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Lars Eller Named To AHL All-Rookie Team

March 31, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL) - Peoria Rivermen News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 31, 2010) - The American Hockey League announced today that Peoria Rivermen center Lars Eller has been named to the 2009-10 AHL All-Rookie Team. The team consists of one goaltender, two defensemen and three forwards was voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league's 29 member cities.

Eller, 20, is nearing the end of the best rookie season in Peoria's AHL era with 53 points (16g, 37a) in 66 games. He ranks behind only Tyler Ennis (Portland/Buffalo) in points among the AHL's rookies while his 53 points and 37 assists trail only Ennis in both categories. He is also second among Rivermen scorers, just one point behind the leader Pascal Pelletier.

Selected by the St. Louis Blues with the 13th overall pick in 2007, Eller was the highest Danish-born player ever drafted in the NHL. He made his NHL debut on Nov. 5, 2009 against the Calgary Flames in a 2-1 loss. Eller scored the only Blues goal, deflecting a shot past Miikka Kiprusoff. In January, he was chosen as one of two Rivermen representatives at the AHL All-Star Classic.

Julian Talbot's 50 points (24g, 26a) in the 2007-08 season stood as the Rivermen AHL rookie record until Eller scored a goal and had two assists on March 28 against Houston to record points 51-53.

His point total is the highest by a Rivermen rookie since James Desmarais collected 59 points (26g, 33a) in the 1999-2000 season for the ECHL Rivermen. Eller is just the 15th rookie in the 26-year history of the Rivermen to record 50 points in one season. The all-time record is 115 points (36g, 79a) set by Nelson Emerson of the IHL Turner Cup champion Rivermen in 1990-91.

Last week, Eller was named the Rivermen American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year for his outstanding contributions to the local community and charitable organizations during the 2009-10 season. From this list of finalists, representatives from American Specialty and the AHL will choose the winner of the 2009-10 Yanick Dupré Memorial Award.

The 2009-2010 AHL All-Rookie Team also includes Worcester Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock, Hershey Bears defenseman John Carlson, Hamilton Bulldogs defenseman P.K. Subban, Worcester Sharks forward Logan Couture, and Portland Pirates forward Tyler Ennis.

Peoria hosts Lake Erie on Thursday at 7 p.m. to start off a pivotal weekend for the Rivermen. For tickets or more information stop by the Rivermen office, call 309-676-1040 or visit www.rivermen.net/tickets.


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