Todd Burgess, Ice Dogs win NAHL season awards
Danny Martin
Dmartin@newsminer.com
FAIRBANKS — The preseason goals that Fairbanks Ice Dogs center Todd Burgess set for himself didn’t include the North American Hockey League’s Most Valuable Player and Forward of the Year awards.
“I obviously didn’t set them that high,” Burgess said by cellphone. “I was a three-year guy who needed to step in, be an impact player and be one of the go-to guys. Those were my goals going into the season.”
Burgess was voted as the NAHL Most Valuable Player and Forward of the Year, announced Thursday, for the impact he made with the Ice Dogs and the Tier II Junior A league in the regular season. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound native of Phoenix led the league in scoring and helped Fairbanks post the best record among the NAHL’s 22 teams.
“It’s really cool. I definitely use it as a motivation this weekend,” Burgess said of his honors and alluded to the best-of-five Midwest Division final series against the Minnesota Wilderness, which starts with game 1 at 7:30 tonight in the Big Dipper Ice Arena. Game 2 is set for the same time Saturday.
Burgess’s accolades Thursday, which included a spot on the All-NAHL Team, were part Fairbanks’ honors among the NAHL season awards that were voted on by the league’s 22 head coaches. Ice Dogs general manager Rob Proffitt was voted as the General Manager and Executive of the Year, and the Ice Dogs were voted as the Organization of the Year.
Thursday’s awards came one day after the Ice Dogs received several NAHL’s Division Awards, including the Midwest Division Most Valuable Player and Forward of the Year for Burgess; the division’s General Manager of the Year for Proffitt; and the division’s Organization of the Year.
Burgess, a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute commit, generated 95 points from 38 goals and 57 assists while playing all 60 regular-season games for Fairbanks. His points tied the league-record total by Pat Maroon with the St. Louis Bandits in 2006-07. Maroon was a left wing this season with the National Hockey League’s Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers.
“He’s very deserving of it and he’s a kid who’s gone through the whole steps of progression in his development,’’ Proffitt said.
“I think down the road we’re going to be seeing him play on TV,” Proffitt added. “It’s exciting to know that his journey came through Fairbanks and he shared with our community and hockey club.”
Burgess pointed to linemates Ryner Gorowsky and Logan Coomes for helping him lead the NAHL in scoring.
“We just clicked from day one, having chemistry and really working great with each other,” said Burgess, who turned 20 on April 3.
He also was ranked 185th for North American Hockey League skaters in the NHL Central Scouting final rankings for players who are considered to be selected for the NHL Entry Draft in June.