#FredT.HuntMemorialAward

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TORONTO MARLIES LOGAN SHAW OF THE AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE WINS FRED T. HUNT MEMORIAL AWARD

By: Jason Chaimovich, American Hockey League SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Logan Shaw of the Toronto Marlies is the 2022-23  winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey. The award is voted on by coaches, players, and members of the media in each of the league’s 32-member cities. In his first season with Toronto, Shaw has captained the Marlies to the North Division title while leading the team with 21 goals (tied), 45 assists, and 66 points. He has amassed just 36 minutes in penalties while skating in 67 of the club’s first 70 games entering the final weekend of the regular season, including his 600th game as a professional on Mar. 12. Shaw also represented Toronto at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, his second career All-Star appearance. A 10th-year pro from Glace Bay, N.S., Shaw has totaled 104 goals and 123 assists for 227 points in 379 career AHL games with Toronto, Belleville, Manitoba, San Diego, Springfield, Portland, and San Antonio. He was originally a third-round selection by Florida in the 2011 NHL Draft. He has skated in 232 games in the National Hockey League with the Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, and Ottawa Senators. Shaw signed a three-year deal with the Marlies prior to the 2022-23 season. This award, which was first presented by the AHL in 1978, honors the late Fred T. Hunt, a long-time contributor to the league who won three Calder Cup championships as a player and three more as a general manager during a career spent primarily with the AHL’s Buffalo Bisons and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Previous winners of the award include Ross Yates (1983), Glenn Merkosky (1987, ’91), Bruce Boudreau (1988), Murray Eaves (’89, ’90), John Anderson (1992), Tim Tookey (1993), Ken Gernander (1996, 2004), Randy Cunneyworth (2000), Mike Keane (2007), Bryan Helmer (2011), Jake Dowell (2014), Tom Kostopoulos (2016), Craig Cunningham (2017), Bracken Kearns (2018), Brett Sutter (2019), John McCarthy (2020), Cal O’Reilly (2021) and Sam Anas (2022). In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years, the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The winner of the 2022-23 Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award (outstanding coach) will be announced on Monday. AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE HOME Read the full article

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AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE SELECTS FIRST AND SECOND ALL-STAR TEAMS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today the 2022-23 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams, as voted by AHL coaches, players, and media in each of the league’s 32 member cities. 2022-23 AHL First All-Star Team Goaltender ― Dustin Wolf, Calgary Wranglers (53 GP, 41-9-2, 2.08 GAA, .932 SV%, 7 SO) Defenseman ― Darren Raddysh, Syracuse Crunch (50 GP, 13-38-51, +19, 1 PPG) Defenseman ― Christian Wolanin, Abbotsford Canucks (49 GP, 6-49-55, +12, 24 PPA) Forward ― Alex Barré-Boulet, Syracuse Crunch (67 GP, 23-59-82, +25, 7 PPG) Forward ― Michael Carcone, Tucson Roadrunners (63 GP, 31-53-84, +5, 14 PPG, 5 GWG) Forward ― Matthew Phillips, Calgary Wranglers (64 GP, 36-39-75, +17, 10 PPG, 15 GWG) 2022-23 AHL Second All-Star Team Goaltender ― Joel Hofer, Springfield Thunderbirds (45 GP, 25-15-5, 2.57 GAA, .918 SV%, 4 SO) Defenseman ― Lucas Carlsson, Charlotte Checkers (60 GP, 19-33-52, +24, 3 PPG, 1 SHG) Defenseman ― Brogan Rafferty, Coachella Valley Firebirds (70 GP, 9-42-51, +31, 2 PPG) Forward ― Trey Fix-Wolansky, Cleveland Monsters (58 GP, 29-41-70, 11 PPG, 2 GWG) Forward ― Max McCormick, Coachella Valley Firebirds (69 GP, 28-39-67, +17, 11 PPG, 2 SHG) Forward ― T.J. Tynan, Ontario Reign (70 GP, 8-71-79, 3 PPG, 35 PPA) Each All-Star Team member will receive a custom-designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2022-23 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams. Recent AHL All-Star Team selections include P.K. Subban (2010), Jonathan Bernier (2010), Kyle Palmieri (2012), Tyler Johnson (2013), Jonathan Marchessault (2013), Justin Schultz (2013), Gustav Nyquist (2013), Jake Allen (2014), Mike Hoffman (2014), Petr Mrazek (2014), Matt Murray (2015, 2016), Jacob Markstrom (2015), Colin Miller (2015), Brandon Montour (2016), Frank Vatrano (2016), Mikko Rantanen (2016), Travis Boyd (2017), Mason Appleton (2018), Carter Verhaeghe (2019), Alex Nedeljkovic (2019), Kaapo Kahkonen (2020), Jake Bean (2020), Josh Norris (2020), Drake Batherson (2020), Jeremy Swayman (2021), Morgan Barron (2021), Taylor Raddysh (2021), Calen Addison (2021), Logan Thompson (2021), Josh Mahura (2021) and Stefan Noesen (2022). The winner of the 2022-23 Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award (sportsmanship, determination, dedication to hockey) will be announced Friday. 2022-23 AHL First All-Star Team

Dustin Wolf, Goaltender (Calgary Wranglers): Winner of the Baz Bastien Award as the AHL’s top goaltender as a rookie in 2021-22, Dustin Wolf has followed up with another remarkable season, leading the AHL in wins (41), goals-against average (2.08), save percentage (.932), shutouts (7), minutes played (3,120), shots faced (1,594) and saves (1,486). Wolf, a 21-year-old native of Gilroy, Calif., also earned co-MVP honors at the 2023 AHL All-Star Challenge in Laval back in February, and picked up a victory in his NHL debut with the Calgary Flames on Apr. 12. He becomes the first AHL goaltender to garner back-to-back First Team All-Star nods since Bob Janecyk in 1981-82 and 1982-83, and the first ever to do so in his first two pro seasons. Darren Raddysh, Defenseman (Syracuse Crunch): Sixth-year pro Darren Raddysh has had a breakout season in 2022-23, shattering his previous career highs with 13 goals, 38 assists and 51 points in just 50 games played with Syracuse. Raddysh is tied for third in scoring among AHL defensemen despite spending most of the second half of the season in the NHL, where he has skated in 16 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Toronto native also represented the Crunch at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic. Christian Wolanin, Defenseman (Abbotsford Canucks): Christian Wolanin leads all AHL defensemen with 49 assists and 55 points this season while skating in 49 games for Abbotsford in his first campaign in the Canucks organization. Wolanin, who has also played 16 games in the NHL with Vancouver this year, had a 13-game scoring streak from Nov. 10 to Dec. 9, and participated in the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic in Laval, his second career All-Star nod. Originally a fourth-round pick by Ottawa in the 2015 NHL Draft, Wolanin signed a two-year extension with Vancouver on Mar. 23. Alex Barré-Boulet, Forward (Syracuse Crunch): Alex Barré-Boulet earns his second career postseason All-Star berth with a First Team selection as he ranks second in the AHL in assists (59) and points (82) – both career highs – over 67 games with Syracuse. The fifth-year pro is also tied for third in plus/minus among AHL forwards with a plus-25 rating, and he became the Crunch franchise’s all-time leader in goals, assists and points over the course of this season. A native of Montmagny, Que., Barré-Boulet was previously a Second Team All-Star in 2019-20, and was named the league’s outstanding rookie in 2018-19. Michael Carcone, Forward (Tucson Roadrunners): The AHL’s leading scorer heading into the final weekend of the regular season, Michael Carcone has nearly doubled his previous career high with 84 points (31 goals, 53 assists) in 63 games for Tucson in 2022-23. Carcone also leads the league with 263 shots on goal, and ranks second with his 14 power-play tallies. The seventh-year pro from Ajax, Ont., recorded 30 points during a 15-game scoring streak from Dec. 17 to Jan. 31, the longest in the league this season. Matthew Phillips, Forward (Calgary Wranglers): A 2016 draft pick by his hometown Calgary Flames, Matthew Phillips has set career highs across the board for the second year in a row, recording 36 goals (tied for the AHL lead), 39 assists, 75 points and a plus-17 rating in 64 games for the Wranglers. The fifth-year pro has also tied an all-time AHL mark with 15 game-winning tallies, helping Calgary to a league-best 50 victories and the best record ever for a Flames AHL affiliate. The AHL Player of the Month for November also skated in his first AHL All-Star Classic. 2022-23 AHL Second All-Star Team

Joel Hofer, Goaltender (Springfield Thunderbirds): Joel Hofer earns a Second Team AHL All-Star nod on the strength of a 25-15-5 record, a 2.57 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage in 45 appearances for Springfield this season. Hofer is also tied for second in the league with four shutouts, and ranks third in minutes played (2,660) and shots faced (1,283) while helping the Thunderbirds to their second straight trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs. A 22-year-old native of Winnipeg, Man., Hofer has also played six games this season with the St. Louis Blues, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft. Lucas Carlsson, Defenseman (Charlotte Checkers): Lucas Carlsson ranks second among AHL defensemen in scoring with 52 points (19 goals, 33 assists) in 60 games heading into the final weekend of the regular season for Charlotte. Carlsson’s goal, assist and point totals all represent career highs for the native of Gavle, Sweden, who is in his fifth season of pro hockey in North America. The 25-year-old blueliner also owns a team-best plus-24 rating, and has chipped in three power-play goals and one shorthanded marker as well. Brogan Rafferty, Defenseman (Coachella Valley Firebirds): A Second Team All-Star as a rookie in 2019-20, Brogan Rafferty secures his second career selection this season as he sits tied for third among AHL defensemen in scoring with 51 points in 70 games for Coachella Valley. The fourth-year pro from West Dundee, Ill., is also tied for second among blueliners with 42 assists, and ranks third among all AHL skaters with a plus/minus rating of plus-31. The Quinnipiac University product joined the Seattle Kraken as a free agent on July 13, 2022. Trey Fix-Wolansky, Forward (Cleveland Monsters): Trey Fix-Wolansky has carried the Cleveland offense all season, pacing the team with 29 goals and 41 assists in 58 games played to tie the franchise single-season record with 70 points. The 23-year-old native of Edmonton, Alta., has scored 11 times and added 19 assists with the man advantage, figuring in on the scoring of nearly half of Cleveland’s 61 power-play goals this season. Fix-Wolansky, a seventh-round pick by Columbus in the 2018 NHL Draft, has also skated in nine NHL games with the Blue Jackets in 2022-23. Max McCormick, Forward (Coachella Valley Firebirds): A ninth-year pro from De Pere, Wis., Max McCormick had already set career scoring highs by the All-Star break, when he represented Coachella Valley at the AHL’s midseason showcase in Laval. He has continued his standout season through the second half and has amassed 28 goals and 39 assists for 67 points along with a plus-17 rating in 69 games for the Firebirds entering the final weekend of the regular season. A 2011 draft pick by Ottawa, McCormick is in his second season with the Seattle Kraken organization. T.J. Tynan, Forward (Ontario Reign): T.J. Tynan earns his third consecutive postseason All-Star Team selection, having recorded 71 assists and 79 points in 70 games for Ontario in 2022-23. The AHL’s MVP in both 2020-21 and 2021-22, Tynan is just the fourth player in league history to record at least 70 assists in back-to-back seasons, and will join Art Stratton (four times) as the only AHL players ever to lead the league in assists on three separate occasions. The AHL Player of the Month for January also participated in his fourth career AHL All-Star Classic this winter. AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE HOME Read the full article

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CANTLON'S CORNER: HOCKEY NEWS AND NOTES OFF SEASON Volume 10

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - After a vote by its membership, the NHLPA has approved the NHL's decision to move to a 24-team playoff format to bring to a conclusion the 2019-20 NHL season. With that announcement coming earlier this week, it capped off a seven-day period of a great deal of hockey activity. PLAYER TRANSACTIONS Some AHL players have confirmed their decision to head to Europe while several others are patiently awaiting the NHL's final decision about their season. Ex-Pack Brian Gibbons (Salisbury Prep) is said to be close to signing a deal with HC Lausanne (Switzerland-LNA) after spending a part of this past season with the Charlotte Checkers and 50 games with the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL). Gerry Fitzgerald of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms has signed with Vasterviks IK (Sweden-SHL). He joins Vile Saarijarvi, who split the year with the Tucson Roadrunners and the Grand Rapids Griffins. He heads back to Finland to play for Lukko Rauma (Finland-FEL) making 17 players in total who have moved and 13 of 31 AHL teams who have lost players. In the college ranks, Cam Wright of Stonehill College (NE-10) signs with Amals SK (Sweden Division-2). The signing makes 29 college players signing in Europe and a total of 156 college players to sign pro deals in North America and Europe combined. Jeff Kopek of Gunnery Prep (Washington, CT) commits to Utica College (UCHC). COLLEGE HOCKEY The WCHA's University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers announced late on Friday that effective immediately the school was canceling their Division I hockey program. The program has been a Division I team for 20 years and have had an active varsity program in Division I and II, plus an ACHA club team for 31 years. It was the only program in the Southern portion of the US for years until Arizona State launched a Division I independent program four years ago. The team was coming off a horrible season, 2-26-6, the worst in the nation and in the program’s history. In fact, over the last nine years, the program has struggled to amass a record of 54-230-22 over that time span. The hockey program started in 1979 and won ACHA National Club titles in a three-peat from 1982, 1983, and in 1984. They won two Division II national titles in 1996 and 1998. From 1986-1999 the Chargers bounced between Division I (originally in the NAIA conference) and Division II, but after the NCAA eliminated Division II level hockey, they made it to the top tier again. Despite the poor on-ice performance and terrible gate receipts, averaging just 1,419 last season (47th among 60 Division I teams), they also had the second-worst capacity of attendance at a meager 21.5%. Even though the school knew the numbers issue, they said last year they were planning to build a new on-campus arena taking them from their home rink, the Von Braun Center, which is also the home of the SPHL Huntsville Havoc. The most famous graduate of UA-H was ex-Hartford Wolf Pack goalie, Cam Talbot, who's now playing for the Edmonton Oilers. The first player to make it to the NHL from their program was forward, Jared Ross. of the Philadelphia Flyers, a few years before Talbot did. Among the other notable alumni are, Jay Woodcroft, the current head coach of the Bakersfield Condors (AHL), former Bridgeport Sound Tiger goalie, Scott Munro, who is now a goalie coach at Trinity College (NESCAC), and Dennis Skapski, the father to former Wolf Pack goalie, Mackenzie Skapski. The WCHA conference was set to lose seven schools after the 2020-21 season to form the new CCHA conference. The league is now down to eight teams. The last Division I program to exit was Wayne State in 2008. As UA-H leaves, Long Island University Sharks announced they were entering D1 hockey and becoming the 61st NCAA program and would play this comings season as an Independent. Like everything else, COVID-19 has infected the expected expansion of Division I hockey over the next two years. The University of Illinois was scheduled to make an announcement in March that they were going DI and going to the Big 10 conference. The WCHA was getting closer to announcing it will become the first true Western US states Division I college hockey conference. Sadly, this may not be the only University to cut back on their D1 hockey program. There may be many other program cuts as two WCHA schools in Alaska are likely to merge at some point this summer as a cost-saving measure. Some media reports state several Division I teams, particularly at state schools, and due to expected budgetary and health concerns are dropping non-conference games involving flying across the country in close quarters. UCONN, who's was looking to make an announcement next week in releasing their complete schedule according to Hockey SID Bill Peterson is still on schedule as planned. The season including its only major travel to a Christmas tournament in Milwaukee to be hosted by the University of Wisconsin. In addition to the host U-of-W, also participating in the tourney is UCONN, Arizona State, and Clarkson University. The hope is that safety will be less of a concern as far as travel by late December and the New Year. The Huskies are scheduled to host the Ohio State Buckeyes (Big 10) and the Arizona State Sun Devils (NCAA Division I Independent) at the XL Center and open the season at home against the Sacred Heart University Pioneers (AHA) in October. PRO HOCKEY While the AHL has ended the 2019-20 season and the NHL is closer to reopening in a 24 team playoff format with details still being worked on. Among the major issues is travel both to-and-from the United States and Canada as the border remains closed by mutual consent until June 21st. There could, however, be an exception that would apply to hockey players. The National Hockey League and NHL Players’ Association do not believe Tuesday’s extension, according to published reports, will alter their plans as they continue to work toward resuming the 2019-20 season this summer. The optimism comes from the belief that the border only remains closed for “non-essential travel,” which is defined as tourism, recreation, and entertainment. It affects the NHL and the AHL who are now trying to plan the start of the 2020-21 season. The NHL has seven Canadian franchises, while the AHL has three. Healthy people may continue to cross the border for “non-discretionary” reasons – for work and employment purposes - and NHL players and team personnel would be classified into that category according to two pro hockey sources familiar with the issue. Most non-Canadian players on Canadian NHL clubs hold a work permit, which would qualify them as temporary workers and allow them to cross the border during the pandemic for a limited period of time as specified under the border closure guidelines. A similar work visa exists for Canadian players who play for US-based teams and in the mutual consent decree by each government would naturally apply to Canadians here. Players from Europe still have a serious hurdle to clear. One of the few worldwide universal restrictions in this pandemic has been flying to another country requiring a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Approximately 17 percent of current NHL players are from Europe, according to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. He disclosed in an interview on Monday that these players are currently enduring the COVID-19 pandemic in various countries in Europe scattered throughout the continent. The AHL has a significant European player population. Then there's the Canadian government's provincial pandemic guidelines which further hamper plans and adds another layer of bureaucracy to overcome. Alberta and Quebec both have canceled all inside and outside large public gatherings until September 1st. Alberta announced another set of requirements. In addition to being quarantined for 14-days, a quarantine plan must be presented to public officials for review. For the NHL it could scuttle plans to use Edmonton as one of its NHL hub cities for its Stanley Cup playoffs as currently being designed. The AHL and NHL both season was paused their seasons on March 12th. The AHL season was formally canceled on May 11th. The Wolf Pack 2020-21 schedule has only one game date set, the home opener is scheduled for October 9th and that is now not set in stone. The start of the 2020-21 season will most certaintly not begin in October. Read HERE in Thursday’s Providence Journal-Bulletin how if things were not tough enough, even the mere public mention of a facility being closed the rest of the year creates serious issues for the AHL. AHL AWARDS The American Hockey League announced Friday that Karl Taylor of the Milwaukee Admirals is the winner of the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding coach for the 2019-20 season. Under Taylor’s guidance, the Admirals finished with the best record in their 19 seasons of play in the American Hockey League in 2019-20, going 41-14-5-3 (90 points, .714) and capturing the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as regular-season champions. Milwaukee allowed a league-low 2.24 goals per game and ranked seventh in scoring (3.35) – the third-highest goals-per-game differential (+1.11) in the AHL in the last decade – and established a team record with a 13-game winning streak from November 2nd to December 1st. Milwaukee’s special teams were outstanding in 2019-20 as well. They ranked second in the league on the power play (25.2 percent) and sixth in penalty killing (85.5 percent). Taylor, who coached the Central Division team at the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic, has sent nine of his Admirals players to the National Hockey League to compete with the Nashville Predators this season. The Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award winner was selected and awarded to San Jose Barracuda, John McCarthy, on Thursday. The award recognizes an AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey. The captain of the Barracuda since 2016, after 18 games with four goals, McCarthy ended a distinguished 11-year pro career suddenly in December after suffering an ischemic stroke due to a previously undetected hole in his heart. Following swift attention from the team’s medical staff and physicians at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, McCarthy made a complete recovery and joined the Barracuda coaching staff as an assistant on Dec. 27, allowing him to continue mentoring the San Jose Sharks’ top prospects. McCarthy, 33, played 577 games in the American Hockey League – all but 25 of them (Chicago Wolves) were with the Sharks’ affiliates in San Jose (2015-19) and in Worcester (2009-15) before he left with the team when the Pacific Division was created in 2015. He totaled 130 goals and 167 assists for 297 points in the AHL and is the Barracuda’s all-time leader in games played (275), goals (62), assists (76) and points (138). McCarthy notched four goals in 18 contests with San Jose in 2019-20. Originally drafted by the Sharks in 2006, McCarthy also had three goals and three assists in 88 career NHL games with San Jose. He was a member of the United States Olympic men’s hockey team in 2018 and co-captained Boston University to an NCAA championship in 2009. Six players were named to the American Hockey League All-Rookie Team on Tuesday. The All-Rookie team were Boston Bruins' forward prospect, Jack Studnicka (Providence), and forwards Josh Norris, and Alex Fomenton (Belleville Senators). Also given the honor were defensemen prospects, Brogan Rafferty of the Vancouver Canucks (Utica Comets), and ex-Wolf Pack Joey Keane of the Carolina Hurricanes (Charlotte) who was traded for Julien Gauthier in February, and Montreal Canadiens goalie prospect, Cayden Primeau (Laval Rocket), the son of former Hartford Whaler, Keith Primeau. The American Hockey League announced the 2019-20 AHL First, and Second All-Star Teams, as voted by AHL coaches, players, and media in each of the league’s 31 member cities. Two former Quinnipiac University Bobcats, one on the first team (Sam Anas of the Iowa Wild) and the other on the second team, (Brogan Rafferty of Utica). 2019-20 AHL First All-Star Team G – Kaapo Kahkonen, Iowa Wild (34 GP, 25-6-3, 2.07 GAA, .927 save percentage, 7 SO) D – Jake Bean, Charlotte Checkers (59 GP, 10 G,38 A 48 TP 3 PPG and 18 PPA) D – Brennan Menell, Iowa Wild (57 GP, 5 G 42A 47 TP, plus 8, 3 PPG and 23 PPA) LW – Reid Boucher, Utica Comets (53 GP, 34 G, 33 A, 67 TP, plus 8, 9 PPG and 7 GWG) C – Josh Norris, Belleville Senators (56 GP, 31 G,30 A, 61 TP, plus 9, 10 PPG and 4 GWG) RW – Sam Anas, Iowa Wild (63 GP, 20 G, 50 A, 70 TP, 7 PPG, and 35 PPA) 2019-20 AHL Second All-Star Team G – Connor Ingram, Milwaukee Admirals (33 GP, 21-5-5, 1.92 GAA, .933 save percentage, 2 SO) D – Jacob MacDonald, Colorado Eagles (56 GP, 16 G, 26 A, 42 TP, plus 7, 7 PPG and 14 PPA) D – Brogan Rafferty, Utica Comets (57 GP, 7 G, 38 A, 45 TP, plus 17, 3 PPG and 17 PPA) LW – Gerry Mayhew, Iowa Wild (49 GP, 39 G,22 A, 61 TP, plus 16, 13 PPG and 10 GWG) C – Alex Barre-Boulet, Syracuse Crunch (60 GP, 27 G, 29 A, 56 TP, plus 2, 9 PPG and 3 GWG) RW – Drake Batherson, Belleville Senators (44 GP, 16 G, 38 A 54 TP, plus 14, 3 PPG and 2 GWG) Each All-Star Team member will receive a custom-designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2019-20 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams. HOCKEY NEWS Jim Rutherford, who has been the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins since June of 2014, and who was also a former Whalers GM and a New Haven Nighthawk, and who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year, now has an award named after him. The OHL unveiled the Jim Rutherford Trophy that will go to the OHL Goaltender of the Year. The first recipient was Nico Daws of the Guelph Storm. Remember potential Whalers future star, Hnat Domenichelli? He is the GM of HC Lugano (Switzerland-LNA). His son, Leonardo, plays for the HC Lugano U-15 team. Amanda Boulier (Watertown/Westminster Prep/Yale University) signed a deal to play for another year with the NWHL Minnesota Whitecaps (her third) and was named head coach of Duluth Marshall HS (MNPUB) varsity girl’s program. She was an assistant coach last season and started her pro career with the Connecticut Whale. Among her teammates is Emma Stauber, the niece of former Wolf Pack and Nighthawk goalie, Robb Stauber. She also coaches a Minnesota high school hockey program Proctor/Hermantown. Her uncle, Dan Stauber, coaches the boy's team. Read the full article

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CHAIMOVITCH: 2019-20 AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE FIRST AND SECOND ALL-STAR TEAMS NAMED

BY: Jason Chaimovitch, American Hockey League SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today the 2019-20 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams, as voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 31 member cities. 2019-20 AHL First All-Star Team G - Kaapo Kahkonen, Iowa Wild (34gp, 25-6-3, 2.07gaa, .927sv%, 7so) D - Jake Bean, Charlotte Checkers (59gp, 10+38=48pts., 3 PPG, 18 PPA) D - Brennan Menell, Iowa Wild (57gp, 5+42=47pts., +8, 3 PPG, 23 PPA) LW - Reid Boucher, Utica Comets (53gp, 34+33=67pts., +8, 9 PPG, 7 GWG) C - Josh Norris, Belleville Senators (56gp, 31+30=61pts., +9, 10 PPG, 4 GWG) RW - Sam Anas, Iowa Wild (63gp, 20+50=70pts., 7 PPG, 35 PPA) 2019-20 AHL Second All-Star Team G - Connor Ingram, Milwaukee Admirals (33gp, 21-5-5, 1.92gaa, .933sv%, 2so) D - Jacob MacDonald, Colorado Eagles (56gp, 16+26=42pts., +7, 7 PPG, 14 PPA) D - Brogan Rafferty, Utica Comets (57gp, 7+38=45pts., +17, 3 PPG, 17 PPA) LW - Gerry Mayhew, Iowa Wild (49gp, 39+22=61pts., +16, 13 PPG, 10 GWG) C - Alex Barre-Boulet, Syracuse Crunch (60gp, 27+29=56pts., +2, 9 PPG, 3 GWG) RW - Drake Batherson, Belleville Senators (44gp, 16+38=54pts., +14, 3 PPG, 2 GWG) Each All-Star Team member will receive a custom-designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2019-20 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams. Recent First and Second Team AHL All-Star selections include Cory Schneider (2009), Johnny Boychuk (2009), Ben Lovejoy (2009), P.K. Subban (2010), Jonathan Bernier (2010), Kyle Palmieri (2012), Ben Bishop (2012), Tyler Johnson (2013), Jonathan Marchessault (2013), Justin Schultz (2013), Sami Vatanen (2013), Gustav Nyquist (2013), Brett Connolly (2013), Jake Allen (2014), Mike Hoffman (2014), Petr Mrazek (2014), Colton Sceviour (2014), Matt Murray (2015, 2016), Jacob Markstrom (2015), Jordan Weal (2015), Colin Miller (2015), Brandon Montour (2016), Frank Vatrano (2016), Mikko Rantanen (2016), Travis Boyd (2017), Austin Czarnik (2018), Andreas Johnsson (2018), Mason Appleton (2018) and Carter Verhaeghe (2019). The winner of the 2019-20 Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award (sportsmanship, determination, dedication to hockey) will be announced Thursday. 2019-20 AHL First All-Star Team Kaapo Kahkonen, Goaltender (Iowa Wild): Building off a strong first season in North America, Kaapo Kahkonen had a standout campaign again in 2019-20, leading the AHL in victories (25-6-3) and shutouts (seven) and ranking fourth in goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.927). Kahkonen, who finished the year 10-1-1 (1.16, .961) with five shutouts in his last 12 starts, also earned a victory in his NHL debut on Nov. 26 at New Jersey and went 3-1-1 (2.96, .913) in five appearances with Minnesota. The 23-year-old from Helsinki, Finland, was the Wild’s fourth-round selection in the 2014 NHL Draft. Jake Bean, Defenseman (Charlotte Checkers): Following a debut season that included AHL All-Rookie honors and a Calder Cup championship, second-year pro, Jake Bean led all AHL defensemen in scoring in 2019-20 with 48 points, also good for the Charlotte team lead. Bean recorded 21 points on the power play, and his special-teams play helped the Checkers rank third in the league in efficiency both with the man advantage (22.8 percent) and while shorthanded (87.0 percent). A 21-year-old native of Calgary, Alta., Bean was Carolina’s first-round selection (13th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft. Brennan Menell, Defenseman (Iowa Wild): A third-year pro, Brennan Menell established a career-high with 47 points in 57 games for Iowa in 2019-20, finishing second among AHL defensemen in scoring and first in assists (42). The 22-year-old native of Woodbury, Minn., is Iowa’s franchise record-holder in nearly all offensive categories for blueliners, with 101 assists and 116 points in 199 games over his AHL career. Menell signed as a free agent with Minnesota on Sept. 26, 2017, and made his NHL debut with the parent Wild this season, appearing in five games. Reid Boucher, Left Wing (Utica Comets): One of the AHL’s most prolific scorers over the last several years, Reid Boucher set career highs in 2019-20 with 34 goals, 33 assists and 67 points in just 53 games with Utica, finishing second in the league in overall scoring and first with an average of 1.26 points per game. Boucher authored a 16-game scoring streak from Nov. 23 to Dec. 31 – the longest in the AHL this year – and went consecutive contests without a point only twice all season. A 26-year-old native of Grand Ledge, Mich., Boucher has appeared in 133 career National Hockey League games with New Jersey, Nashville, and Vancouver. Josh Norris, Center (Belleville Senators): Named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team on Tuesday, Josh Norris was the AHL’s top-scoring rookie in 2019-20 with 31 goals and 61 points in 56 games for Belleville, tying for third in the league’s overall scoring race. Norris, whose father Dwayne was a First Team AHL All-Star himself in 1994-95, also made his NHL debut with Ottawa on Feb. 22 and appeared in three games with the parent Senators. The 21-year-old native of Oxford, Mich., was a first-round choice (19th overall) by San Jose in the 2017 NHL Draft and was acquired by Ottawa in a trade on Sept. 13, 2018. Sam Anas, Right Wing (Iowa Wild): A fourth-year pro, Sam Anas won his first AHL scoring title in 2019-20, finishing on top of the league with 50 assists and 70 points in 63 games for Iowa. The 26-year-old native of Potomac, Md., who was also assessed only five minor penalties all season, racked up 42 points on the Wild power play, the most by an AHL skater in the last six years. Anas, Iowa’s franchise leader in assists (175) and points (267), signed as a free agent with Minnesota on April 15, 2016, after three seasons at Quinnipiac University. 2019-20 AHL Second All-Star Team Connor Ingram, Goaltender (Milwaukee Admirals): In his first season in the Nashville organization, Connor Ingram ranked third in the AHL in both goals-against average (1.92) and save percentage (.933) while posting a record of 21-5-5 in 33 appearances with Milwaukee. Splitting duties with Troy Grosenick, Ingram earned a share of the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award as the Admirals allowed the fewest goals in the league (2.24 per game), and made his second consecutive trip to the AHL All-Star Classic. The 23-year-old native of Imperial, Sask., was acquired by the Predators on June 14, 2019, after being selected by Tampa Bay in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft. Jacob MacDonald, Defenseman (Colorado Eagles): Jacob MacDonald led all AHL defensemen with 16 goals and finished fourth with 42 points in 56 games for Colorado this season, earning his second postseason All-Star Team selection in three years. A 27-year-old native of Portland, Ore., MacDonald placed second on the Eagles in scoring and scored seven goals on the power play, tied for the most among league blueliners. MacDonald was acquired by Colorado in a trade with Florida on June 29, 2019, and recently signed a two-year extension with the Avalanche through 2021-22. Brogan Rafferty, Defenseman (Utica Comets): Brogan Rafferty had a standout 2019-20 season with Utica, placing third among all AHL defensemen in scoring with 45 points and first among all league rookies with 38 assists. The 24-year-old native of Naperville, Ill., also posted a plus-17 rating in 57 games and contributed 20 points on a Comets power play that ranked fourth in the AHL. Rafferty, who was also voted to the 2019-20 AHL All-Rookie Team, signed as a free agent with Vancouver on April 1, 2019. Gerry Mayhew, Left Wing (Iowa Wild): Gerry Mayhew had a career year in 2019-20, scoring a league-high 39 goals – the most by an AHL player in eight years – and posting 61 points in 49 games with Iowa. Mayhew, who potted a league-leading 10 game-winning goals and registered 11 multiple-goal games, also made his National Hockey League debut in 2019-20, notching two goals in 13 outings with Minnesota. The 27-year-old native of Wyandotte, Mich., signed with the NHL Wild on May 10, 2019, after two seasons playing on an AHL deal. Alex Barre-Boulet, Center (Syracuse Crunch): Named the AHL’s outstanding rookie a year ago, Alex Barre-Boulet returned to Syracuse in 2019-20 and led the Crunch with 27 goals and 56 points in 60 games. Finishing fifth in the AHL in scoring this year, the 22-year-old native of Montmagny, Que., is one of only two players to place among the league’s top 10 point-getters each of the last two seasons. Barre-Boulet, who represented Syracuse at the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic, signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent on Mar. 1, 2018. Drake Batherson, Right Wing (Belleville Senators): Drake Batherson was one of the AHL’s top players for the second year in a row in 2019-20, posting 16 goals and 38 assists for 54 points in while skating in just 44 games for Belleville. Batherson finished sixth in the AHL in scoring this season while also appearing in 23 contests for the parent Ottawa Senators, where he chipped in three goals and seven assists. The 22-year-old Batherson, born in Fort Wayne, Ind., and raised in New Minas, N.S., was a fourth-round pick by Ottawa in the 2017 NHL Draft. Read the full article

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CHAIMOVITCH: SAN JOSE BARRACUDA'S JOHN McCARTHY VOTED WINNER OF AHL'S FRED T. HUNT MEMORIAL AWARD

BY: Jason Chaimovitch, American Hockey League SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that John McCarthy of the San Jose Barracuda is the 2019-20 winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey. The award is voted on by coaches, players, and members of the media in each of the league’s 31 cities. The captain of the Barracuda since 2016, McCarthy concluded a distinguished 11-year pro career in December after suffering an ischemic stroke due to a previously undetected hole in his heart. Following swift medical attention from the team’s medical staff and physicians at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center, McCarthy made a complete recovery and joined the Barracuda coaching staff as an assistant on Dec. 27, allowing him to continue mentoring the San Jose Sharks’ top prospects. McCarthy, 33, played 577 games in the American Hockey League – all but 25 with the Sharks’ affiliates in San Jose (2015-19) and Worcester (2009-15). He totaled 130 goals and 167 assists for 297 points in the AHL and is the Barracuda’s all-time leader in games played (275), goals (62), assists (76) and points (138). McCarthy notched four goals in 18 contests with San Jose in 2019-20. Originally drafted by the Sharks in 2006, McCarthy also had three goals and three assists in 88 career NHL games with San Jose. He was a member of the United States Olympic men’s hockey team in 2018 and co-captained Boston University to an NCAA championship in 2009. This award, which was first presented by the AHL in 1978, honors the late Fred T. Hunt, a long-time contributor to the league who won three Calder Cup championships as a player and three more as a general manager during a career spent primarily with the AHL’s Buffalo Bisons and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Previous winners of the award include Ross Yates (1983), Glenn Merkosky (1987, ‘91), Bruce Boudreau (1988), Murray Eaves (‘89, ‘90), John Anderson (1992), Tim Tookey (1993), Ken Gernander (1996, 2004), Randy Cunneyworth (2000), Mike Keane (2007), Bryan Helmer (2011), Jake Dowell (2014), Tom Kostopoulos (2016), Craig Cunningham (2017), Bracken Kearns (2018) and Brett Sutter (2019). In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 31 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The winner of the 2019-20 Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award (outstanding coach) will be announced on Friday. Read the full article

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CHAIMOVICH: AHL ANNOUNCES NEW INDUCTEES INTO AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE HALL OF FAME

Click here for complete release including inductee statistics (PDF) BY: Jason Chaimovich, AHL SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today announced the four people selected for induction into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame as the Class of 2019. Honored by the AHL Hall of Fame Selection Committee as the 14th group of enshrinees are John Anderson, Don Cherry, Murray Eaves, and Brad Smyth. “For more than 80 years, the American Hockey League has been built upon a foundation of excellence,” said David Andrews, AHL President, and Chief Executive Officer. “The AHL Board of Governors is proud to unanimously endorse the Selection Committee’s recommendation for the induction of these four individuals into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame as the Class of 2019.” The Class of 2019 will be honored as part of the festivities at the 2019 Lexus AHL All-Star Classic presented by MGM Springfield, hosted by the Springfield Thunderbirds. The American Hockey League Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony is scheduled for January 28, 2019. Formed in 2006 to recognize, honor and celebrate individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions in the American Hockey League, the AHL Hall of Fame is housed online at ahlhalloffame.com and is accessible to fans worldwide with the click of a mouse as part of the AHL Internet Network. In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League serves as the top development league for the players, coaches, managers, executives, broadcasters, and staff of all 31 National Hockey League teams. More than 87 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers. In 2017-18, over 6 million fans attended AHL regular-season and playoff games across North America for the 17th year in a row. CLASS OF 2019: JOHN ANDERSON John Anderson spent most of his 17-year playing career in the National Hockey League, but he made his mark coaching with the Chicago Wolves. A Toronto native, Anderson was drafted by his hometown Maple Leafs in the first round in 1977 and went on to skate in more than 800 games in the NHL with Toronto, Quebec, and Hartford. As his playing days wound down, Anderson made a brief debut appearance in the AHL with the Binghamton Whalers in 1989-90 before spending a memorable 1991-92 campaign as a player/assistant coach in New Haven. With the Nighthawks that year, Anderson scored 41 goals and collected 54 assists, finishing with 95 points and a plus-42 rating in just 68 games. He was voted a First Team AHL All-Star at left wing, the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s most valuable player, and the recipient of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award for sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey. Anderson joined the coaching ranks full-time in 1995 and was hired by the Chicago Wolves in 1997. He led the Wolves to two Turner Cup championships before the franchise joined the American Hockey League, and won a third championship in the Wolves’ inaugural AHL season by becoming the first – and still only – team to win five playoff series en route to the Calder Cup. Anderson and the Wolves returned to the Finals in 2005 and followed a 111-point regular season by winning the franchise’s second Calder Cup and fourth league title in 2008. Following stints as head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers and assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes, Anderson came back to the Wolves in 2013 and spent three more seasons in Chicago, capturing another division crown in 2013-14. He returned to the NHL in 2016 and served for two seasons as an assistant with the Minnesota Wild. Anderson ranks fifth in league history with 424 victories and seventh with 788 games over 10 seasons as a head coach in the AHL. He won three division titles and had seven 40-win seasons and four 100-point campaigns, and was behind the bench for two AHL All-Star Classics as well. CLASS OF 2019: DON CHERRY One of the most recognizable personalities in all of Canada, Don Cherry was a standout defenseman and award-winning coach in the American Hockey League before he ever sat behind the Coach’s Corner desk. Cherry’s prolific career as a defenseman included 767 games in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, the Springfield Indians, and the Rochester Americans, collecting 259 points and racking up more than 1,000 penalty minutes. The Kingston, Ontario, native signed his first professional contract with the Bears in 1954 and played 63 games as a rookie – plus one playoff contest with the Boston Bruins, in what would be the only NHL appearance of his career. Cherry joined owner Eddie Shore’s Springfield club in 1957 and helped the Indians reach their first Calder Cup Finals in 1958, and then secure their first championship in 1960. Cherry brought his rock-’em, sock-’em style of play to Rochester in 1963 and the Amerks were soon the class of the league, reaching four consecutive Calder Cup Finals and winning championships in 1965, 1966 and 1968. He settled in western New York after retiring in 1969, and after two years away from hockey, he rejoined the Amerks as a player-coach in January of 1972. Rochester finished strong in 1972, qualified for the playoffs in 1973 and then posted the best record in the league in 1974, earning Cherry the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL’s coach of the year. Cherry went on to coach the Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies in the National Hockey League, and since 1980 has been an iconic commentator on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. CLASS OF 2019: MURRAY EAVES Forward Murray Eaves was one the American Hockey League’s premier scorers during a career that spanned 15 professional seasons. Selected by Winnipeg in the 1980 NHL Draft after a record-setting season at the University of Michigan, Eaves made his debut in the AHL with the Sherbrooke Jets in 1982 and was a shining star despite playing on consecutive last-place teams. Eaves collected 174 points in 118 contests over his first two AHL seasons, including a 115-point campaign and First Team AHL All-Star honors in 1983-84. Fortunes turned in 1984-85 when the Montreal Canadiens joined the Jets to form a dual affiliation in Sherbrooke. Eaves notched 68 points in 47 regular-season games and added 18 points in the playoffs as Sherbrooke captured the 1985 Calder Cup championship. Following a 73-point campaign in 1985-86, Eaves was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers and spent a season in Nova Scotia before signing with Detroit. Eaves would continue to be a dominant offensive force with the AHL’s Adirondack Red Wings, leading them in scoring in each of his three seasons with the team. In 1988-89, Eaves finished second in the entire AHL with 118 points to earn a Second Team AHL All-Star nod and then tacked on 13 goals and 25 points in the playoffs as Adirondack captured the Calder Cup. One of only two players in league history to record at least 115 points in a season twice, Eaves finished his AHL career with eight 20-goal seasons, three 40-goal campaigns and 680 points in 536 contests, making him the AHL’s all-time leader in points per game (1.27) among players with at least 400 games played. He was also a two-time winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award for sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey (1989, 1990). CLASS OF 2019: BRAD SMYTH Brad Smyth was one of the most dangerous goal-scorers in American Hockey League history, showing an incredible knack for finding the net during an era when goaltenders were becoming more dominant. "Shooter" began his pro career in the Florida Panthers organization and made his AHL debut in a three-game stint with the Springfield Falcons in January of 1995. He joined the Carolina Monarchs for his first full AHL campaign in 1995-96 and scored twice on opening night, the beginning of a historic season that saw Smyth put up 68 goals in 68 games for the Monarchs. He added 58 assists for 126 points to run away with the AHL scoring title and earn league MVP honors. After getting a taste of the National Hockey League in Florida and Los Angeles, Smyth was acquired by the New York Rangers in 1997 and helped the Hartford Wolf Pack reach the conference finals, notching 62 points in 57 regular-season games and a team-high 12 goals in the playoffs. Smyth split the following season between the Rangers and Nashville Predators organizations, then helped Hartford to a Calder Cup championship in 2000, leading the Wolf Pack with 39 goals in the regular season and 13 more in the playoffs. In 2000-01, Smyth scored 50 again, reaching the milestone on the final weekend of the season and earning a First Team AHL All-Star nod – an honor he would receive again the following year. Smyth was reunited with head coach John Paddock with the Binghamton Senators in 2002 and helped the first-year club reach the conference finals. He spent the 2004-05 season with the Manchester Monarchs and returned for a third stint in Hartford in 2006, completing his final AHL season with 34 goals and 86 points for his fifth career top-10 finish in the scoring race. Ranking 12th in league history with 326 career goals, Smyth registered 667 points in 610 regular-season games over his AHL career. He is one of six AHL players ever to hit the 50-goal mark twice and one of seven players ever to lead the league in goals on two separate occasions and is also ranked sixth all-time with 46 career postseason goals. Read the full article