Express trades O\'Connell to Florida
Published on February 11, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Roanoke Express News Release
ROANOKE, VA â Roanoke Express Head Coach Tony MacAulay announced today that the team has traded defenseman Tim O'Connell to the Florida Everblades for forward Carl Mallette and defenseman Kevin Holdridge. Both Mallette and Holdridge will join the Express for this weekend's games.
In getting Mallette, the Express pick up a high-scoring rookie who is third on the Everblades' team in scoring with 41 points (14g, 27a) in 51 games. Mallette, a 22-year-old native of Victoriaville, PQ has collected points in six of the last ten games with the âBlades. The 6-foot-1 centerman currently ranks sixth among ECHL rookie scorers with his point total. Drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL in the fourth round of the 2000 entry draft, Mallette played five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League prior to entering the professional ranks. In five seasons with the Victoriaville Tigres, Mallette notched 418 points (151g, 267a) in 318 games, including a career high 125 points in 1999-2000 in 69 games.
The Express also acquires a stay-at-home defenseman in Holdridge. The 23-year-old Syracuse native has seen action with both Louisiana and Florida this season. With the Icegators, Holdridge skated in 15 games, collecting one assist. Most recently with the Everblades, the former third round draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 1998, has picked up two assists in 27 games. Also in his rookie season, Holdridge played four years in the Ontario Hockey League with Detroit/Plymouth and Ottawa. Overall, he collected 55 points in 241 career OHL games.
In return, the Everblades get O'Connell who was in his second season with the Express, and his fourth season professionally overall. The 26-year-old native of Grand Forks, ND has collected 22 points (8g, 14a) in 38 games with Roanoke this season. Over his season and a half with Roanoke, O'Connell picked up 51 points in 87 games. He has also received a call-up to the AHL in each of his four professional seasons.
In addition to the trade, the Express waived defenseman Steve Burgess. Burgess had played in 47 games, collecting one goal and eight assists.
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