Patrick J. Kelly Cup

2011 Recipient - Alaska Aces

Beginning with the 1996-97 season, the Patrick J. Kelly Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the ECHL.

History: Named in recognition of Patrick J. Kelly, one of the founding fathers of the ECHL. Kelly served as Commissioner of the ECHL for the first eight seasons before being named Commissioner Emeritus in 1996, a title which he continues to hold. Kelly celebrated his 50th season in hockey in 2002-03, having begun his career with the St. Catherine Teepees of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in 1952. He played professionally for the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, the Troy Bruins of the International Hockey League, and the Greensboro Generals of the Eastern Hockey League. Kelly coached in the Eastern Hockey League from 1965-73 and was head coach and general manager of Charlotte in the Southern Hockey League from 1973-76. He coached the Colorado Rockies in the NHL in 1977-78 and is the only coach to lead the Rockies to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Following coaching stops in the American Hockey League, he went to Peoria in the International Hockey League where he led the Rivermen to the Turner Cup in his first season in 1984-85. The ECHL is proud to recognize Patrick J. Kelly’s distinguished career by naming its most coveted trophy in his honor.

All-Time Winners

Henry Brabham Cup

2011 Recipient - Alaska Aces

Beginning with the inaugural season in 1988-89, the Henry Brabham Cup is awarded annually to the regular-season point champion of the ECHL.

History: Named in recognition of Henry Brabham, a founding member of the ECHL, who was the first owner of the Erie Panthers. A former mayor and businessman who was a major force in professional hockey in Virginia for more than 15 years, Brabham worked tirelessly to establish the ECHL during its early years. The ECHL is proud to recognize his hard work and dedication by naming its regular-season champion award in his honor.

The Idaho Steelheads finished first in the regular season with 103 points (48-17-7) to win their first Brabham Cup trophy.

Idaho was the first team to qualify for the post-season on March 12. The Steelheads have advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in each of their seven seasons in the ECHL, and won the Kelly Cup in 2004 and 2007.

All-Time Winners

E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy

2011 Recipient - Kalamazoo Wings

The club that advances to the Kelly Cup Finals as the winner of the Eastern Conference Championship is presented with the E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy.

History: Named in recognition of E.A. "Bud" Gingher, who was Chairman of the ECHL Board of Governors from 1992-95. Gingher, who passed away in 2002, co-founded the Dayton Bombers in 1991 and owned the team for seven seasons, serving as President and Governor until selling the team in 1998.

Beginning in 1997-98, the trophy was awarded to the playoff champion of the Northern Conference in the ECHL. The first recipient of the trophy following its renaming was the Dayton Bombers in 2001-02. From the 2004-05 season through 2009-10, the trophy was designated for the playoff champion of the American Conference.

All-Time Winners

Bruce Taylor Trophy

2011 Recipient - Alaska Aces

The club that advances to the Kelly Cup Finals as the winner of the Western Conference Championship is presented with the Bruce Taylor Trophy. The first recipient of the trophy following its renaming was the playoff champion of the Western Conference in 2003-04.

History: The trophy is named in recognition of Bruce Taylor, who was the founding father of the West Coast Hockey League. In the early 1990s, Taylor purchased teams in Fresno, Reno and Bakersfield and in 1995 joined them with teams in Anchorage, Fairbanks and San Diego to form the West Coast Hockey League. The Taylor Cup was presented to the playoff champion in the WCHL from the league’s inaugural season in 1995-96 until the league ceased operations following the 2002-03 season. Taylor’s ownership in hockey began in 1983 with the purchase of the Burnaby Bluehawks of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League and continued with the purchase of the Richmond Sockeyes in the BCJHL and the New Westminster Royals in the BCJHL.

All-Time Winners

Jack Riley Cup

Retired in 1996

History: Named in recognition of Jack Riley, the Jack Riley Cup was awarded to the playoff champion of the ECHL from the league’s inaugural season in 1988-89 until 1995-96 when it was retired and replaced with the Patrick J. Kelly Cup. Beginning in 1938, Jack Riley did it all in professional hockey as a player, coach, general manager and scout. One of the most respected names in hockey, Riley was President of the American Hockey League from 1964-67 and was then a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League until being named Commissioner of the Southern Hockey League in 1975.

All-Time Winners

John Brophy Award

2011 Recipient - Brent Thompson, Alaska Aces

An annual award “to the ECHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success” as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams.

History: The Coach of the Year award was named in honor of legendary ECHL coach John Brophy prior to 2003-04. Brophy coached more seasons than any other coach in league history with Hampton Roads from 1989-2000 and Wheeling from 2001-03, compiling a career record of 480-323-79 in the regular season and 55-39 in the postseason. Hampton Roads reached the postseason in each of his 11 seasons behind the bench, winning back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992 and an ECHL record third title in 1998. His three ECHL titles are the most in league history and he is also the all-time leader among ECHL coaches in regular season games (878) and regular season wins (480) and postseason games (94) and wins (55). Brophy has 1,027 professional wins and ranks second all-time in professional hockey behind only the legendary Scotty Bowman (1,244 wins).

Brent Thompson of the Alaska Aces is the 2010-11 recipient of the John Brophy Award as the league’s Coach of the Year.

Dean Stork of the Greenville Road Warriors was the runner-up.
 

Thompson led the Aces to a 47-22-3 record as Alaska won the Mountain Division and the team’s second-ever Brabham Cup as ECHL regular-season champions. Alaska went 23-4-1 over the final 27 games of the season and has earned a bye in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Thompson played 14 seasons in the NHL, AHL, IHL and CHL from 1991-2005. Selected in the second round (39th overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, Thompson played six seasons in the NHL from 1991-97 and had 11 points (1g-10a) and 352 penalty minutes in 121 regular-season games with Los Angeles, Winnipeg and Phoenix. He was selected to play in the IHL All-Star Game as a rookie in 1991-92 and received the AHL’s Yanick Dupre Memorial Award in 1998-99 for outstanding contribution to community and charity.

All-Time Winners

CCM U+ Most Valuable Player

2011 Recipient - Wes Goldie, Alaska Aces

An annual award “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team” as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams.

Wes Goldie of the Alaska Aces has been selected as the CCM U+ ECHL Most Valuable Player for 2010-11.

Kory Karlander of the Kalamazoo Wings was the runner up.
 

Goldie, who was also named First-Team All-ECHL, led the ECHL with 46 goals, setting an ECHL record in the process by becoming the first player in league history to score at least 40 goals in five consecutive seasons. The 32 year old moved into second place in ECHL history with 335 career goals, just 33 behind the all-time leader, Rod Taylor. Goldie, who has played in all 72 games in each of the last five seasons, ranks fifth in ECHL history with 627 games played.

The native of London, Ontario was second in the league with 83 points, 16 power-play goals and 290 shots while ranking fourth in plus-minus at +25. He ended the regular season on an ECHL season-high 18-game point streak (16g-13a). Goldie has 544 points (335g-209a) in 627 regular-season games with Pee Dee, Victoria and Alaska.

All-Time Winners

Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player

2011 Recipient - Scott Howes, Alaska Aces

An annual award “to the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs” as selected by members of the media at the conclusion of the final game of the Kelly Cup Finals.

Alaska Aces left wing Scott Howes is the 2011 ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player.

Howes led the Aces in scoring during the postseason with seven goals, 19 points and a +11 rating in 11 games. He had an 11-game scoring streak come to an end on Saturday. He led the Kelly Cup Playoffs in plus-minus while he was tied for third in goals and tied for fourth in points.
 

All-Time Winners

Reebok Goaltender of the Year

2011 Recipient - Gerald Coleman, Alaska Aces

An annual award “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position” as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams.

Gerald Coleman of the Alaska Aces is the recipient of the Reebok ECHL Goaltender of the Year award for 2010-11.

Coleman, who was also named First-Team All-ECHL, was 30-15-1 with four shutouts, a 2.19 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage for the Aces this season. He tied for the ECHL lead with 30 wins, becoming one of just 46 goaltenders in the 23-year history of the ECHL to reach the 30-win plateau in a season; led the league in goals-against average and tied for the league lead in shutouts. The 26 year old was named ECHL Goaltender of the Month for March after going 8-1-0 with one shutout, a 1.06 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage in nine appearances during the month.

All-Time Winners

CCM Rookie of the Year (John A. Daley Memorial Trophy)

2011 Recipient - Ben Street, Wheeling Nailers

An annual award “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the ECHL as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams. The winner receives the John A. Daley Memorial Trophy.

History: The rookie of the year award was named in honor of John A. Daley in 1997. Daley, who passed away in 1996, was one of the founding fathers of the ECHL, serving as general manager and minority owner of the Johnstown Chiefs from the inception of the team in 1988 until 1994.


Ben Street of the Wheeling Nailers has been named CCM Rookie of the Year and the recipient of the John A. Daley Memorial Trophy.

Kael Mouillierat of the Idaho Steelheads was the runner-up for the award.

Street, who was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team, was fifth among league rookies with 51 points and eight power-play goals, tied for fifth with 24 goals and third with 184 shots despite playing in just 38 games. He was second among rookies, and tied for fifth overall in the league, with a +21 rating. Under contract to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, Street was recalled by the Penguins on Feb. 3 and has 21 points (12g-9a) in 33 AHL games this season. He also represented the Nailers at the 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic, tallying one assist.

All-Time Winners

Defenseman of the Year

2011 Recipient - Eric Regan, Elmira Jackals

An annual award “to the defenseman who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest ability at the position” as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams.

Eric Regan of the Elmira Jackals is the ECHL Defenseman of the Year for 2010-11 as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches.
 

Regan, who was a runner-up for the Defenseman of the Year award last season while playing for Bakersfield, was third among ECHL defensemen with 13 goals and tied for third with 41 points while his six power-play goals were tied for fifth among blueliners. The 22 year old, who is under contract to the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League, also appeared in 12 games with Syracuse of the American Hockey League this season where he tallied one assist.

All-Time Winners

Leading Scorer

2011 Recipient - Justin Donati, Elmira Jackals

An annual award presented “to the player who leads the league in scoring at the end of the regular season”.


Justin Donati of the Elmira Jackals has won the ECHL scoring championship with 94 points (27g-67a).

Alaska’s Wes Goldie was second with 83 points (46g-37a) followed by Mark Derlago of Idaho with 81 points (45g-36a). Kalamazoo’s Kory Karlander (34g-46a) and Trent Daavettila (32g-48a) tied for fourth with 80 points each.

Donati finished second in the league last season with 104 points (42g-62a), 10 points behind his brother Tyler, who led the league with 114 points (38g-76a). The Donatis are the first set of brothers to each win a scoring title in the 23-year history of the ECHL.

The 24 year old led the league with 67 assists and 26 power-play assists while he finished third with 33 power-play points (7g-26a).

All-Time Winners

Reebok Plus Performer Award

2011 Recipients - Trent Daavettila, Kalamazoo Wings and Brendan Connolly, Greenville Road Warriors

An annual award presented “to the player who leads the league in plus-minus rating at the end of the regular season”.
 

Trent Daavettila of the Kalamazoo Wings and Brendan Connolly of the Greenville Road Warriors are the recipients of the Reebok Plus Performer of the Year award after each finishing with a plus-minus rating of +28.

Bobby Raymond of Florida finished third with a plus-minus rating of +26 followed by Alaska’s Wes Goldie with a plus-minus rating of +25. Wheeling’s Ben Street, Ethan Cox of Alaska and Kalamazoo’s Andrew Fournier finished tied for fifth at +21.

Daavettila, who was named Second-Team All-ECHL, finished the season tied for fifth in ECHL scoring with 80 points (32g-48a) in 71 games. He went +24 over the final 19 games of the regular season, and was the ECHL Plus Performer of the Month for February after leading the league with a +15 during the month. The 26 year old also appeared in one game with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League this season.

Connolly was ECHL Plus Performer of the Month in November after leading the league with a +12 during the month. He was named to the starting line-up for the ECHL All-Stars at the 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic but was unable to participate due to an injury. Connolly finished tied for second on the Road Warriors with 22 goals and was sixth on the squad with 50 points.

All-Time Winners

Sportsmanship Award

2011 Recipient - Brian Swanson, Alaska Aces

An annual award “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability” as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams.

Brian Swanson of the Alaska Aces is the recipient of the Sportsmanship Award for 2010-11 as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches.

Ryan Huddy of the Las Vegas Wranglers was the runner-up for the award.

All-Time Winners

Executive of the Year

2011 Recipient - Dan Chapman, Stockton Thunder

The Executive of the Year is determined in a vote of the ECHL Board of Governors.

All-Time Winners

Excellence in Media Relations

2011 Recipient - Will Hoenike, Idaho Steelheads

The Award of Excellence for media relations is determined in a vote of league media members, media relations directors and broadcasters.

All-Time Winners

Excellence in Broadcasting

2011 Recipient - Josh Bogorad, Alaska Aces

The Award of Excellence for Broadcasting is determined in a vote of league broadcasters and media relations directors.

All-Time Winners

Excellence in Marketing

2011 Recipient - Cincinnati Cyclones

The Excellence In Marketing Award is presented annually to the team marketing department "adjudged to be the best in the league” as determined by outside expert judges.

All-Time Winners

Outstanding Media

2011 Recipient - Pam Shebest, Kalamazoo Gazette

The Outstanding Media Award is determined in a vote of the ECHL media members, broadcasters, and media relations directors.

All-Time Winners

Award of Excellence

2011 Recipient - Bakersfield Condors

The Award of Excellence will be presented by the league office to teams that are first-rate, who excel in all categories of sales and marketing, and who distinguish themselves in their community, both on and off the ice.

All-Time Winners

Ticket Department of the Year

2011 Recipient - Ontario Reign

The ECHL Ticket Department of the Year is determined in a vote of ECHL teams.

All-Time Winners

Ticket Executive of the Year

2011 Recipient - Dave Piecuch, Stockton Thunder

The Ticket Executive of the Year is determined in a vote of the ECHL general managers.

All-Time Winners

Website Excellence

2011 Recipient - Idaho Steelheads

The web site Award of Excellence is presented annually to the team whose web site is "adjudged to be the best in the league” as determined by outside expert judges.

All-Time Winners

Ryan Birmingham Memorial Award

2011 Recipient - Paul Carnathan

The Ryan Birmingham Memorial Award honors an On-Ice Official for his contributions and dedication to the league officiating staff and is determined in voting of ECHL On-Ice Officials. It is named in honor of ECHL linesman Ryan Birmingham, who tragically lost his life in an automobile accident in May 2007.

The 2010-11 recipient of the Ryan Birmingham Memorial Award is linesman Paul Carnathan.

All-Time Winners

Reebok Equipment Manager of the Year

2011 Recipient - Mike Burkhead, Alaska Aces

The Reebok Hockey Equipment Manager of the Year Award is determined in a vote of ECHL equipment managers.

All-Time Winners

Reebok Athletic Trainer of the Year

2011 Recipient - Kevin Anderson, Stockton Thunder

The Reebok Hockey Athletic Trainer of the Year Award is determined in a vote of ECHL athletic trainers.

All-Time Winners