By Alexander Cole, U Sports Men's Hockey Correspondent
When the U Sports All-Star team takes on the Canadian National Junior Team prospects in a two-game exhibition series starting on Dec. 12, team captain Olivier Hinse will be returning to the place where he finished off his junior career.
The games which are on Dec. 12 and Dec. 13, will be played at the Centre d'Excellence Sports Rousseau, the home of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL. While the Sherbrooke, Que., native played the majority of his junior career with the Victoriaville Tigres and Quebec Remparts Hinse was traded to the Armada halfway through his last QMJHL season in 2011-2012. For Hinse, going back to Boisbriand for the exhibition series is a reminder of the fun he had during his junior career.
"It's great to play in front of those Boisbriand fans. They were great while I was there," Hinse said. "The organization was amazing and I really loved my time there so it's pretty great to go back there and play for the Armada fans."
Hinse, who is also the captain of the Concordia Stingers, is in his last season of a U Sports career that has spanned five seasons. The year has been a busy one for the graduate business student, who will also be attending Team Canada's training camp for the 2017 Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Overall, it's been a year full of accomplishments for a player who has established himself as one of the best players in Canadian university hockey.
"It's a great honour to be the captain of the Stingers and the captain of Team U Sports," Hinse said. "Going back to Boisbriand is just the final touch to everything I've accomplished since junior hockey."
Hinse was also a member of last year's U Sports All-Star team, where he served as an assistant captain in the two-game series against the National Junior Team prospects. Hinse said he hopes to bring that experience to this year's match-up.
"I'm just going to tell the guys that this is a great opportunity to show everyone who we really are and that we're good, even if we didn't go pro right away after junior," Hinse said. "We know they're good and we know they're talented so we're just going to have to bring our 'A-Game.'"
Last year, the U Sports All-Star team upset Team Canada in the first game with a 5-4 shootout victory. Hinse said that getting another win this time around would help show Canadians what U Sports hockey is all about.
"The league has been saying it a lot lately, but U Sports really is the best kept secret in hockey. They're definitely right about that," Hinse said. "It's going to be a great opportunity to show everybody how great U Sports athletes are, even if we chose a different path. It's fun for us to be playing against those guys whose next step is the NHL."
When Hinse and his U Sports brethren take to the ice in Boisbriand, Que., on Monday and Tuesday, the matchup against the World Junior prospects will be more than just a couple of games. It will be an opportunity to show everyone that U Sports hockey is one of the best leagues in the world; something that Hinse has always known.
"I'm always going to remember that U Sports should be more known around the world," Hinse said. "It's the second greatest league in Canada, right after the NHL."
U SPORTS ROSTER
No. - Name - University - Hometown - HT - WT - Age - Eligibility
Goaltenders
30 Kevin Bailie* Queen's Belleville, Ont. 6'3" 195 24 4
1 Corbin Boes* Dalhousie Saskatoon, Sask 6'3" 224 23 3
29 Jordon Cooke* Saskatchewan Leduc, Alta. 5'10" 180 23 3
Defencemen
9 Spencer Abraham* Queen's Campbellville, Ont. 5'10" 178 23 3
5 Tim Campbell* Lethbridge Thornhill, Ont. 6'1" 195 25 5
15 Nathan Chiarlitti McGill Maple, Ont. 5'11" 190 24 4
22 Martin Lefebvre* UQTR Terrebonne, Que. 5'11" 185 24 4
2 Kendall McFaull Saskatchewan Rosetown, Sask. 6'3" 210 24 4
4 Jordan Murray* UNB Riverview, N.B. 6'1" 205 23 4
3 Geoff Schemitsch Acadia Thornhill, Ont. 6'2" 195 24 4
6 Derek Sheppard York Ajax, Ont. 6'1" 215 22 3
Forwards
11 Guillaume Asselin* UQTR Quebec City, Que. 5'11" 195 24 4
14 Holden Cook StFX Oshawa, Ont. 6'0" 180 22 2
10 Jamie Crooks Alberta Vermilion, Alta. 5'11" 181 24 4
19 Jordan DePape* Manitoba Winnipeg, Man. 6'0" 190 24 4
20 Michael Fine** Ryerson Toronto, Ont. 6'0" 201 25 5
18 Olivier Hinse* Concordia Sherbrooke, Que. 6'2" 217 25 5
16 Philippe Maillet UNB Terrebonne, Que. 5'10" 190 24 4
12 Michael McNamee* Carleton Perth, Ont. 6'2" 197 24 4
7 Elgin Pearce Calgary Port Coquitlam, B.C. 6'0" 175 24 4
21 Mathieu Pompei McGill Laval, Que. 5'7" 166 25 5
8 Allain Saulnier Moncton Cap-Pelé, N.B. 5'11" 180 24 4
17 Brett Welychka Carleton London, Ont. 5'10" 188 22 2
*Returning player from 2015
**Fine played for the CIS Toronto Selects (Ryerson, Toronto, & York All-Stars) in the 2014 event
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Brett Gibson (Queen's University)
Assistant Coach: Mark Howell (University of Calgary)
Assistant Coach: Marc-Etienne Hubert (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières)
Assistant Coach: Brad Peddle (St. Francis Xavier University)
Trainer: James Sawchuk (Queen's University)
Equipment Manager: Trevor Black (University of Waterloo)
Equipment Manager: Jean Huynh (McGill University)
CHL EXPERIENCE
Goaltenders
Kevin Bailie Oshawa (2008-09 / 2011-12), London (2012-13)
Corbin Boes Brandon (2010-11 / 2012-13), Lethbridge (2013-14), Portland (2013-14)
Jordon Cooke Kelowna (2010-11 / 2013-14)
Defencemen
Spencer Abraham Brampton (2010-11 / 2012-13), Erie (2012-13 / 2013-14)
Tim Campbell Guelph (2008-09 / 2010-11)
Nathan Chiarlitti Sarnia (2008-09 / 2011-12), Owen Sound (2012-13)
Martin Lefebvre Quebec (2008-09 / 2012-13)
Kendall McFaull Moose Jaw (2009-10 / 2012-13)
Jordan Murray Acadie-Bathurst (2010-11 / 2011-12), Drummondville (2012-13)
Geoff Schemitsch Owen Sound (2009-10 / 2011-12), Oshawa (2011-12 / 2012-13)
Derek Sheppard Gatineau (2012-13 / 2013-14)
Forwards
Guillaume Asselin Montreal (2008-09 / 2009-10), Chicoutimi (2010-11 / 2012-13)
Holden Cook Owen Sound (2010-11 / 2014-15)
Jamie Crooks Saskatoon (08-09 / 09-10), Chilliwack (09-10 / 10-11), Victoria (11-12 / 12-13)
Jordan DePape Brandon (2009-10), Kamloops (2009-10 / 2012-13), Red Deer (2012-13)
Michael Fine Sault St. Marie (07-08 / 09-10), Kingston (09-10 / 10-11), Saginaw (2011-12)
Olivier Hinse Victo. (08-09 / 09-10), Que. (09-10 / 11-12), Sherb. (11-12), B.-Boisbriand (11-12)
Philippe Maillet Victoriaville (2009-10 / 2012-13)
Michael McNamee Quebec (2011-12), Sherbrooke (2012-13)
Elgin Pearce Kootenay (2009-10 / 2012-13), Medicine Hat (2012-13)
Mathieu Pompei (MJAHL product – Yarmouth Mariners)
Allain Saulnier Moncton (2009-10 / 2012-13)
Brett Welychka London (2010-11 / 2014-15), Belleville (2014-15)