Reign’s Sutter wins Fred T. Hunt Award | TheAHL.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League introduced at the moment that Brett Sutter of the Ontario Reign is the 2018-19 winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award because the AHL participant who finest exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, dedication and dedication to hockey.The award is voted on by coaches, gamers and members of the media in every of the league’s 31 cities.In his second season as captain of the Reign and fifth general sporting the “C” for his AHL membership, Sutter has continued to be a mannequin of professionalism and management on this, his 12th American Hockey League season. The 31-year-old Sutter has reached the 20-goal plateau for the primary time in his profession in 2018-19, including 24 assists for 44 factors to match his highest output since 2013. On Mar. 12, Sutter – who has performed in 269 of his groups’ 273 video games during the last 4 seasons – turned simply the 39th participant in AHL historical past to seem in 800 profession regular-season contests.A local of Viking, Alta., Sutter is considered one of 9 members of his household to play within the Nationwide Hockey League, alongside along with his father Darryl, 5 uncles and two cousins. Sutter was initially drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2005 and has totaled 153 objectives and 212 assists for 365 factors in 811 video games over his AHL profession in Ontario, Iowa, Charlotte, Abbotsford and Quad Metropolis, together with two objectives and eight assists in 60 NHL contests with Minnesota, Carolina and Calgary.This award, which was first offered by the AHL in 1978, honors the late Fred T. Hunt, a long-time contributor to the league who received three Calder Cup championships as a participant and three extra as a normal supervisor throughout a profession spent primarily with the AHL’s Buffalo Bisons and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Earlier winners of the award embody Ross Yates (1983), Glenn Merkosky (1987, ’91), Bruce Boudreau (1988), Murray Eaves (’89, ’90), John Anderson (1992), Tim Tookey (1993), Ken Gernander (1996, 2004), Randy Cunneyworth (2000), Mike Keane (2007), Bryan Helmer (2011), Brandon Davidson (2013), Jake Dowell (2014), Tom Kostopoulos (2016), Craig Cunningham (2017) and Bracken Kearns (2018).In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to function the highest growth league for all 31 Nationwide Hockey League groups. Almost 90 p.c of all gamers competing within the NHL are AHL graduates, and thru the years the American Hockey League has been dwelling to greater than 100 honored members of the Hockey Corridor of Fame. The 2018-19 common season ends on Sunday, after which 16 golf equipment will proceed to vie for the league’s coveted championship trophy when the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs get underway subsequent week.Picture: Andy Nietupski