The Les Cunningham Award is given annually to American Hockey League's "Most Valuable Player" of the regular season, as voted on by AHL media and players.
The award was first presented in the 1947–48 season, is named after Les Cunningham, a five-time AHL All-Star and three-time Calder Cup champion who averaged better than a point per game over his 10-year playing career with the original Cleveland Barons. Upon his retirement, he was the AHL's career leader in points.
C | Centre | LW | Left wing | D | Defence | RW | Right wing | G | Goaltender |
Harry Carlyle Liscombe was a Canadian ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings between 1937 and 1946. With Detroit he won the Stanley Cup in 1943. He also won the Calder Cup with the Providence Reds of the American Hockey League in 1949. Liscombe was the last surviving member of Red Wings 1943 Stanley Cup team.
The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the primary development team for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island.
Stéphan Armand Lebeau is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League from 1988–89 to 1994–95. He won a Stanley Cup in 1993 with the Montreal Canadiens. His brother, Patrick, also played a short time in the NHL.
Michael Andrew Nykoluk was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He played 32 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1956–57. The rest of his playing career, which lasted from 1955 to 1972, was spent in the minor leagues. He became the first assistant coach in the NHL and won the Stanley Cup in that capacity with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 and 1975, before serving as the Maple Leafs head coach from 1981 to 1984. He was the younger brother of longtime Canadian Football League player Danny Nykoluk.
The Cleveland Barons were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Cleveland Arena. At the time they folded, they were the most successful team in AHL history, the original incarnation of the Barons played in the AHL from 1937 to 1973. In that time, they won ten division titles and nine Calder Cups, which, although the team had been defunct for over three decades, remained a record until 2009, when the Hershey Bears won their 10th Calder Cup. In 1973, they relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, where they were known as the Jacksonville Barons; they lasted only through the 1973–1974 season before folding.
The New Brunswick Hawks were a professional ice hockey team based in Moncton, New Brunswick. Home games were played at the Moncton Coliseum. They were a member of the American Hockey League (AHL) between 1978 and 1982. The Hawks operated as a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Black Hawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs, with a winning record each of four seasons.
Keith M. Aucoin is an American former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, and St. Louis Blues.
Antonio Jason LaBarbera is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played parts of 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Jean-François Labbé is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 15 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets between 2000 and 2003.
Blake Robert Dunlop is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) forward who played during the 1970s and early 1980s. Prior to turning pro, Dunlop played four seasons with the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). Dunlop was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the second round, 18th overall, of the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft.
Joseph Denis Emile DeJordy, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played goal for four National Hockey League teams, most notably the Chicago Black Hawks. In 1966–67, he and Glenn Hall won the Vezina Trophy for the best goals-against average in the NHL.
Joseph Hector Gilles Villemure is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played for the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks in the 1960s and 1970s. Villemure was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
The 1947–48 AHL season was the 12th season of the American Hockey League. Eleven teams played 68 games each in the schedule. The Cleveland Barons won their sixth F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy as West Division champions, and won their fourth Calder Cup as league champions.
Albert George DeMarco, Sr. was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. DeMarco started his National Hockey League career with the Chicago Black Hawks. He would also play with the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. He played in the NHL from 1938 to 1947. He played several years in minor professional hockey until 1952, and played on in senior amateur hockey in his hometown of North Bay during the 1950s.
Joseph William "Jody" Gage is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He was drafted in the third round, 45th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.
Alexandre Giroux is a Canadian ice hockey forward currently playing for the Thetford Assurancia of the Quebec-based Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey. He previously played in the National League (NL) with HC Ambrì-Piotta and EHC Kloten. He is the son of former World Hockey Association player Rejean Giroux.
Rocky Ray Saganiuk is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 259 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Frederick Edmondstone Speck was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. A centre, Speck had a brief major league career, playing in 28 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks, and 111 games in the World Hockey Association. For most of his career Speck played in the minor leagues, and in 1970–71, his first season in the American Hockey League, he was the top scorer, and was also named the most valuable player and rookie of the year.
Frederick Austin Glover was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He played 92 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks between 1949 and 1952, though most of his career, which lasted from 1947 to 1968, was with the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL). After his playing career he coached the Barons for several years, and coached in the NHL with the Oakland Seals/California Golden Seals and Los Angeles Kings between 1968 and 1974, also serving as general manager of the Golden Seals on two occasions during that time. He was the brother of Howie Glover, who also played in the NHL.
Craig Alvin Cunningham is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played with the Boston Bruins and Arizona Coyotes in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Boston Bruins, 97th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, before being called up to the Bruins in December 2013.