SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that forward Tyler Toffoli of the Manchester Monarchs has been named the winner of the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding rookie for the 2012-13 season, as voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 30 member cities.
Toffoli, a second-round pick (47th overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has recorded 28 goals and 20 assists for 48 points in 55 games for the Monarchs this season. He leads all AHL rookies in goals and shorthanded goals (three) and owns the highest plus/minus rating among rookie forwards in the league at plus-20. A 20-year-old native of Scarborough, Ont., Toffoli represented Manchester at the 2013 Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic, and was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team earlier this week. Toffoli made his National Hockey League debut on Mar. 16, and has recorded two goals and three assists in eight NHL games with the Kings. The Monarchs are 28-22-2-3 with Toffoli in the lineup this season, 4-9-1-1 without him.
This award, which was first presented by the AHL in 1947, honors the late Dudley (Red) Garrett, a promising young player who lost his life during World War II while serving in the Royal Canadian Navy. Garrett split his only pro season, 1942-43, between the AHL’s Providence Reds and the NHL’s New York Rangers.
Previous winners of the Garrett Award include Terry Sawchuk (1949), Wally Hergesheimer (1951), Jimmy Anderson (1955), Bill Sweeney (1958), Roger Crozier (1964), Gerry Desjardins (1968), Rick Middleton (1974), Darryl Sutter (1980), Pelle Lindbergh (1981), Steve Thomas (1985), Ron Hextall (1986), Brett Hull (1987), Felix Potvin (1992), Darcy Tucker (1996), Daniel Briere (1998), Rene Bourque (2005), Teddy Purcell (2008), Nathan Gerbe (2009), Tyler Ennis (2010), Luke Adam (2011) and Cory Conacher (2012).
In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 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 2012-13 regular season ends on Apr. 21, and then 16 clubs will continue to vie for the league’s coveted championship trophy when the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs get underway.
