Notes from the Friends of Hockey Banquet

Let’s start with what everyone cares about most — captains. Breaking from tradition, Jack Parker picked the captains himself this year. Usually, the players vote on the captains for the next season. Anyway, here’s the breakdown:

Captains — senior forward Joe Pereira and junior forward Chris Connolly
Assistant captain — junior defenseman David Warsofsky

Onto the awards:

Clifford P. Fitzgerald Scholarship Award (given to the most outstanding junior or senior defenseman) — David Warsofsky

Regina Eilberg Scholarship (given to the player who best combines athletics and academics) — Ryan Ruikka (3.89 GPA)

Bennett McInnes Award for Spirit — Joe Pereira

Most Improved Player — Ross Gaudet

Friends of Hockey Albert Sidd Unsung Hero Award — Zach Cohen

Ed Carpenter Award (given to the leading scorer) — Nick Bonino

George V. Brown Most Valuable Player Award — Nick Bonino

Parker said his goodbyes to the three seniors as well as the three juniors who have already signed pro contracts. Here’s one interesting note from each of his goodbyes.

Colby Cohen — Parker said he was the player who was closest to his grandchildren.

Nick Bonino — Parker pointed out that his points per game and plus/minus per game were almost identical to last season.

Kevin Shattenkirk — Parker said he would go down as “one of the best players in BU history.”

Luke Popko — Parker talked about his willingness to take on an unheralded role since the day he arrived.

Zach Cohen — Parker said he got better and better as his career went on, and that his best days are still ahead of him.

Eric Gryba — Parker said he would’ve been the MVP if it wasn’t for Bonino.

Parker then had Gryba give a brief speech on behalf of the seniors and captains. Gryba said that he expects to see a banner for his all-time penalty minutes record go up next to John Cullen’s banner for the all-time points record.

Note: Colby Cohen was not in attendance. He was in Arizona for a family fundraiser.