Awards are fun! In addition to the Stanley Cup, the NHL also awards over 20 team and individual trophies at the end of each season, for everything from the league’s MVP to top players by position and even leadership and sportsmanship. As a tribute to some of the best moments on my hockey tour, please enjoy my version of the NHL’s annual awards ceremony, with my own custom-named awards.

The Guy Fieri Trophy – Awarded to the best trip to “Flavortown” on Tour.

Nominees: Primanti Bros. (Pittsburgh), Carmine’s Italian (Washington), The Ramen Butcher (Vancouver)

Winner: Primanti Bros.

There were many great meals on Tour, and many new local foods tried. Primanti’s famous stuffed sandwiches topped with fries, cole slaw, and tomatoes take the proverbial cake here because they’re absolutely delicious! My favorite from the Pittsburgh restaurant was the kielbasa and cheese, a sandwich so good that I stopped by Primanti’s on my drive home from the 11 Day Power Play in Buffalo to get another! But don’t take my word for it, Food Network’s Adam Richman visited Primanti’s and got a behind-the-scenes look during an episode of Man vs Food.

The Stuart Scott “Da-Na-Na, Da-Na-Na” Trophy – Awarded to the most likely play to make it on the SportsCenter Top 10 list.

Nominees: Shayne Gostisbehere (Philadelphia) vs Nashville, Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh) vs Calgary, Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay) vs Anaheim

Winner: Nikita Kucherov

When I tell you I JUMPED up out of my seat from the other end of the rink for this play, I JUMPED and hooted and hollered. It was that impressive. The two-line, off-balance pass from Steven Stamkos was right on the money, and Kucherov’s backhand flew effortlessly to the top shelf where Mama hides the cookies. Brilliant! Sidney Crosby’s effortless top-shelf goal was also, admittedly, impressive to see up-close and personal, while the “Ghost Bear’s” OT winner in Philadelphia sent me home from Wells Fargo Center gleefully on Black Friday.

The Tiger Woods Trophy – Awarded to the player who most single-handedly dominated a game on Tour.

Nominees: Brayden Schenn (Philadelphia) vs Dallas, Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary) vs New Jersey, Ilya Samsonov (Toronto) vs Ottawa

Winner: Johnny Gaudreau

I’m a huge golfer and fan of the game, and while I’m not the biggest Tiger Woods fan on the planet, it’s hard to argue that he was simply the most dominant golfer of his generation, especially in major championships. Johnny Hockey may not have Tiger’s level of sustained dominance (that honor seems to belong to Edmonton’s Connor McDavid now), but he did turn in the best single game of hockey I’ve ever seen. Eight shots on goal, a hat trick, and three assists to boot? That’s just ridiculous! Brayden Schenn’s hat trick was the only I’ve seen in dozens of Flyers games, while Toronto’s Ilya Samsonov turned in the lone shutout on Tour.

The Jim Valvano Trophy – Awarded to the individual who displayed the greatest act of perseverance on Tour.

Nominees: Kyle Hoganson (for driving to LA from San Diego for a hockey game), Brandon Stern (for attending a hockey game after being hit by a car), Jon Solimando (for double-dipping a trip to St Louis and Denver)

Winner: Brandon Stern

The late NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano was awarded with ESPN’s first ever Arthur Ashe Award for Courage just a few weeks before his death from cancer in 1993. He epitomized perseverance and determination by starting the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research before his passing, an organization that has raised hundreds of millions for cancer research and saved countless lives. Today, ESPN also presents the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, presented annually to “a deserving member of the sporting world who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination”.

None of these three outstanding nominees have defied the same grave odds as some of the ESPN award winners, but one such individual sacrificed life and limb to support my efforts on the Tour. (Author hereby notes that MAY have been a bit of an exaggeration for journalistic purposes, but work with me, will ya?) Brandon struggled through back and leg pain but was a real trooper for Episode 20 in Los Angeles. congrats and thank you, Brandon!

The Fred Rogers Trophy – Awarded to the “friendliest neighbor” on Tour.

Nominees: Rob Suggitt, Mike Eruzione, Santa Claus

Winner: Rob Suggitt

It’s a beautiful day in THIS neighborhood! All joking aside, I was so fortunate to meet so many kind and friendly people on Tour, people who didn’t have to meet me or talk with me, but did out of the kindness of their hearts and enthusiasm of their souls. My friend Rob Suggitt did just that during Episode 13 in Edmonton. He inspired me with his incredible journey around the NHL in 30 nights in 2015, and his vastly successful fundraising campaign for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Canada. He inspired me to give back in my own way, and I am forever grateful to call him a friend and a mentor. USA hockey legend and Olympic champion Mike Eruzione was also kind enough to indulge me for an interview during the 40th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, and I can’t thank him enough. And Santa Claus may be one of the most memorable guests on Tour; Boston Drew and I were thrilled to meet him on Episode 18 in Florida!

The Phil Koeghan Trophy – Awarded to the site/attraction most worthy of a stop on the Amazing Race.

Nominees: Alcatraz Island (San Francisco, CA), Hockey Hall of Fame (Toronto, ON), Capilano Suspension Bridge Park (North Vancouver, BC)

Winner: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

The hockey was fun, don’t get me wrong. But exploring 31 amazing cities was a SOLID consolation price, and made these journeys very entertaining and exciting. Alcatraz is a sight to see, if you have the time to dedicate to a nearly-full day tour of the former prison island in San Francisco Harbor. But be careful, you might find yourself behind bars! And the Hall of Fame is a remarkable museum in the heart of Downtown Toronto. Even the most casual hockey fans will enjoy the displays and trophies at the Hall.

But with many thanks to Craig, I have to give the nod for the “most fun attraction” to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in North Vancouver. The bridge dangles 230 feet over a river gorge between two forested cliffs. The bridge sways a bit with the passenger traffic, adding a real thrill (or sheer terror for some) to the park. It’s so quintessentially Canadian: fresh air and the best nature you can see, just a 20-minute drive from the city. During the holidays, the Park also lights up with thousands of bright, colorful holiday lights. Go check it out if you’re ever in Vancouver!

The Denis Drolet Trophy – Awarded to the coolest souvenir puck collected on Tour.

Nominees: St. Louis Blues, Seattle Kraken, Montreal Canadiens

Winner: St. Louis Blues

Any Denis with one N in his name is alright in my book! This particular Denis has a rather interesting connection to the Tour. Mr. Drolet founded Inglasco, Inc., a distributor of hockey pucks. For over 40 years, the company has been the official hockey puck supplier to the NHL, as well as the AHL and ECHL in the minor leagues.

Back during the pandemic, I decided to start collecting a souvenir hockey puck from each team. Throughout my journey, I’ve collected dozens of cool pucks featuring team logos, players, mascots, you name it. It was hard to narrow the list to three, but St. Louis’ mock Chris Pronger jersey puck, Seattle’s teal-colored Kraken puck, and Montreal’s bi-lingual “My First Game” puck all stand out in my “puck drawer” at home. Prongs wins the tie-breaker here since it was the first time I’d ever seen a puck honoring a team great, and for his brief period captaining the Flyers.

The Phillie Phanatic Trophy – Awarded to the best mascot on Tour.

Nominees: Mick E Moose (Winnipeg), Sparky the Dragon (NY Islanders), Fin the Whale (Vancouver)

Winner: Mick E Moose

There’s something about a big, giant, fuzzy mascot to make you feel like a giddy ten-year old kid again! On my travels, I met half a dozen or so mascots, but these three stood out for being friendly and engaging with the fans. Mick E Moose was so engaged in Winnipeg that he took Boston Drew’s Bruins hat and zipped it clear down the hallway like a rock skipping off a pond. What dedication! He wins on principle alone: defending his home arena from the visiting fans!

The Philadelphia Union “Sons of Ben” Trophy – Awarded to the best fan chant on Tour.

Nominees: New Jersey (for “Hey, You Suck!”), Nashville (for “It’s All Your Fault”), Los Angeles (for “the Addams Family”)

Winner: Nashville

Ah yes, the Sons of Ben. The passionately dedicated (and comedically named) SoB’s bang their drums and cheer rather loudly at every Philadelphia Union soccer game. They even showed up at a random Flyers game I attended with Dad, and they sarcastically mocked the Phoenix Coyotes the whole night.

I love passionate fans who unapologetically support their team and vilify opposing fans. The Devils changed their goal song way from the “Hey Song” when Gary Glitter went and got all canceled, but some fans have kept their snarky tradition alive. And Kings fans playfully and unabashedly let other teams know what they think of them, subbing the snaps from the Addams Family song for “(Insert team name) suck!”. But the real winner, is Nashville for their strong showing at the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals.

“The Keith Yandle SONK Trophy – Awarded to the most dedicated guest on Tour.

Nominees: Dan Dotson, Craig Miller, Andrew Kennedy

Winner: Andrew Kennedy

I’ve said it plenty of times, but the company has often been the best part of the actual games themselves. Plenty of people have joined me for games on this Tour, but out of those many dozens of guests some three contenders for the best. And because it’s impossible to discern between these three upstanding gentlemen, we go to the stat sheet.

Papa Dots visited 5 unique stadiums with me (Philadelphia, New York (Rangers), Boston, Carolina, and Toronto), and also treated me to two Flyers playoff games in Philadelphia and joined me for the 2023 Stadium series in Raleigh. Craig attended 6 unique stadiums (Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York (Islanders), Carolina, Seattle, and Vancouver), and traveled more than 5,000 miles to games, which is a remarkable feat. We’ll call it a tie for 2nd. But with 9 unique stadiums (Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Florida, Dallas, Chicago, Vegas, and Arizona) PLUS the Stadium Series PLUS the bonus COVID game in Florida, Boston Drew unquestionably wins the “best guest” award.

Yea, SOOOOOOOOONK!

The Leona Dotson Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the best overall arena experience of the Tour de NHL.

Nominees: (CENSORED)

Winner: Stay tuned…