MHL Awards

HOWIE MORENZ CUP (League Champion)

 The Atlanta Thrashers used solid goaltending, a stingy defense and timely scoring to power their way to the
Howie Morenz Cup in their inagural season. After capturing the MHL East Division Crown with a 39-31-10
record, the Thrashers met their expansion cousins, the Seattle Thunderbirds, in the first round of the playoffs.
It was a hard fought back-and-forth battle with Atlanta eventually winning the series with a stunning 5-0 win in
game seven.

In the finals, they met the Los Angeles Kings, the 2000-01 Ted Lindsey Trophy winners and defending Howie
Morenz Cup Champions. The Thrashers fell behind early in the series 2-1, however, they rebounded, ringing
off three-straight wins - each by a goal - to capture their first Howie Morenz Cup.

Team Members: Kris Beech, Martin Biron, Andrew Brunette, Craig Conroy, Stan Drulia, Mike Dunham,
Simon Gagne, Travis Green, Guy Hebert, Jeff Jillson, Dmitri Kalinen, Andrei Kovalenko, Claude Lapointe,
Mike Leclerc, David Legwand, Brendan Morrow, Mika Noronen, Sean O'Donnell, Ville Peltonen, Tom Poti,
Dave Reid, Ruslan Salei, Dennis Shvidki, Martin Skoula, Brad Stuart, Scott Walker, Mike Wilson, Brendan
Witt.
 
YEAR WINNER SERIES RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Dallas 4-2 Los Angeles
2000/01 Atlanta 4-2 Los Angeles
1999/00 Los Angeles 4-2 Dallas
1998/99 Washington 4-1 Los Angeles


TED LINDSAY TROPHY (Regular Season Champion)

For the second straight year, one team dominated the MHL during the regular season. Hot off a Howie
Morenz Cup win in 1999-00, the Los Angeles Kings displayed no let up, clearly out pointing their nearest
challenger by 13-points to win their first Ted Lindsey Trophy as regular season champions.

However, things didn't go quite so smoothly in the playoffs as the Kings dropped their final three games of the
post-season, failing in their effort to repeat a Howie Morenz Cup Champions. They fell in six-games to the
upstart Atlanta Thrashers.

Team Members: Greg Adams, Serge Aubin, Brian Bellows, Sean Burke, Mike Eastwood, Jeff Halpern, Brian
Holzinger, Ken Klee, Igor Korolev, Mario Lemeuix, Patrick Marleau, Fred Modin, Kirk Muller, Jeff Norton,
Yanic Perreault, Oleg Petrov, Marcus Ragnarsson, Damian Rhodes, Marc Savard, Patrick Stefan, Gary
Suter, Don Sweeney, Jocelyn Thibault, Scott Thornton, Rick Tocchet, Darren Van Impe and Tyler Wright.
 
YEAR WINNER RECORD RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Washington 48-18-12 Los Angeles
2000/01 Los Angeles 45-24-11 Atlanta
1999/00 Florida 51-20-9 Los Angeles
1998/99 Detroit 43-29-8 Los Angeles

GUY LAFLEUR TROPHY (Most Valuable Player)

It was truly a remarkable year for the talented second year right winger. Mark Parrish established a number
of MHL single season records during the 2000-01 campaign, including most points (78), most goals (48) and
most powerplay goals (20) on his way to capturing the MHL MVP Award. As well, Parrish led the MHL last
season with 9-game winning goals, just one short of Ray Sheppard's 1998-99 single season record. He was in
on a remarkable 32.6 % (78) of his club's 239-goals for the season.

Parrish was also solid in his own end, compiling a team leading +20-rating, completing 73.2% of his passes,
winning 50% of his corners, and averaging 1.31 hits/game.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Mike Ricci Atlanta Igor Ulanov (Wash)
2000/01 Mark Parrish Washington Trevor Linden (Dal)
1999/00 Cory Stillman Florida Stephane Quintal (Fla)
1998/99 Travis Green Washington Yanic Perreault (Det)


RAY BOURQUE TROPHY (Best Defenceman)

It was deja-vu for the Best Defenceman Trophy, as for the second year-in-a-row a rookie blueliner captured
the Ray Bourque Trophy. Washington Capitals rearguard Patrick Traverse, a free agent signee no less, came
out of nowhere and put together one of the most outstanding seasons in the brief history of the MHL.
Traverse established a new single season scoring record for defenceman compiling 59 points (15-44) last year.

He left nothing lacking in his own end, offering a robust presence dishing out 1.24 hit/game, winning just under
50% of his corners while posting a solid +13-rating.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Igor Ulanov Washington Eric Brewer (Wash)
2000/01 Patrick Traverse Washington Drake Berehowsky (Dal)
1999/00 Stephane Quintal Florida Jason Wooley (Dal)
1998/99 Phil Housley Detroit Marcus Ragnarsson (Dal)

PHIL ESPOSITO TROPHY (Leading Scorer)
Right from the start of the season, it looked to be a record breaking season for the Capitals right winger.
Parrish led the MHL scoring race from virtually day-one, posting a league record 78 points. He held off a late
charge by runner-up Trevor Linden of the Dallas Stars, winning the scoring title by a single point.

Also of note concerning Parrish, is the fact that with his record-breaking 2000-01 campaign the sophomore
winger moved into top spot as the MHL's career scoring leader. In his two-year MHL career, Mark Parrish
has scored 79 goals and accumulated 129 points.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Mike Ricci Atlanta Harold Druken (Dal)
2000/01 Mark Parrish Washington Trevor Linden (Dal)
1999/00 Cory Stillman Florida Wendel Clark (Fla)
1998/99 Travis Green Washington Miroslav Satan (Det)

KEN DRYDEN TROPHY (Outstanding Goaltender)

It was a difficult year for the rookie netminder. At the start of the campaign, Jean-Sebastien Giguerre quickly
established himself a the number-one goalie for the expansion Atlanta Thrahsers, posting an amazing 1.73
goals-against-average, .937 save percentage, and 14-7-3 record. However, in a surprise move he was dealt to
the Seattle Thunderbirds, another expansion team, where despite some struggles, Giguerre led them to the
playoffs.

Giguerre led the MHL in a number of categories, including average (2.13), save percentage (.921), and
shutouts (7) - a new MHL single season record.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Felix Potvin Dallas Mike Vernon (Wash)
2000/01 Jean-Sebastien Giguere Seattle Craig Billington (Dal)
1999/00 Sean Burke Los Angeles Jamie Storr (Dal)
1998/99 Jocelyn Thibault Washington Craig Billington (LA)

DENIS POTVIN TROPHY (Rookie of the Year)

As was the case last season, this year the Ray Bourque Trophy winner (best defenceman) is also the MHL
Best Rookie. Washington Capitals defenceman Patrick Traverse is the 2000-01 Dennis Potvin Trophy winner.

Traverse not only established a single season scoring record with 59-points, but was a stabilizing force on an
injury riddled Capitals blueline. Traverse posted an impressive +13-rating while steadily clearing the front of
the Washington goal.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Igor Ulanov Washington Brian Holzinger (LA)
2000/01 Patrick Traverse Washington Sergei Zholtok (NY)
1999/00 Stephane Quintal Florida Wendel Clark (Fla)
1998/99 Travis Green Washington Yanic Perreault (Det)

MARK MESSIER TROPHY (Playoff MVP)

After leading the Thrashers in scoring during the regular season, Simon Gagne (27-19-46) continued his stellar
play in the post season, leading the club with 9-points and, more importantly, 7-goals in 13-games. The craftey
winger completed 80.6% of his passes while exhibiting a grit which was essential for team success, winning
52.4% of his corners and posting a plus 4-rating.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Daniel Sedin Dallas Pat Verbeek (LA)
2000/01 Simon Gagne Atlanta Mike Dunham (Atl)
1999/00 Pat Falloon Los Angeles Joe Murphy (Dal)
1998/99 Gerald Diduck Washington Ron Tugnutt (Wash)

MIKE BOSSY TROPHY (Most Goals)
Washington forward Mark Parrish became only the second player in MHL history to record a 40-goal season
in 2000-01, establishing a new goal mark, scoring 48-times last season, easily outdistancing his nearest
competion - Trveor Linden of the Dallas Stars, and Scott Mellanby and Sergei Zholtok of the New York
Rangers by a whopping 13 goals.

As well, Parrish became the first player in MHL history to record back-to-back 30-goal seasons, as he
scored 31 goals in his 1999-00 rookie campaign.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Mike Ricci Atlanta Harold Druken (Dal)
2000/01 Mark Parrish Washington Trevor Linden (Dal)
1999/00 Wendel Clark Florida Joe Murphy (Dal)
1998/99 Mike Sillinger Detroit Miroslav Satan (Det)

STAN MIKITA TROPHY (Skill and Gentlemanly Play)
Over the history of the MHL, Greg Adams has established himself as one of the most skilled and dependable
scorers for the Los Angeles Kings and the MHL. The crafty winger has led the left coasters in scoring for the
past two seasons, including a 25-goal and 59-point effort in 2000-01, while only spending 12 minutes in the
penalty box.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Brad Richards New York Vitaly Yachmenev (NYR)
2000/01 Greg Adams Los Angeles Fredrik Modin (LA)
1999/00 Jason Wooley Florida Zdeno Ciger (Fla)
1998/99 Craig Janney Los Angeles Alexandre Daigle (Det)

BOBBY CLARKE TROPHY (Best Defensive Forward)

Los Angeles Kings forward Mike Eastwood very early on last season established himself as the front runner
for the Best Defensive Forward Award. The rookie pivot scored a pair of shorthanded goals in his just his
third game of the season. When it was all said and done, Eastwood established a new MHL record for
shorthanded goals in a single season (7).

Tack on an impressive plus 14-rating, 59.5% corners won, 58.86% winning faceoffs and 1.71 hits/game, and it
all adds up to Eastwood being the 2000-01 Bobby Clarke Trophy winner.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 Marco Sturm Washington Mike Ricci (Atl)
2000/01 Mike Eastwood Los Angeles Craig Conroy (Atl)
1999/00 Scott Pellerin Washington Ted Donato (Mtl)
1998/99 Mike Sillinger Detroit Claude Lapointe (LA)

BILL DURNAN MEMORIAL TROPHY (Lowest Goals Against Average)
Inspite of splitting time between both MHL expansion teams (Atlanta Thrashers and Seattle Thunderbirds),
Jean-Sebastien Giguerre posted an impressive 2.127 goals-against-average in 34 games last season. Brent
Johnson of the Los Angeles Kings was the runner-up with a 2.134 average in 19 games.
 
YEAR WINNER TEAM RUNNER-UP
2001/02 David Aebischer Dallas Guy Hebert (Hou)
2000/01 Jean-Sebastien Giguere Seattle Brent Johnson (LA)
1999/00 Sean Burke Los Angeles Jamie Storr (Dal)
1998/99 Sean Burke Detroit Craig Billington (LA)

MHL ALL-STARS