Gary Conn and Brian Hughes were two of the important cogs behind the University of Maine hockey program’s early success. Conn was a natural goal scorer who became an All-American and Hughes was a rare combination of toughness, tenacity and speed.
They were in attendance at Maine’s 6-0 loss to UMass Lowell on Saturday and said they are interested in getting former teammate Andre Aubut’s number (27) retired.
Defenseman Aubut, who died 16 years ago from complications resulting from paralysis suffered during a pickup hockey game in his native Quebec, had been their teammate for three seasons.
They make a valid point.
Aubut was Maine’s first hockey All-American and still owns the school record for points by a defenseman with 135. His 32 career goals ties him with Jack Capuano.
He was the ECAC Division II Rookie of the Year when he had 10 goals and 35 assists during the 1978-79 season. He led the team to the top seed for the ECAC Division II East playoffs.
It is rare for a defenseman to receive a rookie of the year honor.
For example, in Hockey East’s 25 years, only two defensemen have earned that award: future NHL Hall of Famer Brian Leetch in 1986-87 and another BC product, Ian Moran, who shared the award in ’91-92.
Maine made its debut in Division I the next season and Aubut had 6 & 22 and was a first-team All-ECAC choice and a second team All-American.
He was a second team All-ECAC choice his third season with 11 & 32 and he guided Maine to its first-ever ECAC Division I playoff berth.
Conn, Hughes and their huge class departed after that season but Aubut still carved out 5 & 14 during his senior year while becoming a much stronger defender. In 1987, Aubut was the top vote-getter on the university’s All-Decade team.
Maine has retired three jerseys as well as the shamrock emblematic of the late Shawn Walsh, the coach who built the program into one of the nation’s elite.
Those who have had their numbers retired are career scoring leader and Hobey Baker Award finalist Jim Montgomery (301 points) and Hobey Baker Award winners Scott Pellerin (1992) and Paul Kariya (1993).
Aubut was special.
His stickhandling skills, ice vision, nifty feet and dynamic moves put him in an elite group. Whenever you went to a University of Maine hockey game, one of the joys was watching him perform his wizardry and leave opposing checkers bodychecking air.
He made tape-to-tape passes that defied logic. He was a draw, a seat-filler. He was one of the most popular players to ever play at Alfond Arena.
Aubut came to Maine with a minimal knowledge of the English language but managed to master the language and graduate with a 2.7 grade-point average.
He was well-liked by his teammates and was a team leader by example.
He was a delightful young man off the ice.
Always humble in victory and classy in defeat.
It’s time to retire No. 27.
By the same token, shouldn’t Conn (No. 9) receive consideration?
How often do players lead their team in points and goals for four consecutive years? He is the school’s third-leading all-time scorer (221 points) and is second in goals (107).
If it wasn’t for Aubut and Conn, Maine may have struggled out of the gate and not have developed the season-ticket base they still enjoy.