Arielle Roy-Petitclerc, Philippe Maillet named U Sports BLG Award winners
CALGARY — Philippe Maillet had to receive special permission from Ontario Reign coach Mike Stothers to attend the 25th annual BLG Awards.
The University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds forward, who signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Los Angeles Kings’ AHL affiliate after the season, and Arielle Roy-Petitclerc of the Laval University Rouge et Or were named the winners of the U Sports male and female athletes of the year for the 2016-17 season on Monday night.
“I asked my coach and he was really supportive right from the beginning,” said Maillet, who helped the Varsity Reds win their second straight national championship on home ice in March. “He told me that I better win it … in a laughing way. He understood right away that it was a unique opportunity.”
There were eight total nominees for the award including one female and one male from each of the four U Sports conferences. Roy-Petitclerc and Maillet each received a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship and a unique custom-made sculptured fossil-stone trophy.