ANAS, KAHKONEN, MENELL & MAYHEW NAMED TO AHL ALL-STAR TEAMS

May 20, 2020

Iowa Wild, in conjunction with the American Hockey League (AHL), announced today right winger Sam Anas, defenseman Brennan Menell and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen have been named to the AHL’s First All-Star Team, while left winger Gerry Mayhew was selected to the AHL’s Second All-Star Team.

The selections were made based on voting by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 31 cities. Each All-Star Team member will receive a custom-designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2019-20 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams.

Anas, the league’s leading scorer with 70 points (20g, 50a), was a 2020 AHL All-Star.  Despite the shortened season, the fourth-year pro recorded 19 multiple point games, the most ever by a Wild player. He also paced the AHL this season with 42 power play points, the most by any player since 2013-14. Anas is Iowa’s all-time leader in assists (175) and points (267). Undrafted out of Quinnipiac University, Anas originally signed with the Minnesota Wild on April 15, 2016. 

Menell, 22, led AHL blueliners with 42 assists and finished second in the league with 47 points, a career-high for the third-year pro. Hailing from Woodbury, Minn., he represented Iowa at the 2020 AHL All-Star Game.  The club’s all-time leader for points (116) amongst defensemen, Menell made his NHL debut with Minnesota on December 10, 2019.

Kahkonen, a fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in 2014, led the AHL with 25 wins and seven shutouts.  A 2019 AHL All-Star, Kahkonen finished with a 2.07 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage, both of which ranked fourth in the AHL. His 25 wins this year set a single-season Iowa record and his 42 career victories are the most ever by a Wild goaltender. Kahkonen made his NHL debut with Minnesota this season, going 3-1-1 in five games for the Wild.

Mayhew, a Wyandotte, Mich. native led the AHL with 39 goals, despite playing in just 49 games. A 2020 AHL-All Star, Mayhew finished the campaign with 61 points overall. He recorded a league-best 10 game-winning goals and finished sixth in shots on goal (179). Mayhew made his NHL debut with Minnesota on October 15, 2019, and ended up scoring two goals in 13 contests with the big club. Mayhew is the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer, racking up 88 goals in 209 games.

Here are the full All-Star Team rosters:

2019-20 AHL First All-Star Team
G - Kaapo Kahkonen, Iowa Wild (34gp, 25-6-3, 2.07gaa, .927sv%, 7so)
D - Jake Bean, Charlotte Checkers (59gp, 10+38=48pts., 3 PPG, 18 PPA)
D - Brennan Menell, Iowa Wild (57gp, 5+42=47pts., +8, 3 PPG, 23 PPA)
LW - Reid Boucher, Utica Comets (53gp, 34+33=67pts., +8, 9 PPG, 7 GWG)
C - Josh Norris, Belleville Senators (56gp, 31+30=61pts., +9, 10 PPG, 4 GWG)
RW - Sam Anas, Iowa Wild (63gp, 20+50=70pts., 7 PPG, 35 PPA)

2019-20 AHL Second All-Star Team
G - Connor Ingram, Milwaukee Admirals (33gp, 21-5-5, 1.92gaa, .933sv%, 2so)
D - Jacob MacDonald, Colorado Eagles (56gp, 16+26=42pts., +7, 7 PPG, 14 PPA)
D - Brogan Rafferty, Utica Comets (57gp, 7+38=45pts., +17, 3 PPG, 17 PPA)
LW - Gerry Mayhew, Iowa Wild (49gp, 39+22=61pts., +16, 13 PPG, 10 GWG)
C - Alex Barre-Boulet, Syracuse Crunch (60gp, 27+29=56pts., +2, 9 PPG, 3 GWG)
RW - Drake Batherson, Belleville Senators (44gp, 16+38=54pts., +14, 3 PPG, 2 GWG)

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.