CHL Alum Wins AHL’s Most Valuable Player Award
The American Hockey League (AHL) announced today that former Memphis RiverKings forward
Keith Aucoin has been named the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s most valuable player. The award is voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the AHL’s 29 cities.
Aucoin, currently a member of the Hershey Bears, played in the CHL during the 2004-05 season with the RiverKings dressing in five games and putting up an impressive four goals and five assists in that short stint.
The Waltham, Massachusetts native played 72 games that season for the Providence Bruins where he put up impressive numbers with 66 points (21-45=66) in 72 games. He was a big part of the Bruins playoff push that season as well totaling 18 points (4-14=18) in 17 post-season games.
In his career, Aucoin has seen action in 74 National Hockey League games (with Carolina and Washington) recording 26 career NHL points (8-18=26).
This season with the Bears, Aucoin earns the MVP award after establishing career highs with 35 goals and 102 points in 70 games played. After four previous top-10 finishes, Aucoin is poised to win the AHL’s scoring title.
On March 27, Aucoin became the AHL’s highest-scoring American-born player when he recorded his 625 career AHL point.
The Bears are the reigning AHL Calder Cup Champions and much like their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, are running away with their league’s regular season championship sitting currently with 121 points and a 59-16-0-3 record. Hershey recently set the AHL record for regular season wins when they hit 58 victories.
Hershey is coached by former CHL head coach Mark French (Wichita, 2005-07).