Category: News

The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) is mourning one of its most accomplished members in Russ Conway who passed away at the age of 70.

A long-time sports editor and writer with The Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass, Conway began covering the Boston Bruins in 1967. His landmark investigative coverage of the National Hockey League Players Association’s corruption under executive director Alan Eagleson garnered a Pulitzer Prize nomination in beat reporting for Conway in 1992.

“Russ Conway personified the power of journalism. He kept absolute power in check, leading to the single biggest hockey story of his generation,” said PHWA president Frank Seravalli. “His dogged reporting, development and depth of sources and comfort in asking uncomfortable questions brought down once seemingly impenetrable institution. Mr. Conway punched well above his weight class working at a mid-sized American suburban newspaper, reminding us all that it’s not the outlet, but the pursuit of the truth that matters above all.

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VANCOUVER — The Professional Hockey Writers Association elected a new executive board at the organization’s annual NHL Draft meeting on Saturday in Vancouver.

Frank Seravalli of TSN was elected as president, succeeding Mark Spector, who served in the role since 2017.

“I would like to thank Mark Spector for his tireless work and dedication to the PHWA,” Seravalli said. “This is a critical juncture for our organization, as we seek to preserve access and our role as independent gatekeeper for the NHL Awards as voters. We will continue to evolve with the changing media landscape as we’ve done since 1967, but that wouldn’t be possible without Mark’s part in helping make the PHWA as organized and engaged as it’s ever been.”

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LAS VEGAS — Since 1967, the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) has voted on six major NHL awards as well as end-of-season All-Star and All-Rookie teams.

For the second consecutive year, the PHWA is revealing the ballot of each individual voter in the interest of full transparency.

A total of 173 ballots were received.

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BOSTON — St. Louis Blues center Ryan O’Reilly was selected as the 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner as Stanley Cup playoffs MVP by a panel of Professional Hockey Writers Association members.

O’Reilly received 13 of a possible 18 first place votes to edge teammate Jordan BInnington, who claimed the other five available votes. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask finished third in the voting.

The first player in NHL history to score in Games 4, 5, 6 and 7 of a Stanley Cup Final, O’Reilly recorded nine points during the Final and established a franchise record with 23 points during the postseason.

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The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) is pleased to announce that the Calgary Flames and the Tampa Bay Lightning are the 2019 winners of the Dick Dillman Award, presented annually by the PHWA to honor the work of outstanding NHL public relations staffs in each conference.

This is the second time the Flames have received this recognition. They were previously recognized in 2015-16.

“At the PHWA we are all about access, and the ability to spend time with players to tell their stories,” said PHWA President Mark Spector. “The Media Relations staffs in both Calgary and Tampa Bay have, over the long haul, proven to be excellent providers of access and information — and not only when times are good and the stories are wholly positive.

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It is with a profound sadness that members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) say goodbye to one of our own, Jason Botchford, and send our heartfelt condolences to the Botchford family.

If there is an enduring quality of Jason’s, it is his sheer combativeness, a hallmark of so many upper echelon journalists. Jason was a bulldog who was never afraid to break a few eggs in making his omelette, and in his innovative, signature work — The Provies, followed later by The Athletties — Jason earned his huge and loyal following by refusing to bow to convention while telling Vancouver Canucks readers what was right or wrong about their team.

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Columbus Blue Jackets left winger Nick Foligno, New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner and San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton have been named finalists for the 2019 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

The local chapters of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) submitted nominations for the Masterton Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season and the top three vote-getters were designated as finalists. The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 19, during the 2019 NHL Awards show.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Professional Hockey Writers Association announced today the winners of 10 Midseason Awards, as the hockey world descends on the Bay Area to mark the halfway point of the 2018-19 NHL season.

The Midseason Awards returned for a second straight season, making a once annual staple a regular feature on the hockey calendar again. Historically, the PHWA voted on “Half Season” Awards through 1968, but the practice fell off the radar after the advent of the modern-day All-Star Game until it was revived in 2018.

Half of the PHWA’s 2018 Midseason Award winners mirrored the end-of-season results which followed in June.

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The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) is proud to announce Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post has won the 2018 Red Fisher Award, which recognizes to the top overall beat reporter from the 2017-18 season, as voted by her peers.

Khurshudyan was recognized out of a group of nominees which included Mark Lazerus of The Athletic Chicago, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic Columbus, Arthur Staple of The Athletic New York and Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun.

“First of all, I was really honored to even be nominated with those guys who have way more experience than I do and are really, really great writers and reporters,” said Khurshudyan. “But the coolest thing for me is that it’s something my colleagues, other hockey beat writers, voted on. It’s a most special thing that you’re getting recognition from people that you work alongside a lot of times and really respect. That means a lot again.”

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The Professional Hockey Writers Association is proud to announce Matt Klinkenberg as 2018 winner of the Jim Kelley Memorial Scholarship.

Klinkenberg is the son of PHWA member Marty Klinkenberg a staff writer of the Globe and Mail based in Edmonton.

Matt Klinkenberg won the scholarship after submitting an essay detailing his father’s devotion to writing about hockey.

It’s a passion they both share.

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