The 2012-13 National Champion UNB Varsity Reds would like to announce the addition of forward Ben Duffy from the PEI Rocket to the program. Duffy is a former member of the elite V-Reds Prospects 1992 program and will return to Fredericton where he will study Kinesiology at UNB.

Duffy is the P.E.I. Rockets' all-time scoring leader and has had over 80 points in each of his last three seasons. He holds several all-time Rocket records including career goals (139), assists (202) and points (341).

The 21-year-old from Lower Sackville, N.S., is coming off his best season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 39 goals and 71 assists in 68 games, leading the league with 110 points. The 5’10’, 175-pound forward who can play wing or center, hasn’t missed a game since 2008-09 - his first year in the league.

“I had a chance to meet with their coach and go down there for a visit and I thought it was just a good fit for me. They’re obviously a great organization and a place I think I can still develop and have a chance to play pro,” said Duffy.

Duffy also felt that winning tradition was part of the reason for his decision. “Obviously, I want a chance to win a championship wherever I go and I think UNB has done an amazing job of winning National Championships and really developing their players for pro after university.”

UNB Head Coach Gardiner MacDougall, entering his fourteenth season at the helm of the V-Reds program, had these comments, ”We are very excited to add Ben to our program – he will add a skill component that will complement several of our players. It’s not often that we can add the leading scorer of the QMJHL to our program.  His offensive pedigree certainly speaks for itself, however I was most impressed with his passion to continue to improve and develop his game and how hungry he was for the opportunity to win.”

The perennial powerhouse Varsity Reds went 23-5 in the regular season for their sixth consecutive AUS pennant and defeated Saint Mary’s in the AUS final for their third consecutive AUS Championship.  They won their fifth all time CIS Championship in Saskatoon and fourth in the past seven years by again defeating the Huskies 2-0 in the gold medal game.

UNB had announced that both the captain Chris Culligan and associate captain Ben Shutron will be returning for their fifth season of eligibility and Duffy is the first of several key recruits for the program for the upcoming season.