Saint John awaits parade; Cup award winners

Before players of the Memorial Cup champion Saint John Sea Dogs begin thinking of NHL Scouting Combine this week in Toronto, there's one other matter they'll have to consider -- a parade.

The city will welcome the Sea Dogs back following their 3-1 victory over Mississauga in the Memorial Cup final with a homecoming parade on Tuesday at noon to celebrate the remarkable 2010-11 season. The Sea Dogs won their first Rivalry Cup over the Moncton Wildcats and the Jean Rougeau Trophy as regular season champions in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a league-record 58 wins. They then capped it off with the team's first ever President's Cup as playoff champs, and a historic victory at the Memorial Cup.

If that isn't deserving of a celebration, what is?

The parade will start at King Square and travel down King Street to a rally at the Market Square boardwalk (rain location, Market Square Atrium) at approximately 12:20 p.m. Saint John fans are being encouraged to come out in blue and white Sea Dogs colors in support of their team, which could see as many as nine players selected in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft in June.

The Sea Dogs became the first team from Atlantic Canada to win the Memorial Cup since its inception in 1919. The roster includes six players born in New Brunswick, three in Nova Scotia and one in Prince Edward Island -- coach Gerard Gallant and GM Mike Kelly are also from PEI.

Saint John also becomes the first team from the QMJHL to win a Memorial Cup not hosted by one of the league's teams since 1996 -- when the Granby Predateurs scored a 4-0 victory over the OHL's Peterborough Petes.

Saint John forward Jonathan Huberdeau, who had 3 goals and 6 points in four games, was named the tournament's most valuable player and defenseman Nathan Beaulieu was placed on the tournament all-star team. Here are the Memorial Cup award winners, announced by the CHL on Sunday.

Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player) – Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs

Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs finished tied for second in tournament scoring with six points in four games including three goals and three assists.  The 18-year-old from St-Jerome, Quebec, scored a goal and an assist in the 3-1 Championship Final victory over the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.  Eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Huberdeau is the third ranked skater by NHL Central Scouting and is the first Quebec-born player to win the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy since Danny Groulx of the Victoriaville Tigres in 2002.

Ed Chynoweth Trophy (Top Scorer) – Andrew Shaw, Owen Sound Attack

Andrew Shaw of the Owen Sound Attack led the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup in scoring with seven points in four games scoring two goals and five assists.  A 19-year-old from Belleville, ON, Shaw recorded a point in all four games and produced three multi-point games completing his third OHL season.
 
George Parsons Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player) – Marc Cantin, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors

Marc Cantin of the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors had two assists in five games and was the only defenceman on the Majors that did not record any penalty minutes.  A 21-year-old from Omemee, ON, the Boston Bruins prospect concludes a five-year OHL career with three appearances in the MasterCard Memorial Cup including a Championship title last season with the Windsor Spitfires.

Hap Emms Memorial Trophy (Outstanding Goaltender) – Jordan Binnington, Owen Sound Attack

Jordan Binnington of the Owen Sound Attack had three starts in the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup posting a 1-2 record with a tournament-best goals-against-average of 1.42 and save percentage of .951.  The 17-year-old from Richmond Hill, ON, posted the only shutout of the tournament with 29 saves as part of a 5-0 win over the Kootenay Ice.  He is eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and is the third ranked North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting.  

Huberdeau and Shaw were also recognized on the tournament All-Star team at forward along with Devante Smith-Pelly of the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors. Smith-Pelly, a prospect of the Anaheim Ducks, had 3 goals and 6 points in five games. A pair of 2011 NHL Entry Draft prospects were named to the tournament All-Star team on defense -- No. 5 Beaulieu (3 points in 4 games) and No. 53 Stuart Percy (4 assists in 5 games) of Mississauga. Binnington was named to the All-Star team in goal.  

2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup Awards:

Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player) – Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs

Ed Chynoweth Trophy (Top Scorer) – Andrew Shaw, Owen Sound Attack

George Parsons Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player) – Marc Cantin, Mississauga St. Michael's Majors

Hap Emms Memorial Trophy (Outstanding Goaltender) – Jordan Binnington, Owen Sound Attack

2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup All-Stars:

Goaltender – Jordan Binnington, Owen Sound Attack
Defence – Stuart Percy, Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Defence – Nathan Beaulieu, Saint John Sea Dogs
Forward – Andrew Shaw, Owen Sound Attack
Forward – Devante Smith-Pelly, Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
Forward – Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs

Follow Mike Morreale on Twitter at: @mike_morreale