Former Express Forward to Make NHL Debut
November 1, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Roanoke Express News Release
ROANOKE, VA â Former Roanoke Express forward Vern Fiddler was called up by the Nashville Predators today, and will make his National Hockey League debut on Saturday night in Los Angeles. Fiddler, who was an All-Star last season with the Express, began the 2002-03 season with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.
In six games with Milwaukee, Fiddler was third on the team in scoring with six points, and was a plus-7. The 22-year-old native of Edmonton, Alberta, is expected to make his NHL debut when the Predators travel to Los Angeles to take on the Kings on November 2, at 10:30 p.m. eastern time.
Roanoke Express Head Coach and General Manager Perry Florio said, "It's very satisfying to see one of our players climb his way to the top. Along with fielding a competitive team in this league, our other objective is to develop younger players so they can move up to the NHL. This is the reason we got rid of our older players and brought in fresh, young faces. Vern is a perfect example of how our system works and the philosophy we believe in."
Last season Fiddler quickly became an offensive force with the Express, earning his way onto the ECHL All-Star team. Overall, Fiddler scored 55 points (27 goals and 28 assists) in the 44 games he played with Roanoke. Just after the All-Star break, Fiddler earned a call-up to the AHL's Norfolk Admirals. He finished the season playing in 38 games with the Admirals, picking up 13 points.
After beginning the 2000-01 season in the Western Hockey League with the Kelowna Rockets, he spent the majority of the season with the Medicine-Hat Tigers of the WHL, before making his professional debut late in the year with the Arkansas Riverblades of the ECHL, seeing action in three games. Fiddler was then traded to Roanoke for former Express defenseman Calvin Elfring.
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