KANE NAMED BEARS IOA/AMERICAN SPECIALTY AHL MAN OF THE YEAR

April 11, 2013

HERSHEY, Pa. – The HERSHEY BEARS announced today that team captain Boyd Kane is the club’s recipient of the 2012-2013 IOA / American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the central Pennsylvania community.  The announcement was made by BEARS President/GM Doug Yingst.

Kane, 34, has exemplified the true meaning of “leader” during all five of his seasons in Chocolatetown.  While earning utmost respect from his teammates and constantly working hard to succeed, the native of Swift Current, Saskatchewan has effortlessly taken his charitable efforts to new heights.

With two children of his own, Kane knows the importance of brightening a youngster’s day during the rigor of a school year.  He took all the time he could away from the rink and brought not one, but several of his teammates along with him to various schools in the central Pennsylvania community.

The most inspirational work Kane has done – especially during his most recent two terms as team captain – has involved visits to the now brand-new Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital at Hershey Medical Center.  Once per month, Kane took four different teammates along with him and brought player trading cards and other special gifts to ill or injured children.

Along with his wife Sharlene, Kane organized team charity events throughout the season, beginning with the first-ever Pink in the Rink night in Giant Center history in October.  Kane and his teammates died their facial hair pink in an effort to help raise awareness around the fan base about breast cancer and help raise funds for the charity.

Perhaps the biggest part of Kane’s time away from the rink was around the Christmas holiday.  He and his teammates crafted hand-made holiday ornaments – some of the extra ornaments woven into a giant wreath by the players’ wives and girlfriends, with others autographed and sold – all for charity.

Kane is now one of 30 finalists for the AHL’s 2012-2013 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA /American Specialty AHL Man of the Year.  The league award is named after the former HERSHEY BEARS forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia.  The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League in the coming weeks.