Media/PR Director of the Year Award named in honor of Joe Babik

SHREWSBURY, N.J. – The ECHL announced on Friday that the annual Media/PR Director of the Year Award has been named in honor of Joe Babik. “Naming this award in Joe's honor is well deserved,” said ECHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Joe Ernst, who serves as co-chairman of the ECHL Hall of Fame Committee. “His passion, knowledge and history of the ECHL is second to none, and there is no one better suited to have the annual Media/PR Award named in his honor.” Babik has headed the communications efforts for the League since March 2010. Prior to joining the ECHL, he had seven seasons of experience in minor league hockey, including six in the ECHL. He began his career as the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations with the Pee Dee Pride from 2001-2005, while serving in the same capacity for the Fresno Falcons from 2006-2008. He was part of the radio broadcast crew for the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game in Peoria, Ill., and following the 2007-08 season, was named as the National Conference recipient of the ECHL Broadcaster of the Year Award. Babik also served a season as the Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Adirondack Frostbite of the United Hockey League in 2005-06. The Johnstown, Pennsylvania native received his Bachelor’s Degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University in 2001. While at Syracuse, Babik served as both a public relations and broadcast intern with the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch from 1998-2001. “I am truly honored by having the ECHL’s Media/PR Director of Year Award named in my honor,” Babik said. “As someone who grew up attending ECHL games in Johnstown, and has worked in the League for over 20 years, it is a humbling moment, and I thank everyone involved who is responsible for the honor.” About the ECHL Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 35th season in 2022-23. There have been 740 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 13 who have made their NHL debut in the 2022-23 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2022-23, marking the 26th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.