IceHawks' Hugo Belanger Named UHL MVP for Third Straight Season

Published on April 23, 2003 under United Hockey League (UHL)
Adirondack Frostbite News Release


Glens Falls, NY – Left wing Hugo Belanger of the Adirondack IceHawks was today named the 2002-2003 Sher-Wood United Hockey League (UHL) Most Valuable Player. The honor marks the third consecutive season in which Belanger has garnered the league's top individual award. It is the fifth time in his ten-year career that the St. Hubert, Quebec native has been chosen a professional hockey league's MVP. The MVP was determined through voting by UHL coaches, general managers and media.

Belanger led the UHL in scoring this season with 143 points (42g, 101a) to pace the league by a 45-point margin. His 143 points were the most of any player in a North American professional hockey league this season as he captured the fourth scoring title of his career. Belanger's 101 assists and plus/minus rating of +50 were also tops in the UHL. The 32-year-old compiled the three longest point streaks in the UHL this season including a 21-game streak from November 16th to January 3rd during which he registered 48 points (14g, 34a). Belanger was honored as the UHL Player of the Month for November, December, and January and was twice named Player of the Week. Prior to receiving UHL MVP honors for each of his campaigns with Adirondack, Belanger was named MVP of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) for the 1995-1996 season and the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL) for 1998-1999.

With 378 points (122g, 256a) in three seasons with the IceHawks, Belanger ranks as the franchise's all-time leading scorer. This campaign, he broke his own franchise single-season scoring record of 126 points which he established during the 2000-2001 season. Belanger finished the season one point shy of his career high of 144 points that he posted in 1995-1996 with the ECHL's Nashville Knights. The left wing posted the 1,000th point of his career with an assist versus the Port Huron Beacons on February 27th.

On April 9th, Belanger was named to the UHL's First Team All-Star squad for the third straight year. The honor marked the fifth consecutive season and sixth time of his career that Belanger had been selected a league's First Team All-Star.

Belanger was an eighth-round draft selection (163rd overall) of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.

"I feel extremely grateful for being chosen as the league's MVP," said Belanger. "The talent level in the UHL was better than ever this season, so to be distinguished among so many great players is quite an honor."

"We're very happy for Hugo. He's been one of the league's marquee players since joining the IceHawks three years ago and is very deserving of this recognition," said IceHawks President/General Manager Art Shaver.

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