Mitch Love will tell you that the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award, given annually to the American Hockey League’s most outstanding head coach, is a team distinction.
Said team erupted on Wednesday afternoon after being informed that the first-year Stockton Heat bench boss was named the 2022 recipient of the award.
Both on and off the ice, the newly-minted AHL Coach of the Year was quick to give all the credit right back to his team. Stockton finished with an extremely impressive 45–16–7 record in the 2021–22 regular season.
“It’s all the hard work that you guys, this group right here, along with [the other coaches] that work each and every day for you, the support staff — that’s the award.