10:29 AM EDT, 09/20/2006  
Canadiens' Cristobal Huet to receive MBNA Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award

Huet Donates $25,000 to the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation and Le Club de la midaille d'or

TORONTO -- Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cristobal Huet will receive the 2005-06 MBNA Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award during an on-ice ceremony prior to the Canadiens preseason game against the Boston Bruins at the Bell Centre tonight.

The promotional award is presented to the goaltender with the NHL's best regular season save percentage. In the 2005-06 season, Huet posted a .929 save percentage edging out Dominik Hasek of the Ottawa Senators who finished with .925. To be eligible for the Saving Grace Award a goaltender must have appeared in at least 25 games during the regular season.

"It's an honor for me to be awarded the MBNA Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award," said Huet. "I am particularly pleased that I can give back to the community by donating the prize associated with the award to various charitable organizations."

The award, first presented in 1999, is named for late NHL goaltender Roger Crozier, who compiled a 206-197-70 record, a goals-against average of 3.04 and 30 shutouts in 518 career games over 14 seasons. His career was highlighted by a Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 1965 and a Conn Smythe Trophy for his MVP performance in the 1966 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Following his hockey career, Crozier joined MBNA America Bank in 1983. He passed away on January 11, 1996.

"MBNA is proud of the relationship we have had with the NHL for the past 11 years", says Debra Armstrong, president, MBNA Canada Bank. "MBNA and the NHL have much in common, including having had the honour to know and to work with the late Roger Crozier. It is our privilege to award the MBNA Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award to Christobal Huet today".

Along with a commemorative crystal award, Cristobal will also receive a check for $25,000 (US) that he will donate to two local charity organizations, the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation and Le Club de la midaille d'or. The Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation assists children who are underprivileged or sick, or who may have special needs by funding non-profit groups dedicated to fighting poverty, improving their health and well-being, or promoting sport among the less fortunate. Since its inception in 2000, the Foundation has donated $4 million to close to two hundred non-profit organizations all across the province of Quebec. Le Club de la midaille d'or is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and support of amateur athletes in Quebec.