All players from the ECHL were asked to vote on a series of season ending individual awards to determine the players judged to be the very best in each League’s Conference from seven (7) Award Categories. Below are the final results from the 2018-19 PHPA Player Voted Awards.
Heart, Hustle, Desire Award – Presented to one player from the ECHL Eastern and Western Conferences who are considered by their peers to be the hardest working player in their respective League’s Conference, demonstrating heart, hustle, and desire each and every night, both on and off the ice.
Built Tough Award – Presented to one player from the ECHL Eastern and Western Conferences who are considered by their peers to be the toughest in their respective conference. A player who is always there for his teammates and helps make his team one of the most challenging to play against.
Best Defensive Defenseman Award – Presented to one defenseman from the ECHL Eastern and Western Conferences whose offensive output or statistics may not necessarily reflect the significance of his consistent defensive contributions to the team.
Meridian Game-Saving Goalie Award – Presented to one goaltender from the ECHL Eastern and Western Conferences, who is known to consistently make the big save at the biggest moment of the game. He can steal a win for his team, frustrate opponents, and is regarded as the hardest goaltender to play against.
Top Prospect Award – Presented to one player from the ECHL Eastern and Western Conferences who stands out as the best next future star to succeed and make an impact at the next level of the sport.
Veteran Presence Award – Presented to one player from the from the ECHL Eastern and Western Conferences who qualifies as a league veteran and continuously has demonstrated the ability to motivate and lead their fellow teammates. This player uses their experience to provide leadership for their teammates, both on and off the ice.
Clutch Performer Award – Presented to one player from the ECHL Eastern and Western Conferences who can be relied upon by their team to provide late-game heroics, an overtime winner, a game-winning save, or any reason for a team’s success when the game is on the line.
“There is no higher individual honor in team sports than to be recognized by your peers as the very best in the League,” said PHPA Executive Director, Larry Landon. “Many of these well deserving Award recipients will go on to have successful careers in the National Hockey League after having first honed their skills within the development leagues. A true testament to all involved with the American Hockey League and ECHL.”
About the PHPA
Since its inception in 1967, the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) has continued to serve as an advocate of player interests. Currently, the PHPA is the certified, U.S. National Labor Relations Board collective bargaining representative for over 1,600 players across 57 teams throughout the American Hockey League and ECHL. Visit PHPA.com, follow the PHPA on Facebook and Twitter, and Instagram.
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