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2002 ECHL All-Star Game Produces NHL Players Fiddler, Leahy, Ryder, Sanford

January 14, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The 2002 ECHL All-Star Game was the first that asked ECHL coaches to name players who they felt to be prospects to move up to the American Hockey League and the National Hockey League. Four players named to the 2002 ECHL All-Star Game have advanced to the National Hockey League while countless others have gone on to play in the American Hockey League.

Here is a look at some of the players from the 2002 ECHL All-Star Game:

One of the top rookies in the NHL in 2003-04, Michael Ryder was selected to play in the 2002 ECHL All-Star Game after scoring 15 points (7g-8a) in 10 games with Mississippi, but did not play because was on call up to Quebec of the AHL. Ryder, who was under contract to Montreal of the NHL, finished the season with 27 points (14g-13a) in 20 games with Mississippi.

Named as the starter at goaltender for the Northern Conference, Curtis Sanford was 13-8-2 with a 2.45 goals against average and a .906 save percentage for Peoria in 2001-02. Under contract to Worcester of the AHL and assigned to Peoria, Sanford was 5-4-0 with a 2.46 goals against average and a .922 save percentage in nine games with Worcester in 2001-02. In 2002-03, Sanford went 18-14-8 with three shutouts, a 2.41 goals against average and a .919 save percentage in 41 games for Worcester, and was 5-1-0 with a shutout, a 1.96 goals against average and a .912 save percentage in eight games with St. Louis in the NHL. In 2003-04, Sanford is 4-4-0 with a 2.57 goals against average and a .895 save percentage in 10 games with Worcester.

Vern Fiddler was selected to the ECHL All-Star Game and named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team in 2001-02. Fiddler scored 55 points (27g-28a) in 44 games with Roanoke of the ECHL and 13 points (8g-5a) in 38 regular season games and four points (1g-3a) in four playoff games with Norfolk in the AHL in 2001-02. Fiddler began 2002-03 with Milwaukee of the AHL but was called up to Nashville of the NHL making his debut in November of 2002. He finished 2002-03 with six points (4g-2a) in 19 games with Nashville and scored 24 points (8g-16a) in 54 games with Milwaukee. In 2003-04, Fiddler has appeared in 17 games with Nashville and has scored six points (3g-3a) in 14 games with Milwaukee.

Selected to the ECHL All-Star Game in his first professional season, Pat Leahy scored 41 points (20g-21a) in 41 games with Trenton. Leahy also appeared in the AHL in 2001-02 scoring four points (2g-2a) in 14 regular season games and seven points (3g-4a) in 20 playoff games with Bridgeport while also scoring three points (1g-2a) in nine games with Hershey and two points (1g-1a) in nine games with Portland. In 2002-03, Leahy played the entire season in the AHL scoring 43 points (20g-23a) in 66 regular season games and one point (1g-0a) in four playoff games with Providence. Leahy began the 2003-04 season with Providence, but was called up to Boston of the NHL making his NHL debut on December 6. Scoreless in six games with Boston, Leahy has scored 18 points (10g-8a) in 25 games with Providence in 2003-04.

Named as a replacement starter for the Northern Conference, Kevin Colley scored 53 points (23g-30a) in 41 regular season games with Atlantic City in 2001-02 while also scoring one point (0g-1a) in four games with Providence of the AHL. Colley also played for Rochester of the AHL in 2001-02 scoring seven points (3g-4a) in 25 regular season games and one point (0g-1a) in two playoff games. In 2002-03, Colley was named MVP of the Kelly Cup Playoffs after scoring a league-leading 13 goals and 20 points in 17 games after scoring 71 points (33g-38a) in 50 regular season games for Atlantic City. He also scored five points (2g-3a) in 16 regular season games with Syracuse of the AHL and two points (1g-1a) in six regular season games with Worcester of the AHL. Colley has spent the entire 2003-04 season in AHL with Bridgeport scoring 16 points (8g-8a) in 38 regular season games.

Selected to the All-Star Game in his first professional season, Ben Stafford scored 61 points (22g-39a) in 56 regular season games and was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team. Stafford also played in the AHL in 2001-02 appearing in one game with Philadelphia and one game with Saint John while scoring 16 points (4g-12a) in 24 regular season games and appearing in two playoff games with Providence. He played the entire 2002-03 season with Philadelphia of the AHL scoring 27 points (12g-15a) in 80 regular season games, and has spent the entire 2003-04 season in the AHL with Philadelphia scoring 13 points (6g-7a) in 40 regular season games.

Selected to the ECHL All-Star Game in his first professional season, Preston Mizzi scored 42 points (18g-24a) in 44 regular season games and four points (0g-4a) in six Kelly Cup Playoff games for Dayton in 2001-02. Mizzi also played in the AHL in 2001-02 scoring six points (3g-3a) in 27 regular season games and two points (1g-1a) in six playoff games with Syracuse. In 2003-04, Mizzi has scored 17 points (6g-11a) in 25 games with Atlantic City of the ECHL and one point (0g-1a) in two games with Bridgeport of the AHL.

Selected as a starter in the ECHL All-Star Game, Dylan Gyori scored 73 points (31g-42a) in 69 games with Wheeling in 2001-02. Under contract to Utah of the AHL in 2003-04, Gyori has scored nine points (3g-6a) in 24 games with Utah and nine points (5g-4a) in 10 games with Idaho of the ECHL.

Matt Libby was selected as a starter in the ECHL All-Star Game and named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team in 2001-02 after scoring 28 points (7g-21a) in 49 games with Trenton. Libby also appeared in the AHL in 2001-02 scoring two points (1g-1a) in 15 games with Bridgeport and one point (0g-1a) in five games with Syracuse while also appearing in a game with Saint-John. Libby played the entire 2002-03 season with Portland of the AHL scoring 12 points (0g-12a) in 44 regular season games while also appearing in three playoff games for the Pirates. In 2003-04, Libby has scored three points (1g-2a) in 27 games with Portland.

In his first professional season in 2001-02, Scott Meyer was selected to the ECHL All-Star Game and was 14-10-5 with a 2.72 goals against average in 30 games with Charlotte and 4-4-2 with a 2.14 goals against average in 13 games with Hartford of the AHL. In 2002-03, Meyer was 20-5-0 with a 2.61 goals against average in 27 games with Charlotte while also appearing in nine games with Hartford. Under contract to Hartford of the AHL, Meyer is 8-8-0 with a 2.53 goals against average in 20 games for Charlotte in 2003-04.

Selected to the ECHL All-Star Game in his first full professional season in 2001-02, David Gove scored 49 points (17g-32a) in 54 regular season games and four points (1g-3a) in eight Kelly Cup Playoff games for Johnstown while also scoring six points (2g-4a) in 17 games for Grand Rapids of the AHL. In 2002-03 with San Antonio of the AHL, Gove scored 35 points (15g-20a) in 72 regular season games and one point (0g-1a) in three playoff games. In 2003-04, Gove has scored 17 points (7g-10a) in 38 games with Utah of the AHL.

Named to the ECHL All-Star Game in his first professional season in 2001-02, defenseman Mat Snesrud scored 34 points (10g-24a) in 63 games with Baton Rouge while also appearing in 13 games with Bridgeport of the AHL. Selected in the seventh round (181st overall) by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Snesrud scored three points (0g-3a) in 29 games with Manchester of the AHL in 2002-03 while also scoring 33 points (10g-23a) in 48 games with Reading. In 2003-04, Snesrud has played one game with Manchester while scoring 11 points (5g-6a) in 34 games with Reading.

Named to the ECHL All-Star Game and the ECHL All-Rookie Team in his first full professional season in 2001-02, defenseman Kevin Mitchell scored 39 points (7g-32a) in 63 regular season games and four points (1g-3a) in five Kelly Cup Playoff games with Louisiana while also appearing in 10 games with Houston of the AHL. Mitchell scored 34 points (5g-29a) in 30 regular season games and two points (0g-2a) in six Kelly Cup Playoff games with Louisiana in 2002-03. He also appeared in the AHL in 2002-03 scoring five points (1g-4a) in 18 games with Bridgeport and seven points (2g-5a) in 24 games with Cleveland. Under contract to Houston of the AHL in 2003-04, Mitchell has scored three points (0g-3a) for Houston and 17 points (3g-14a) in 18 games with Louisiana.

Named to the ECHL All-Star Game in his first professional season, Ryan Knox scored 30 points (11g-19a) in 49 games with Mobile of the ECHL in 2001-02 while also scoring eight points (3g-5a) in 18 regular season games and appearing in a playoff game with Grand Rapids of the AHL. Knox scored 23 points (6g-17a) in 48 regular season games and one point (0g-1a) in three Kelly Cup Playoff games with Pee Dee of the ECHL in 2002-03 while also scoring one point (0g-1a) in nine games with Cleveland of the AHL and three points (2g-1a) in nine games with Grand Rapids of the AHL. Currently on the injure reserve list, Knox has scored 11 points (4g-7a) in 19 games with Florence in 2003-04.

Named as the starter at goaltender in his first professional season, Frederic Cloutier stopped 15 of 16 shots in the Southern Conference's 7-6 win. Cloutier became the first goaltender ever to be named ECHL Most Valuable Player after going 28-5-3 in 2001-02 and was named ECHL Goaltender of the Year as well as First-Team All-ECHL and ECHL All-Rookie. In 2002-03, Cloutier served as the backup for Minnesota in the NHL two times while going 4-3-2 with a 2.46 goals against average in 12 games with Houston of the AHL and 16-6-4 with a 3.04 goals against average in 26 games with Louisiana. Under contract to Minnesota of the NHL, Cloutier, who will make his second start in the Par-A-Dice ECHL All-Star Game, is 12-4-0 with a 2.40 goals against average in 19 games with Louisiana in 2003-04.

Named to the ECHL All-Star Game with Macon, Chris Madden played the entire 2002-03 season in the AHL with Milwaukee going 7-7-5 with a 3.28 goals against average in 22 games. Under contract to Toronto of the AHL in 2003-04, Madden is 1-5-1 with a 3.41 goals against average in seven games with Toronto and has also appeared in one game with Augusta.

Sponsored by the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino and hosted by the Peoria Rivermen, the 12th Annual ECHL All-Star Game and Skills Competition will be held at the 9,919-seat Carver Arena at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Ill. The Skills Competition will be at 7:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday, January 20 and the game will be played at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, January 21. Tickets to the All-Star Game and Skills Competition are available by telephone at (309) 676-1040 x106.
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