McVicar, Holt Increase ECHL Players In NHL To 281

December 5, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - Former Columbia goaltender Robert McVicar made his National Hockey League Debut on Thursday with the Vancouver Canucks and Charlotte goaltender Chris Holt played his first NHL game on Saturday with the New York Rangers.

McVicar and Holt raise the number of players to play in the NHL after playing in the ECHL to 281 and the number of former ECHL players who have played their first NHL game in 2005-06 to 25.

The 23-year-old McVicar played the final 2:44 of Vancouver's 5-3 loss at Edmonton, relieving former Columbia goaltender Alex Auld. Selected in the fifth round (151st overall) by Vancouver in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, McVicar was 11-5-2 with goals-against of 2.59 and save percentage of .909 as a rookie in 19 games with Columbia in 2003-04 and 14-14-5 with three shutouts, goals-against of 2.37 and a save percentage of .920 in 34 games with the Inferno in 2004-05.

The 20-year-old Holt played the final 10:24 and made two saves in the Rangers 5-1 loss at Washington. Selected in the sixth round (180th overall) by the Rangers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and in his first professional season, Holt was 1-1-0 with goals-against of 3.50 and a save percentage of .917 in two games with Charlotte.

The Premier 'AA' Hockey League has affiliations with 25 of the 30 teams in the NHL and there are 101 players on ECHL rosters under contract to teams in the National Hockey League. There is one head coach, 12 assistant coaches, 13 referees and five linesmen working in the NHL in 2005-06 who have ECHL experience.

There have been 25 players in 2005-06 that have made their first NHL appearance since playing in the ECHL: Evgeny Artyukhin (Tampa Bay on Oct. 20), Adam Berkhoel (Atlanta on Oct. 15), Derek Boogaard (Minnesota on Oct. 5), Kevin Colley (New York Islanders on Oct. 27), Brian Eklund (Tampa Bay on Nov. 8), Michael Garnett (Atlanta on Oct. 12), Trevor Gillies (Anaheim on Nov. 6), Steven Goertzen (Columbus on Oct. 21), Jeff Giuliano (Los Angeles on Nov. 5), Timo Helbling (Tampa Bay on Oct. 5), Colin Hemingway (St. Louis on Oct. 19), Chris Holt (New York Rangers on Dec. 3), Raitis Ivanans (Montreal on Oct. 8), Greg Jacina (Florida on Nov. 12), Zenon Konopka (Anaheim on Oct. 30), Jay Leach (Boston on Nov. 5), Rob McVicar (Vancouver on Dec. 1), Mike Morrison (Edmonton on Nov. 7), Michel Ouellet (Pittsburgh on Nov. 22), George Parros (Los Angeles on Oct. 5), Geoff Platt (Columbus on Dec. 2), Nolan Schaefer (San Jose on Oct. 26), Martin St. Pierre (Chicago on Nov. 4), Grant Stevenson (San Jose on Nov. 23) and Mark Streit (Montreal on Oct. 8).

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