Michael DiPietro of the Providence Bruins has been named the first recipient of the Professional Hockey Players Association Doug Messier Award for the 2025-26 American Hockey League season.
The PHPA announced the honor for DiPietro, who led the league with a 34-8-1 record. He posted the top save percentage at .930 and the lowest goals-against average at 1.91.
His performance helped the Providence Bruins claim the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as AHL regular-season champions. DiPietro also received the Les Cunningham Award as league MVP, the Baz Bastien Award as top goaltender, and a spot on the First-Team AHL All-Star roster.
The award recognizes the most outstanding player in the AHL and ECHL each year based on votes from PHPA members. It honors qualities of excellence, professionalism, and peer respect, in line with the legacy of founding member Doug Messier.
