SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League as we speak introduced the 4 individuals chosen for induction into the American Hockey League Corridor of Fame because the Class of 2025.
Honored by the AHL Corridor of Fame Choice Committee as the newest group of enshrinees are Rene Drolet, Dunc Fisher, Michael Leighton and Michel Picard.
The induction of the Class of 2025 will happen as a part of the festivities on the 2025 AHL All-Star Traditional introduced by Highlight 29 On line casino, to be hosted by the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The American Hockey League Corridor of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony introduced by Highlight 29 On line casino and Silvercrest is scheduled for February 3, 2025.
Shaped in 2006 to acknowledge, honor and rejoice people for his or her excellent achievements and contributions within the American Hockey League, the AHL Corridor of Fame is housed on-line at AHLHallofFame.com and is accessible to followers worldwide as a part of the AHL Web Community.
In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League serves as the highest growth league for the gamers, coaches, managers, executives, broadcasters and workers of all 32 Nationwide Hockey League groups. Almost 90 p.c of NHL gamers every year are American Hockey League graduates, and greater than 130 honored members of the Hockey Corridor of Fame hung out within the AHL of their careers.
CLASS OF 2025: RENE DROLET
Rene Drolet was a junior star in his native Quebec Metropolis earlier than becoming a member of the American Hockey League’s Quebec Aces and embarking on a profitable professional profession that will see him grow to be the highest-scoring AHL participant throughout the decade of the 1970’s. Drolet recorded 30 targets and 72 factors for the Aces in 1968-69, his first of 10 consecutive seasons scoring 20 or extra targets and the primary of six instances he can be his workforce’s main scorer. He was additionally one of many Aces’ high playoff producers as Quebec reached the Calder Cup Finals in 1968 and 1969. Drolet remained with the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate when it moved to Richmond, Va., and spent three seasons with the Robins, together with a 1972-73 marketing campaign through which he set profession highs with 34 targets, 53 assists and 87 factors. He completed his profession with the Virginia Purple Wings (1974-75) and Rochester Individuals (1977-78), retiring with 298 targets and 443 assists for 741 factors in 840 profession AHL video games.
CLASS OF 2025: DUNC FISHER
A local of Regina, Sask., Dunc Fisher was often known as a stable two-way proper wing over a 13-year skilled profession that included 9 seasons within the American Hockey League. As a 20-year-old rookie in 1947-48, Fisher put up 59 factors in 68 video games for the New Haven Ramblers, after which spent the subsequent 4 seasons within the Nationwide Hockey League skating in New York and Boston. In 1952, Fisher joined the AHL’s Hershey Bears and shortly turned one of the prolific scorers within the storied historical past of that franchise. He hit the 40-goal mark 4 instances, and he helped the workforce to consecutive Calder Cup championships in 1958 and 1959. Fisher performed in all six of the AHL’s all-star video games held throughout the 1950’s, and he was voted a First Workforce All-Star as soon as and a Second Workforce decide 4 straight instances from 1954-57. Fisher retired in 1960 with 285 targets and 335 assists for 620 factors in 579 profession AHL video games and remains to be the Bears’ all-time chief with 260 targets in a Hershey uniform. Fisher handed away in 2017 on the age of 90.
CLASS OF 2025: MICHAEL LEIGHTON
Michael Leighton performed elements of 15 seasons within the American Hockey League throughout an expert profession that took him to 11 NHL organizations and 13 AHL cities. A sixth-round draft decide by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1999, Leighton’s professional journey started in Norfolk, Va., the place he earned AHL All-Rookie Workforce honors after going 27-16-8 with a 2.14 goals-against common and a .920 save proportion for the Admirals in 2001-02. Leighton would go on to make 5 appearances within the AHL All-Star Traditional and win the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Award because the league’s excellent goaltender with the Albany River Rats in 2007-08. Leighton performed in a complete of 507 regular-season video games within the AHL, seventh-most in league historical past amongst goaltenders, and posted a profession file of 250-186-55 (rating fifth all-time in victories), a 2.38 GAA, a .916 save proportion and an AHL-record 50 shutouts. In postseason play, Leighton posted a 1.67 GAA and a .946 save proportion in 28 Calder Cup Playoff appearances, and he owns the AHL file for saves in a single sport with 98, set in a five-overtime contest on Apr. 24, 2008.
CLASS OF 2025: MICHEL PICARD
Michel Picard was one of the potent American Hockey League scorers of his time, placing up 283 targets and 638 factors in 582 video games over elements of 9 seasons within the AHL. The native of Beauport, Que., was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in 1989 and spent his rookie 12 months in Binghamton earlier than the Whalers moved their affiliate to Springfield the next season. On the age of 21 in 1990-91, Picard led the AHL with 56 targets earlier than chipping in 21 factors in 18 playoff video games to assist the Indians seize a Calder Cup championship. He received one other Calder Cup with the Portland Pirates in 1993-94, when he adopted a 41-goal common season with 11 extra tallies within the playoffs, and he totaled 171 factors in 112 video games over two seasons with the Prince Edward Island Senators from 1994 to 1996. Picard performed 4 seasons with Grand Rapids within the Worldwide Hockey League earlier than scoring a team-best 31 targets for the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2000-01, and he earned Second Workforce AHL All-Star honors – his fourth profession postseason all-star choice – after tallying 84 factors in his return to the Griffins in 2002-03.
