BILOXI, Miss. � Former Mississippi Sea Wolves forward Michael Ryder of the Montreal Canadiens has been selected as a finalist for the National Hockey League Calder Memorial Trophy.
The trophy is awarded annually to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League, as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers� Association. All voting is conducted at the conclusion of the regular season and the results are tabulated by the accounting firm Ernst & Young.
Ryder, 24, led all NHL rookies with 38 assists and 63 points. A native of Bonavista, Newfoundland, Ryder notched a total of 25 goals during the regular season, including 10 power-play markers and a plus/minus of +10.
Joining Ryder as finalists are New York Islanders forward Trent Hunter and Boston Bruins goaltender Andrew Raycroft. The winners will be announced on Thursday, June 10 during the 2004 NHL Awards Television Special in Toronto, Ontario and broadcast from 7:30-9 p.m. CT on ESPN 2.
On October 9, 2003, Ryder became the seventh of the eight total former Mississippi players to advance to the NHL.
In 2001-02, Ryder registered 14 goals and 27 points in 20 games with the Sea Wolves. The 6-foot-1 and 195-pound Ryder was chosen to represent Mississippi at the 2002 ECHL All-Star Game, but was unable to participate after being called up to Quebec of the American Hockey League. Ryder was selected by Montreal in the eighth round, 216th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
Ryder and the Canadiens continue their quest for the NHL�s Stanley Cup, going head-to-head against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Semifinals beginning at 6 p.m. CT tomorrow on ESPN2.
Sea Wolves season tickets for 2004-05, which gets underway in October, are on sale. Reserve your seat with a $25 deposit by calling (228) 275-WOLF.
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