WOLFVILLE – Axemen goaltender Thomas Couture (Levis, QC) has been recognized by the AUS for his stellar performance in his rookie season at Acadia.

Announced on Friday, he was named an AUS first team all-star and to the conference’s all-rookie team.

“We are extremely proud of Thomas and his achievement,” said Acadia men’s hockey head coach Darren Burns. “There is no question he is deserving of these awards. He was the backbone of our hockey team this year. Being a rookie goalie in this league is an extremely tough challenge to begin with. His statistics this year speak for themselves and having him here bodes extremely well for our future.”

This season Couture started 21 games for the Axemen, finishing third in save percentage at .915 and fourth in goals against average at 2.76. He also played the third most minutes amongst AUS goaltenders this season, topped in playing time by only StFX’s Joseph Raaymakers and Moncton’s Olivier Adam.

During the season, he also received AUS athlete of the week recognition, which then earned him U SPORTS men’s hockey player of the week honours. That week he picked up his first career AUS shutout in a 2-0 victory over Saint Mary’s at home, following it with a 21-save performance and perfect shootout on the road against UPEI for a weekend sweep to open 2024.

The last Axemen goaltender to be named a first team all-star was Logan Flodell in 2019-20, while the most recent Acadia member of the all-rookie team was defenceman Garrett McFadden in 2018-19.

Acadia’s last time winning first team and all-rookie goaltending awards was when Evan Mosher and Brandon Glover received the honours in 2013-14.

Couture and the Axemen will look to even their AUS quarter-final series with StFX on Saturday when they host the X-Men at Andrew H McCain Arena for Game 2 of the best-of-three. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

2023-24 AUS ALL-STARS AND ALL-ROOKIE TEAM 

 
First Team All-Stars 

Goaltender: Thomas Couture, Acadia (1^st year – Lévis, Que.) 

Defence: Kale McCallum, UNB (2^nd year – Rothesay, N.B.)

Defence: Jacob Dion, Université de Moncton (2^nd year – Sherbrooke, Que.)

Forward: Austen Keating, UNB (3^rd year – Guelph, Ont.)

Forward: Brady Gilmour, UNB (4^th year – Grafton, Ont.) 

Forward: Matthew Struthers, STFX (3^rd year – Milton, Ont.) 

 
Second Team All-Stars 

Goaltender: Jonah Capriotti, UPEI (5^th year – Charlottetown, P.E.I.) 

Defence: Adam McCormick, UNB (3^rd year – Waterville, N.B.) 

Defence: Kade Landry, UNB (3^rd year – Gowanstown, Ont.)

Forward: Kaleb Pearson, UPEI (3^rd year – St. Marys, Ont.)

Forward: Jacob Hudson, STFX (3^rd year – Antigonish, N.S.)

Forward: Jérémy Michel, Université de Moncton (2^nd year – Lévis, Que.)

All-Rookie Team 

Goaltender: Thomas Couture, Acadia (Lévis, Que.)

Defence: Charlie Callaghan, STFX (Toronto, Ont.)

Defence: Marc-Antoine Mercier, Université de Moncton (Forestville, Que.)

Forward: Jeremy Lapointe, Université de Moncton (Drummondville, Que.)

Forward: Alec Bélanger, Dalhousie (Quebec City, Que) 

Forward: Sean McGurn, UNB (Ottawa, Ont.)