BY RANDY SCHULTZ –
The 2022/2023 Tyler Putnam Awards Banquet was recently held at the Webster Golf Club in Webster, NY. Twenty-four Rochester area youth, high school and higher education hockey players received Putnam Awards, while two other players received the Unsung Hero and Goaltender Awards, respectively.
Tyler Putnam was known for his high energy, incredible work ethic and desire to achieve his goals. He has been memorialized with a banner hanging above the ice in the Lakeshore Hockey Arena as well as a memorial helmet sticker that dawns the symbol of a gold hardhat – a symbol of Putnam’s hard work and dedication to the game he loved.
The 24 Tyler Putnam Award recipients include: Joey Bagnato, Spencerport High School; Lola Betancourt, Webster Youth Hockey; Aidan Candelaria Greece Storm; Gavin Carr, Churchville-Chili High School; Paul Cavanah University of Rochester; Aidan Cox Bagley, Victor High School.
Sam Crane, Irondequoit High School; Jack Dallo, Spartan Hockey; Jackson Gruttadauria, Webster Thomas High School; Ryan Hamilton, Batavia/Notre Dame United; Griffin Harvieux, Canadaigua Academy; Macy Holenback, Rochester Girls Edge.
David Hyde, Webster Schroeder High School; Evan Kopacz, McQuaid Jesuit High School; Kelly Maksymiu, Penfield High School; Connor Mangone, Aquinas Institute; Liam McGrath, Brockport High School; Tyson Murante, Hilton High School.
Trevor Reese, Brighton/HFL Bruins; Sammy Schultz, Tri-County Youth Hockey; Griffin Storrar, Pittsford High School; Judah Thomas, University of Rochester; Reid Wilson, ROCO U14; Jacob Wood, Monroe County Youth Hockey.
June Prokop, Rochester Girls Edge, was the recipient of the Colin Montesano Unsung Hero Award. Sam Muir, Aquinas Institute, received the Joshua Opladen Goaltender Award.
Tyler Putnam’s dream was to play for his high school hockey team, the Irondequoit Eagles, Junior Hockey, Division I Hockey and ultimately professional hockey. He achieved the first two parts of that dream with high school and junior hockey.
Unfortunately, Putnam’s dreams ended on July 7, 2011 when he died of an illness called Meningococcemia (Meningitis B).
The Tyler Putnam Foundation was formed shortly following his death. Of the money raised by the foundation, 100 percent of it goes to families in need of assistance for hockey, events for families and educating people about the dangers of meningitis and the vaccines available.
Guest speaker for the event was former professional hockey player, Chris Collins, a native of Fairport, NY. Collins played for Boston College and was one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award in 2005-06.
From 2006-2014 Collins played professional hockey mostly in the American Hockey League and Europe. Today he is Director of Boys Hockey at Bishop Kearney High School.
WCMF radio personality, Pat Duffy, was the Master of Ceremonies for the event.
Collins, along with Tyler’s father, Lindsay Putnam, and Tyler’s sister, Shannon, presented the awards to the recipients.
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All photos property of NY Hockey Online Magazine; taken by Janet Schultz©. Copies can be purchased by going to https://janetschultz.smugmug.com and scrolling for Putnam Awards 2023.
