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Utah Grizzlies forward Danny Dzhaniyev has won the 2026 John A. Daley Memorial Award as the ECHL’s Rookie of the Year. He was named to both the All-ECHL Second Team and the ECHL All-Rookie Team. In his rookie season, Dzhaniyev played in all 72 games with the Grizzlies, putting up 24 goals and 49 assists for 73 points; his 73 points ranked fourth in the ECHL during the 2025-26 season. Dzhaniev is the first Grizzly to win this award since 2021, when Matthew Boucher won the award.

Prior to joining the Grizzlies, the Brooklyn, NY, native played four years of NCAA hockey at Penn State University. During his four years with the Nitany Lions, Dzhaniyev put up 34 goals and 59 assists for 93 points in 146 games, while also wearing a letter in his final season at Penn State. He also played three years of junior hockey with the United States National Development Program, where he had 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points in 98 games. Dzhaniyev spent three years in the USHL, two with the United States Development Junior Team, and his final season with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. In three seasons in the USHL, he had 24 goals and 23 assists for 47 points in 98 games.

This article first appeared on Inside The Rink and was syndicated with permission.

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