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2004-05 AHL All-Rookie Team announced

April 6, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today the 2004-05 AHL All-Rookie Team, as voted by AHL players and media in each of the league's 28 member cities.

The team consists of one goaltender, two defensemen and three forwards:

2004-05 AHL All-Rookie Team
Goaltender Cam Ward Lowell Lock Monsters 46gp, 24-16-3, 2.04gaa, .935sv%
Defenseman Kevin Bieksa Manitoba Moose 73gp, 10+26=36pts., +22
Defenseman Chris Campoli Bridgeport Sound Tigers 72gp, 13+32=45pts., +15
Forward Brandon Bochenski Binghamton Senators 69gp, 29+32=61pts., 10 PPG
Forward Rene Bourque Norfolk Admirals 72gp, 33+25=58pts., 8 GWG
Forward Thomas Vanek Rochester Americans 68gp, 34+24=58pts., 19 PPG

Each All-Rookie Team member will receive a custom designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2004-05 AHL All-Rookie Team.

Previous selections to the annual AHL All-Rookie Team include Dan Cloutier (1997), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (1998), Zdeno Chara (1998), Brendan Morrison (1998), Marc Savard (1998), Daniel Briere (1998), J.P. Dumont (1999), Robert Esche (1999), Dan Boyle (1999), Cory Sarich (1999), Dmitri Kalinin (2000), Rico Fata (2000), Jonathan Cheechoo (2001), Michael Leighton (2002), Barret Jackman (2002), Jason Spezza (2003), Darren Haydar (2003) and Michel Ouellet (2004).

2004-05 AHL All-Rookie Team

Cam Ward, Goaltender (Lowell Lock Monsters): A first-round choice by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Cam Ward has shined in his first professional season in Lowell with a record of 24-16-3 and six shutouts in 46 appearances, ranking seventh in the league with a 2.04 goals-against average and second with a .935 save percentage. The 21-year-old Ward, from Sherwood Park, Alta., earned honors as the Reebok AHL Rookie of the Month in December 2004.

Kevin Bieksa, Defense (Manitoba Moose): A steady defenseman for four years at Bowling Green (CCHA), Kevin Bieksa made a successful jump to the pro ranks in 2004-05. A 23-year-old from Grimsby, Ont., leads all AHL defensemen with his plus-22 rating on the season, and has amassed 10 goals, 26 assists and 175 penalty minutes while skating in all 73 games for the Moose. Bieksa was named the Reebok AHL Rookie of the Month for March.

Chris Campoli, Defense (Bridgeport Sound Tigers): A 2004 draft choice by the New York Islanders, Chris Campoli has emerged as one of the AHL's top young defensemen in 2004-05. The 20-year-old native of North York, Ont., leads all AHL rookie blueliners with 45 points in 72 games this season, and ranks second on the Sound Tigers in assists (32) and points and first with a plus-15 rating. Campoli joined the Islanders organization after four junior seasons with the OHL's Erie Otters.

Brandon Bochenski, Forward (Binghamton Senators): Brandon Bochenski leads all AHL rookies with 61 points in 69 games for Binghamton in 2004-05 following three standout seasons at the University of North Dakota. The 23-year-old native of Blaine, Minn., was a member of the PlanetUSA team at the 2005 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic, and ranks fourth on the high-powered Senators in scoring, and has 10 power-play scores and six game-winning markers among his 29 goals. Bochenski was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 2001.

Rene Bourque, Forward (Norfolk Admirals): Rene Bourque has gone from undrafted free-agent signee to one of the top scorers in the AHL, with a franchise-record 33 goals along with 25 assists in 72 contests for Norfolk. Bourque signed with the Chicago Blackhawks after four seasons at the University of Wisconsin, and represented the Admirals at the 2005 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic, where he won the Hardest Shot competition with a blast of 99.8 mph. Bourque, 23, was the Reebok AHL Rookie of the Month for January.

Thomas Vanek, Forward (Rochester Americans): The fifth overall pick (by Buffalo) in the 2003 draft, Thomas Vanek starred for two seasons at the University of Minnesota, earning NCAA Tournament MVP honors as a freshman. This year, the 21-year-old native of Graz, Austria, leads all rookies with 34 goals and is tied for the AHL lead with 19 power-play markers in 68 games for the league-leading Americans. Vanek was voted to the starting lineup for the 2005 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic, but missed the event while playing for Austria in an Olympic qualifier.

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