AHL Peoria Rivermen

Jean-Guy Trudel to Join Rivermen Hall of Fame

March 16, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Jean-Guy Trudel, who played 177 games with the Rivermen between 1996 and 2008, will be inducted into the Peoria Rivermen Hockey Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 24. Having played with the Rivermen in both the ECHL and the American Hockey League, he will become the first player to enter the Hall of Fame to represent the team's AHL era.

The ceremony, that will take place during the first intermission of the Rivermen game against Milwaukee, is part of a weekend celebration to honor the 30th anniversary of professional hockey in Peoria.

Trudel, 37, broke into professional hockey at 21 years old with the ECHL Rivermen. Amidst frequent call-ups to the International Hockey League, Trudel still managed to put up 54 points (25g, 29a) in only 37 games. He returned the next season and racked up 113 points (39g, 74a) in only 62 games. He finished just six points back of Jamey Hicks (Birmingham) for the ECHL scoring title and appeared in eight fewer games. A starter for Team Canada at the 1998 ECHL All-Star Game, Trudel also ranked second on the team with 147 penalty minutes that season.

He graduated to the IHL/AHL ranks the next season and his success continued. He went on to become an AHL all-star four times in the next five seasons with Springfield from 1999-2002 and Houston in 2002-03. He also appeared in five NHL games with Phoenix and Minnesota. After four seasons in Switzerland playing for Ambri-Piotta, Trudel returned for one season with the AHL Rivermen in 2007-08. He led the team in assists (44) and points (67) in 78 games that year. He returned to Switzerland for the next two years and retired after the 2009-10 season.

Overall, Trudel finished with 234 points (87g, 147a) in 177 regular season games with the Rivermen over three seasons. He had another 19 points in 12 ECHL playoff games between 1996 and 1998. Still a resident of Peoria, Trudel now serves as the head coach of the Peoria Mustangs - of the North American Tier III Hockey League.

There are currently 33 members of the Rivermen Hall of Fame, comprised of two wings. There are 23 players and five coaches along with five members of the Builders Wing. This will be the third consecutive season in which only one new member is elected following Trevor Baker's induction in 2009 and Jason Christie in 2010.

While Trudel is the first to represent the team's AHL era he will also be the sixth member to represent the ECHL Rivermen joining Doug Evans (1991), Joe Rybar (2008), Don Granato (2008), Baker and Christie.

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