6 Hershey Bears To Win The Les Cunningham Award

In the American Hockey League, the Les Cunningham Award has been given each year to the league’s most valuable player since the 1947-48 season. The Hershey Bears, the league’s oldest franchise, have had six players win the Cunningham Award.

Red Sullivan 1953-54

George ‘Red’ Sullivan won the Cunningham Award in 1953-54. Sullivan played 69 games for the Bears, scoring 30 goals and adding 89 assists for 119 points. He was also awarded the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL’s leading point getter. The 89 assists George contributed remain today as the Hershey Bears single season record.

Sullivan played with the Bears from 1949-50 to 1953-54, as a prospect of the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins. George came to the Bruins system after playing junior with the OHA’s St. Catherines Teepees. He played sparingly in the NHL during that time but didn’t become a regular until the 1954-55 season, after being traded by the Bruins to the Chicago Blackhawks. In all, Red played 556 NHL regular season games between 1949-50 and 1960-61 with Boston, Chicago and the New York Rangers.

Mike Nykoluk – 1966-67

Mike Nykoluk became the next player from Hershey to win the Les Cunningham Award in 1966-67. In 72 games that season, Nukoluk scored 16 goals and assisted on 68 for a total of 84 points. Mike played with Hershey from 1958-59 to 1971-72. In all, he played 1,069 games in the AHL, totalling 881 points and was inducted to the AHL Hall of Fame in 2007. Mike appeared in 32 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1956-57.

Tim Tookey 1986-87

Another AHL Hall of Fame member was awarded the Cunningham in 1986-87. Tim Tookey scored 51 goals and added 73 assists for 124 points in 80 games for the Bears that season. The 124 points remains as a team record and was the highest total in the AHL, earning him the Sollenberger Trophy. Tookey was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2008.

Tim Tookey was a fifth round pick of the Washington Capitals in 1979 after playing junior with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. He played in 106 NHL games with Washington, the Quebec Nordiques, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings. He played in 824 AHL games between 1980-81 and 1994-95, contributing 974 points.

Jean-Francois Labbe 1996-97

In 1996-97, Jean-Francois Labbe became the only Hershey goalie to be named AHL MVP. Labbe played in 66 games, posting a 2.52 goals against average and .914 save percentage. Jean-Francois led the Bears to a Calder Cup victory that season, as he would do with the Hartford Wolf Pack three years later. Over his career, Labbe appeared in 15 NHL games with the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Alexandre Giroux 2008-09

Alexandre Giroux set the Hershey Bears single season record for most goals with 60 in 2008-09, while playing in just 69 games. His performance earned him the Cunningham Award. Giroux was a seventh round pick of the Ottawa Senators at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He has appeared in 48 NHL games at the time this article was written, with the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets. Alexandre has recently been playing in Switzerland’s National League A with Ambri-Piotta.

Keith Aucoin 2009-10

In 2009-10, Keith Aucoin scored 35 goals and added 71 assists for 106 points in 72 games and was awarded the Cunningham Award. To date, he has appeared in 769 AHL games, totalling 857 points. He has also played 145 games in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues. For 2014-15, Keith has joined Alexandre Giroux with Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland.

 

Bob Hartley: 4 Leagues, 4 Championships

2014-15 is Bob Hartley's third season as head coach of the Calgary Flames in the National Hockey League. While behind the Calgary bench, the Flames have yet to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. However, if anyone is going to turn this NHL franchise around, it’s Hartley. Since 1992-93, in four different leagues, Bob has led four different teams to playoff championships.

1992-93 Laval Titan – QMJHL

In his second of two years coaching Laval, Hartley led the team to a second overall placing with 43 wins and 88 points over the 70 game regular season schedule. The Titan led the QMJHL with 367 goals scored.

In the playoffs, Laval lost just one game. In the opening round, they swept Verdun College-Francais. In the semi-finals, they swept the Drummondville Voltigeurs. In the finals against the Sherbrooke Faucons, Laval let one get away but won the series in five games to capture the President’s Cup.

The 1993 Memorial Cup tournament was held in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The Titan went 1-2 in the round robin. Laval beat the Swift Current Broncos 4-3 in the tie-breaker game before losing 3-1 to the Peterborough Petes in the semi-final matchup.

 

1996-97 Hershey Bears – AHL

In his first year coaching Hershey, Bob Hartley led the team to a second place finish in the Mid-Atlantic Division and second place overall in the American Hockey League. The Bears won 43 games and totalled 101 points over 80 games. Hershey had the least goals against in the AHL with 220.

In the opening round of the playoffs, the Bears ousted the Kentucky Thoroughblades, three games to one. The next two best of seven series both went the distance with Hershey beating the Philadelphia Phantoms 4-3 followed by a 4-3 victory over the Springfield Falcons to earn a place in the finals. The Bears met the Hamilton Bulldogs and dispatched their opponents in five games to capture the Calder Cup championship.

2000-01 Colorado Avalanche – NHL

In his third of five years as head coach of the Avalanche, it was now or never for Hartley to win a Stanley Cup championship. Colorado was led by Joe Sakic, Ray Bourque and Patrick Roy, all now in the Hockey Hall of Fame and, at the time, nearing the end of their playing careers. 

The Avalanche finished first overall in the NHL with 52 wins and 118 points in 82 games. Joe Sakic scored 54 goals and finished second to Pavel Bure’s 59 goals with the Florida Panthers. Sakic’s 118 points placed him second in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, behind Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins with 121 points.

In the opening round, Colorado swept the Vancouver Canucks in four games. In the Western Conference semi-finals, the Los Angeles Kings took Colorado to the seven game limit before allowing them to advance. In the Conference finals, the Avalanche eliminated the St. Louis Blues in five games. In the finals, Colorado met the New Jersey Devils and won their second Stanley Cup championship, winning four games to three.

2011-12 ZSC Lions – NLA

Bob coached in Switzerland for the 2011-12 season with the ZSC (Zurich) Lions of the elite National League A. The team finished the regular season in seventh place in the twelve team league with just eight playoff spots up for grabs. In a post season of upsets in Switzerland, the Lions defeated the fifth place SC Bern in the finals. It was Hartley’s only year coaching in Europe.

 

1968-69 AHL Scoring Leaders

The American Hockey League in 1968-69 consisted of eight teams, a far cry from the 30 clubs today. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup with a 4-1 final series win over the Quebec Aces. There was just one player in 1968-69 to reach the 100 point plateau and the league lacked a 50 goal scorer.

Jeannot Gilbert – Hershey Bears

Jeannot Gilbert of the Hershey Bears led the league, and earned the John B. Sollenberger Trophy, with 100 points on 35 goals and 65 assists over 71 games. 1968-69 was Gilbert’s fourth of eight years in Hershey. He played nine games in the NHL over his career, five with the Boston Bruins in 1962-63 and four with the Bruins in 1964-65. Gilbert ended his pro career with two years in the World Hockey Association, 1973-74 and 1974-75, with the Quebec Nordiques.

Michel Harvey – Hershey Bears

Another member of the Hershey Bears finished second with 93 points. Michel Harvey scored 41 goals and assisted on 52 while playing the full 74 game schedule. A veteran of the AHL, playing eleven years in the league, Harvey got his chance at major league hockey in 1972-73 with the Quebec Nordiques of the WHA. 1973-74 proved to be his last year in professional hockey, playing 26 games for the Maine Nordiques in the North American Hockey League.

Guy Trottier – Buffalo Bisons

Guy Trottier of the Buffalo Bisons led the league in goals with 45 and finished third in points with 82. Trottier also played two games for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League in 1968-69. The following season, Guy led the AHL in goals again, this time with 55.

Ron Ward – Rochester Americans

Ron Ward of the Rochester Americans finished fourth with 78 points on 35 goals and 43 points over 73 games. Ward played 18 games in the NHL the following season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1971-72, with the Vancouver Canucks, Ron played 71 games in what would be his last appearance in the NHL.

Ward played 359 games in the World Hockey Association between 1972-73 and 1976-77, contributing 380 points. In Ward’s first year in the WHA, he finished second in points with 118 as a member of the struggling New York Raiders. He would also play for the Vancouver Blazers, Los Angeles Sharks, Cleveland Crusaders, Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Fighting Saints and Calgary Cowboys during his WHA career.

Willie Marshall – Baltimore Clippers

Willie Marshall of the Baltimore Clippers also finished with 78 points but played one more game that Ron Ward. Marshall is one of the greatest players in the history of the AHL. He played 1,205 regular season games with the Pittsburgh Hornets, Hershey Bears, Providence Reds, Baltimore Clippers and Rochester Americans. He scored 523 career goals and totalled 1,375 points.

Marshall was a charter member of the AHL Hall of Fame in 2006. To date, no player has played more games or had more goals, assists and points over an AHL career than Willie. Since 2003-04, the Willie Marshall Award has been handed out to the AHL player with the most goals scored during the regular season.

 

5 To Lead AHL in Goals in Consecutive Seasons

Since 1936-37, there have been just five players in the AHL to lead the league in goals in consecutive seasons. The first came in 1937-38 and 1938-39 with the latest in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Interestingly, none of these five players has been inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame since its establishment in 2006. The American Hockey League now consists of 30 teams and is the prime minor league for the NHL.

Phil Hergesheimer – Cleveland Barons

Phil Hergesheimer led the league in goals in 1937-38 and 1938-39, as a member of the Cleveland Barons. Phil score 25 in the first season and 34 in the second. Hergesheimer went on to play 124 games in the National Hockey League from 1939-40 to 1942-43 with the Chicago Black Hawks and Boston Bruins. Phil returned to the American Hockey League after his NHL stint, achieving a personal best 48 goals with the Philadelphia Rockets in 1946-47.

Carl Liscombe – Providence Reds

Carl Liscombe was the next to lead the league in consecutive years, 1947-48 and 1948-49. Liscombe scored 50 goals in the first year and 55 in the second, both as a member of the Providence Reds. Carl previously played 383 games in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings between 1937-38 and 1945-46. In 1943-44, he led the second place Detroit Red Wings with 36 goals and 73 points in 50 games. The 73 points was good for fourth in the NHL’s scoring race.

Guy Trottier – Buffalo Bisons

Guy Trottier led the league with 45 goals in 1968-69 and 55 goals in 1969-70 as a member of the Buffalo Bisons. Over his career, Trottier played 115 games in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. He also played 174 games in the World Hockey Association. Previously, Guy scored 68 goals in 1965-66 and 71 goals in 1966-67 with the Dayton Gems of the IHL.

Paul Gardner – Binghamton Whalers

Paul Gardner is the only one of this group of five to lead the league in consecutive seasons with two different teams. In 1984-85, with the Binghamton Whalers, Gardner led the league with 51 and the following season, with the Rochester Americans, he led with 61. As a junior in the Ontario Hockey Association, Paul scored 69 goals with the Oshawa Generals in 1975-76.

Gardner was the eleventh overall pick of the Kansas City Scouts at the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft. He was also taken in the second round of the WHA Amateur Draft by the Toronto Toros. Paul played 447 NHL games from 1976-77 to 1985-86 with the Colorado Rockies, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres.

Alexandre Giroux – Hershey Bears

Alexandre Giroux led the AHL in 2008-09 with 60 goals and, again, in 2009-10 with 50 goals as a member of the Hershey Bears. Giroux is the only one of the five players mentioned in this article to be awarded the Willie Marshall Award. The Award was introduced for the 2003-04 season to honour the top goal scorer in the AHL and is equivalent to the NHL’s Rocket Richard Trophy.

Giroux was a seventh round pick of the Ottawa Senators at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, 213^th overall. He has, to date, appeared in 48 NHL games, most recently with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is currently playing in Switzerland’s National League A with Ambri-Piotta.

 

Hershey Bears Trivia

The Hershey Bears are the longest lasting American Hockey League team to remain in one location, a member of the league since 1938-39. The Bears are also one of the most successful AHL teams with four Calder Cup victories in the new millennium. Test and expand your knowledge of the Hershey Bears with the following four trivia questions and answers.

Q. What member of the Hershey Bears is the latest AHL player to lead the league in goals in consecutive seasons?

A. Alexandre Giroux led the AHL in goals in 2008-09 and 2009-10 with 60 and 50 goals. By doing so, Giroux earned the Willie Marshall Award. Alexandre is the first to lead in goals scored in consecutive seasons since Paul Gardner in the mid 1980’s. Only five AHL players have accomplished this feat since the league began in 1936-37. Giroux did this while also playing 12 games with the Washington Capitals in 2008-09 and nine with the NHL club in 2009-10.

Since, Giroux has played sparsely with the Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets before heading to Europe. 2012-13 was split between Dynamo Riga in the KHL and the Kloten Flyers in Switzerland’s National League A. For 2013-14, Alexandre will remain in Switzerland but has switched to Ambri-Piotta.

Q. In what year did the Hershey Bears win their first Calder Cup as AHL playoff champions?

A. In 1946-47, the Hershey Bears beat the Pittsburgh Hornets in the Calder Cup final series, four games to three. The Bears finished first in the East Division during the regular season. In a very odd playoff format, the Bears and the West Division regular season champ, the Cleveland Barons, were both given a bye through the first round. However, the two division champs then met in the semi-finals, while the two weaker teams played off in the other semi-final.

As of the end of 2012-13, the Bears have won eleven Calder Cup championships in total. Twice, they won in consecutive seasons, 1957-58 and 1958-59, along with 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Q. What Hershey Bears player has the club retired jersey number 16 for?

A. If you answered Willie Marshall, you are right. If you answered Mitch Lamoureux, you are also right. The team retired the number in honour of both players. Marshall played with the Bears from 1956-57 to 1962-63. He played over 1,200 games in the AHL and was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2006. Lamoureux is also a member of the AHL Hall of Fame, inducted in 2011.

Q. What Hockey Hall of Fame player, who played his entire NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers, coached the Hershey Bears for one full season, 1995-96?

A. Bill Barber coached the team in 1984-85, as well, but for only 17 games. In 1995-96, Barber was behind the bench as the Bears finished second in the South and made a first round exit from the Calder Cup playoffs.

Barber was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990 after playing 903 regular season National Hockey League games between 1972-73 and 1983-84, all with the Flyers. In 1997-98, Bill coached the Philadelphia Phantoms to a Calder Cup championship in the AHL. Ironically, the Phantoms swept the Hershey Bears in the second round before taking out the Saint John Flames in the finals. Barber was awarded the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL coach of the year as head coach of the Flyers in 2001-02.