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Niku named AHL Defenceman of the Year

This follows yesterday’s announcement that Pascal Vincent was named AHL Coach of the Year

By Derek Gagnon
Winnipeg Jets v Montreal Canadiens Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

The accolades for Sami Niku’s rookie season with the Manitoba Moose continued to roll in on Tuesday, as Niku won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s top defenceman for the 2017-18 season.

Niku is just the second rookie to win the award since it was first presented in 1959, with Justin Schultz being the first in 2013. Niku was picked in the 7th round, 198th overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Niku was also recently named to the AHL First All-Star Team, and the AHL All-Rookie Team, alongside teammate Mason Appleton. Michael Hutchinson picked up AHL Second All-Star Team honours.

Yesterday, Pascal Vincent won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding coach in his second season in charge of the Baby Jets.

The AHL is announcing one award a day right now, so it’s possible the Moose add to their haul as time goes by.