SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League has announced the recipients of the 2013-14 Awards, as voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 30 member cities.
Travis Morin of the Texas Stars has been voted the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s most valuable player for the 2013-14 season.
Travis Morin of the Texas Stars has won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the leading scorer in the American Hockey League, while Zach Boychuk of the Charlotte Checkers has won the Willie Marshall Award as the AHL’s leading goal scorer for the 2013-14 campaign.
T.J. Brennan of the Toronto Marlies has been voted the winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s outstanding defenseman for the 2013-14 season.
Jake Allen of the Chicago Wolves has been voted the winner of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender for the 2013-14 season.
Curtis McKenzie of the Texas Stars has been voted the winner of the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding rookie for the 2013-14 season.
Eric Neilson of the Syracuse Crunch has been selected as the winner of the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award as the 2013-14 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. This award has been presented annually since 1998 to an AHL player for his outstanding contributions to his local community and charitable organizations. The Yanick Dupré Memorial Award winner is selected by the AHL and representatives from IOA and American Specialty from among 30 individual team Man of the Year honorees.
Jeff Deslauriers and Eric Hartzell of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are the recipients of the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award for the 2013-14 season presented to the goaltender(s) with at least 25 games played on the team which allows the fewest goals in the regular season.
2013-14 AHL First All-Star Team
Goaltender – Jake Allen, Chicago Wolves (49gp, 30-16-3, 2.09gaa, .926sv%, 6so)
Defense – T.J. Brennan, Toronto Marlies (70gp, 22+44=66pts., 12 PPG, 4 GWG)
Defense – Adam Clendening, Rockford IceHogs (70gp, 12+44=56pts., +7, 19 PP pts.)
Left Wing – Mike Hoffman, Binghamton Senators (51gp, 30+37=67pts., +11, 12 PPG)
Center – Travis Morin, Texas Stars (62gp, 31+50=81pts., +13, 10 PPG)
Right Wing – Colton Sceviour, Texas Stars (54gp, 32+31=63pts., +11, 13 PPG, 6 GWG)
2013-14 AHL Second All-Star Team
Goaltender – Petr Mrazek, Grand Rapids Griffins (30gp, 22-7-1, 2.03gaa, .927sv%, 3so)
Defense – Adam Almquist, Grand Rapids Griffins (69gp, 4+48=52pts., +9, 27 PP pts.)
Defense – Brad Hunt, Oklahoma City Barons (62gp, 11+38=49pts., +9, 9 PPG)
Left Wing – Zach Boychuk, Charlotte Checkers (65gp, 35+35=70pts., 17 PPG, 4 GWG)
Center – Andy Miele, Portland Pirates (65gp, 27+42=69pts., 33 PP pts.)
Right Wing – Spencer Abbott, Toronto Marlies (64gp, 17+52=69pts., +10, 9 PPG)
2013-14 AHL First All-Star Team
Jake Allen, Goaltender (Chicago Wolves):
After earning a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team following a 15-game stint with St. Louis in 2012-13, Jake Allen has solidified himself as one of the game’s top goaltending prospects with a standout year with the Chicago Wolves. The Blues’ second-round pick in the 2008 draft is 30-16-3 in 49 AHL appearances this season, leading the league in wins, shutouts (6) and minutes played (2,958) while ranking second in goals-against average (2.09) and save percentage (.926). The 23-year-old native of Fredericton, N.B., represented Chicago at the 2014 AHL All-Star Classic.
T.J. Brennan, Defense (Toronto Marlies):
Toronto’s T.J. Brennan has had one of the most prolific offensive seasons by an AHL defenseman in recent history, earning him his first career appearance on a postseason All-Star team. Brennan’s 22 goals are the most by a blueliner in the AHL since 2002-03, and his 66 points rank second on the North Division champion Marlies. Brennan, who began the season with 10 points – including two hat tricks – in his first three games, also leads AHL defensemen with 12 power-play goals and four game-winners and ranks first overall with 249 shots on goal. A 25-year-old native of Willingboro, N.J., Brennan was originally a second-round draft pick by Buffalo in 2008.
Adam Clendening, Defense (Rockford IceHogs):
A Second Team All-Star selection as a rookie in 2012-13, Rockford’s Adam Clendening was voted to the First Team this year, becoming the first AHL defenseman to make a postseason All-Star Team in each of his first two pro seasons since Dan Boyle in 1999 and 2000. Clendening ranks second among rearguards with 44 assists and 56 points and is leading the IceHogs in scoring while appearing in 70 of the team’s 71 games to date. A 21-year-old from Wheatfield, N.Y., Clendening was a second-round choice by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Mike Hoffman, Left Wing (Binghamton Senators):
Coming back after missing half of last season due to injury, Mike Hoffman was three points off the AHL scoring lead at the time of his most recent recall to Ottawa on Feb. 23 and still ranks tied for fourth in goals (30) and tied for sixth in points (67) in 51 games with Binghamton despite spending the past six weeks in the NHL. Hoffman tallied 19 multiple-point games on the year, including a four-goal effort on Jan. 29 at Worcester. A 24-year-old native of Kitchener, Ont., Hoffman has two goals and two assists in 22 NHL games with Ottawa this season as well.
Travis Morin, Center (Texas Stars):
Seventh-year pro Travis Morin had a breakout season in 2013-14, and currently leads the AHL with 81 points (31 goals, 50 assists) in 62 games for Texas – nearly doubling his 44-point output from a year ago. The CCM/AHL Player of the Month in both October and January, Morin began the season on a 10-game scoring streak and has not looked back, going without a point in consecutive games on just four occasions all year. The Brooklyn Park, Minn., has also appeared in four games with Dallas this season and picked up an assist for his first career NHL point.
Colton Sceviour, Right Wing (Texas Stars):
Texas right wing Colton Sceviour has notched 32 goals and 63 points for the Stars this season, both career highs for the fifth-year pro. The franchise’s all-time leader in games played (348) has scored 13 power-play goals and six game-winning tallies, and also leads all AHL forwards with 228 shots on goal. The 24-year-old native of Red Deer, Alta., has added seven goals and four assists in 24 NHL games with Dallas in 2013-14.
2013-14 AHL Second All-Star Team
Petr Mrazek, Goaltender (Grand Rapids Griffins):
After leading Grand Rapids to a Calder Cup championship as a rookie in 2012-13, Petr Mrazek earns a Second Team AHL All-Star nod this season as he completes another stellar campaign. Mrazek has made 30 appearances with the Griffins and posted a record of 22-7-1 – including separate winning streaks of nine and eight games – and leads the AHL in both goals-against average (2.03) and save percentage (.927). A 22-year-old native of Ostrava, Czech Republic, and a 2010 draft pick by Detroit, Mrazek has also played eight NHL games this season with the Red Wings.
Adam Almquist, Defense (Grand Rapids Griffins):
In his second season of play in North America, Adam Almquist leads all AHL defensemen with 48 assists and ranks third with 52 points in 69 games for Grand Rapids, including a team-best 27 points on the power play. Almquist’s play at both ends has helped the Griffins maintain one of the top-ranked defenses in the league, allowing a Western Conference-low 2.43 goals per game. Almquist, a 23-year-old from Jonkoping, Sweden, was drafted by Detroit in 2009 and made his NHL debut with the Red Wings this season, recording one goal in two games.
Brad Hunt, Defense (Oklahoma City Barons):
Second-year pro Brad Hunt has 11 goals and 38 assists for 49 points in 62 games with Oklahoma City this season, notching more points in a Barons uniform than any other player in 2013-14. Hunt, who signed his first NHL contract with Edmonton last offseason, has picked up his play in the second half with 31 points and a plus-9 rating in his last 28 games, helping the Barons make a push towards the Calder Cup Playoffs. The 25-year-old native of Ridge Meadows, B.C., made his NHL debut with the Oilers on Jan. 3 and appeared in three contests.
Zach Boychuk, Left Wing (Charlotte Checkers):
A year after bouncing among three different NHL organizations, Zach Boychuk has had a standout 2013-14 campaign with Charlotte, leading the AHL with 35 goals and ranking second with 70 points while skating in 65 games for the Checkers. The CCM/AHL Player of the Month for March, Boychuk is also first in the league with 17 power-play goals and has contributed one goal and three assists in 10 NHL matches with Carolina. A 24-year-old native of Airdrie, Alta., Boychuk was the 14th overall pick by the Hurricanes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Andy Miele, Center (Portland Pirates):
Currently tied for third in the league in scoring, third-year pro Andy Miele has established career highs with 27 goals, 42 assists and 69 points in 65 games for Portland in 2013-14, earning selection as a Second Team AHL All-Star. Miele, a Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., native who won the Hobey Baker Award in 2011 as a senior at Miami University, has registered nine power-play goals, one shorthanded tally and two game-winners for the Pirates this season, and has picked up two assists – his first career NHL points – in seven games with Phoenix as well.
Spencer Abbott, Right Wing (Toronto Marlies):
Spencer Abbott began his second pro season by recording a point in 13 consecutive games and has gone on to more than double his offensive production from a year ago, leading the AHL with 52 assists and sitting tied for third with 69 points in 64 games for Toronto. The 25-year-old from Hamilton, Ont., originally signed with the Maple Leafs in 2012 after four seasons at the University of Maine, and made his NHL debut with the Leafs on Oct. 5.