UNB Hockey announces 2000-10 “All-Decade� Team
March 20, 2012
UNB HOCKEY – 2000-10 “ALL-DECADE” TEAM
The CIS Nationals Legacy Committee in conjunction with UNB’s hosting of the 2011 and 2012 CIS Hockey Championships and the 225th celebration of the University of New Brunswick is pleased to celebrate the rich tradition of the UNB Hockey program by recognizing six “All-Decade” teams. This selection process is finishing up this season and will recognize the top twelve all-time players of each decade or era at UNB. The process includes fan interactive voting in combination with a committee voting process.
In March fans voted on the “All Decade” team for 2000-10. The first decade of the 21st Century marks a century of varsity hockey at the University of New Brunswick; UNB’s first game was a 3-2 win over Mount Allison in January 1906. Current Varsity Reds head coach Gardiner MacDougall was hired for the start of the 2000-01 season, and in his first ten seasons behind the bench he built and guided the steadily improved team to two AUS conference championships, four appearances in the CIS championship game, and two University Cup wins.
In the decade the V-Reds had a conference record of 180-82-18 for a winning percentage of .675; at home UNB was 101-32-7 for a dominating .746 winning percentage. MacDougall is now UNB Hockey’s winningest coach, and selected the CIS Coach of the Year for 2009-10, while the team is a consistently nationally ranked playoff powerhouse.
The All-Decade team features two current fifth-year V-Reds who started with the team in 2007, two CIS Players of the Year, and a current NHLer who is has been finishing up his UNB degree in the offseasons. All were important parts of national championship competing teams.
The members of the UNB 2000-10 “All-Decade” team are:
First Team
Timmins, ON native Hunter Tremblay set a new UNB record for career regular season points (201 in 108 games played) in conference play plus another record when you add in AUS playoffs and Nationals (232 points in 138 games played). Tremblay was the AUS and CIS Most Valuable Player in 2009-10 and signed a two-way NHL contract with the Edmonton Oilers when he finished at UNB. He won two national championships. Rob Hennigar surpassed long-standing UNB offensive records, but two only lasted until former linemate Tremblay passed him a few years later. The Jordan, ON native amassed 177 points in 108 AUS conference games, and his career total was 212 points in 137 games. He still holds the UNB record for most postseason points with 35 in 29 games played. Hennigar was the AUS and CIS player of the year in 2007-08, and UNB’s first and only winner of the prestigious BLG Award as the CIS male athlete of the year. He signed a two-way contract with the NHL’s New York Islanders and now plays pro hockey in Italy with former Junior and UNB teammate David Bowman.
Summerside, PEI’s Darryl Boyce is the third forward on the first team and was the AUS Rookie of the Year for 2005-06, one year after Hennigar won the same honour. In two seasons with UNB Boyce scored 29 goals and 65 points in 53 conference games, and 18 points in 17 postseason games. After winning the University Cup in 2007 Boyce signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, which was upped to an NHL contract half-way through his first season of pro hockey. While overcoming several injuries Darryl played 64 games with the Leafs over three partial seasons in the NHL and he is now a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets (and still completing his UNB degree in the offseason).
Converted from forward his first season, Dustin Friesen from Waldheim, SK became a stalwart on defence and captained UNB to two National titles, in 2007 and 2009. He compiled 93 points in 137 conference games, which was the UNB record for games played, while at the same time only picking up 78 minutes in penalties. He had 23 points in 38 postseason games. Luke Gallant is completing his fifth season at UNB and collected 106 points in 123 conference games. The Bedford, NS native was the Most Valuable Player of last year’s University Cup tournament. Finally, Hamilton, ON’s Michael Ouzas played two seasons in the UNB net and went to the University Cup both years, winning in 2007 while he was the overtime victim in 2008. After going 14-3-1 his first season, he had a 20-1-1 season 1.91 goals against average in 2007-08 and was an AUS First-Team all-star and CIS Second-Team All-Canadian. After three seasons in the ECHL Ouzas now plays pro hockey in Croatia.
The second-team is led by another current V-Red, captain Kyle Bailey. The durable centre from Ponoka, AB notched 65 goals and 153 points (both top-5 all-time records at UNB) in 138 AUS conference games (one more than Friesen’s previous UNB record). Kyle’s best season at UNB was his last, where this year he has led the team in goals (16) and points (33) in 27 games played. Like Gallant, the team’s top faceoff man is looking for his third CIS championship ring. John Scott Dickson evolved into arguably UNB’s best-ever two-way forward in his four and half seasons wearing the red ‘n black. The North York, ON native collected 128 points in 111 conference games, and another 30 in 37 career post-season games, but was probably most known for his penalty killing prowess. Ryan Lindsay had two go arounds with UNB. In 1997-98 he was the AUS and CIS Rookie of the year with 19 goals and 36 points in 25 conference games. The Simcoe, ON native added another 14 points in 11 postseason games on the path to UNB’s first national championship. He left the next season to join the touring Canadian National Team, followed by two seasons of minor pro hockey. He returned to UNB in 2002 for two more seasons where he was captain and the V-Reds twice hosted the University Cup tournament. Lindsay’s career total with the Varsity Reds was 41 goals and 114 points in 81 AUS games, plus 12 goals and 33 points in 28 postseason games.
Smooth-skating St. Catharines, ON product David Bowman played a season of pro hockey before coming to UNB to reunite with former Windsor Spitfires teammates Hennigar and Dickson. He won two CIS titles with V-Reds and had 51 points in 83 conference games, and 12 in 26 postseason games. His first season at UNB was Jesse Ferguson’s last. Ferguson, from Langley, BC, played five seasons at UNB and improved every year. Forever remembered for his overtime winner against Alberta in the 2004 University Cup tournament, Ferguson had 91 points in 119 conference games, and a career total of 120 points in 155 games. Kenora, ON’s Reg Bourcier distinguished himself over five seasons with the V-Reds and finished with a career GAA of 2.84. A fierce competitor, his devotion to game preparation has led him to new careers as a goalie coach and personal fitness innovator.
According to current UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall, “The two main objectives in building the storied tradition of our program are Excellence and Development. Certainly the teams and players of the 2000’s have used the foundation of past decades to help bring our program to new levels in both of these key objectives. It has indeed been a special honour to be associated with the number of elite high performing teams and players here at UNB during those 10 years.”
David Kilfoil, chair of the Legacy Committee noted, “We have come full-circle now, honouring the last decade of the first hundred years of hockey at UNB. Those ten years really saw UNB Hockey rise to national prominence, and the quality of the players has been special to watch for all of us who are fans. Then we got to watch Boyce on national TV with the Leafs, and now we have our fingers crossed in hope for Tremblay. Not to be outdone, Bailey and Gallant are writing the final chapter in their UNB careers.”
For Eric Drummie, who has managed all the details of the selection and voting process, “This is the last decade for which fans could vote and with all of the quality athletes and team success in this decade there were a lot of tough choices to make. It’s been fun watching the voting each week and tabulating the totals. I think this project has been a great success showing the depth and richness in UNB hockey history and player accomplishments. It was also a way of recognizing the accomplished student athletes over the years, some of whom never had a chance to win a title of their own.”
The members of the UNB Hockey All-Decade Teams will be recognized during the upcoming Cavendish University Cup presented by Home Depot March 22-25.
Visit http://www.vredshockey.com/vote to review the All-Decade Teams.
The CIS Nationals Legacy Committee in conjunction with UNB’s hosting of the 2011 and 2012 CIS Hockey Championships and the 225th celebration of the University of New Brunswick is pleased to celebrate the rich tradition of the UNB Hockey program by recognizing six “All-Decade” teams. This selection process is finishing up this season and will recognize the top twelve all-time players of each decade or era at UNB. The process includes fan interactive voting in combination with a committee voting process.
In March fans voted on the “All Decade” team for 2000-10. The first decade of the 21st Century marks a century of varsity hockey at the University of New Brunswick; UNB’s first game was a 3-2 win over Mount Allison in January 1906. Current Varsity Reds head coach Gardiner MacDougall was hired for the start of the 2000-01 season, and in his first ten seasons behind the bench he built and guided the steadily improved team to two AUS conference championships, four appearances in the CIS championship game, and two University Cup wins.
In the decade the V-Reds had a conference record of 180-82-18 for a winning percentage of .675; at home UNB was 101-32-7 for a dominating .746 winning percentage. MacDougall is now UNB Hockey’s winningest coach, and selected the CIS Coach of the Year for 2009-10, while the team is a consistently nationally ranked playoff powerhouse.
The All-Decade team features two current fifth-year V-Reds who started with the team in 2007, two CIS Players of the Year, and a current NHLer who is has been finishing up his UNB degree in the offseasons. All were important parts of national championship competing teams.
The members of the UNB 2000-10 “All-Decade” team are:
First Team
- Forwards: Hunter Tremblay, Rob Hennigar and Darryl Boyce
- Defence: Dustin Friesen and Luke Gallant
- Goal: Michael Ouzas
- Forwards: Kyle Bailey, John Scott Dickson and Ryan Lindsay
- Defence: David Bowman and Jessie Fergson
- Goal: Reg Bourcier
- Forward: Colin Sinclair
- Defense: Craig Mahon
- Goal: Derek Yeomans and Gene Chiarello
Timmins, ON native Hunter Tremblay set a new UNB record for career regular season points (201 in 108 games played) in conference play plus another record when you add in AUS playoffs and Nationals (232 points in 138 games played). Tremblay was the AUS and CIS Most Valuable Player in 2009-10 and signed a two-way NHL contract with the Edmonton Oilers when he finished at UNB. He won two national championships. Rob Hennigar surpassed long-standing UNB offensive records, but two only lasted until former linemate Tremblay passed him a few years later. The Jordan, ON native amassed 177 points in 108 AUS conference games, and his career total was 212 points in 137 games. He still holds the UNB record for most postseason points with 35 in 29 games played. Hennigar was the AUS and CIS player of the year in 2007-08, and UNB’s first and only winner of the prestigious BLG Award as the CIS male athlete of the year. He signed a two-way contract with the NHL’s New York Islanders and now plays pro hockey in Italy with former Junior and UNB teammate David Bowman.
Summerside, PEI’s Darryl Boyce is the third forward on the first team and was the AUS Rookie of the Year for 2005-06, one year after Hennigar won the same honour. In two seasons with UNB Boyce scored 29 goals and 65 points in 53 conference games, and 18 points in 17 postseason games. After winning the University Cup in 2007 Boyce signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, which was upped to an NHL contract half-way through his first season of pro hockey. While overcoming several injuries Darryl played 64 games with the Leafs over three partial seasons in the NHL and he is now a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets (and still completing his UNB degree in the offseason).
Converted from forward his first season, Dustin Friesen from Waldheim, SK became a stalwart on defence and captained UNB to two National titles, in 2007 and 2009. He compiled 93 points in 137 conference games, which was the UNB record for games played, while at the same time only picking up 78 minutes in penalties. He had 23 points in 38 postseason games. Luke Gallant is completing his fifth season at UNB and collected 106 points in 123 conference games. The Bedford, NS native was the Most Valuable Player of last year’s University Cup tournament. Finally, Hamilton, ON’s Michael Ouzas played two seasons in the UNB net and went to the University Cup both years, winning in 2007 while he was the overtime victim in 2008. After going 14-3-1 his first season, he had a 20-1-1 season 1.91 goals against average in 2007-08 and was an AUS First-Team all-star and CIS Second-Team All-Canadian. After three seasons in the ECHL Ouzas now plays pro hockey in Croatia.
The second-team is led by another current V-Red, captain Kyle Bailey. The durable centre from Ponoka, AB notched 65 goals and 153 points (both top-5 all-time records at UNB) in 138 AUS conference games (one more than Friesen’s previous UNB record). Kyle’s best season at UNB was his last, where this year he has led the team in goals (16) and points (33) in 27 games played. Like Gallant, the team’s top faceoff man is looking for his third CIS championship ring. John Scott Dickson evolved into arguably UNB’s best-ever two-way forward in his four and half seasons wearing the red ‘n black. The North York, ON native collected 128 points in 111 conference games, and another 30 in 37 career post-season games, but was probably most known for his penalty killing prowess. Ryan Lindsay had two go arounds with UNB. In 1997-98 he was the AUS and CIS Rookie of the year with 19 goals and 36 points in 25 conference games. The Simcoe, ON native added another 14 points in 11 postseason games on the path to UNB’s first national championship. He left the next season to join the touring Canadian National Team, followed by two seasons of minor pro hockey. He returned to UNB in 2002 for two more seasons where he was captain and the V-Reds twice hosted the University Cup tournament. Lindsay’s career total with the Varsity Reds was 41 goals and 114 points in 81 AUS games, plus 12 goals and 33 points in 28 postseason games.
Smooth-skating St. Catharines, ON product David Bowman played a season of pro hockey before coming to UNB to reunite with former Windsor Spitfires teammates Hennigar and Dickson. He won two CIS titles with V-Reds and had 51 points in 83 conference games, and 12 in 26 postseason games. His first season at UNB was Jesse Ferguson’s last. Ferguson, from Langley, BC, played five seasons at UNB and improved every year. Forever remembered for his overtime winner against Alberta in the 2004 University Cup tournament, Ferguson had 91 points in 119 conference games, and a career total of 120 points in 155 games. Kenora, ON’s Reg Bourcier distinguished himself over five seasons with the V-Reds and finished with a career GAA of 2.84. A fierce competitor, his devotion to game preparation has led him to new careers as a goalie coach and personal fitness innovator.
According to current UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall, “The two main objectives in building the storied tradition of our program are Excellence and Development. Certainly the teams and players of the 2000’s have used the foundation of past decades to help bring our program to new levels in both of these key objectives. It has indeed been a special honour to be associated with the number of elite high performing teams and players here at UNB during those 10 years.”
David Kilfoil, chair of the Legacy Committee noted, “We have come full-circle now, honouring the last decade of the first hundred years of hockey at UNB. Those ten years really saw UNB Hockey rise to national prominence, and the quality of the players has been special to watch for all of us who are fans. Then we got to watch Boyce on national TV with the Leafs, and now we have our fingers crossed in hope for Tremblay. Not to be outdone, Bailey and Gallant are writing the final chapter in their UNB careers.”
For Eric Drummie, who has managed all the details of the selection and voting process, “This is the last decade for which fans could vote and with all of the quality athletes and team success in this decade there were a lot of tough choices to make. It’s been fun watching the voting each week and tabulating the totals. I think this project has been a great success showing the depth and richness in UNB hockey history and player accomplishments. It was also a way of recognizing the accomplished student athletes over the years, some of whom never had a chance to win a title of their own.”
The members of the UNB Hockey All-Decade Teams will be recognized during the upcoming Cavendish University Cup presented by Home Depot March 22-25.
Visit http://www.vredshockey.com/vote to review the All-Decade Teams.