GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins are proud to announce that Chris Terry has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Grand Rapids community during the 2018-19 season.

In his 10th season as a professional and first with Grand Rapids, Terry, 29, has earned his second consecutive Man of the Year award after being Laval’s recipient in 2017-18.

An alternate captain with the Griffins, Terry began the season by purchasing season tickets to donate to The ALS Association Michigan Chapter.

In the spirit of the holidays, Chris and his wife, Chelsey, bought and personally delivered Thanksgiving turkeys in late November to Family Promise of Grand Rapids, an organization whose mission is to end homelessness. Furthering his commitment to Family Promise, he donated to the organization’s Christmas Shopping Spree. Chris and Chelsey helped children shop for presents for their families and loved ones at the Grand Rapids Jaycees’ annual Holiday Shopping Tour at Cascade Meijer on Dec. 4.

Terry and several teammates visited Paws with a Cause on Feb. 19 to interact with and help train dogs that will, in the future, be used to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.

Terry did his part to promote National Reading Month by reading to students at St. Stephen Catholic School in Grand Rapids on March 5 and Belmont Elementary in Rockford on March 14.

The Griffins’ leading point and goal scorer, Terry has teamed up with Fox Motors to contribute $100 per goal to the Griffins Youth Foundation throughout the season.

Terry, a native of Brampton, Ontario, who makes his offseason home in Northville, Mich., has been a proud ambassador for the Griffins, embodying the core values of both the organization and the city of Grand Rapids. Terry has participated in all of the team’s charitable events this season including waiting tables at the Tip-A-Griffin fundraiser for the Griffins Youth Foundation, skating with fans at the 16th annual Great Skate Winterfest to benefit the Griffins Youth Foundation, taking part in the annual sled hockey game with the Grand Rapids Sled Wings and serving beverages at Hockey, Hops and Hope that aids Easterseals Michigan. Terry also displayed his appreciation for the thousands of Griffins season ticket members by attending a members-only luncheon in late February.

Terry is now one of 31 finalists for the AHL’s 2018-19 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League at a later date.

Photo by Sam Iannamico/Griffins