The American Hockey League's (AHL) 2026 Awards Gala was a celebration of excellence and service, with several awards presented to individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to the league. Among the recipients were Mike Ostrowski of the Cleveland Monsters, Mark Bernard of the Rockford IceHogs, Jon Greenberg of the Milwaukee Admirals, the Colorado Eagles, and Logan Shaw of the Toronto Marlies. Each of these individuals and teams has made a lasting impact on the league, and their achievements deserve recognition.
Ostrowski, the winner of the James C. Hendy Memorial Award, has been a driving force behind the Monsters' success. As president of franchise teams for Rock Entertainment Group, he has led the organization to record attendance numbers, significant revenue growth, and expanded media visibility. His 15 seasons with the Monsters have been marked by sustained excellence and a commitment to the Cleveland community. This award is named after the late Jim Hendy, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the AHL Hall of Fame, who was a statistician and historian for the AHL.
Bernard, the recipient of the Bruce Landon Award, has faced personal health challenges but continued to lead the Rockford's hockey staff without missing a beat. He was key in the planning process for the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic and played a pivotal role on the AHL's collective bargaining committee. This award is named after Bruce Landon, a member of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame who was a mainstay in Springfield, Mass., as a player, executive, and owner for nearly half a century.
Greenberg, the recipient of the Thomas Ebright Award, has overseen the day-to-day business operations of the Admirals since joining the club in 2005. His leadership has resulted in steady business growth in all areas, helping to fortify the Admirals' footprint in a major-league market. Greenberg has also been a valued member of several AHL committees through the years, providing instrumental guidance to the league's business development. This award is named after Tom Ebright, the former owner and governor of the Baltimore Skipjacks and Portland Pirates who passed away in 1997.
The Colorado Eagles and Logan Shaw were selected by AHL President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson as the 2025-26 winners of the David Andrews Awards of Excellence. The Eagles finished with a record of 41-20-6-5 (93 points) during the 2025-26 regular season, advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since joining the AHL in 2018. Shaw, who has been Toronto's captain since signing with the Marlies in 2022, played in all 96 of the team's games in 2025-26, leading the team with 54 points in the regular season and adding 17 points during the playoffs. The Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award, which Shaw won in 2022-23, recognizes the player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey.
The AHL also recognized several outstanding achievements in a variety of categories with its annual Team Business Services awards. The Laval Rocket, San Jose Barracuda, Charlotte Checkers, Tucson Roadrunners, Cleveland Monsters, and Abbotsford Canucks were recognized for their top revenue growth in overall ticket sales, season-ticket sales, group-ticket sales, and corporate sponsorship sales. The Hershey Bears, Bakersfield Condors, Utica Comets, Iowa Wild, Laval Rocket, and Colorado Eagles were recognized for their excellence in digital media, community relations, and fan experience.
In addition to these awards, the AHL honored several teams and individuals for their efforts during the 2025-26 season at the league's Team Business Meetings in Grand Rapids. The Syracuse Crunch was named the marketing department of the year, the Texas Stars were named the merchandise department of the year, the Cleveland Monsters were named the sponsorship sales department of the year, and the Laval Rocket was named the ticket sales department of the year. The Chicago Wolves were recognized for their unique ticket sales promotion or theme night, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms were recognized for their immersive game operations experience, the Milwaukee Admirals were recognized for their unique community relations initiative, and the Manitoba Moose were honored for their unique social media content. The Rochester Americans were recognized for their outstanding marketing campaign.
The AHL, which has been in operation since 1936 and is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, serves as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of today's NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers. The league's awards and recognition programs are a testament to the hard work and dedication of its individuals and teams, and they serve as an inspiration to all who aspire to excellence in the world of hockey.
