Murphy named outstanding defenseman
April 4, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release
SPRINGFIELD, MA ... The American Hockey League announced today that Curtis Murphy of the Houston Aeros has been named the winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL's outstanding defenseman for the 2002-03 season, as voted by AHL players and media in each of the league's 28 member cities.
Murphy leads all AHL defensemen with 22 goals and ranks second with 52 points in 78 games for Houston this season. A 2002-03 First Team AHL All-Star, Murphy has also recorded seven power-play goals and a plus-12 rating for the West Division champions. The native of Kerrobert, Sask., skated in his second consecutive AHL All-Star Game this year, and made his NHL debut with Minnesota on Dec. 15. Murphy has been the Aeros' iron man over the past two years, skating in each of the team's 172 regular-season and playoff matches since opening night of the 2001-02 season.
This award, which was first presented by the AHL in 1959, honors the late Eddie Shore, a Hockey Hall of Famer widely regarded as one of hockey's greatest defensemen. Shore, a four-time winner of the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, purchased the AHL's Springfield Indians in 1939 and managed the club until his retirement in 1967.
Previous winners of the Eddie Shore Award include Steve Kraftcheck (1959), Al Arbour (1965), Noel Price (1970, '72, '76), Marshall Johnston (1971), Brian Engblom (1977), Terry Murray (1978, '79), Brad Shaw (1987), Eric Weinrich (1990), Darren Rumble (1997) and John Slaney (2001, '02).
As it concludes its 67th regular season, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 77 percent of all players to compete in the NHL this season have been AHL graduates, and over 380 players have taken the ice in both leagues in 2002-03. Four AHL head coaches have also been promoted to the NHL during this season.
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