Guillaume Desbiens Named Manitoba's American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year

Published on March 25, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manitoba Moose News Release


The Manitoba Moose are proud to announce veteran forward Guillaume Desbiens has been named the team's winner of the American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Manitoba community during the 2009-10 season.

In only his second season with the Moose, Desbiens has already become one of the team's most recognizable and popular players. On the ice, the Alma, PQ native has appeared in 59 games so far this season where he's scored 30 points (16g & 14a) along with 127 penalty minutes. He is currently fourth in team scoring. In 137 career games in Manitoba, the 24-year old has 77 points (37g & 40a). He is a physical team leader who's never afraid to stand up for his teammates in any situation.

Off the ice, Desbiens has proven to be an even more special player. He has taken a keen interest in the team's community activities and developed his own relationships with people he's met as part of Moose-sponsored events.

Desbiens has a lengthy list of community initiatives he has participated in this season with the hockey club. He attended Ecole Provencher in mid-February as part of the "Respond to Reading" program in conjunction with Red River College, where he read to French Immersion classes and stressed the importance of reading on a regular basis. He also attended the Rehabilitation Centre for Children in December to visit with young Manitobans who are living with disabilities, either physical or mental. It is here that Desbiens formed a special relationship with a family whose daughter is suffering from severe Cerebral Palsy and is unable to communicate. Desbiens has developed a close bond with the family who now come out to Moose games regularly to watch their favorite player. Desbiens was also one of five players to be involved off-the-ice as part of the first against breast cancer in October where the Manitoba Moose helped raise funds for "Keeping Abreast", a local charity that devotes their time to fundraising for research, state-of-the-art medical equipment and education about breast cancer and the benefits of reconstructive surgery. Desbiens was also one of the six players to participate in the Home Depot Backyard Rink promotion where the players went to a local backyard rink to play shinny with 10 local minor hockey players. Desbiens also volunteered to help out at a few minor hockey practices throughout the season as part of Moose promotional events.

In recognitions of his efforts, Desbiens will be presented with an etched crystal trophy during an on-ice presentation prior to an upcoming Moose game.

Desbiens is now one of 29 finalists for the AHL's 2009-10 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who dies in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League in the coming weeks. Former Moose Jimmy Roy was the winner of this award back in 2003.



American Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2010


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