AHL San Antonio Rampage

Coyotes Sign Eriksson To Contract

December 21, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
San Antonio Rampage News Release


GLENDALE, ARIZONA -- Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed defenseman Anders Eriksson to a contract and has been recalled to the Coyotes from their American Hockey League Affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. As per Club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. In addition, the Coyotes have re-assigned defenseman David Schlemko to San Antonio (AHL), retroactive to Dec. 19.

Eriksson, 34, had been playing for the San Antonio Rampage (AHL), where he recorded 1-2-3 in eight games. Eriksson has appeared in 552 career National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames, recording 22-149-171 and 240 penalty minutes (PIM) over parts of 11 NHL seasons. He was a member of the 1998 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings and has registered six assists and 18 PIM in 36 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, including two games with Calgary during the 2009 Playoffs.

A native of Bollnas, Sweden, Eriksson has appeared in 309 career AHL games, posting 25-159-184 and 331 PIM with Adirondack, St. John's, Syracuse, Springfield, Quad City and San Antonio over parts of eight seasons. During the 2008-09 season, Eriksson recorded AHL career-highs in assists (45) and points (49) while playing in 64 games with Quad City.

The 6-foot-3, 224-pound defenseman played on the bronze medal-winning Swedish team at the 1999 World Championships. He earned the Swedish Elite League's (SEL) Rookie of the Year award during the 1994-95 season and represented Sweden at the 1995 World Junior Championships in which he was named a First Team All-Star in the tournament. Eriksson also helped Sweden win the silver medal at the 1994 World Junior Championships.

Eriksson was selected by Detroit in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

Schlemko, 22, has recorded 1-4-5 and eight penalty minutes (PIM) in 17 games with the Coyotes this season. He also registered five assists and 10 PIM in 13 games with San Antonio this season prior to his recall on Nov. 5. Last year, he ranked 2nd among Rampage defensemen in scoring with 7-22-29 in 68 games. He also appeared in three games with the Coyotes and registered one assist for his first NHL point. In 20 career NHL games, Schlemko has collected 1-5-6.

In 82 career AHL games, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Schlemko has recorded 7-27-34 and 34 PIM. In 2007-08, he appeared in 58 games with the Arizona Sundogs of the Central Hockey League (CHL) and collected 10-29-39 and 24 PIM. Schlemko also registered 3-5-8 in 14 playoff games to help lead the Sundogs to the 2008 Ray Miron President's Cup Championship.

Prior to his professional career, Schlemko spent three seasons (2004-05 to 2006-07) with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In 198 career WHL games, he recorded 22-109-131 and 145 PIM. A native of Edmonton, Alberta, Schlemko originally signed with the Coyotes as a free agent on July 19, 2007.

Check out the San Antonio Rampage Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from December 21, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central