CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Checkers have recognized forward Kyle Hagel as their IOA/American Specialty Man of the Year for the 2014-15 season.
The honor, which each AHL team gives to its player who makes the greatest commitment to charitable organizations and his community, marks the fifth time Hagel has won the award in his five full AHL seasons. Each award came from a different team, as he previously earned Man of the Year honors from the Rockford IceHogs (2011), Peoria Rivermen (2012), Hamilton Bulldogs (2013) and Portland Pirates (2014).
Along with 29 other nominees, one from every other AHL club, Hagel is again eligible to win his first Yanick Dupre Award that honors the league's overall IOA/American Specialty Man of the Year. The AHL will announce that winner before the end of the regular season.
In addition to spending more hours at more of the Checkers' scheduled school and community appearances than any of his teammates, Hagel also continued the successful "Stick to Reading" campaign he created and implemented in his previous AHL cities. On his own time, Hagel contacted the administration at McClintock Middle School in Charlotte, laid the groundwork for the program and encouraged teammates to join for scheduled appearances at the school.
Over the course of the season, Hagel, who paces the Checkers and ranks among the AHL leaders in penalty minutes and fighting majors, also remained involved in two endeavors he helped create earlier in his career: Shnarped, an app that directly connects hockey players with fans, and Hockey Players for Kids, a nonprofit organization made up of hockey players dedicated to improving the communities they live in.
In their four previous AHL seasons, the Checkers, who have won their conference's Excellence in Community Service award twice during that time, have never produced a Dupre Award winner. Mike Murphy, Bobby Sanguinetti, Sean Dolan and Matt Marquardt were their previous nominees.
