South Carolina's Zapolski Named ECHL Rookie of the Year
April 1, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL on Monday announced that Ryan Zapolski of the South Carolina Stingrays has been named CCM Rookie of the Year and the recipient of the John A. Daley Memorial Trophy .
The award is presented annually to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the ECHL as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media members.. The trophy was named in honor of John A. Daley in 1997. Daley, who passed away in 1996, was one of the founding fathers of the ECHL, serving as general manger and minority owner of the Johnstown Chiefs from the inception of the team in 1988 until 1994.
Mario Lamoureux of Ontario finished second, followed by Cincinnati's David Pacan, Sacha Guimond of Gwinnett and Idaho's Austin Smith .
The ECHL will announce the winner of the Coach of the Year and recipient of the John Brophy Award on Tuesday.
Zapolski, who was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team and the All-ECHL First Team last week, led the ECHL with a 1.64 goals-against average, a .942 save percentage and eight shutouts, while finishing tied for second with 27 wins and fifth with 2,378 minutes played. He set a new ECHL single-season record for lowest goals-against average, while tying the mark for most shutouts in a season and tying the second best save percentage in league history. The 26-year-old also earned Most Valuable Player honors at the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game, stopping all 17 shots he faced in the second period of the ECHL All-Star 7-3 win against Colorado.
A native of Erie, Pa., Zapolski is just the fifth goaltender in the 25-year history of the ECHL to be named Rookie of the Year, and the first since Louisiana's Frederic Cloutier in 2001-02. The other goaltenders to win the award are Scott Stirling (Trenton, 2000-01), Jan Lasak (Hampton Roads, 1999-00) and Maxime Gingras (Richmond, 1998-99).
ECHL Rookie of the Year Winners
YEAR ROOKIE TEAM
2013 Ryan Zapolski South Carolina Stingrays
2012 Dustin Gazley Elmira Jackals
2011 Ben Street Wheeling Nailers
2010 Justin Donati Elmira Jackals
2009 Bryan Ewing Wheeling Nailers
2008 David Desharnais Cincinnati Cyclones
2007 Colton Fretter Gwinnett Gladiators
2006 Alex Leavitt Alaska Aces
2005 Joey Tenute South Carolina Stingrays
2004 Kevin Doell Gwinnett Gladiators
2003 Jason Jaffray Roanoke Express
2002 Frederic Cloutier Louisiana IceGators
2001 Scott Stirling Trenton Titans
2000 Jan Lasak Hampton Roads Admirals
1999 Maxime Gingras Richmond Renegades
1998 Sean Venedam Toledo Storm
1997 Dany Bousquet Birmingham Bulls
1996 Keli Corpse Wheeling Thunderbirds
1995 Kevin McKinnon Erie Panthers
1994 Dan Gravelle Greensboro Monarchs
1993 Joe Flanagan Birmingham Bulls
1992 Darren Colbourne Dayton Bombers
1991 Dan Gauthier Knoxville Cherokees
1990 Bill McDougall Erie Panthers
1989 Tom Sasso Johnstown Chiefs
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