AHL Providence Bruins

Former P-Bruins prominent at World Championships

Published on April 26, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Providence Bruins News Release


Former Providence Bruins players are on several rosters at the International Ice Hockey Federation's 2004 World Championships. The tournament is being played from April 24 through May 9 in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic. In total, 11 former P-Bruins are in the tournament, including four with Team U.S.A.

Team U.S.A. is being coached by former P-Bruin defenseman and head coach Peter Laviolette, while left wing Andy Hilbert, and defensemen Hal Gill and North Smithfield, RI native Jeff Jillson are on the playing roster. Laviolette captained the first P-Bruins team in 1992-93, and went on to post 35-90-125 totals in 252 games in 1992-93 and from 1994-97. Laviolette became the team's head coach in 1998-99, and was named the AHL's Outstanding Coach that season while guiding the team to its first Calder Cup championship. Laviolette had an 89-54-10-7 record in his two seasons behind the bench in Providence. He was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins in 2000-01, before becoming the head coach of the New York Islanders in 2001-02. Laviolette was 77-62-19-6 with the Isles from 2001-03. He was named the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes on December 15, 2003, and had a 20-21-6-4 record.

Hilbert, a 23-year-old native of Howell, Michigan, just completed his third professional season out of the University of Michigan. He missed the first 37 games of the season due to a groin injury sustained during training camp, and returned to action on January 10. He had 3-5-8 totals and 20 PIM in 19 games with Providence, and two goals and 9 PIM in 18 games with the Boston Bruins. Hilbert also had one goal in five playoff games with Boston. Hilbert is tied for 11th on the P-Bruins' franchise career scoring list with 64-67-131 totals in 155 games from 2001-04. He also ranks sixth in goals, with 64. Hilbert was named to the 2002-03 AHL All-Rookie Team after tying for fourth among league rookies with 26-27-53 totals in 72 games. He followed that season up with 35-35-70 totals in 64 games in 2002-03, tying for third in AHL goal scoring. He represented Providence at the 2002 and 2003 AHL All-Star Classics. Hilbert, who was Boston's third pick, 37th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, has 3-3-6 totals and 18 PIM in 38 career NHL games with Boston.

Hilbert also played in the 2002 World Championships, and is one of 14 players to have suited up for Team USA at three World Junior Championships (1999, 2000, 2001). He ranks eighth among U.S. skaters in games played in World Junior Championships, with 20.

Gill just finished his seventh professional season, all in the Bruins organization. He scored one goal and had 23 PIM in four games with Providence during his 1997-98 rookie season. He has 19-68-87 totals and 464 PIM in 546 career NHL games, all with Boston. The former Providence College standout was Boston's eighth pick, 207th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

Jillson, the former Mt. St. Charles star, was acquired by the Boston Bruins from the San Jose Sharks as part of a trade for Kyle McLaren on January 23, 2004. He was assigned to Providence and had 4-11-15 totals and 26 PIM in 30 games. He started the 2003-04 season with Boston, notching 4-10-14 totals and 35 PIM in 50 games before being traded to San Jose in exchange for Brad Boyes on March 9. Jillson was immediately traded by San Jose to the Buffalo Sabres.

Three former P-Bruins are playing for Latvia. Center Sergei Zholtok is the franchise career scoring leader with 83-103-186 totals in 196 games from 1992-95. He is also the all-time leader in goals and is tied for third in assists. Left wing Grigori Panteleev ranks eighth in franchise career scoring, with 61-79-140 totals in 164 games from 1992-95. Center Aigar Cipruss had 3-3-6 totals in 15 games with Providence in 1995-96.

Left wing Antti Laaksonen is playing for Finland. He had 38-47-85 totals in 144 games from 1997-2000. Laaksonen was a member of the P-Bruins' 1998-99 Calder Cup championship team, posting 25-33-58 totals in 66 games.

Center Jozef Stumpel is competing for Slovakia. Stumpel ranks 17th all-time in P-Bruins history, with 36-73-109 totals in 73 games from 1992-94. He still holds the franchise rookie record for most points in one season, with 31-61-92 totals in 56 games during the 1992-93 inaugural season. He is also one of three players to hold the team record for most points in one game, with 3-4-7 totals in a 9-3 win over the Capital District Islanders on October 30, 1992.

Finally, right wing Glen Murray and defenseman Steve Staios are suiting up for Canada. Murray had 30-26-56 totals in 48 games as a rookie with the inaugural 1992-93 P-Bruins. He also played 27 games that season with Boston, and made the NHL full-time in 1993-94. Murray played two seasons in Boston before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and later the Los Angeles Kings. He was reacquired by Boston, with Stumpel, from Los Angeles on October 24, 2001. He has led Boston in goal scoring in each of the last three seasons, and has played in the 2003 and 2004 NHL All-Star Games. Staios was acquired by Boston from the St. Louis Blues in a mid-season trade during the 1995-96 season. He had 1-4-5 totals and 8 PIM in seven games with Providence following the trade.

In addition to the 11 former Providence Bruins, four others who played this season with Boston are playing in the tournament. Center Patrice Bergeron, who had an outstanding rookie campaign, with 16-23-59 totals in 71 games, is playing for Canada. Defenseman Jiri Slegr, who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on January 17, is playing for the Czech Republic. Forwards P.J. Axelsson and Michael Nylander are playing for Sweden.

Team U.S.A. is in Group B, along with Finland, Slovakia and the Ukraine. The U.S., which lost its first game, 4-2 to Finland on Sunday, faces off with Slovakia today. The Stars and Stripes conclude the Preliminary Round on Wednesday against the Ukraine. The Qualifying and Relegation Rounds run from April 30 – May 4. The Final Round will be played from May 5 – May 9.

Information on Providence Bruins season ticket packages for the 2004-05 season is available online at www.providencebruins.com, and can also be obtained by calling the P-Bruins ticket office at (401) 273-5000.

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