The ECHL has announced that Will Graber of the Fort Wayne Komets has been selected as the Warrior Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player for the 2021-22 season.
 
The award is presented annually to the player selected to be the most valuable to his team as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media members. 

“It’s definitely a nice thing to take awards and end the regular season well, but at this point now, everything resets,” said Graber to the Journal Gazette. “Hopefully, we can do the same kinds of things we’ve been doing and have some success in the playoffs as well.

“I don’t necessarily think about it that often, but if you would have said back in October that I would be in the situation I’m in, I wouldn’t necessarily have believed it. I mean, a lot has changed, even going back to August when I thought I would be in South Carolina, so I’m very thankful that things worked out the way they did. I was able to come here and get a great opportunity, be in a great organization, so I’m thankful for that.”

TJ Hensick of the Toledo Walleye finished second, followed by the Newfoundland Growlers’ Zach O’Brien, Kris Bennett of the Iowa Heartlanders and the Utah Grizzlies’ Charle-Edouard D’Astous. 
 
Named to the All-ECHL First Team last week, the Broomfield native became the first player in ECHL history to lead the league in points (83) and plus-minus (plus-37) in the same season. He also led the ECHL with 57 assists while recording at least one point in 35 of his 59 games.

In Colorado, Graber grew up playing for the Boulder Hockey Club, Colorado Thunderbirds and Rocky Mountain RoughRiders.

Photo/Josh Gales

(April 28, 2022)