SASKATOON (CIS) – Liam Heelis, a third-year forward from
Acadia University, was named the CIS player of the year in
men’s hockey, Wednesday night.
The Georgetown, Ont., native became the second Axemen player in
three seasons and the fourth in program history to claim the
Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy. He follows in the footsteps of
forwards Andrew Clark (2012), Kevin Baker (2006) and Duane Dennis
(1994).
Other winners announced during the SaskTel All-Canadian
Presentation at TCU Place in Saskatoon were McGill rearguard Ryan
McKiernan, who was named CIS defenceman of the year; Calgary
netminder Jacob DeSerres, selected as the country’s best
goaltender; Queen’s goalie Kevin Bailie, who received the
Clare Drake Award as rookie of the year; UNB forward Chris
Culligan, who claimed the R.W. Pugh Award as the nation’s
most sportsmanlike player; Queen’s head coach Brett Gibson,
who captured the Father George Kehoe Memorial Award; and Alberta
defenceman Ben Lindemulder, who merited the Dr. Randy Gregg Award
recognizing his excellence in hockey, academics and community
involvement.
The PotashCorp University Cup presented by Co-op gets under way
on Thursday at the Credit Union Centre and culminates Sunday at
1:30 p.m. Local Time (3:30 p.m. Eastern) with the gold-medal final,
live on Sportsnet.
Sportsnet also has live coverage of the last two contests of the
preliminary round, Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., on Sportsnet 360.
All seven games from the six-team tournament will also be webcast
live on www.CIS-SIC.tv.
SENATOR JOSEPH A. SULLIVAN TROPHY (player of the year):
Liam Heelis, Acadia
Heelis is the third straight AUS player – and sixth in the
past seven years - to win the Sullivan Trophy. Saint Mary’s
forward Lucas Bloodoff was the recipient last season.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound sniper exploded in his third
university season as he won the AUS scoring title with 42 points,
including a CIS-leading 24 goals, in only 26 league games, a
significant improvement from his 10-12-22 mark as a sophomore a
year ago. A terrific special teams player, he tied for the CIS lead
with four short-handed markers and was second in the Atlantic
conference with seven power play goals. He also potted three
game-winners and ranked second in the Maritimes with 117 shots.
Thanks in large part to his stellar play, the Axemen took second
place in the ultra-competitive AUS conference with a 21-4-3 record
and were ranked in the top five nationally for most of the
season.
A former OHL player with Owen Sound and Peterborough, Heelis has
now accumulated 86 career points in 81 regular season games with
the Axemen. Last December, the arts major played an integral part
as a team of AUS standouts claimed gold for Canada at the FISU
Winter Universiade in Trentino, Italy.
“We are extremely proud of Liam’s accomplishments,
not only on the ice this year, but as a leader in the community at
Acadia,” said Axemen head coach Darren Burns. “His
determination, leadership and commitment as a person showed every
day in practice and in games, enabling him to be a very dominant
player for our team this year. I would be hard pressed to say that
I have witnessed a player improve as much as Liam has in the AUS.
His outstanding season was no doubt instrumental in our
team’s success.”
The other finalists for the Sullivan Trophy were forwards Zach
Harnden of Western and Derek Hulak of Saskatchewan.
DEFENCEMAN OF THE YEAR: Ryan McKiernan,
McGill
McKiernan, who hails from White Plains, NY, brings the
defenceman-of-the-year trophy back to McGill for the third time in
the five-year existence of the award. Former Redmen standout
Marc-André Dorion was the inaugural recipient in 2010 and
merited the honour again in 2012.
McKiernan, a 24-year-old finance senior, led the Redmen in
points, was 14th in the national scoring race and led all CIS
rearguards with 34 points - including 13 goals - six points better
than the next closest defender. The six-foot, 193-pound alternate
captain tallied four power-play goals, one shorthanded effort and a
game-winner while collecting only 11 minor penalties. He either
scored or assisted on 26.7 per cent of his team’s goals in
league play.
A three-time Academic All-Canadian who is also fluent in French,
McKiernan was also a key cog on a squad that had the fourth-best
defensive record in the OUA league and 10th best in the nation with
a 2.52 goals-against average.
“Ryan is a charismatic, mature and confident young man who
is an outstanding student,” said Kelly Nobes, head coach of
the Redmen. “Despite being from another country, he has
adopted the bilingual culture of Quebec with open arms, has learned
French and communicates well with his teammates. On the ice, he has
played a major role along our blue line since joining the Redmen
and has been a major contributor to our success. A key component on
our power-play and penalty-killing units, Ryan also excels in
even-strength situations. He is a physically strong defenceman,
skates well, possesses a great shot and plays with a controlled
mean streak.”
UPEI’s Reginaldo Traccitto and Alberta’s Jordan
Rowley were also in the running for the award.
GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR: Jacob DeSerres,
Calgary
DeSerres follows in the footsteps of former teammate Dustin
Butler and becomes the fifth-straight Canada West puck stopper to
win the CIS goaltender of the year award since it was first
presented in 2010.
DeSerres, a third-year arts student, played 17 conference games
for the Dinos, allowing just 35 goals for a 2.15 goals-against
average. He finished the year with a sparkling 13-2-2 record, a
.914 save percentage and a trio of shutouts. The Calgary
native’s 13 wins were the second-highest by a goaltender in
the Canada West regular season, while his goals-against average and
save percentage both ranked third.
The six-foot-two, 190-pound goalie, who backstopped Saint John
to the 2011 Memorial Cup title, was the Canada West-WHL Graduate of
the Month for November 2013 when he went 5-0-1 with a 0.67
goals-against average and three shutouts.
“Jake is very deserving of this award,” said Calgary
head coach Mark Howell. “He has been consistent from start to
finish this year, has played tremendous hockey and helped us win
games. He has been a leader and one of the best goaltenders in the
league, and it’s fitting that he receives this
recognition.”
The other nominees for top-goalie honours were Evan Mosher of
Acadia and Kevin Bailie of Queen’s.
CLARE DRAKE AWARD (rookie of the year): Kevin Bailie,
Queen’s
Bailie, a six-foot-three arts & science student from
Belleville, Ont., was vital to the Gaels resurgence this season. He
is the first Queen’s player to receive the Clare Drake Award
since its inception in 1986.
After spending five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League and one
year with the Summerside Western Capitals in the Maritime Junior
Hockey League, where he was named top goaltender at the RBC Cup,
Bailie found his way to Queen’s ready to take over the
starter’s role after the graduation of all-Canadian netminder
Riley Whitlock.
The rookie was dominant from the start and posted a goals against
average of 1.98 and a save percentage of .934 in 20 league games,
which were good for third and second, respectively, among CIS
goalies. He also collected a pair of shutouts among his 11
wins.
Bailie lifted his team to a 17-6-5 regular season and a
fourth-place finish in the tight OUA East division race. Thanks in
large part to his efforts, the Gaels improved by seven wins over
last year and allowed an OUA-low 57 goals, 10 fewer than any other
team. The team also broke into the CIS Top 10 for the first time in
30 years and tied the program record for wins in a season.
“Kevin is a true professional in every essence of the
word. His preparation and focus are as high as any player I have
ever coached,” said Queen’s coach Brett Gibson.
“It was extremely comforting going into every game knowing he
was back there for us and that just motivated every other player on
the ice in each game to play their best.”
Forwards Philippe Maillet of UNB and Christopher Collins of
Calgary were also nominated for the Clare Drake Award.
R.W. PUGH AWARD (most sportsmanlike player): Chris
Culligan, UNB
A two-time winner of the AUS most sportsmanlike player and
recipient of the Don Wells Trophy, Culligan is the first UNB
Varsity Red to win the distinction at the CIS level.
A second-year team captain, the Howie Centre, N.S., native tied
for 10th in the country with 17 goals and ranked 11th with 40
points in his fifth and final campaign with the V-Reds, while
receiving only 16 penalty minutes in 28 games. His +21 rating was
also the second best in the Atlantic conference
UNB’s third all-time leading scorer with 171 career points
in 133 regular season contest, the two-time University Cup champion
captained Canada to gold at the Winter Universiade last December in
Italy, where a team of AUS all-stars wore the Maple Leaf. Culligan
joined the V-Reds in 2009-10 after a five-year QMJHL career with
Cape Breton.
“Chris has been a terrific leader and sportsman during his
five years at UNB,” said Varsity Reds head coach Gardiner
MacDougall. “He is the ultimate competitor and plays the game
the right way on a consistent basis. He helped lead our team to a
seventh straight first-place finish in the AUS and had a
career-best season in helping achieve this feat.”
Forwards Steven Reese of Western and Sean Ringrose of Alberta
were also up for the Pugh Award.
FATHER GEORGE KEHOE MEMORIAL AWARD (coach of the year):
Brett Gibson, Queen’s
A two-time OUA East coach of the year, Gibson from Gananoque,
Ont., is the first Queen’s bench boss to receive the Kehoe
Award.
In his ninth season behind the bench, Gibson guided the Gaels to
a fourth-place finish in the tough OUA East division with a 17-6-5
mark. Remarkably, the team’s first regulation loss came 18
games into the schedule, in the 2014 calendar year. Thanks to a
12-0-5 start, Queen’s got back into the national Top 10
rankings for the first time since the 1982-83 campaign, reaching as
high as No.7.
Gibson’s squad allowed an OUA-low 57 goals in league play,
only three more than nationally top-ranked Alberta, and posted 17
wins to tie the program record for a single season. The team was
also tops in the country in save percentage (.934) and fewest
shorthanded situations (91), while it allowed the third fewest
power-play goals in CIS on the year.
“Successful teams are led by great coaches and our
men’s hockey program has benefited tremendously from
Brett’s vision, energy and expertise,” said Leslie Dal
Cin, Queen’s director of athletics and recreation. “We
had a fantastic season in 2013-14, which is a testament to
Brett’s leadership and ability to combine the talents of his
outstanding group of student-athletes, assistant coaches and
support staff to pursue a common goal. We can also point to many
“wins” off the ice as well through Brett’s
efforts to support his athletes in their academic success and
through initiatives that build community leadership and alumni
engagement.”
Acadia’s Darren Burns and Calgary’s Mark Howell were
also in the running for coach-of-the-year honours.
DR. RANDY GREGG AWARD (hockey, academics & community
service): Ben Lindemulder, Alberta
The Dr. Randy Gregg Award is going to a member of his alma
mater, the University of Alberta Golden Bears, for the eighth time
in program history.
Lindemulder is in his fifth and final season of CIS eligibility,
his fourth with the Bears after he spent one campaign playing for
Northern Michigan University in the NCAA. The Edmonton product is
widely regarded as one of the best skaters in CIS hockey and may
have a North American pro hockey career waiting for him after his
university days are over, as he impressed during the Edmonton
Oilers rookie camp last summer.
In 27 league games this season, the senior defenceman tied his
career high with 13 points, including nine assists, while also
finishing with a career best +19 rating. He is in his second season
as an assistant captain and has been a key factor in Alberta
leading CIS in fewest goals against (54) and finishing second in
penalty killing efficiency (90.4%).
A three-time CIS Academic All-Canadian, Lindemulder is a
graduate student currently working on obtaining his Masters degree,
after earning a Bachelor’s degree with distinction in 2012.
He is also heavily involved in the community, where he has taught
balance classes for senior citizens at the Bow River Senior
Citizens Lodge and weight training classes for junior high students
at Edmonton Christmas School during the 2013-14 school year. He has
also volunteered his time to help run the Golden Bears hockey
alumni annual peewee tournament, and served an instructor for the
Edmonton Oilers during their 2013 summer hockey school.
“Ben is a very dedicated student-athlete,” said
Bears bench boss Ian Herbers. “Not only is he an assistant
captain on our team and a leader on the ice in all situations, but
he leads by example off the ice by excelling academically and in
helping those in the community. He represents the finest qualities
of the Golden Bears hockey program.”
Brock’s Matt Abercrombie and StFX’s Murdock
MacLellan were also nominated for the Dr. Gregg Award.
ALL-CANADIAN
TEAMS
First
Team
Pos. - Athlete - University - Year -
Hometown - Faculty
G Jacob
DeSerres Calgary 3 Calgary,
Alta. Arts
D Ryan McKiernan McGill 4 White Plains,
NY Finance
D Jordan Rowley Alberta 3 Edmonton,
Alta. Business
F Liam Heelis Acadia 3 Georgetown,
Ont. Arts
F Derek Hulak Saskatchewan 4 Saskatoon,
Sask. Business
F Zach Harnden Western 3 Thunder Bay,
Ont. Business
Second
Team
G Evan
Mosher Acadia 3 Conception Bay South,
Nfld. Arts
D Reginaldo Traccitto UPEI 4 Oakville,
Ont. Arts
D Kenneth
Peroff Guelph 4 Astorville,
Ont. Geography
F Chris Culligan UNB 5 Howie
Centre, N.S. Rec. in Sports Science
F Jamie Wise Ryerson 2 Stouffville,
Ont. Arts
F Sean Ringrose Alberta 5 Edmonton,
Alta. PE & Recreation
All-Rookie
Team
G Kevin
Bailie Queen’s 1 Belleville,
Ont. Arts & Science
D Jordan Murray UNB 1 Riverview,
N.B. Kinesiology
D Drydn Dow Calgary 1 Calgary,
Alta. Arts
F Philippe
Maillet UNB 1 Terrebonne,
Que. UGND
F Christopher Collins Calgary 1 Calgary,
Alta. Arts
F Domenic Alberga Ryerson 1 Maple,
Ont. Public Admin.
