The American Hockey League announced today the 2012-13 recipients of theJames H. Ellery Memorial Awards, presented annually by the league in recognition of outstanding media coverage of the AHL in three categories.
This year’s winners are Rochester Americans broadcaster Don Stevens (in the radio category); The Telegram of St. John’s, N.L. (print); and Sportsnet (television).
The most senior member of the AHL’s broadcasting fraternity, Don Stevens completed his 27th season in the Rochester Americans’ broadcast booth in 2012-13. Stevens called all 79 regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff games on the year, 16 of which were simulcast by Time Warner Cable SportsChannel and seen by Amerks and Buffalo Sabres fans throughout Western New York. A member of the Amerks Hall of Fame and an honoree on the Frontier Field Walk of Fame celebrating contributions to Rochester’s sports history, Stevens also serves as an ambassador and emcee at public speaking functions and other community events for the Americans. Stevens, who has called over 2,000 Amerks games and two Calder Cup Championships during his time with the team, also won the James H. Ellery Memorial Award following the 1993-94 AHL season.
Covering the American Hockey League for The Telegram, Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest newspaper, sports editor Robin Short and reporter Brendan McCarthy provide the St. John’s IceCaps with superior coverage all year long. The Telegram staffs every home game, provides recaps of every road games and complements its game coverage with regular features and in-depth profile stories on the IceCaps organization. Both Short and McCarthy have been covering the AHL for The Telegram since 1991.
Sportsnet brought American Hockey League action into homes across Canada with a Game of the Week package that featured 20 live national broadcasts during the 2012-13 season, including the two-day 2013 AHL All-Star Classic and the 2013 Outdoor Classic at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pa. Sportsnet’s productions were supported by the network’s well-known cast of play-by-play and color commentators, studio hosts and analysts, and provided fans with destination viewing of pro hockey.
The James H. Ellery Memorial Awards, which were first presented in 1964, honor the late Mr. Ellery, who served the American Hockey League for 17 years as league secretary and publicity director.
In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 87 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 12th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2012-13.
