Despite playing his last game more than 3 months ago, Schultz still leads AHL defenseman in scoring.
Though he's been hitting hard in the NHL since January, the Oilers' Justin Schultz still has some AHL hardware to collect.
Can a part-time player win an award? Yes – if the player is Justin Schultz, a 22-year-old rookie who played all of 34 games with the American Hockey League’s Oklahoma City Barons. That’s not even half a season, but it was enough for him to be named winner of the Eddie Shore Award, which goes to the top defenseman.
Schultz’s AHL days ended Jan. 5, when he and teammate Jordan Eberle were promoted to Edmonton’s roster following settlement of the National Hockey League lockout. At that point, Eberle led the AHL with 25 goals and 51 points. Schultz was right behind with 18 goals and 48 points.
Eberle has since been passed in the AHL scoring race. Schultz? More than three months after his recall to the NHL, he still leads AHL defensemen in goals and points. He’s also in a tie for the lead in power-play goals, short-handed goals and power-play points.
The Shore Award was instituted in 1959 in honor of the long-time Springfield Indians owner, who was an NHL Hall of Fame defenseman. He’s also enshrined in the AHL Hall.
Five Springfield players have won the Shore Award, including AHL Hall of Famer Noel Price, who won it three times. The other Springfield winners: Bob McCord in 1961, Kent Douglas in 1962, Gord Smith in 1974 and Brad Tiley in 2000.
HOLYOKE HONOREE: When Maurice Ferriter attended St. Jerome’s High School in Holyoke, Rev. Timothy J. Leary was the parish pastor.
Now, 66 years after Ferriter’s graduation, he will be recognized with an award named for Leary, to be presented at Holyoke Catholic’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The award will honor Ferriter, a Holyoke attorney, for his lifetime of devotion to Holyoke Catholic and for his numerous charitable works in the community.
“Put it this way,” said Hall of Fame committeeman Fran Kane, “Maurice Ferriter is just an all-around unbelievable guy.”
In 1947, Leary had the vision to unite athletes of Holyoke parochial schools under one banner. His “Holyoke Catholic” combined players from St. Jerome’s, Precious Blood, Holy Rosary and Sacred Heart. The Gaels’ first football team began play in September of ’47.
Holyoke Catholic’s Hall of Fame induction takes place May 11 at 6 p.m. at the Castle of Knights, Chicopee.
BORECKI AT WORK: Springfield’s “Bring It Home” Baseball Committee plans to honor East Springfield Post 420’s 1974 American Legion state championship team as part of its Father’s Day weekend in Forest Park (June 15-16).
“I had trouble finding Randy Kwist, but once I did, that means all of the
BEST BET for the weekend: Pure Fun, in the Lexington Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Garry Brown can be reached at geeman1918@yahoo.com