Texas Stars Win Two Year-End AHL Awards
Jul 10, 2014
CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, proud American Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced today that the team garnered two 2013-14 league awards, including Travis Morin receiving the 2013-14 President’s Award and the Stars earning an Award of Excellence for overall ticket sales revenue growth.
League President and CEO David Andrews made the announcements on Wednesday evening at a gala reception during the Board of Governors’ Annual Meeting at Hilton Head Island, S.C.
The St. John’s IceCaps and Travis Morin of the Texas Stars were named the 2013-14 winners of the President’s Awards.
In his seventh pro season, Travis Morin had a career year in 2013-14, leading the AHL in scoring in both the regular season and the Calder Cup Playoffs and becoming just the second player ever to earn regular-season and playoff MVP honors in the same campaign. A member of the Texas Stars since their inaugural season in 2009-10, Morin scored a career-high 32 goals and racked up 88 points – double his total from the previous season – while helping the Stars to the best regular-season record in the league, and he capped his 22-point playoff performance by scoring three game-winning goals – including two in overtime – during the 2014 Calder Cup Finals. Morin also appeared in four games with the parent Dallas Stars in 2013-14, picking up an assist for his first career NHL point.
The President’s Awards are given to an AHL organization for overall excellence, and to an AHL player in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in the past year.
As part of its Team Business Services program, the AHL honored one club from each conference for top revenue growth in four areas during this past season: overall ticket sales, season-ticket sales, group-ticket sales and corporate sponsorship sales. The winners in overall ticket sales revenue growth were the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Eastern) and the Texas Stars (Western).
Other AHL award winners included:
Utica Comets president Robert Esche and Rockford IceHogs executive director Gordon Kaye have been selected as co-winners of the James C. Hendy Memorial Award, given to the outstanding executive in the American Hockey League for 2013-14.
Syracuse Crunch owner Howard Dolgon was honored with the Thomas Ebright Award in recognition of career contributions to the AHL.
Veteran linesman Jim Vail has been named the 2013-14 recipient of the Michael Condon Memorial Award for outstanding contributions by an on-ice official.
Excellence Award winners for season-ticket sales growth were the Syracuse Crunch (Eastern) and the Rockford IceHogs (Western). The Adirondack Phantoms (Eastern) and the Oklahoma City Barons (Western) earned the awards for group-ticket sales growth, and the Providence Bruins (Eastern) and Hamilton Bulldogs (Western) were recognized for their corporate sponsorship sales growth.
Additionally, teams from each conference were selected for excellence in the areas of digital media, community relations and fan experience. The Manchester Monarchs (Eastern) and Grand Rapids Griffins (Western) were honored for digital media excellence; the St. John’s IceCaps (Eastern) and Charlotte Checkers (Western) earned the nods for exceptional community relations efforts; and the St. John’s IceCaps (Eastern) and Toronto Marlies (Western) were recognized for outstanding fan experience at home games.
The AHL also honored several teams and individuals for their efforts during the 2013-14 season at the league’s Marketing Meeting in Springfield, Mass., last month, including the St. John’s IceCaps as the sponsorship sales department of the year and the Grand Rapids Griffins as the ticket sales department of the year.
The Toronto Marlies were recognized for the most unique ticket sales promotion or theme night (“Girl Guides Partnership”); the Lake Erie Monsters were selected for having the most unique game operations, community relations or social media promotion (“Joe Haden Bobblehead Giveaway”); and the Charlotte Checkers were given the award for the most unique sponsorship package or entitlement (“Frigidaire ‘Frigid Air’”).
In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 13th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2013-14.
The Texas Stars are preparing to defend their 2014 Calder Cup championship as the 2014-15 season rapidly approaches. Texas Stars season ticket packages for the 2014-15 season are on sale now. For more information, call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com.