PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. – The 2015 RBC Cup, Canada's 45th National Junior A Championship, held its awards banquet Friday night at the Canad Inn. The recipients of all six individual awards were announced at the banquet.

The awards were based on the tournament's preliminary round, which ran from Saturday to Thursday.

The 2015 RBC Cup award winners are:

Most Valuable Player (Roland Mercier Trophy) – Brad Bowles (Portage Terriers)
Top Goaltender – Guillaume Therien (Carleton Place Canadians)
Top Forward – Brad Bowles (Portage Terriers)
Top Defenceman – Dante Fabbro (Penticton Vees)
Most Sportsmanlike Player (Tubby Schmalz Trophy) – Patrick Newell (Penticton Vees)
Top Scorer – Brad Bowles (Portage Terriers)

In addition, Okotoks Oilers goaltender Nic Renyard was presented with the 2015 RBC Canadian Junior Hockey League National Player of the Year award. Renyard found a home in Okotoks after joining the Oilers shortly after the season began, going his first 13 games without a regulation-time loss, leading the Alberta Junior Hockey League in wins (30), tying for first in save percentage (.924), and finishing second in shutouts (five) and fourth in goals-against average (2.19). He led the Oilers to the AJHL’s fourth-best record, and was honoured with the AJHL MVP, AJHL Top Goaltender and CJHL Top Goaltender awards. Renyard has accepted a scholarship to the University of Massachusetts, where he will enroll this fall.

Josh Teves of the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials was on hand in Portage la Prairie to receive the RBC National Junior A Scholarship. Teves was chosen from 10 finalists – one from each of the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s member leagues – to receive the $5,000 scholarship. A rookie with the Centennials, Teves was Merritt’s second-leading scorer among defencemen with 33 points in 57 games. A 2013 graduate of West Island College in Calgary, Alta., Teves has volunteered his time on the ice with young players in Merritt, and through Ska-Lu-La, a small saw mill facility created to give special-needs adults a unique employment opportunity. He will continue his education and hockey career this fall at Princeton University, where he has been accepted into the mechanical engineering program.

“Through our scholarship program, RBC proudly supports young hockey players who have excelled in school, taken an active role in their community and are committed to the game,” said Kim Ulmer, regional president with RBC. “As title sponsor of the RBC Cup and longstanding partner of Hockey Canada, we extend our congratulations to the players, coaches, volunteers, and many fans for making this such a special event both on and off the ice.”

The RBC Cup Legacy Scholarships were also handed out at the awards banquet. Established following the 2004 RBC Royal Bank Cup in Grande Prairie, Alta., and contributed to following successful National Junior A Championships in Weyburn, Sask., Prince George, B.C., and Cornwall, Ont., the $500 scholarships are awarded to one graduating 20-year-old player from each of the five participating teams.

The RBC Cup Legacy Scholarship winners are:

Stephen Baylis (Carleton Place Canadians)
Adam Fauchoux (Melfort Mustangs)
Tanner Jago (Portage Terriers)
Anthony Miller (Soo Thunderbirds)
Patrick Sexton (Penticton Vees)

After six days of preliminary round action, the semifinals are set for Saturday. In the early game at 2 p.m. CT, the Penticton Vees (3-0-0-1) will take on the Carleton Place Canadians (2-0-1-1), while the Portage Terriers (3-0-0-1) will face the Melfort Mustangs (1-1-0-2) in the late semifinal at 7 p.m. CT.

The semifinal winners will meet in Sunday’s championship game, which can be seen live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT live on TSN/RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters (check local listings). Both semifinals can be seen live via FASTHockey webcast at www.hockeycanada.ca/rbccup.

Tickets for both semifinals, as well as the championship game, are available by clicking HERE, or at the PCU Centre box office in Portage la Prairie.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Esther Madziya, Hockey Canada’s coordinator of media relations, is on site in Portage la Prairie during the 2015 RBC Cup. For any interview requests, she can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by phone at (403) 519-5754.

For more information on the 2015 RBC Cup, visit www.hockeycanada.ca/rbccup, or follow the tournament via social media at www.facebook.com/rbccup and www.twitter.com/hc_rbccup.