AHL graduates up for major NHL awards
April 21, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... American Hockey League graduates are once again up for all of the National Hockey League's major individual awards, as the NHL announced its finalists on Wednesday.
Of the 21 finalists for the seven awards, 16 are AHL alumni.
Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning, a Calder Cup finalist in 1998 and an AHL All-Star during the 1998-99 season, has been named a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player and the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct. St. Louis has already captured the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the 2003-04 regular season.
Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils is a candidate for the Hart Trophy and the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL's outstanding goaltender. Brodeur, who won his first Vezina in 2003, spent the 1992-93 season with Utica of the AHL.
Joining Brodeur on the short list for the Vezina Trophy are Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff and Florida's Roberto Luongo. Kiprusoff played in two AHL All-Star Games, in 2000 and 2001; Luongo spent the majority of his 1999-2000 rookie season with the AHL's Lowell Lock Monsters.
The finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year are Trent Hunter of the New York Islanders, Andrew Raycroft of the Boston Bruins and Michael Ryder of the Montreal Canadiens. Hunter led Bridgeport to the Calder Cup Final in 2002 and played in the 2003 AHL All-Star Game, Raycroft won 56 games over three seasons with Providence, and Ryder helped Hamilton to within one victory of a Calder Cup championship in 2003.
Ottawa's Zdeno Chara is a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman. Chara, who ranked third in the NHL with a plus-33 rating for the Senators, was named to the AHL's All-Rookie Team in 1998 and played in that year's AHL All-Star Game.
All three finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as outstanding defensive forward are AHL alumni: Detroit's Kris Draper, New Jersey's John Madden and San Jose's Alyn McCauley. Madden, an AHL All-Star in 1999, won the award in 2001 and was runner-up in 2003. Draper played parts of four seasons from 1991-94 in the AHL, while McCauley made his pro debut with St. John's during the 1997 Calder Cup Playoffs and played 52 games with the AHL Maple Leafs from 1999-2001.
Former Calder Cup-winning head coach John Tortorella of Tampa Bay is one of three AHL alumni up for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's outstanding coach. Tortorella led Rochester to the championship in 1996. He is joined by Calgary's Darryl Sutter, who won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Award as the AHL's top rookie in 1980, and San Jose's Ron Wilson, a teammate of Sutter's on the New Brunswick Hawks team that reached the '80 Calder Cup Final.
Winners will be announced on June 10.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHL Award Finalists (x-AHL alumni):
HART MEMORIAL TROPHY (MVP to his Team)
x-Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
x-Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY (Outstanding All-Around Defenseman)
x-Zdeno Chara, Ottawa Senators
Scott Niedermayer, New Jersey Devils
Chris Pronger, St. Louis Blues
FRANK J. SELKE TROPHY (Outstanding Defensive Forward)
x-Kris Draper, Detroit Red Wings
x-John Madden, New Jersey Devils
x-Alyn McCauley, San Jose Sharks
LADY BYNG MEMORIAL TROPHY (Sportsmanship and Gentlemanly Conduct)
Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators
Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning
x-Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
VEZINA TROPHY (Outstanding Goaltender)
x-Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
x-Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames
x-Roberto Luongo, Florida Panthers
CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY (Outstanding Rookie)
x-Trent Hunter, NY Islanders
x-Andrew Raycroft, Boston Bruins
x-Michael Ryder, Montreal Canadiens
JACK ADAMS AWARD (Outstanding Coach)
x-Darryl Sutter, Calgary Flames
x-John Tortorella, Tampa Bay Lightning
x-Ron Wilson, San Jose Sharks
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from April 21, 2004
- Ducks shock top-seed Admirals, 5-4, in OT - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Three-goal win gives Wolves three-game lead - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Phantoms open playoffs with 2-1 win over Norfolk - Adirondack Phantoms
- AHL graduates up for major NHL awards - AHL
- End of the Season News - Albany Devils
- Four former Aeros still playing for Stanley Cup - Houston Aeros
- P-Bruins alum Raycroft a finalist for NHL Rookie of the Year - Providence Bruins
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Phantoms sign Jeff Carter - Adirondack Phantoms
- Clark Recalled by Toronto - Syracuse Crunch
- Andy Hilbert to play for USA at World Championships - Providence Bruins
- Sound Tigers take commanding series lead - Bridgeport Islanders
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
