FREDERICTON (U SPORTS) – Philippe Maillet, a fourth-year forward from the UNB Varsity Reds, was named the U SPORTS Player of the Year in men's hockey, Wednesday night.
CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE: http:www.universitycup.ca
Maillet, a Business Administration student from Terrebonne, Québec, becomes the first UNB player to be named Player of the Year since Hunter Tremblay in the 2009-2010 season, and the fourth in the program's history.
Other U SPORTS award winners announced during the All-Canadian Gala were UNB's Jordan Murray, Defenceman of the Year; Saskatchewan's Jordon Cooke, Goaltender of the Year; Concordia forward Anthony De Luca, Clare Drake Award (Rookie of the Year); Calgary forward Elgin Pearce, R.W. Pugh Award (Most Sportsmanlike Player); Saskatchewan's Dave Adolph, Father George Kehoe Memorial Award (Coach of the Year); and Ryerson forward Aaron Armstrong, Dr. Randy Gregg Award (Student-Athlete Community Service).
The 2017 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup, hosted by UNB, gets underway Thursday, March 16th at the Aitken University Centre. The action closes on Sunday, March 12 with the gold medal final, live on Sportsnet 360 (1 p.m. AT). Saturday's semifinals are also live on Sportsnet 360 (12 p.m. AT & 4 p.m. AT), while the quarter-finals and the bronze medal match are set to air on USPORTS.LIVE.
SENATOR JOSEPH A. SULLIVAN TROPHY (Player of the Year): Philippe Maillet, UNB
A fourth-year forward from Terrebonne, Que., Maillet led the nation in points with 55 on the season. His 32 assists and 23 goals were the second and third-most, respectively, notched by any U SPORTS player.
He led the country in power play goals with 14 and his plus-minus rating of plus-34 was the best in U SPORTS.
Maillet is a two-time MVP of Atlantic University Sport (2014-15 and 2016-17). In 2013-14, he was named AUS Rookie of the Year.
He's been an AUS First Team All-Star three consecutive seasons, and was a First Team U SPORTS All-Star in 2014-15. In 2013-14, Maillet was a member of the AUS All-Rookie Team and an AUS Second Team All-Star.
In his four-year career with UNB, Maillet has amassed 166 points in 101 games.
Prior to joining the Varsity Reds, he spent four seasons in the QMJHL from 2009-10 to 2012-13 with the Victoriaville Tigres where he recorded 240 points in 252 games.
"Phil has had an exceptional season for our hockey club," said UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall. A three-year team scoring leader, he has raised his game to a new level by setting career highs in goals, assists and points while leading our team to a 25-2-3 record. He has a great deal of passion for the game and this has helped him elevate his fitness level, work ethic and team leadership to new levels. He leads by example each day, and has the special ability to make plays on a consistent basis."
The other nominees were forward Elgin Pearce of Calgary and defenceman Martin Lefebvre of UQTR.
DEFENCEMAN OF THE YEAR: Jordan Murray, UNB
A fourth-year blueliner from Riverview, N.B., Murray led all Atlantic University Sport and U SPORTS defencemen with 40 points during the 2016-17 season, scoring 14 goals and adding 26 assists.
Murray has been an Atlantic University Sport First Team All-Star three consecutive seasons. In 2013-14, he was an AUS Second Team All-Star and a member of the AUS All-Rookie Team.
In 2016, Murray was named the U SPORTS Defenceman of the Year, the first Varsity Red to earn that honour.
This past season, Murray became the all-time leading scoring defenceman in UNB history. In 111 regular season games, Murray has scored 34 goals and 77 assists for 111 points.
Prior to joining the Varsity Reds, he spent three seasons in the QMJHL with Acadie-Bathurst and Drummondville.
"Jordan had high expectations coming into this season after a career season and attending two NHL camps in the offseason," said MacDougall, referencing Murray's time with the Toronto Maple Leafs orientation camp last July as well as the Tampa Bay Lightning rookie camp in September. "In true UNB fashion he has been a consistent high-level performer and found ways to improve and exceed expectations with a tremendous season. He is a calming influence on the team and has the rare ability to control the game from the back end. His pace and vision are separation points and the ability to join the rush and make plays has led to him setting career highs in goals and points and becoming the top scoring D-man all time at UNB."
The other nominees were Martin Lefebvre of UQTR and Jesse Forsberg of Saskatchewan.
2016-2017 U SPORTS MEN'S HOCKEY AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS
*Atlantic conference recipients in bold
Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy (Player of the Year): Philipe Maillet, UNB
Defenceman of the Year: Jordan Murray, UNB
Goaltender of the Year: Jordon Cooke, Saskatchewan
Clare Drake Award (Rookie of the Year): Anthony De Luca, Concordia
R.W. Pugh Award (Most Sportsmanlike Player): Elgin Pearce, Calgary
Father George Kehoe Memorial Award (Coach of the Year): Dave Adolph, Saskatchewan
Dr. Randy Gregg Award (Student-Athlete Community Service): Aaron Armstrong, Ryerson
Pos. Athlete University Year Hometown Academic Program
First Team
F Philippe Maillet UNB 4 Terrebonne, Que. Business Admin.
F Elgin Pearce Calgary 4 Port Coquitlam, B.C. Arts
F Michael McNamee Carleton 4 Perth, Ont. Psychology
D Jordan Murray UNB 4 Riverview, N.B. Rec. & Sport Studies
D Martin Lefebvre UQTR 4 Laval, Que. Business Admin.
G Jordon Cooke Saskatchewan 3 Leduc, Alta. Business Admin.
Second Team
F Hunter Garlent Saint Mary's 1 Thorold, Ont. Communications
F Connor Rankin Mount Royal 2 North Vancouver, B.C.Business Admin.
F Aaron Armstrong Ryerson 3 Teeswater, Ont. Business Mgmt.
D Jesse Forsberg Saskatchewan 3 Waldheim, Sask. Agriculture & Bio
D Geoff Schemitsch Acadia 4 Thornhill, Ont. Kinesiology
G Mackenzie Shields York 1 Saskatoon, Sask. Accounting
All-Rookie Team
F Anthony De Luca Concordia 1 Rosmere, Que. Independent Studies
F Hunter Garlent Saint Mary's 1 Thorold Ont. Communications
F Tyson Baillie Alberta 1 Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. Native Studies
D Matt Murphy UNB 1 Fredericton, N.B. UGND
D Jesse Lees Mount Royal 1 Calgary, Alb. Open Studies
G Mackenzie Shields York 1 Saskatoon, Sask. Accounting
For the complete U SPORTS release, please click here.
Source: U SPORTS Communications