SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Yann Danis of the Oklahoma City Barons has been named the winner of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender for the 2011-12 season, as voted by AHL coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 30 cities.
Danis has posted a record of 25-13-2 for the Barons this season, helping the club capture the West Division championship. He ranks third in the AHL with a 2.13 goals-against average, seventh with a .923 save percentage and tied for second with five shutouts on the year. Named a First Team AHL All-Star last week, Danis has allowed two goals or fewer in 27 of his 41 appearances, including a stretch of 11 straight games from Jan. 1 to Feb. 11, and is also an impressive 15-4-1 on the road. Danis represented Oklahoma City in the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic and became the first goaltender in seven years to register a shutout period in the All-Star Game, helping the Western Conference to victory.
Danis, a native of Lafontaine, Que., is completing his eighth professional season in 2011-12. He has appeared in 227 career AHL games, going 113-83-20 with 12 shutouts, and was a member of Hamilton’s Calder Cup championship team in 2007. Danis has also played 50 career games in the NHL – including one with Edmonton this season – earning 16 victories and three shutouts.
The Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award, which was first presented in 1984, honors former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Baz Bastien, who played four seasons in goal with the AHL’s Pittsburgh Hornets (1945-49) before suffering a career-ending eye injury. Bastien would go on to serve as head coach and general manager of the Hornets, leading them to the 1967 Calder Cup championship. Previous winners of the award include Jon Casey (1985), Sam St. Laurent (1986), Mark Laforest (1987, 1991), Felix Potvin (1992), Manny Legace (1996), Martin Biron (1999), Dwayne Roloson (2001), Jason LaBarbera (2004, 2007), Ryan Miller (2005), Dany Sabourin (2006), Michael Leighton (2008), Cory Schneider (2009), Jonathan Bernier (2010) and Brad Thiessen (2011).
In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 85 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 2011-12 regular season ends on Apr. 15, and then 16 clubs will continue to vie for the league’s coveted championship trophy when the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs get under way.
