Concordia Stingers captain Olivier Hinse was presented the Dr. Randy Gregg Award as the Canadian university men’s hockey player who best combines athletics, academics and community service at the CIS All-Canadian Gala held at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel this evening.
It is the first time in Concordia men’s hockey history that a member of the Stingers earns this prestigious award. It is only the second time a player from a Quebec-based university is the recipient, the first being McGill University’s Mathieu Darche in 2000.
On the ice, Hinse, a third-year centre from Sherbrooke, Que., is one of the most prolific scorers in the country, tying for the OUA lead and finishing second in CIS with 18 goals in 26 league games. Four of those markers came shorthanded, the most by any player in the nation, and he also added 13 assists to finish 10th in OUA scoring with 31 points.
He was named an assistant captain for the 2012-13 season, becoming the youngest player in school history to earn an A on his sweater, and was named the Stingers captain for the 2014-15 campaign.
When he’s not on the ice, Hinse is a leader in both the community and the classroom. He maintains a 3.17 GPA in Child Studies and has been actively involved in several community initiatives including volunteering as an assistant coach for a local junior AAA hockey team, coaching at Stingers hockey schools, participating in the Stingers community skating party, taking part in the Centraide Walk and helping at L'Abri en Ville unloading crates of fruit that are sold to help fund the integration of mentally challenged adults into the community.
He also works part-time during the season, approximately 20 hours a week.
“He just brings so much to the program,” said head coach Kevin Figsby. “He’s worked the hardest on and off the ice, and he is extremely devoted to the Stingers. If the players on our team follow his example, use him as their role model – we will have an exceptional run the next couple years.”
The Dr. Randy Gregg Award is named after the former captain of the University of Alberta Golden Bears, who went on to win five Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers. Gregg was also the captain of the 1980 and 1988 Canadian Olympic teams.
Following his retirement from hockey, Gregg completed medical school and is currently a family physician in Edmonton.
