OUA announces 2016-17 East Division Men's Hockey Major Awards and All-Stars

BURLINGTON, Ont. - Martin Lefebvre (Terrebonne, Que.), a fourth-year defenceman from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriotes, was named the East Division MVP and Defenceman of the Year in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men's hockey on Wednesday afternoon.

Other OUA major award recipients announced Wednesday were Concordia Stingers forward Anthony De Luca (Rosemere, Que.) who was named Rookie of the Year; teammate Philippe Hudon (Hudson, Que.) who receives the Randy Gregg Award for outstanding achievement in hockey, academics and community involvement; Carleton Ravens forward Michael McNamee (Perth, Ont.) who picks up the Most Sportsmanlike Award for a second year in a row; and Stingers bench boss Marc-André Élement, who receives OUA Coach of the Year honours.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER / DEFENCEMAN OF THE YEAR: Martin Lefebvre, UQTR

Lefebvre, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, becomes the ninth Patriotes player to win the award since 1991-92 and the second consecutive from UQTR after forward Guillaume Asselin earned the honours a season ago.

In his fourth season with the Patriotes, Lefebvre finished third amongst defencemen with 25 points in 22 games.  The Terrebonne, Que. native finished also finished third on the Patriotes in scoring with eight goals and 17 assists.

One of the most disciplined players in the conference, Lefebvre only picked up one minor penalty this season, but found the back of the net four times while on the man-advantage. 

Lefebvre was also selected as an OUA first-time all-star for the first time in his career after being named to the second-team last year.

Lefebvre receives a customized OUA MVP ring courtesy of Baron Championship Rings.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Anthony De Luca, Concordia    

After leading the league in goals, De Luca becomes the first Stingers players to be named OUA East Division Rookie of the Year since Steve Sonoski received the honours following the 1989-90 season.

The freshman phenom scored 24 goals in his first campaign and finished second overall with 43 points this season for Concordia.   Appearing in all 28 games, De Luca, who split time between the Wichita Thunder and Alaska Aces of the ECHL last year, was the most dangerous player in the province with the man-advantage, as he scored a league-high 13 goals on the power-play.

The 5-foot-10, 210 lbs De Luca finished his rookie year with a pair of hat tricks and ranked tied for sixth overall with four game winning goals.  He was also named an OUA first-team all-star and a member of the OUA all-rookie team.

RANDY GREGG AWARD: Philippe Hudon, Concordia

From one Stinger to another, Concordia forward Philippe Hudon has been recognized for his achievements both on and off the ice.

An advocate for various mental health initiatives, Hudon is more than generous with his time off the ice, and speaks out on the topic whenever he's given the opportunity. 

After being drafted in the 5^th round of the NHL Draft back in 2011 out of Cornell University, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder took Hudon's life in a different direction.  Moving back home, Hudon joined the Stingers and since then has been a Bell Let's Talk spokesperson and an advocate for several mental health initiatives in the local community. 

The 6-foot-1, 210 lbs has made a huge commitment to the initative and has made regular media commitments in the past, speaking on the topic with TSN, RDS, CTV, Radio 98.5, Radio Canada and several student media outlets as well.

Following the suicide of a student at a local Montreal high school, Hudon spoke about his past and helped those who were grieving.

For additional information on Hudon's inspiring story, click here.

On the ice, the Stingers assistant captain recorded three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 21 games this season.

Hudon becomes the second consecutive Stingers player to earn the prestigious award after Concordia captain Olivier Hinse was recognized following each of the past three seasons.

MOST SPORTSMANLIKE: Michael McNamee, Carleton

For the second year in a row, Carleton Ravens forward Michael McNamee has been named the OUA East Division Most Sportsmanlike Player.

McNamee, a fourth-year psychology major, was penalized just twice while playing for a Ravens team that committed 135 penalties, the fifth-most by any team in the conference.

Following the season, the Ravens captain was rewarded for his strong years as the AHL's Syracuse Crunch signed the 6-foot-2 forward to an amateur try-out contract.  In 24 games this season with the Ravens, the Perth, Ont. native led the team with 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists).

McNamee, who was also named an OUA first-team all-star, becomes the first player to repeat as the OUA East Division Most Sportsmanlike Player since former Gee-Gees player Ben McLeod earned the award in back-to-back seasons from 2005-07.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Marc-André Élement, Concordia

Following a second place finish in the division with a 19-7-2 regular season record, Concordia coach Marc-André Élement has been named OUA East Division Coach of the Year in just his first full-time season behind the bench.

Just the fourth head coach in team history, Élement, who was the interim head coach last year, becomes just the second Stingers bench boss to be named OUA East Division Coach of the Year and first since Yves Beaugcage in 1990-91.

As coach of Concordia, the Stingers were the most dangerous teams on special teams this season, finishing atop the conference in both power-play goals (34) and short-handed goals (7).

A former Concordia standout during his playing days, Élement suited up for the Stingers for five seasons from 2006-11 and was the team's assistant captain in his final two years.

OUA ALL-STAR AND ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS

Both the OUA East Division first- and second-team all-stars, as well as the OUA all-rookies were also announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Joining OUA MVP Martin Lefebvre, Carleton's Michael McNamee and Concordia's Anthony De Luca on the first-team were Pierre Olivier Morin (Trois-Rivières, Que.) of UQTR, Queen's Gaels defenceman Spencer Abraham (Campbellville, Ont.), as well as Stingers rookie goaltender Philippe Cadorette (Mont St-Hilaire, Que.).

Abraham in the lone holdover from last year's first-team and has now been named OUA East Division first-team all-star in each of his three seasons in the league.

The second-team is comprised of McGill Redmen forward Mathieu Pompei (Laval, Que.), Slater Doggett (Oakville, Ont.) of Queen's and the aforementioned Stingers captain Olivier Hinse (Sherbrooke, Que.).  McGill's Nathan Chiarlitti (Maple, Ont.) and Dominic Talbot-Tassi (Mascouche, Que.) shore up the defence, while Patriotes goalie Sebastien Auger (St-Augustin-de-Desmaures) rounds out the squad.

Along with OUA East Division Rookie of Year Anthony De Luca and first-team all-star Philippe Cadorette of the Stingers, Concordia defencemen Alexandre Gosselin (St. Georges, Que.), Kevin Domingue (Laval, Que.) and Jacob Sweeney (Quebec, Que.) of Ottawa, as well as Carleton's Adam Chapman (Barrie, Ont.) make up the all-rookie team. 

OUA Major Award Winners

Most Valuable Player: Martin Lefebvre – Defence – UQTR Patriotes
Rookie of the Year: Anthony De Luca – Forward – Concordia Stingers
Randy Gregg Award of Merit: Philippe Hudon – Forward – Concordia Stingers
Most Sportsmanlike Award: Michael McNamee - Forward - Carleton Ravens
Defenceman of the Year: Martin Lefebvre – Defence – UQTR Patriotes
Coach of the Year: Marc-André Élement – Concordia Stingers

OUA First-Team All-Stars

Michael McNamee – Forward – Carleton Ravens
Pierre-Olivier Morin – Forward – UQTR Patriotes
Anthony De Luca – Forward – Concordia Stingers
Martin Lefebvre – Defence – UQTR Patriotes
Spencer Abraham – Defence – Queen's Gaels
Philippe Cadorette – Goaltender – Concordia Stingers

OUA Second-Team All-Stars

Mathieu Pompei – Forward – McGill Redmen
Slater Doggett – Forward – Queen's Gaels
Olivier Hinse – Forward – Concordia Stingers
Nathan Chiarlitti – Defence – McGill Redmen
Dominic Talbot-Tassi – Defence – McGill Redmen
Sébastien Auger – Goaltender – UQTR Patriotes

OUA All-Rookie Team

Anthony De Luca – Forward – Concordia Stingers
Kevin Domingue – Forward – Ottawa Gee-Gees
Adam Chapman – Forward – Carleton Ravens
Jacob Sweeney – Defence – Ottawa Gee-Gees
Alexandre Gosselin – Defence – Concordia Stingers
Philippe Cadorette – Goaltender – Concordia Stingers