Mulvoy, Rusanowsky named NHL Media Award winners
Published
The Professional Hockey Writers' Association announced Mark Mulvoy as the 2023 Elmer Ferguson Award winner, while Dan Rusanowsky was named the winner of the 2023 Foster Hewitt Memorial Award by the NHL Broadcasters' Association on Thursday.
Mulvoy wins the award for his excellence in hockey journalism after covering the NHL for the Boston Globe in the 1960s and then moving his coverage to Sports Illustrated where he eventually became the youngest managing editor in the magazine's history. His pioneering coverage of the USSR and European hockey gave readers their first look at the game overseas.
He continued his hockey coverage by co-authoring books including "My Game" with legendary Bruins defenceman Bobby Orr and "Face off at the Summit" with hall of fame goaltender Ken Dryden.
"Mulvoy was a ground-breaking reporter as the first foreigner given access behind enemy lines to lift the curtain on the Soviet style of play," PHWA president Frank Seravalli said in a statement. "Mulvoy had boots on the ground in Moscow a handful of years before the '72 Summit Series, then of course was there to chronicle history."
"He kept hockey in the hands and doctor's offices of the voracious Sports Illustrated readers. He was hockey's best friend at a time of critical period of growth for the sport."
Rusanowsky is recognized for his outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster after being the radio voice of the San Jose Sharks since the team's inception in 1991.
The 62-year-old began his career as the voice of Lawrence University's NCAA Division I Hockey program and the AHL's New Haven Nighthawks and went on to direct the Sharks Radio Network and call more than 2000 NHL regular season games in San Jose.
"Dan has an insatiable love for radio and has been an integral part of promoting the game of hockey in the Bay area on that medium from day on one of the Sharks in 1991," NHL Broadcasters' Association president Chuck Kaiton said in a statement. "He's extremely worth of this honour.
The recipients of these awards will be recognized by the Hockey Hall of Fame as "Media Honourees" and their award plaques will be displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Mulvoy and Rusanowsky will officially receive their awards prior to the Hockey Hall of Fame's Induction Celebration on Nov. 13.