Best Kept Secret

By Andrew McGilligan
SN Staff

The year was 1984 and the Ottawa 67’s and the University of Toronto Varsity Blues were hoisting the Memorial Cup and University Cup aloft.

It was the last time two teams from the same province would hold both titles in the same season until 27 years later.

Flash forward to 2011 and the Saint John Sea Dogs were skating around the ice in Mississauga with the Memorial Cup held high while the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds were celebrating a University Cupchampionship on home ice at the Aitken Centre.

A great moment for provincial hockey fans and one that has the possibility to be repeated. On Thursday, UNB begins its defence of the University Cup as the CIS championship begins in Fredericton. On Friday, the Sea Dogs begin their quest for a second-straight President’s Cup title and a berth in the Memorial Cup.

No matter the outcome of either championship run, the Varsity Reds and Sea Dogs have already contributed to what is essentially a golden age in New Brunswick hockey.

The last three seasons (I’m including the 2011-12 season even though it has yet to finish) have seen unprecedented success by provincial teams. Including the two national titles brought home last year, the Sea Dogs and Wildcats have two President’s Cups. In addition, Saint John set a QMJHL record as the only team to ever capture three-straight Jean Rougeau trophies (regular-season titles), while UNB has finished atop to the AUS standings in the regular season for five-straight years and has been the AUS playoff champions the past two seasons.

With that type of success, individual accolades are sure to follow:

(NOTE: There was a tonne of awards, so I may have misseda  few)

2009-10 Season

QMJHL Coach of the Year – Gerard Gallant (Saint John)

CHL Coach of the Year – Gerard Gallant (Saint John)

QMJHL MVP –Mike Hoffman (Saint John)

QMJHL Most Sportsmanlike Player – Mike Hoffman (Saint John)

QMJHL First Team All-Star – Mike Hoffman (Saint John)

QMJHL Second Team All-Star – Nicholas Petersen (Saint John)

QMJHL Rookie All-Star – Stanislav Galiev (Saint John)

QMJHL Playoff MVP– Gabriel Bourque (Moncton)

QMJHL Best Professional Prospect Award –Brandon Gormley (Moncton)

QMJHL Second Team All-Star – Brandon Gormley (Moncton)

QMJHL Defenseman of the Year – David Savard (Moncton)

QMJHL Best Defensive Defenseman – David Savard (Moncton)

QMJHL First Team All-Star – David Savard (Moncton)

QMJHL Second Team All-Star – Mark Barberio (Moncton)

QMJHL Second Team All-Star – Nicholas Deschamps (Moncton)

AUS MVP –Hunter Tremblay (UNB)

CIS Player of the Year– Hunter Tremblay (UNB)

CIS First Team All-Star – Hunter Tremblay (UNB)

CIS Second Team All-Star – John Scott Dickson (UNB)

CIS Second Team All-Star – Luke Gallant (UNB)

AUS Coach of the Year – Gardiner MacDougall (UNB)

CIS Coach of the Year – Gardiner MacDougall (UNB)

AUS Godfrey Award– Kyle Bailey (UNB)

2010-11 Season

QMJHL Coach of theYear – Gerard Gallant (Saint John)

CHL Coach of the Year– Gerard Gallant (Saint John)

General Manager ofthe Year – Mike Kelly (Saint John)

QMJHL Playoff MVP– Jonathan Huberdeau (Saint John)

Memorial Cup MVP– Jonathan Huberdeau (Saint John)

QMJHL First team All-Star – Jonathan Huberdeau (Saint John)

QMJHL Top Goalie– Jacob DeSerres (Saint John)

QMJHL Defenseman of the Year – Simon Despres (Saint John)

QMJHL First Team All-Star – Simon Despres (Saint John)

QMJHL Executive of the Year – Wayne Long (Saint John)

QMJHL Second Team All-Star – Brandon Gormley (Moncton)

University Cup MVP– Luke Gallant (UNB)

CIS First Team All-Star – Hunter Tremblay (UNB)

AUS First Team All-Star – Hunter Tremblay (UNB)

AUS Second Team All-Star – Chris Culligan (UNB)

AUS Second Team All-Star – Bretton Stamler (UNB)

AUS All-Rookie Team – Nick MacNeil (UNB)

An impressive list to say the least. The teams also had a few other memorable moments such as the Sea Dogs 22-game winning streak in 09-10, undefeated record in regulation on Harbour Station ice in 2010-11, the all-NB President’s Cup final in 2009-10 and the three first-round selections in the2011 NHL Entry draft in the form of Huberdeau, Zack Phillips and Nathan Beaulieu.

On the CIS side, UNB suffered but one loss in the 2009-10 regular season and was a perfect 14-0 on the road. In 2010-11, the Varsity Reds were unbeatable on home ice,  racking up a 14-0 record.

All of this is to say if you get a chance, take in some of the Sea Dogs playoff action or catch part of the CIS championships. You never know when another run like this might occur, if ever again.