Graham And Ringel Named Finalists For NAHL Player Of The Year

April 14, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Mahoning Valley Phantoms News Release


FRISCO, Texas - The North American Hockey League announced this weekend that Mahoning Valley Phantoms veteran forward Derek Graham and veteran defenseman Eric Ringel have been named as finalists for the league's nominee for the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year award.

USA Hockey gives the award annually in June to the most outstanding American-born player in junior hockey.

Graham, 19, led the Phantoms in scoring throughout the season, posting 30 goals and 41 assists. His 71 points tied for seventh best among all NAHL scorers during the regular season. Graham currently leads the Phantoms in playoff scoring as well, notching four points in a three game sweep of the Alpena Ice Diggers in the North Division semifinals.

"Graham is a kid that came in last year without a whole lot of people knowing about him and had a great season for us. He came back this year highly touted and definitely delivered," said Phantoms head coach Bob Mainhardt. "He's the guy that gets a lot of attention from all of our opponents, and he is very much responsible for where we are at right now as a team - battling for a National Championship."

The native of Schoolcraft, Mich. is the all-time leading scorer in Phantoms hockey history with 129 points in 109 career games over the past two seasons. Next season, Graham will join former Phantoms defenseman Evan Case at Division I Ferris State University in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

Ringel, recently 18, was the Phantoms' leading scorer from the blue line, collecting seven goals and 20 assists this season. The native of Hinckley, Ohio has now totaled 52 points in 102 career games with the Phantoms.

"For the past two seasons, Eric has been a huge part of our team, and he has developed into an outstanding college and pro prospect," said Mainhardt. "This award is based on a body of work, and he is a young man from Cleveland that has gotten better every year and has earned everything. We're real proud of that, and proud of him."

All season, Ringel has been recognized by the Central Scouting Bureau as a potential draft pick in the 2008 NHL Draft in June in Ottawa.

Ringel is headed to South Bend, Ind. next season to play hockey for Notre Dame in the CCHA. The Fighting Irish finished this past season as the runner-up for the NCAA Division I hockey National Championship this weekend in Denver.

Ringel and Graham join nine other NAHL finalists for the Dave Tyler Player of the Year award: Sam Bozoian (St. Louis), Adam Cardwell (Wichita Falls), Aaron Gens (Topeka), Tim Kirby (Southern Minnesota), Robby Moss (North Iowa), Corey Patterson (Springfield), Cody Reichard (Fairbanks), Luke Salazar (Wichita Falls), and Ben Warda (St. Louis).

The league's official nominee for the award will be announced later this week.



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