The Plus-Minus Award is given annually to the player who finishes with the top plus/minus in the Western Hockey League. It has been awarded since 1987.
Plus−minus is a sports statistic used to measure a player's impact on the game, represented by the difference between their team's total scoring versus their opponent's when the player is in the game. In ice hockey, it measures a player's goal differential. When an even-strength goal or shorthanded goal is scored, the plus–minus statistic is increased by one ("plus") for those players on the ice for the team scoring the goal; the plus–minus statistic is decreased by one ("minus") for those players on the ice for the team allowing the goal. Power play or penalty shot goals are excluded. An empty net does not matter for the calculation of plus–minus.
The NHL Plus-Minus Award was a trophy awarded annually by the National Hockey League to the ice hockey "player, having played a minimum of 60 games, who leads the league in plus-minus statistics." It was sponsored by a commercial business, and it had been known under five different names. First given for performance during the 1982–83 season, Wayne Gretzky won the award the most times, with three. Gretzky also led the league once prior to the inception of the award. Bobby Orr has led the NHL the most times in plus-minus, with six, all prior to the inception of the award. The award was discontinued after being awarded to Pavel Datsyuk following the 2007–08 season.
The Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern and Western United States as part of a three-region model, roughly coincident with the U.S. Census' definition of the Midwestern United States plus the western and central portions of the U.S. Census' definition of the Southern United States. The Central States are typically considered to consist of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Sometimes Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Alabama are also considered to be central states. Chicago is the area's largest city and metropolitan area, other large cities with large metropolitan areas would be Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, Topeka, Wichita, Omaha and Lincoln, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Madison and Milwaukee, St. Louis, Louisville and Lexington, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton, Rockford, Peoria, Indianapolis, Evansville, Fort Wayne, and South Bend.
Andrew Locklan Ladd is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Andy McDonald is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. He played for the Anaheim Ducks and the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL), winning the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007.
Robert William Brown is a retired professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League for eleven seasons between 1987 and 2000. Brown was born in Kingston, Ontario, but grew up in St. Albert, Alberta.
Pavel Brendl is a Czech former professional ice hockey forward who last played for the HKM Zvolen in the Slovak Extraliga. He played in the National Hockey League with the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and Phoenix Coyotes.
Jonathon Gregory Blum is an American professional ice hockey defenseman, currently playing with Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
The Rockford IceHogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Rockford, Illinois. They are members of the American Hockey League (AHL), having begun play in the League starting in the 2007–08 season. The team plays their home games at the BMO Harris Bank Center, and they serve as the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Chicago Blackhawks.
The 1998–99 Toronto Maple Leafs season was the franchise's 82nd season. Two moves occurred this season. First, the club moved from the Western to the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). Secondly, the club moved from Maple Leaf Gardens to the new Air Canada Centre. Toronto qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Buffalo Sabres.
The 1968–69 Boston Bruins season was the Bruins' 45th season in the NHL.
Paul Albers is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Houston Aeros.
Paul Edward Postma is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for HC Lugano of the National League (NL). He was drafted 205th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers. During his major junior career with the Swift Current Broncos and Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Postma won the WHL Plus-Minus Award and was a WHL East First Team All-Star in 2009.
Michael St. Croix is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays for the Winkler Royals of the South Eastern Manitoba Hockey League. He formerly played for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in the ECHL as a prospect of the New York Rangers organization. He was drafted by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. As of 2011, he is the Oil Kings all-time leading scorer. His father is former NHL goaltender Rick St. Croix and his brother is former professional hockey defenseman Chris St. Croix.
The 2012–13 KHL season was the fifth season of the Kontinental Hockey League. The regular season began on 4 September with the Lokomotiv Cup between last year's finalists Dynamo Moscow and Avangard Omsk. For the first time, the league consisted of 26 teams from 7 different countries. Dynamo Moscow successfully defended their title after beating Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Gagarin Cup finals.
The 2012–13 Boston Bruins season was the 89th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on November 4, 1924. The regular season was reduced from its usual 82 games to 48 due to a lockout. In the playoff, the Bruins eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins in four games to capture the Eastern Conference championship, but lost the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals to the Western Conference playoff champion Chicago Blackhawks in six games.
The 2013 Gagarin Cup playoffs of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) has begun on February 20, 2013, after the conclusion of the 2012–13 KHL regular season. The 2013 Gagarin Cup Finals started in April.
Joshua T. Morrissey is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Jets in the first round, 13th overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Connor Brown is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brown was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round, 156th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Brown played for the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2011 until 2014, then for the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Toronto Marlies for the better part of two seasons before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs full-time in the 2016–17 season.