Release from 24.02.2025

John Hughes was voted MVP of the regular season

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The journalists of the win2day ICE Hockey League voted John Hughes of EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2024/25 regular season. It is the second Most Valuable Player award for the top scorer of the Regular Season. The Canadian wore the Ljubljana jersey in the 2011/12 season, when he was already voted MVP once.

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With 59 points, John Hughes was crowned top scorer of the Regular Seaosn. Overall, the EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV forward shone with 47 assists and was only denied a point in twelve of his 48 appearances. Due to his strong performances, the 37-year-old was voted MVP of the 2024/25 regular season by journalists. For Hughes, it is the second “Ron Kennedy Trophy” of his career.

John Hughes, who will be honored during the second quarter-final matchday in Villach on Tuesday, March 4, received the most votes of all players in the MVP voting with 42 points and was voted first eight times. Nick Petersen from EC-KAC came second, Ryan Murphy from EC Red Bull Salzburg third.

"Ron Kennedy Trophy"
Ron Kennedy was a great of our sport who had a positive influence on Austrian ice hockey for many years. Ron Kennedy came to Innsbruck via the Netherlands and Germany in 1982 and played in the Tyrolean capital for two years. After a few years overseas, he returned to Austria in 1992 as head coach at EC VSV, where he led Villach to the championship title in his very first year. Kennedy later moved "abroad" again for a few years before returning to Austria as national team coach in 1996. The Canadian was very successful in this role until 2002: Under his leadership, Team Austria managed to remain seamlessly among the best ice hockey nations in the world and showed off with great results. He then coached EC VSV for another four years, leading them to two more championship titles. After five years in Germany, Ron Kennedy took up the coaching position at HC TWK Innsbruck "die Haie" on January 6, 2008. It was to be his last place of sporting activity, as Kennedy was forced to retire in December 2008 for health reasons before losing his battle with cancer forever on July 9, 2009. Kennedy was not only a successful coach, but also a person who was always there for everyone at all times. In memory of Ron Kennedy, the win2day ICE Hockey League has been awarding the "Ron Kennedy Trophy" to the "Most Valuable Player" voted for by hockey journalists since the 2009/10 season.

Top 5 in the voting for Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2024/25 regular season:
1. John Hughes (EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV), 42 Punkte
2. Nick Petersen (EC-KAC), 37 Punkte
3. Ryan Murphy (EC Red Bull Salzburg), 30 Punkte
4. Samuel Harvey (HCB Südtirol Alperia), 20 Punkte
5. Brian Lebler (Steinbach Black Wings Linz), 19 Punkte

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER (from 2009/10 "Ron Kennedy Trophy"):
2024/25: #72 John Hughes (EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV)
2023/24: #96 Steven Owre (BEMER Pioneers Vorarlberg)
2022/23: #12 Brady Shaw (HC TIWAG Innsbruck)
2021/22: #3 Peter Schneider (EC Red Bull Salzburg)
2020/21: #32 Sebastian Dahm (EC-KAC)
2019/20 #1 Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (EC Red Bull Salzburg)
2018/19: #3 Peter Schneider (spusu Vienna Capitals)
2017/18: #6 Rafael Rotter (EV Vienna Capitals)
2016/17: #21 Riley Holzapfel (EV Vienna Capitals)
2015/16: #13 Colton Yellow Horn (HC Orli Znojmo)
2014/15: #7 Brian Lebler (EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz)
2013/14: #11 Derek Ryan (EC VSV)
2012/13: #74 Jamie Lundmark (EC-KAC)
2011/12: #72 John Hughes (HDD TILIA Olimpija Ljubljana)
2010/11: #25 Benoit Gratton (EV Vienna Capitals)
2009/10: #32 Alex Westlund (EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz)
2008/09: #9 Thomas Koch (EC Red Bull Salzburg)