MONTREAL – Louis-Philip Guindon of St. Joseph du Lac, Que., was named team MVP as the McGill University men's hockey team officially wrapped up their 143rd season with the team's annual awards gala, held Saturday, at La Brasserie Molson-Coors.

Among the alumni on hand were Guy Boucher and Martin Raymond, who both played and coached at McGill, before moving on to pro coaching careers, including National Hockey League stints in Tampa and Ottawa. Also in attendance was Ryan McKiernan, a former All-Canadian rearguard who graduated in 2014 and now plays pro in Germany.
 
Guindon, a third-year goaltender and kinesiology major who turns 24 next week, received the Dr. Bobby Bell Memorial Bowl, which has been presented since 1950 to the team's most valuable player. He is the team's first goalie to merit MVP honours since Mathieu Poitras in 2008.
 
The Molson Cup, for most three-star selections, went to centre Samuel Tremblay, a kinesiology junior from St. Basil le Grand, Que. Right-winger Jordan-Ty Fournier, a Canadian Studies freshman from Dorval, Que., took home the Albert Fyon Memorial Trophy as most improved player. The final major award went to finance freshman Nicolas Poulin of Blainville, Que., -- the son of former Montreal Canadiens centre Patrick Poulin -- who received the Friends of McGill Hockey Trophy as rookie of the year. 

The evening wrapped up with an emotional send-off to the team's four graduating seniors, namely team captain Jerome Verrier (BA - economics) of Drummondville, Que., along with alternate captains Frederic Gamelin (BCom - accounting) of St. Polycarpe, Que, Redgie Bois (BA - Industrial Relations) of Rouyn-Noranda, Que., and Aaron Armstrong (MA - Kinesiology) of Teeswater, Ont.
 
Kelly Nobes, in his ninth year as head coach, presented each senior with their game jersey, a framed photo portrait, a pewter mug and a traditional McGill necktie, made famous by alumnus Mike Babcock, who wore it when coaching the Canadian Olympic team to gold medal victories at the Vancouver and Sochi Winter Games.

Nobes then announced his new leadership group for next season. The aforementioned Samuel Tremblay and Nathanael Halbert of Richmond Hill, Ont., were named as co-captains. They will be supported by a new slate of alternate captains, including Dominic Talbot-Tassi of Mascouche, Que., Christophe Lalonde of Mirabel, Que., and Ryan Penny of Fall River, N.S.
 
Guindon, who measures 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, saw duty in 36 of the team's 38 games overall. He posted a 20-15 record with four shutouts, a 2.57 goals-against and a .907 save percentage.

Tremblay, 23, tied for second on the team in goals and was fifth in points with a 14-12-26 record in 33 games overall and 24 penalty minutes.

Fournier, 22, dressed in 30 games and posted a 6-6-12 record with one game-winning tally and 39 PIMs.

Poulin, 21, suited up in 35 contests and registered a 10-16-26 record with one power-play marker, one game winner and 55 PIMs.

The soirée concluded a season where McGill posted a 21-17 record overall, including a 17-7-4 third-place finish in the OUA East Division. They swept UOIT 2-0 in the divisional quarter-finals but the season came to an abrupt end in the semifinals when McGill fell 2-1 to Carleton after winning the series opener. The team iced a lineup that featured eight freshmen, eight sophomores, six juniors and six seniors. The roster included 19 players from Quebec, five from Ontario, one apiece from Nova Scotia and British Columbia, along with two Americans.