AHL again sending record number of players to NHL
March 16, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... Three-time American Hockey League All-Star defenseman Ray Giroux helped make AHL history on Monday night when he became the 386th player to suit up in both the AHL and the NHL this season.
The 386 recalled AHL players include 366 who have been credited with a game played in the NHL, and 20 goaltenders who have dressed for an NHL game as a back-up.
A total of 385 American Hockey Leaguers got the call to the NHL during the 2002-03 season.
Giroux, who played in the AHL All-Star Game in 2000, 2002 and 2003, made his first appearance of the season for New Jersey on Monday night, seeing a regular shift during the Devils' 3-1 win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The 27-year-old Giroux has been one of the league's top blueliners in his five AHL seasons, recording 195 points in 319 games with Albany, Bridgeport and Lowell.
Now in its 68th season, the American Hockey League serves as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. All told, 809 of the 1,005 players (80.5 percent) to dress for an NHL game this season have been AHL graduates, including 127 who have made their NHL debuts, 76 who have scored their first NHL goal, 85 who have been former Calder Cup champions and 156 who have played in an AHL All-Star Game. Over the years, the AHL has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
American Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2004
- Falcons drop 4-1 contest to Lowell - Springfield Falcons
- Penguins sign defenseman Ondrej Nemec to ATO - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Phantoms lose 1-0 to Wilkes-Barre - Adirondack Phantoms
- Coyotes reassign Bezina to Falcons - Springfield Falcons
- MacKenzie Rejoins Chicago - Chicago Wolves
- St. Croix Re-Assigned to Columbia - Manitoba Moose
- Girl Scout Night is March 28 - Houston Aeros
- IceCats take part in 2004 Calder Cup Tour - Worcester IceCats
- Badduke Returns to Syracuse March 20 - Syracuse Crunch
- Wolves Guarantee Hockey the Way it Was Meant to be ... Played - Chicago Wolves
- St. 'Cat-Tricks Day - Worcester IceCats
- St. John's Announces Roster Moves - Toronto Marlies
- Crunch Announce 10th Anniversary All-Time Team - Syracuse Crunch
- Phantoms Flier - Adirondack Phantoms
- The Rock Report - Toronto Marlies
- AHL again sending record number of players to NHL - AHL
- Online auctions begin for Jennifer Ferraro Foundation benefit - Springfield Falcons
- Travis Brigley recalled by Colorado Avalanche - Hershey Bears
- Grizzlies Partner with Comcast to Say Thanks to the Military - Utah Grizzlies
- Celebrity Waiter Dinner nets more than $85,000 for charity - Houston Aeros
- Final week of Providence Bruins, Dunkin' Donuts warm-up jersey auction - Providence Bruins
- River Rats head down the home stretch - Albany River Rats
- B-Sens weekly - Binghamton Senators
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