Michigan native Kevin Allen named HHOF’s Elmer Ferguson award winner

By Michael Caples –

Kevin Allen has more to add to his resume.

The Wayne native and USA Today lead hockey writer is this year’s recipient of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, given for excellence in hockey journalism.

Allen, an Eastern Michigan alum, has been USA Today’s hockey expert since 1986. Last year, he was presented with the Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States – only the fifth media member to receive the award.

Over the last three decades, Allen – who also serves as the president of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association – has covered 27 Stanley Cup Final series, eight Olympics and 600 NHL playoff games.

“Kevin has managed a neat trick over the years, writing definitive and authoritative hockey commentary in a publication that requires its writers to be tight and bright,” said Eric Duhatschek, vice president of the PHWA, in a release.  “Kevin is the most well-connected of the U.S. based writers and was an ‘insider’ long before the term became ubiquitous.”

MORE: Read our MiHockeyMag article on Allen being named the Lester Patrick Trophy recipient here.