competitor in the MWJHL scoring race.
At 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, Jonak is a mighty mite — but his lack of size has prevented him from playing in a higher junior league than the Tier 3 MWJHL.
Monarchs owner-general manager Mark Gilman can’t say enough about Jonak.
“Not only is he a great player and one of our captains but Adam is a great young man,” Gilman praised. “It’s a shame that his lack of size has prevented him from playing at a higher level, like say the (Tier 2) North American Hockey League. Selfishly, of course, we are thrilled to have him with us.”
Heading into the 2015 portion of the season, the 42 points that MC has as a team puts the Monarchs three points out of second place and five points out of top spot.
Traverse City Hounds lead the MWJHL with 47 points from an amazing record of 23-1-1 and Detroit Fighting Irish is next with 45 points from a mark of 21-6-3.
After MC in fourth place are the Decatur Blaze and Michigan Ice Dogs with 23 points apiece, the Soo Firehawks with 14 and the Alpena Flyers with 13.
PHOTO: MWJHL scoring leader Adam Jonak of the MC Monarchs celebrating a goal with teammates.