Manitoba Moose defenseman Tyrel Bauer has been named the 2025-26 recipient of the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award, the American Hockey League announced today. The honor recognizes a player’s outstanding community contributions and is selected from 32 team Man of the Year honorees. Bauer is the second Moose player in franchise history to win the award after being a two-time local honoree.
Bauer has been a key community figure in Winnipeg for four seasons, playing 214 games with the Moose since being selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Jets. His efforts this season included working with the Kinship and Foster Family Network of Manitoba, which brought foster families to Moose games and provided them with team gift bags and a meet-and-greet with Bauer after contests.
One of Bauer’s most personal contributions was his bond with young fan Noah. The Moose and Bauer gifted Noah a custom-modified pair of gloves to help him play hockey, his favorite sport. Bauer also served as a coach for a U-11 boys’ team at the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy, a program aimed at improving school attendance and graduation rates in underserved areas.
He played a central role in Project 11 events, the True North Youth Foundation initiative honoring former Jets and Moose player Rick Rypien. Bauer spoke at the foundation’s annual gala and helped spread awareness about youth mental health. He also visited classrooms at St.Amant, a non-profit supporting over 5,000 Manitobans with developmental disabilities.
Bauer’s community efforts extended beyond individual work. He joined his teammates in holiday gift drives, school appearances, and autograph sessions. In January, he and the Moose played pick-up hockey with winners of the Moose Backyard Rink Contest.
The Yanick Dupré Memorial Award honors the late Hershey Bear and Flyers draft pick, who passed away in 1997 at age 24 after battling leukemia. The AHL, celebrating its 90th season, remains the top development league for the NHL, with nearly 90% of current NHL players having played in the AHL at some point.
Bauer will continue his community efforts as the Moose enter the final stretch of the season, with playoff implications still looming.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to select Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft after his standout performance in the playoffs, where his elite offensive skills could finally solve the team’s long-standing special teams struggles.
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