Sports stats

AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins' Chapman, AHL Trainers Selected as Winners of Yanick Dupre Memorial Award

June 14, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The American Hockey League on Monday announced that, in recognition of their efforts during the pandemic, head athletic trainers from all 31 member clubs have been selected as the winners of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award for 2020-21.

The honorees include Grand Rapids Griffins athletic trainer Josh Chapman, who on June 24 will mark two years of service to the franchise. He is the first member of the Griffins organization to receive the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award.

Presented annually since 1998, this award traditionally acknowledges a player as the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year for his outstanding contributions to his local community; in 2020-21, the league is pleased to recognize the athletic training staffs from all 31 organizations.

In addition to their day-to-day responsibilities of looking after the general health of their players - including the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries - these athletic trainers and therapists took on the additional duties of testing, monitoring and administering the AHL's COVID-19 health and safety protocols, allowing the league to operate in a safe and effective manner during the pandemic.

The AHL also acknowledges the assistant athletic trainers, equipment managers and staffs, and team doctors and medical staffs whose tireless efforts contributed to a successful year.

This year's winners of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award are:

Chad Drown, Bakersfield Condors

Craig Belfer, Belleville Senators

Jon Williams, Binghamton Devils

Josh Sabitsky, Bridgeport Sound Tigers

Alex Ambrose, Charlotte Checkers

Kevin Kacer, Chicago Wolves

Tom Bourdon, Cleveland Monsters

Brent Woodside, Colorado Eagles

Josh Chapman, Grand Rapids Griffins

Brian Fairbrother, Hartford Wolf Pack

Todd Richardson, Henderson Silver Knights

Brian Riedel, Hershey Bears

Masayasu Takaiwa and Cole Harding, Iowa Wild

Glen Kinney, Laval Rocket

Brian Grogesky, Lehigh Valley Phantoms

Zach Salmonson, Manitoba Moose

Doug Agnew, Milwaukee Admirals

Jeff Andrews, Ontario Reign

Dustin Stuck, Providence Bruins

Michael Dhesse, Rochester Americans

D.J. Jones, Rockford IceHogs

Ryan Ledwon, San Diego Gulls

Will Leonard, San Jose Barracuda

Koryd Lavimoniere, Springfield Thunderbirds

Bryan Erspamer, Stockton Heat

Brad Chavis, Syracuse Crunch

Mike DeGaetano, Texas Stars

Jordan Aube, Toronto Marlies

Bill Nervig, Tucson Roadrunners

Roman Kaszczij, Utica Comets

Seamus McKelvey, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

The AHL's annual Man of the Year award is named after the late Yanick Dupre, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 24 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. A second-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 1991, Dupre played four seasons in the AHL with the Hershey Bears and was an AHL All-Star in 1995.




American Hockey League Stories from June 14, 2021


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.

Other Recent Grand Rapids Griffins Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central