Islanders Add Depth with Signings
July 3, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
(July 3, 2008 - Long Island, N.Y.) - The New York Islanders have announced that the club has signed Kurtis McLean, Chris Lee, and Mitch Fritz all to one-year, two-way contracts and goaltender Peter Mannino to a one-year entry-level deal.
McLean stepped up as one of the most consistent members of the American Hockey League's Eastern Conference Champion Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season. A graduate of Norwich University, McLean compiled career high numbers centering one of the Penguins top lines last season with 22 goals and 32 assists for 54 points in 76 games. The 27 year-old Kirkland, ON native also had 19 points throughout Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's playoff run. McLean has spent his pro career within the Pittsburgh Penguins' organization with both their AHL and ECHL affiliate. The past three seasons in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, McLean has scored 42 goals and 59 assists for 101 points in 163 contests. In 57 games with the Wheeling Nailers, Pittsburgh's ECHL affiliate, McLean totaled 42 goals and 37 assists for 79 points.
Lee, a 27-year old defenseman who spent the 2007-08 season with the Iowa Stars of the AHL has seen action with four different teams over the course of his career. Last season, Lee scored seven goals, 28 assists and 42 penalty minutes in 68 games with the Stars. In 104 career AHL games, Lee has registered 11 goals and 35 assists for 46 points to go along with 62 penalty minutes. Since 2004-05, Lee has spent parts of seasons with the Albany River Rats, Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, respectively.
Fritz brings a total of 234 AHL games over the course of eight seasons to the Islanders' organization, totaling 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points while compiling 703 penalty minutes. Throughout his career, Fritz has played for the Lowell Lock Monsters, Hamilton Bulldogs, St. John's Flames, Milwaukee Admirals, Worcester Sharks, Springfield Falcons, and Hartford Wolf Pack. The 27 year-old was a part of the New York Rangers AHL affiliate last season but was hindered by injury, playing in only 11 games, registering a goal and four assists with 34 penalty minutes. Fritz is the winner of the AHL's Yannick Dupre Memorial Award for the player who gives the most to the community in 2006.
Mannino graduated from the University of Denver this spring after playing for the Pioneers for four straight seasons. Last season, Mannino a native from Farmington Hills, Michigan, played in 40 of the team's 41 contests and had a 25-14-1 record with a 2.27 goals against average and a .917 save percentage. The 24 year-old has played in 103 contests over his career at Denver, ranking first in school history in shutouts (15), second in save percentage (.917), and third in goals against average (2.35) and wins (63). As a freshman, Mannino led Denver to a National Championship in 2005.
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American Hockey League Stories from July 3, 2008
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