AHL Chicago Wolves

Atlanta Sends Three to Chicago

Published on September 30, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release


The Atlanta Thrashers have assigned forwards JORDAN LaVALLEE (LAH-VALLEY), JUNIOR LESSARD and JOE MOTZKO (MAWTS-koh) to the Chicago Wolves.

MOTZKO ranked third on the Wolves and 14th in the American Hockey League with a career-high 70 points in 72 regular-season games last season, which includes 21 goals and 48 points in 44 games with the Hershey Bears prior to being acquired by Atlanta and assigned to Chicago on Feb. 26. The 28-year-old right wing also registered National Hockey League career-highs with two goals and four points in eight games with the Washington Capitals last season.

The Bemidji, Minn., native, was named to back-to-back AHL All-Star Classics in 2007 and 2008, and was a member of the 2007 Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks and 2008 Calder Cup Champion Chicago Wolves. He ranked fourth on the Wolves with a postseason career-high nine assists and sixth with 11 points in 16 Calder Cup playoff games last season, despite missing the final eight contests due to injury. Overall, MOTZKO has appeared in 19 career regular-season NHL games during parts of five seasons with Washington (2007-08), Anaheim (2006-07) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (2003 to 2007), and has recorded 303 points (127G, 176A) and 273 penalty minutes in 351 career AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch (2002 to 2007), Portland Pirates (2006-07) Bears (2007-08) and Wolves (2008).

LESSARD appeared in a career-high 21 NHL games last season, recording two penalty minutes in two games with the Dallas Stars and two points (G, A) in 19 outings with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 28-year-old right wing also registered 16 goals and 36 points in 55 AHL outings with the Norfolk Admirals and Iowa Stars last year.

Overall, the St.-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec, native, has recorded four points (3G, A) in 27 career NHL outings with Dallas (2005 to 2008) and Tampa Bay (2007-08), and amassed 80 goals and 168 points in 257 career AHL outings with the Houston Aeros (2004-05), Stars (2005 to 2008) and Admirals (2007-08). Prior to going pro, LESSARD tallied 74 goals and 142 points in 160 games with the University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA) over four seasons (2000 to 2004), and won the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top college player in 2004 en route to leading UMD to the NCAA Frozen Four.

LaVALLEE made his NHL debut last season, netting two points - including his first NHL goal - in two games with Atlanta. The Thrashers' fourth choice, 113th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, also posted a career-high 20 goals, 22 assists and 42 points in 76 outings with the Wolves. The 22-year-old left wing, who helped the Quebec Remparts capture the Memorial Cup in 2005, added three goals and eight points in 24 Calder Cup Playoff tilts en route to Chicago's 2008 championship - which includes five (2G, 3A) in the six-game Finals. Overall, the Corvallis, Ore., native has notched 36 goals, 40 assists and 76 points in 155 AHL games spanning two seasons of action with the Wolves.

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American Hockey League Stories from September 30, 2008


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