Boise, ID (4/12/16) –The ECHL announced the voting results for the 2015-16 John Brophy Award on Tuesday, awarded to the league’s Coach of the Year, and Idaho Steelheads Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Neil Graham finished in fifth place out of the league’s 28 coaches.
Graham, 30, led the Steelheads to another playoff berth in his first season as a professional head coach. The youngest bench boss in the league, Graham guided the Steelheads to a 38-24-10 record for a second place finish in the West Division.
Graham’s squad was also one of the league’s most improved throughout the course of the regular season. From December 10th to the end of the season, Idaho’s 68 points were third most in the Western Conference as the team improved from 24th place to ninth in the ECHL. The Steelheads were 31-10-6 in the final 47 games of the season. He also coached the second-best penalty kill in the ECHL.
This was Graham’s fourth season with the Steelheads. He served as an assistant coach over the previous three seasons, one as a player-coach, before taking the reins for this year.
The John Brophy Award is voted for league-wide by the ECHL’s 28 coaches and members of the media.
Graham and the Steelheads begin their mission for Idaho’s third Kelly Cup this Thursday night on the road against the Allen Americans. Puck-drop for Game 1 is scheduled for 6:05pm MT with the game available on 1350AM KTIK and ECHLTV. Fans are welcome to watch the game at CenturyLink Arena in the Sports Zone at the Steelheads viewing party.
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