MacDonald Increases ECHL Players In NHL To 397
February 28, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release
PRINCETON, N.J. - Former Utah Grizzlies defenseman Andrew MacDonald became the 397th player to play in the National Hockey League after the ECHL when he made his debut on Saturday with the New York Islanders in their 2-0 win against Buffalo.
Selected in the sixth round (160th overall) by the Islanders in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, the 22 year old played for the Grizzlies as a rookie in 2007-08 and had 12 points (1g-11a) and 39 penalty minutes in 38 regular season games and 12 points (3g-9a) and 12 penalty minutes in 15 Kelly Cup Playoff games.
The head coach of the Islanders is former ECHL player and coach Scott Gordon while former ECHL player Daniel Lacroix is an assistant coach for New York.
The Premier âAA' Hockey League, the ECHL has affiliations with 24 of the 30 teams in the NHL, marking the 12th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams. The Grizzlies are the ECHL affiliate of the Islanders.
There have been 42former ECHL players who have made their debut this season and 141 have played their first NHL game in the last four seasons, including a record 47 who made their debut in 2005-06. Seventy-two former ECHL players were on NHL opening-day rosters this season and 333 ECHL players attended NHL training camps, including 139 who played in the league last season.
Former ECHL coaches working as head coaches in the NHL are Gordon and Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals while former ECHL player Dan Bylsma is the interim head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Boudreau, who coached Mississippi for three seasons winning the Kelly Cup championship in 1999, was named NHL Coach of the Year in 2007-08 becoming the first former ECHL coach to receive the award. Peter Laviolette, who began his coaching career with the Wheeling Nailers, led Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006. There are 18 assistant coaches in the NHL who were players or coaches in the ECHL.
ECHL Stories from February 28, 2009
- Wranglers Fall To Reign 5-4 In a Shootout - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Bakersfield Doubles Up RoadRunners 6-3 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- MacDonald Increases ECHL Players In NHL To 397 - ECHL
- Wirll's hat trick leads Condors to 6-3 win in Phoenix - Bakersfield Condors
- Devils' Last Gasp Not Enough in 3-2 Loss - Trenton Devils
- Chiefs stumble - Johnstown Chiefs
- Royals Blasted By Bombers, 5-3 - Reading Royals
- Wranglers Carpentier Recalled to Quad City - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Blades finish off sweep of Chiefs with 4-1 win - Florida Everblades
- Nailers trip up Trenton - Wheeling Nailers
- Stingrays Lose Tough One to Sea Wolves 4-3 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Goals Seven Seconds Apart Lead Cyclones To 4-2 Win! - Cincinnati Cyclones
- New Addition Bombers Have Big Night in Win - Dayton Bombers
- Sea Wolves win third straight - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- MacDonald Increases ECHL Players In NHL To 397 - ECHL
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Tyler Doig Recalled To Marlies - Reading Royals
- Nailers Go For Third Straight Win Over Trenton Tonight - Wheeling Nailers
- Andrew MacDonald Recalled To New York; NHL Debut Tonight - Utah Grizzlies
- Eizenman Loaned to Milwaukee - Stockton Thunder
- Game Preview: Stockton Thunder Vs. Idaho Steelheads - Stockton Thunder
- Game Preview: Ontario Reign Vs Las Vegas Wranglers - Ontario Reign
- Coliseum Turns Pink Tonight as Rays Host Mississippi - South Carolina Stingrays
- Blades see changes to roster - Florida Everblades
- Lukin Earns First Career Call-Up - Dayton Bombers
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Capacity Crowd Sees Alaska Move Into First Place - Alaska Aces
- Thunder climb over .500 mark again on Urquhart's two goals - Stockton Thunder
- Grizzlies Fall 2-0 In Alaska - Utah Grizzlies
- Steelheads Lose To Stockton, 3-2 - Idaho Steelheads
- RoadRunners Top Reign, 6-4 - Ontario Reign
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