Fritz Named Springfield 2006-07 Man of the Year

Springfield, MA – The Springfield Falcons are proud to announce that left wing Mitch Fritz has been named the team’s winner of the American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Springfield community during the 2006-07 season.

Fritz was the 2005-06 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award winner and for the third straight year, has been very active in the Springfield community. Fritz helped organize the Falcons Family program this past year which was designed to bring individuals together in helping out their community. Fans joined this special program by purchasing a wristband and each week fans would receive an e-mail from Fritz explaining which charity the group would be assisting with in that particular week. Proceeds from the wristbands sold went to children related charities.

In addition, Fritz hosted his second annual blood drive, in which fans received a pair of tickets to a Falcons home game for donating blood at the local American Red Cross. The event tripled the quantity of blood it normally collects on a regular day. Fritz was also an active participant in the Falcons visits to local hospitals, local youth hockey practices and sled hockey appearances.

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

Fritz is now one of 27 finalists for the AHL’s 2006-07 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 later this month.