Islanders fan favourite Martin once again wins hustle award
Windsor native Matt Martin has been voted the Bob Nystrom Award winner for the 2019-20 season.
Established in 1991, the award is given to the New York Islanders' player who best exemplifies leadership, hustle and dedication in a vote by fans.
The 31-year-old Martin led the Islanders with 242 hits in 55 games last season while posting five goals and eight points. Martin posted a career-high five goals in 22 playoff games, along with a team-leading 103 hits, to help the Islanders reach the Eastern Conference final.
It marks the sixth time in Martin's career that the six-foot-three, 220-pound forward has won the award. He won it five-straight times from 2012-16 before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs for two seasons. He rejoined the Islanders in 2018-19.
MURPHY TRADED
Windsor's Trevor Murphy has been traded by the Kontinental Hockey League's Kunlun Red Star, which is located in Beijing, China, to Kazan-based Ak Bars, which is located in Kazan, Russia.
A former Windsor Spitfires' defenceman, the 25-year-old Murphy was dealt for the rights to defenceman Vojtech Mozik and cash.
Murphy was in his second season with the Red Star, which sits last in the Kharlamov Division. Murphy posted 10 goals and 27 points in 60 games last season. He had eight assists in 17 games this season prior to the trade, but now moves to an Ak Bars team that is first in the Chernyshev Division.
TEDDY BEARS
With no season until at least February, the Windsor Spitfires are attempting to hold the team's annual teddy bear toss game away from the ice.
The game is usually held in late November or early December with the stuffed animals donated to charitable organizations.
However, without a game, the Spitfires are still determined to hold the event, which will benefit Sparky's Toy Drive, and will have a drop off location at the WFCU
Centre on Dec. 11 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the entrance to the community rinks.
RAYMOND HONOURED
Tecumseh- Shoreline Eagles Tier I under-9 head coach Kyle Raymond has been named Ontario Minor Hockey Association coach of the month for November.
Along with developing players' skills and chemistry on the ice, Raymond is also working to get his team involved in the community with the Snow and Leaf Angels, which provides aid to senior residents and those with physical disabilities.