Watch as Jaccob Slavin accepts the 2021 Lady Bing Memorial Award from Ron Francis.
Category: Breaking News
Jaccob Slavin of Hurricanes wins Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly conduct
RALEIGH, NC – Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday won the Lady Byng Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL player who best combines sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.
Slavin, who led the Hurricanes this season with 22:59 of ice time per game, was assessed one minor penalty in 52 games, for delay of game/puck over glass, and often played against the opposing top line. It was the fewest penalty minutes among NHL skaters who averaged at least 20 minutes per game (minimum 10 games).
Slavin scored 15 points (three goals, 12 assists), was plus-22 and averaged 2:43 of shorthanded ice time per game. He is the first defenseman to win the award since Brian Campbell with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011-12.
“It’s exciting, and hopefully some more defensemen start winning it in the future
Zajac enjoying Islanders playoff run, helps eliminate Bruins
LONG ISLAND, NY – This is what Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri were hoping for when they were traded to the New York Islanders on April 7.
It’s also what the Islanders were hoping for when they traded for the forwards from the New Jersey Devils.
Zajac and Palmieri both scored goals in the 6-2 series-ending win versus the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.
CHL Prospect Pipeline – Tyler Tullio and the Edmonton Oilers
OSHAWA, ONT – Possessing an ideal combination of skill and grit, the Oshawa Generals centre was originally chosen with the 11th pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. Debuting with the club later that fall, Tullio made an immediate impression in putting together a solid rookie season where he provided reliable secondary scoring support with 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points across 60 appearances. In all, that performance saw Tullio rank sixth among all freshmen scorers league-wide and helped him earn a spot on the 2018-19 OHL Second All-Rookie Team. The product of Lakeshore, Ont., then took another step as a sophomore as he produced north of a point-per-game in registering 27 goals and 39 assists through 62 showings. Playing the 2020-21 campaign on loan with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas of the top professional Slovakian league, Tullio was a natural fit in the pro ranks as he posted 13 points counting four goals and nine assists through his 19-game set. A mid-round selection by the Oilers in last summer’s NHL Draft, the 2002-born forward is primed to return to the Generals for the coming season.
Stars’ Riley Damiani wins Red Garrett Award as ’20-21 AHL Rookie of the Year
AUSTIN, TX – The American Hockey League announced today that Texas Stars forward Riley Damiani has been voted the winner of the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding rookie for the 2020-21 season.
The award was voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 28 active cities.
Damiani, who earned spots on the AHL All-Rookie Team and the Central Division All-Star Team for 2020-21, led all AHL rookies in scoring and tied for third in the overall scoring race with 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 36 games for Texas. He notched two goals and an assist for the Stars on opening night and was named the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for March after registering 15 points in 10 games, including a streak of five consecutive multiple-point outings. Damiani finished his rookie season with an eight-game scoring streak.
A fifth-round selection by Dallas in the 2018 NHL Draft, Damiani turned pro after four seasons with Kitchener in the Ontario Hockey League. The 21-year-old native of Mississauga, Ont., served as captain of his junior club and led the team in scoring in 2019-20. He signed an entry-level NHL contract with the Stars on April 1, 2019.
Behind the Mask: Al Montoya
I remember the first time I ever put on a goalie mask.
I was seven, playing in a house league at the old Glenview Park District ice arena back home in Illinois. And at that point, on that team, being the goalie was like losing a bet or something. We used to have to pass the goalie bag to a different player before each game. No one wanted the job. And the beat-up bag with recycled equipment didn’t exactly help sell it.
But for me? As a little kid looking for new ways to have fun? Are you kidding?
To me, it was like that bag was filled with gold. What was inside couldn’t have been any more special — the old-school leather pads, one of those ancient chest protectors where it was just the chest and you had to slide on the arms, the whole thing. It may as well have been Patrick Roy’s or Eddie Belfour’s gear. In my eyes, it was beautiful.
Mackey, Damiani Named to AHL All-Star Team
SPRINGFIELD, MA – The American Hockey League announced today the 2020-21 AHL All-Star Teams, as voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 28 active member cities. This season, an All-Star Team was selected for each of the league’s five divisions.
2020-21 AHL Canadian Division All-Star Team
G – Cayden Primeau, Laval Rocket (11-4-0, 2.10gaa, .909sv%, 2so)
D – Otto Leskinen, Laval Rocket (33gp, 1+16=17pts., +15, 6 PPA)
D – Connor Mackey, Stockton Heat (27gp, 3+13=16pts., 47 SOG, 16 ESP)
F – Kalle Kossila, Toronto Marlies (28gp, 7+22=29pts., +11, 2 PPG, 1 GWG)
F – Egor Sokolov, Belleville Senators (35gp, 15+10=25pts., 3 PPG, 1 GWG)
F – Nathan Todd, Manitoba Moose (36gp, 12+20=32pts., +10, 5 PPG, 2 GWG)
2020-21 AHL Central Division All-Star Team
G – Beck Warm, Chicago Wolves (8-4-1, 2.74gaa, .914sv%, 2so)
D – Calen Addison, Iowa Wild (31gp, 6+16=22pts., +7, 1 PPG, 7 PPA)
D – Cody Franson, Rockford IceHogs (26gp, 4+13=17pts., +1, 9 PPP)
F – Riley Barber, Grand Rapids Griffins (32gp, 20+14=34pts., 8 PPG, 6 GWG)
F – Riley Damiani, Texas Stars (36gp, 11+25=36pts., +3, 4 PPG, 2 GWG)
F – Adam Mascherin, Texas Stars (37gp, 18+16=34pts., +1, 4 PPG, 1 GWG)
Riley Damiani Named to AHL All-Rookie Team
SPRINGFIELD, MA – The American Hockey League has announced the 2020-21 AHL All-Rookie Team, as voted by coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 28 active member cities.
Riley Damiani, 21, led all AHL rookies in scoring and tied for third in the overall scoring race with 36 points in 36 games for Texas in 2020-21, his first pro season after four years with Kitchener of the Ontario Hockey League. A fifth-round selection by Dallas in the 2018 NHL Draft, Damiani notched two goals and an assist on opening night and later posted five consecutive multiple-point games, including his first pro hat trick on Mar. 13 vs. Colorado. The native of Mississauga, Ont., finished the campaign with an eight-game scoring streak.
Bellemare, Larkin and Turris Nominated for King Clancy Memorial Trophy
NEW YORK, NY – The National Hockey League today announced the 31 team nominees for the 2020-21 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is presented “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”
The nominees were selected by their respective NHL teams. The winner will be chosen by a committee of senior NHL executives led by Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. The selection committee will apply the following criteria in determining the finalists and winner:
* Clear and measurable positive impact on the community
* Investment of time and resources
* Commitment to a particular cause or community
* Commitment to the League’s community initiatives
* Creativity of programming
* Use of influence; engagement of others
