The Wolves are proud to announce that forward Dominic Franco has been honored with a pair of important awards for his charitable contributions during the 2024-25 American Hockey League season.
On Tuesday, the American Hockey League named Franco the winner of the Wolves’ 2024-25 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. In addition, the Wolves announced that the 29-year-old has captured the organization’s highest honor, the 2025 Dan Snyder Man of the Year Award.
The Wolves’ IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award was given to Franco for his outstanding contributions to the Chicago-area community during the 2024-25 season.
“I genuinely enjoy being so involved in the community,” said Franco, who recently made his season debut after recovering from surgery in mid-October following a shoulder injury suffered in training camp. “It’s not very often you’re able to connect with people and have this much impact.”
Franco also joined an illustrious group of former Wolves who have captured the prestigious Dan Snyder Man of the Year Award. It marks the second consecutive year Franco has received the honor,
Each season, a Wolves player receives the award in memory of Snyder, who passed away Oct. 5, 2003, at the age of 25 after suffering head injuries in a car accident. During his two seasons with the Wolves, Snyder set the standard for community service and Franco is following suit.
“I’m truly honored again to receive this award,” Franco said. “To be honored in Dan Snyder’s name is a privilege.”
The Scituate, R.I., native’s off-ice contributions start–but don’t end with–Franco’s meaningful “Friends of Franco” program, a space for Military Families to apply for free tickets to a Wolves game and attend a postgame meet-and-greet with the Class of 2020 graduate of West Point and current member of the Army’s Ready Reserve.
Franco has also been involved in helping raise money for charities during the Wolves’ annual “Brews & Bites” event, he is a frequent participant in the organization’s “Read to Succeed” program which encourages students to make reading a fun and rewarding part of life, and he is also heavily involved in the Wolves’ initiatives with Animal Adoption.
There may be more honors headed Franco’s way as he is now one of 32 finalists for the AHL’s 2024-25 Yanick Dupré Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League later this month.
