WEISE NAMED HARTFORD WOLF PACK’S 2008-09 AMERICAN SPECIALTY/AHL MAN OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to the Hartford Wolf Pack’s Dale Weise. The right winger was named the team’s winner of the American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Hartford community during the 2008-09 season.

Dale’s been very active and an extremely enthusiastic participant in all of the Wolf Pack community relations initiatives and fundraising events, from the Special Olympics Connecticut Bowl-a-thon to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Monster Mini Golf Tournament.  Any interaction that Howlings readers have told us about in regards to their interaction with the affable rookie have all been stories with happy endings.

Weise has consistently volunteered to go to appearances whenever there was an opportunity, and “pinch-hit” multiple times when teammates were prevented from fulfilling commitments.   He even went above and beyond expectations during a visit to Gaylord Hospital, staying about an hour longer than planned to play Wii with some of the patients.  Speaking of the Tip-A-Player event, Tip-A-Player event, Weise could be seen actively seeking to raise a substantial amount of money for Gaylord Hospital and was even offering to have his head shaved if it could raise money. He even allowed some young adults to style his hair in some ridiculous fashion just to raise money for the event.

In recognition of his efforts, Weise will be presented with an etched crystal trophy during an on-ice presentation prior to an upcoming Wolf Pack home game.

Weise is now one of 29 finalists for the AHL’s 2008-09 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall 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.

Past winners of the award include several ex-Pack, Mitch Fritz in 2005-06 when he was with Springfield, ex-Pack John Jakopin won it in 97-98 when with the Beast of New Haven and Brent Thompson won the award as a member of the Pack in 98-99.