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SYDNEY, N.S. —

The Cape Breton Eagles have finished announcing the team’s end-of-the-year award winners without actually handing out any trophies.

The third and final installment of the Québec Major Junior Hockey League’s squad’s 2019-2020 award was virtually hosted by Glace Bay’s Logan Shaw. The 27-year-old Winnipeg Jets player, who has 215 NHL games under his belt to go along with 235 AHL matches, was the third former Eagles star to take to social media to announce this year’s team award winners.

Pierre-Luc Dubois, of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Marc-André Fleury, now of the Vegas Golden Knights, took care of the first announcements last week in separate live Facebook appearances.

Shaw handed out four awards that were split by two players – captain Derek Gentile and goalie Kevin Mandolese.

Gentile, who QMJHL career ended somewhat prematurely with the season-ending COVD-19 outbreak, copped the Fans Choice Award as the team’s most popular player. The Sydney native, who plans on continuing his career while studying commerce at Dalhousie University, capped his major junior career by scoring goals in each of his last four games with the Eagles.

Cape Breton head coach Jake Grimes, who described Gentile as “tireless and courageous”, said the fans made a good call.

“This choice tells me something I’ve known about Cape Breton hockey fans since I played against teams from here when I was a kid and later when I played against the Cape Breton Oilers – they understand the game,” declared Grimes, who went on to call Gentile a “the ultimate leader on a team of leaders.”

The 21-year-old Gentile also earned the Academic Player of the Year after an equally fine year in the classroom at Cape Breton University. He had previously taken part in Acadia University’s long-distance program when he played in Québec City and attended UPEI when he played for Charlottetown.

Meanwhile, Ottawa Senators draft pick Kevin Mandolese captured a pair of prestigious awards. Mando, who has spent four seasons as an Eagles goalie, was named the winner of the Greg Lynch Memorial Trophy that is given annually to the player who best exemplifies what it means to be an Eagle.

Kevin Mandolese

“He is a first-round pick with first-round talent, first-round work ethic and a first-round heart,” said coach Grimes. “Mandoese exemplified what it is to be an Eagle from the second he put on an Eagles jersey.”

Mandolese also receives the Jim Hawkins Memorial Award as humanitarian of the year. Earlier in the season, the big goaltender helped support five-month-old billet sister Ella MacPherson who was diagnosed with a rare condition called osteopetrosis. Mando wore special goalie pads embroidered with the phrase “All for Ella”. He has also been a regular visitor to area schools.

Here is a complete list of the Cape Breton Eagles 2019-2020 award winners:

Regular Season Scoring Champion – EGOR SOKOLOV

Rookie of the Year – IVAN IVAN

Most Improved Player – RYAN FRANCIS

Bobby Joe Ryan Memorial Trophy (awarded for sportsmanship) – FÉLIX LAFRANCE and ADAM MCCORMICK

Outstanding Community Involvement Award – KYLE HAVLENA

Tokyo Lloyd Memorial Trophy (awarded for outstanding work ethic) – SHAWN BOUDRIAS and SHAWN ELEMENT

Top Defenceman Award – JARRETT BAKER

Most Valuable Player – EGOR SOKOLOV

Jim Hawkins Memorial Award (humanitarian of year) – KEVIN MANDOLESE

Academic Player of the Year – DEREK GENTILE

Fans Choice Award – DEREK GENTILE

Greg Lynch Memorial Trophy (awarded to player who best exemplifies what it means to be a Cape Breton Eagle – KEVIN MANDOLESE

sports@cbpost.com