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O'Neill Named IceCaps 2014-15 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year

April 2, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
St. John's IceCaps News Release


The St. John's IceCaps are proud to announce that Will O'Neill has been named the team's winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the St. John's community during the 2014-15 season.

For the past three seasons, O'Neill has exemplified the meaning of team ambassador. His personality, bright smile and genuine love of people have enabled him to become a fan favourite on and off the ice. This past season, O'Neill participated in every single IceCaps community appearance. He is truly passionate about giving back and often seeks out IceCaps management to inquire about volunteer opportunities.

Education is one of the pillars of the IceCaps community initiatives. O'Neill visited schools throughout the season to assist with reading programs, talking about the importance of respecting others in the community and enabling children to learn more about his life. When O'Neill walks into a school, he shows genuine concern for the students, their work and interests. He makes a seemingly immediate connection with each student with whom he has contact.

Since joining the club, O'Neill has made a strong commitment to minor hockey programming. This past season, he participated in each of the minor hockey programs sponsored by the IceCaps. In addition to the IceCaps-led initiatives, O'Neill also took time to meet with young hockey players on a number of occasions after games. Once again, he was engaging and sincere when interacting with children and a great role model for each of these young players.

The aforementioned efforts are just a sampling of the things O'Neill does in the community. He has also been known to provide IceCaps tickets to children and families who are dealing with various challenges. Will O'Neill embodies everything the IceCaps organization stands for. He is an ambassador for the team, the City of St. John's and the entire province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

O'Neill is now one of 30 finalists for the AHL's 2014-15 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died 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 later this month.



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