South Carolina's Jakaitis Named CCM Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player

April 17, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL on Friday announced that Jeff Jakaitis of the South Carolina Stingrays has been selected as the CCM Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player for 2014-15. Jakaitis is just the fourth goaltender to receive the Most Valuable Player award in the ECHL's 27-year history.

The CCM Hockey Most Valuable Player award is presented annually to the player selected to be the most valuable to his team as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media members.

Chad Costello of Allen finished second, followed by Idaho's Wade MacLeod, Andrew Rowe of South Carolina and Fort Wayne's Shawn Szydlowski .

Jakaitis, who was named to the All-ECHL First Team last week and yesterday received the ECHL Goaltender of the Year award for the third time in his career, rewrote the ECHL record book during the 2014-15 season. During the course of South Carolina's ECHL-record 23-game winning streak from Feb. 7-March 27, Jakaitis went 15-0-0 with four shutouts, a 1.67 goals-against average and a save percentage of .937.

He set a league record with four consecutive shutouts from March 7-20, and his 321:46 shutout streak set both an ECHL and a minor-league professional hockey record, and fell just 10:16 shy of the modern-era pro hockey record set by Brian Boucher of the Phoenix Coyotes during the 2003-04 season. Jakaitis also established an ECHL record with a 16-game personal winning streak from Feb. 15-April 2. He posted a record of 17-1-0 in his final 18 decisions this season. He was part of a Stingrays' goaltending group which posted 12 shutouts this season, setting a new ECHL record.

Jakaitis led the ECHL with a 1.96 goals-against average and seven shutouts, which is tied for the second most in a single-season in ECHL history. His 23 career shutouts are just two behind Marc Magliarditi for the all-time league record. Jakaitis finished the season second in the league with a .924 save percentage and was sixth with 23 wins.

CCM Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player Award Winners

YEAR MOST VALUABLE PLAYER TEAM

2015 Jeff Jakaitis South Carolina Stingrays

2014 Mickey Lang Orlando Solar Bears

2013 Ryan Zapolski South Carolina Stingrays

2012 Chad Costello Colorado Eagles

2011 Wes Goldie Alaska Aces

2010 Tyler Donati Elmira Jackals

2009 Kevin Baker Florida Everblades

2008 David Desharnais Cincinnati Cyclones

2007 Brad Schell Gwinnett Gladiators

2006 Jeff Campbell Gwinnett Gladiators

2005 Scott Gomez Alaska Aces

2004 Scott Stirling Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies

2003 Buddy Smith Arkansas RiverBlades

2002 Frederic Cloutier Louisiana IceGators

2001 Scott King Charlotte Checkers

2000 Andrew Williamson Toledo Storm

1999 Chris Valicevic Louisiana IceGators

1998 Jamey Hicks Birmingham Bulls

1997 Mike Ross South Carolina Stingrays

1996 Hugo P. Belanger Nashville Knights

1995 Vadim Slivchenko Wheeling Thunderbirds

1994 Joe Flanagan Birmingham Bulls

1993 Trevor Jobe Nashville Knights

1992 Phil Berger Greensboro Monarchs

1991 Stan Drulia Knoxville Cherokees

1990 Bill McDougall Erie Panthers

1989 Daryl Harpe Erie Panthers

South Carolina Stingrays Goaltender Jeff Jakaitis

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• South Carolina's Jakaitis Named CCM Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player - ECHL
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