The Dauphin Kings organization has had many great seasons throughout the years and they've seen a ton of incredible talent play for the team. The 2012-13 season was definitely a season that included both.
The team went 47-11-2 in the regular season and it included local player, Jesse Sinatynski who led the league in scoring during the regular season. Another player it included was one who started his junior career in the QMJHL and he also spent time in the OJHL before he joined the Kings.
Joining Dauphin that year was Guillaume Naud. The now 27-year-old was born in Germany and he spent a few seasons in Canada before joining the Kings.
"I have nothing but great memories of Dauphin. We had so much fun as a group," said Naud. "We were very successful and we won a lot of games. Everyone was always in a good mood, it was a great environment to be a part of."
Naud quickly became a favourite around the city and he certainly was one inside Dauphin's dressing room. He was also a player that dominated many teams. He ended up with 88 points (32G) in the 60 regular-season games. His teammate, Sinatynski finished the year with 93 points.
Naud would go on to add another 24 playoff points (7G) as the team advanced to the league final. However, they would end up falling short against the Steinbach Pistons who won the series in six games.
"That was a pretty heartbreaking moment, we really believed we had what was needed to win a title," said Naud. "I still remember as if it was yesterday, it's a feeling that never really goes away, it was a tough one."
The season didn't end with a title, but it did end up with some personal accolades for Guillaume. He was presented with the Steve "Boomer" Hawrysh Award that season as the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Most Valuable Player. On top of that, Naud was also a Runner-Up for the Canadian Junior Hockey League's Player of the Year Award.
"It meant so much to me, it was definitely a pat on the back for all the hard work I had given to the game," said Naud. "It was also a motivation for me to push even harder. It also made me think that I could continue playing hockey after junior. It was really special."
After his season with Dauphin, Naud would go on to play one year with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team. He had 10 points (3G) in 27 games. After transferring, Naud joined the Nipissing men's hockey team where he would end up playing for another three seasons.
After that, Naud's dream of playing professional hockey came true. He joined the East Coast Hockey League's Greenville Swamp Rabbits right out of university. He spent 27 games in the ECHL and he also had a 39-game stint with the SPHL's Peoria Rivermen. Now, Naud is back where he was born.
Guillaume has joined the Herforder EV hockey club out of the German league. He has 44 points in 21 games (23G). The team is also looking to win their third straight championship after winning in back-to-back seasons.
"I'm really happy to be back in Germany, this is where I want to be," said Naud. "Our team is having a lot of success and our goal is certainly winning a title. Hockey is fun and I want to enjoy it for as long as I can."
