A tough season for a Yukon hockey player has turned around as Jonas Leas signed with a Junior A hockey team for the upcoming season.

While he was in town for the First Nation graduation ceremony last week, the 17-year-old inked a deal with the Lloydminster Bobcats for the upcoming season.

During the ceremony, he was also awarded the Sandi Gleason Memorial Award, for the work he does with native youth in hockey.

“It meant a lot,” said Leas of receiving the award.

He is seeing his hard work pay off after getting sidelined this season with a grade-five shoulder separation that occurred during a game in January.

Several feet away from the boards and with no puck in sight, Leas, not expecting a hit, was catapulted into the boards.

He had initial surgery performed on the injury and is going for round two next week.

Despite the mid-season injury, there has been a lot of interest in the 5’10 lefty forward.

Leas said there were seven or eight teams in different leagues interested in signing him for the season.

He was drawn to the Bobcats for their coaching staff, fan base and the familiarity of a few of his Vancouver teammates also playing for the team.

He said it was the best place to play hockey and “their coach just sounds awesome.”

Leas said that he had to make a fast decision on where he wanted to play for the upcoming season and felt “a lot of excitement and nerves” as he signed the papers last week.

Lloyminster head coach Travis Clayton was unavailable for comment, but assistant coach Taylor Holt said that when the team approached the Valley West Hawks about a goaltender and a forward, Leas’ name came up immediately.

“He was one of those kids you have to have,” said Holt.

Aware of his shoulder injury, Holt said that “he deserved better than what he was getting,” this season.

Leas’ style on and off the ice attracted the team to him as well.

“For a little guy, he’s gritty,” said Holt.

In the off-season, Leas returns to Whitehorse from Vancouver, where he will graduate from high school shortly.

He’ll relax for the summer and help out at Yukon Indian Hockey Association camps.

Michelle Dawson-Beattie, YIHA president, said that it’s great to see Leas’ hard work paying off.

“We’re very happy for him and very proud of him,” she said.

Leas is a role model for younger skaters aspiring to play at his level. During the YIHA annual tournament, Dawson-Beattie said he usually has a gaggle of youngsters following him around the rink.

“It’s really great to see young First Nation athletes playing at that level,” she said of his jump to Junior A.

Leas skated for the first time after his injury during the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships last month. In 2016, he was part of Team North’s historic silver medal performance.

This season, Leas was playing with the Valley West Hawks in B.C.’s Major Midget League and was affiliated with the Vernon Vipers.