April 20: Brian Ward will be the 2015-16 St. Lawrence University men's ice hockey captain with Tommy Thompson, Eric Sweetman and Alexander Dahl wearing the "A" as assistant captain.

The announcement of the captains by Saint head coach Greg Carvel was one of several highlights at the annual Friends of St. Lawrence Hockey Awards Banquet held on campus last weekend.

Freshman goaltender Kyle Hayton, who was named the second team College Hockey News all-star goaltender and its all-rookie team goaltender in the most recent set of honors, was named the Stuart A. Winning Most Valuable Player and the Mike Pelletier-Richie Stewart Rookie of the Year after a record-setting season. Other award winners included captain Gunnar Hughes, who received the Jinx Doyle Award, Chris Martin who received the Bernie McKinnon Coaches Award, Sweetman, winner of the Pete McGeough Outstanding Defenseman Award, Patrick Doherty, who was presented the Brian McFarlane Scholar-Athlete Award, Justin Bruckel, who received the Paul Flanagan Most Improved Player Award and the Friends of St. Lawrence Hockey Seventh Man Award and Thompson, who received the Terry Slater Perseverance Award.

Ward, an assistant captain for the Saints this past season, was the Saints leading scorer as a junior with nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points. He will be joined in the Saint on-ice leadership group by classmate Thompson, who had nine goals and 14 assists this past season and juniors Sweetman, a second-team All ECAC selection at defenseman and one of the top-scoring blue liners in the league with 5 goals and 15 assists, and Dahl, who came on strong in the second half of the season and finished his sophomore season with five goals and two assists.

Hayton set records for shutouts in a season, goals against average in a season and save percentage in a season in his first season of collegiate hockey and helped the Saints to a second place finish in the ECAC regular season and a playoff bye. He was ECAC Rookie of the Year and second team All ECAC and was a finalist for the Mike Richter Award as the nation's outstanding goaltender.

Hughes, the Saint captain in 2014-15 and the team's leading goal scorer with 12, earned the Doyle Award which recognizes leadership ability and athletic contributions while Martin, who switched from forward to defense midway through his SLU career and was a key player in the Saints' defensive improvement in 2014-15 was recognized with the McKinnon Award which is selected by the coaching staff. Hughes played in 143 career games and had 28 goals and 45 assists for 73 points while Martin played in 148 games and had 22 goals and 52 assists for 74 points.

Sweetman emerged as one of the top defensemen in the ECAC as a sophomore and contributed at both ends of the ice as the Saints finished sixth in the nation in scoring margin and fourth nationally in scoring defense in 2014-15.

Doherty, a three-year member of the ECAC All Academic squad was recognized with the McFarlane Award which honors both athletic and academic accomplishment. Doherty had eight goals and 16 assists this past season and missed just one game in his four-year career, finishing with 32 goals and 33 assists in 148 games. Bruckel scored two goals and had 10 assists in 25 games for the Saints as a senior and provided quality depth for the Saint coaching staff in its group of forwards. He played 80 career games and had three goals and 15 assists.

Thompson returned to the Saint program this past season after missing the 2013-14 campaign and was the third-leading scorer for the Saints. The Slater Award is presented to a Saint player, past or current, who has faced significant personal challenge and handled it with grace and dignity. It is named in honor of former Saint All America Terry Slater who went on to have an outstanding career as both a professional and collegiate hockey coach.