SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Logan Thompson of the Henderson Silver Knights is the winner of the Aldege “Baz†Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender for the 2020-21 season.
The award was voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 28 active cities.
Named to the AHL All-Rookie team and the Pacific Division All-Star team last week, Thompson made 23 appearances for the Silver Knights in 2020-21 and went 16-6-1 while ranking first in the league with a .943 save percentage and second with a 1.96 goals-against average as Henderson finished first in the division during the regular season. The CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for both February and March, Thompson allowed two goals or fewer in each of his first nine starts and 15 of 23 overall, in including two shutouts.
A 24-year-old native of Calgary, Alta., Thompson signed an entry-level contract with Vegas on July 13, 2020, after spending last season in the ECHL, and made his NHL debut with the Golden Knights on Mar. 10, 2021, with a relief appearance at Minnesota. Before turning pro, Thompson played major junior with Brandon of the Western Hockey League and spent the 2018-19 season at Brock University where he was named Ontario University Athletics’ goaltender of the year.
The Aldege “Baz†Bastien Memorial Award, which was first presented in 1984, honors former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Baz Bastien, who played four seasons in goal with the AHL’s Pittsburgh Hornets (1945-49) before suffering a career-ending eye injury. Bastien would go on to serve as head coach and general manager of the Hornets, leading them to the 1967 Calder Cup championship. Previous winners of the award include Jon Casey (1985), Sam St. Laurent (1986), Mark Laforest (1987, 1991), Felix Potvin (1992), Corey Hirsch (1993), Manny Legace (1996), Martin Biron (1999), Dwayne Roloson (2001), Jason LaBarbera (2004, 2007), Ryan Miller (2005), Michael Leighton (2008), Cory Schneider (2009), Jonathan Bernier (2010), Jake Allen (2014), Matt Murray (2015), Peter Budaj (2016), Troy Grosenick (2017), Garret Sparks (2018), Alex Nedeljkovic (2019) and Kaapo Kahkonen (2020).
In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 31 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The winner of the 2020-21 Eddie Shore Award (outstanding defenseman) will be announced Wednesday.
