AND THE WINNERS ARE . . .
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles had their award banquet last night .
Phélix Martineau went from being cut by his midget squad to captain of his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team, and on Monday he put an exclamation mark on it all.
Martineau was the big winner at the annual Cape Breton Screaming Eagles banquet, walking away with five of the 12 awards, including the trophies for most valuable player, leading scorer and the Greg Lynch Memorial leadership award.
The 5-11 forward from Terrebonne, Que., said after being told throughout minor hockey that he was too small to make it, he was happy to be able to prove those people wrong.
”To all the young hockey players here — never give up on your dreams,” said Martineau, who is in final QMJHL season and plans to play for Concordia University next year. “I got cut as a 15-year-old in major midget and some of the guys would have just gave up, but my parents believed in me, my friends around me believed in me, and I made it up here today. Just a message to every young hockey player who are smaller or don’t think they have the talent to make it: just keep pushing.
One day you’ll get rewarded.”
In addition to the Casino Nova Scotia Trophy as the team’s top scorer, the Cape Breton Beverages Ltd. Trophy for MVP and the Greg Lynch Memorial Trophy for top team leader, Martineau also took home the Cape Breton University Trophy academic player of the year and the 94.9 The Cape Trophy for fans’ choice.
The other winners were Egor Sokolov (Rudderham’s Source for Sports Trophy for rookie of the year); Tyler Hylland (Jim Hawkins Memorial Trophy for humanitarian of the year); Brooklyn Kalmikov (MacLeod-Lorway Insurance Company Trophy for most improved player); Ty Fournier (Tim Hortons Trophy outstanding community involvement); Ross MacDougall (Bobby Joe Ryan Memorial Trophy for best sportsmanship); Declan Smith (Tokyo Lloyd MacDonald Memorial Trophy for outstanding work ethic); and Adam McCormick
(Eastlink Trophy for best defenceman).
Eagles GM and head coach March-Andre Dumont coached Martineau from his first game in the Q to his last. He said watching him go from a shy 17-yearold with very little English to an on-ice leader and respected voice in the dressing room has been one of the most rewarding experiences of his career.
“I remember him entering my office after training camp to know if he made the team or not. When I confirmed him, the joy in his eyes and the smile on his face were priceless. I will always remember that moment,” Dumont said.
“Phélix is the perfect example of what major junior hockey is: we take them as boys and deliver them as men who can contribute to society.”
Meanwhile, Cape Breton has three games left in the regular season before beginning the playoffs on the road against an as-yet-to-be-determined opponent.
The team travels to Moncton for a Wednesday game against the Wildcats then returns home to Centre for a pair of games Friday and Saturday against the Saint John Sea Dogs.