2013-2014 Hockey LEast Awards: Get Your Popcorn Ready

Welcome to the 3rd Annual edition of the Hockey LEast Awards. While we leave the real postseason awards to the writers and coaches, we feel it's wrong if the worst players in the league fail to be recognized as well.  When putting this list together, we take into account the following: goals, assists, plus/minus, games played, and our personal hatred level towards each player. We released our Pre-season favorites back in September and some were spot on...others not so much. Enjoy.

Dennehy explaining away another Merrimack loss. Courtesy of Merrimack Athletics

(Worst) Coach of the Year- Mark Dennehy (Merrimack)
This 1991 BC grad had a year for the ages behind the bench at Merrimack posting only 3 wins in league play leading to a last place finish. Only one Merrimack player recorded more than 14 points this season. Think about that for a minute. There were 87 players who scored more than 14 points this season in Hockey East. When you only have one of the top 87 scorers in the league, that generally doesn't lead to success. Some will claim it is because of the talent level being recruited which is certainly part of it but who recruits the players? Bingo! It's Dennehy and his staff. The moral of the story is if you don't want to get this award, don't be a BC alum and come in last in the league. Maybe just the first one.

Gaudreault about to be pick-pocketed/Courtesy of UNH Athletics

(Worst) Player of the Year- Maxim Gaudreault (UNH)
Gaudreault not only has a terrible last name, but also a terrible stat line. His measly 3 points in 34 games along with a -10 rating are straight up bad. This comes on a team that is above .500 and possibly bound for the NCAA tournament.  You combine his stat line with how eerily close his last name is to the worst person on the face of the earth and this award became unanimous very quickly. He literally contributes nothing to UNH. Gaudreault sucks and so do both Gaudreaus. We personally want to congratulate him on being the first player not named Vinny Saponari to win this award. It took Vinny leaving Hockey East for it to happen, but Maxim has filled his shoes quite nicely.