The annual Ice Hockey Journalists UK awards have been announced, recognising a mix of the old and the new to the British hockey scene.

EIHL Player of the Year: David-Alexandre Beauregard (Manchester Phoenix)

Beauregard enjoyed a highly successful first season in the UK. The Montreal native, drafted 271st overall by San Jose in the 1994 draft, was signed by the Manchester Phoenix as their key offensive player after having posted good numbers for the CHL's Tulsa Oilers the previous season.

Despite being in one of the league's weaker teams, Beauregard dominated the scoring race over the whole season. His 61 goals were 19 more than second placed Adam Calder of Coventry and he led the league in all competitions in both points and powerplay goals.

However, with Manchester's future now in the second-tier English Premier League, it is not clear whether Beauregard's future will remain in the United Kingdom.

EPL Player of the Year: Steve Moria (Slough Jets)

If the EIHL award went to a new face, there was nothing new about the face of the EPL award's recipient. Despite turning 48 earlier in the year, Steve Moria won his 4th title, and second in a row, since coming to the United Kingdom in 1986 to join the Fife Flyers.

Moria led his Slough Jets, a team for which he is also coach, in all scoring categories for the second year in a row.

Moria has moved to be player/coach for the Basingstoke Bison for 2009-10.

EIHL Coach of the Year: David Matsos (Sheffield Steelers)

With Sheffield winning both the league and the playoffs, it comes as little surprise that David Matsos was declared the top league's top coach. His achievements are all the more amazing considering that 2008-09 was only his third season as a coach and continued a winning spell that started with the previous season's playoff title.

EPL Coach of the Year: Colin Paterson (Peterborough Phantoms)

Peterborough Phantoms were the EPL's surprise package in 2008-09. There were signs of Peterborough being a team on the up the previous season when they won the KO Cup. But this season, they simply dominated. They won the league by 5 points and dispatched Guildford in the EPL Cup and Milton Keynes in the playoffs for the treble.

With the KO Cup not being competed for, Peterborough now hold all 4 trophies for the league.

British Awards
In addition to the main awards, the IHJUK also handed out the following awards for British players.

• Netminder of the Year - Stephen Murphy (Manchester Phoenix)
• Forward of the Year - Tony Hand (Manchester Phoenix)
• Defenceman of the Year - Jonathan Weaver (Coventry Blaze)
• Young Player of the Year - Robert Dowd (Sheffield Steelers)
• Points Scorer of the Year - Colin Shields (Belfast Giants)

The British awards threw up some very familiar names. Stephen Murphy won the netminder award for the third time, while Tony Hand continued his domination of the forward's award by winning it for the 5th time in a row. Only an extra 3 points by Colin Shields prevented Hand from winning the points title for the 5th time in a row, too.

The Alan Weeks Trophy for best defenceman was dominated for years by Stephen Cooper. It would now appear that it is being dominated by another player from the north-east. Jonathan Weaver, national team captain, won the title for the 4th year in a row, despite only having moved to the position around 6 years ago.

All-Star Team

The two All-Star team's from the top two British leagues were also announced. It should come as no surprise that Sheffield and Peterborough dominated their All-Star teams'.