Steve Dietrich Wins Jet Blue Most Valuable Player Award
Published on May 11, 2006 under National Lacrosse League (NLL) News Release
The naming of the 2006 National Lacrosse League season awards winners concludes today with the Jet Blue Most Valuable Player Award. The award this year goes to Buffalo Bandits' goaltender Steve Dietrich, who was also recently named the RBK Goaltender of the Year. Dietrich made NLL history by becoming the only two time winner of the RBK Goaltender of the Year award and again makes NLL history by becoming the first goaltender in league history to Most Valuable Player honors.
The Kitchener, Ontario native, playing his fourteenth season in the NLL, is the second longest tenured goaltender in the league's history, only behind Lumberjax goalie Dallas Eliuk. This season Dietrich totaled league bests in goals-against average (9.97), saves percentage (.808) and overall record by a goaltender (10-4) this season. He recorded career bests in both goals-against average and saves percentage and was the only goaltender to record a goals-against average below 10 and the only one to save more than 80% of shots faced this season.
Logging the fourth most minutes (812:34) of any goalie in 2006, Dietrich played in 15 games for the Bandits and helped the club to an 11-5 record and the top overall seed in the playoffs. The veteran anchored a Buffalo defense that gave up only 167 goals in 2006, a league best.
Buffalo acquired the 36 year old Dietrich in a 2001 trade with the Rochester Knighthawks. He is the franchise leader in both wins, 33, and saves, 2,447. His 4,633 career saves ranks second in NLL history, only to Eliuk.
The award winners are chosen by a vote of the leagues coaches, general managers, and executives.
The 2006 RBK NLL Championship Game presented by Edge Active Care takes place this weekend. The Buffalo Bandits host the Colorado Mammoth in the championship game on Saturday, May 13th at 6PM Eastern. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Fox Sports World Canada.
National Lacrosse League Stories from May 11, 2006
- Wings' Glenn Clark Named Head Coach Of Toronto Rock - Philadelphia Wings
- Dietrich named NLL Most Valuable Player - Buffalo Bandits
- Chicago Shamrox name and logo unveiled - Chicago Shamrox
- "The Professor" Glenn Clark Named New Head Coach of Toronto Rock - Toronto Rock
- Steve Dietrich Wins Jet Blue Most Valuable Player Award - NLL
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