Baumgartner, Aucoin selected for AHL Hall of Fame
Former Wolves Nolan Baumgartner, Keith Aucoin earned league’s highest honor
The American Hockey League announced Tuesday the four people who have been selected for induction into the AHL’s Hall of Fame as the Class of 2022.
Former Wolves defenseman Nolan Baumgartner, who captained the 2012 Midwest Division champions, and former Wolves forward Keith Aucoin, who served as an assistant captain for the 2014 Midwest Division titlists, join high-scoring center Dave Creighton and legendary front office executive Bill Torrey in this year’s group that will be inducted on Monday, Feb. 7, as part of the AHL’s All-Star Classic festivities.
Baumgartner, the Washington Capitals’ first-round pick in the 1994 NHL Draft, joined the Wolves organization in 2011 for his 16th and final season as a professional.
Not only did the Calgary native provide peerless leadership, Baumgartner posted two goals and 20 assists in 60 regular-season games and two assists in five Calder Cup Playoff contests.
Along the way, Baumgartner played in his 1,000th professional game on Feb. 24, 2012, and the Wolves celebrated the occasion the following day with a special pregame ceremony and tribute video.
After completing his playing career in 2012, Baumgartner was hired to serve as a Wolves assistant coach working with head coach Scott Arniel. In 2017, Baumgartner was hired by the Vancouver Canucks and is in his fifth season as a Canucks assistant.
Aucoin, an undrafted free agent despite averaging a goal per game for Div. III Norwich University, enjoyed one of the greatest careers in AHL history with several NHL stints sprinkled in. Aucoin joined the Wolves in 2013 for his 13th and final professional season in North America. The playmaking center finished second on the team with 43 points (11G, 32A) during the regular season, then added two goals and four assists in nine Calder Cup Playoff games.
Aucoin finished his AHL career ranked fifth on the league’s all-time list for assists (613) and seventh in points (857). The two-time Calder Cup champion (2009 and 2010) then went overseas and played four more years in Switzerland and Germany before retiring in 2008 at the age of 39.
The Wolves return to the ice at 6 p.m. Wednesday when they travel to face the Grand Rapids Griffins to start a three-game road trip. The Wolves are back at Allstate Arena on Saturday, Nov. 6, when they host the Manitoba Moose. To get the best deals on tickets for any of Chicago’s seven home games in November, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.
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