AHL Manchester Monarchs

Purcell Named Starter For Canadian AHL All-Star Team

January 9, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


MANCHESTER, NH - The Manchester Monarchs and the American Hockey League announced today that rookie right wing Teddy Purcell will be a starter for the Canadian AHL All-Star team for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Reebok, to be played later this month at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, New York. The PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team roster will be announced on Thursday.

Purcell, 22, is one of the most prolific newcomers in the AHL this season. He ranks first among rookies and second in the entire league with 35 assists and 47 points in 36 games for Manchester in his first year out of the University of Maine. Purcell, a native of St. John's, Newfoundland, was the Rbk Edge/AHL Rookie of the Month for November, when he tallied 17 points in 12 games for the Monarchs.

The Canadian team comprises 24 players - 13 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders - born in Canada. AHL fans determined the starting lineup via on-line balloting at theahl.com, while a committee of AHL coaches selected the remainder of the roster.

Among the members of the Canadian team are 15 first-time AHL All-Stars, including the AHL's top two scorers in Jason Krog of Chicago and Purcell, and leading goal-scorer Pascal Pelletier of Providence. The team also features former first-round draft picks Cam Barker of Rockford, Derick Brassard of Syracuse and Jeff Tambellini of Bridgeport.

Binghamton Senators forward Denis Hamel was selected to captain the Canadian team, his third career AHL All-Star Classic appearance. And because he led Hamilton to the Calder Cup championship in 2007, Don Lever will serve as the head coach for the Canadian AHL All-Stars.

Of the 427 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Brad Boyes, Daniel Briere, Zdeno Chara, Jonathan Cheechoo, Pavol Demitra, Rick DiPietro, Patrik Elias, Ray Emery, Juri Hudler, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Steve Sullivan.

The 2008 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Reebok will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League competing in the 2008 CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 27 (7:00 ET), and the 2008 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, January 28 (7:00 ET). The event will be televised nationally in the United States and Canada.

2008 Canadian AHL All-Star Team

Forwards

Derick Brassard, Syracuse

Nigel Dawes, Hartford

Denis Hamel, Binghamton ("C")

Mike Iggulden, Worcester

Jason Krog, Chicago

Clarke MacArthur, Rochester

x-Pascal Pelletier, Providence

Joel Perrault, San Antonio

Rich Peverley, Milwaukee

x-Teddy Purcell, Manchester

x-Martin St. Pierre, Rockford

Jeff Tambellini, Bridgeport

Kyle Wanvig, Norfolk

Defensemen

x-Cam Barker, Rockford

Micki DuPont, Peoria

Joel Kwiatkowski, Chicago

x-Lawrence Nycholat, Binghamton

Ryan O'Byrne, Hamilton

Adam Pardy, Quad City

Alexandre Picard, Philadelphia

Derrick Walser, Toronto

Goaltenders

x-Michael Leighton, Albany

Drew MacIntyre, Manitoba

Nolan Schaefer, Houston

Head Coach: Don Lever, Hamilton

Assistant Coach: Ron Wilson, Hamilton

Athletic Therapist: Luc Leblanc, Hamilton

Equipment Manager: David Aleo, Hamilton

x-starters

The Monarchs host the Albany River Rats on Wednesday, January 9 at the Verizon Wireless Arena. Face-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Catch all of the play-by-play action of Monarchs hockey with Ken Cail on the Monarchs Radio Network WGIR-AM 610 and at www.monarchshockey.com. Watch the game live on B2 Networks for just $6 per game. Log onto www.monarchshockey.com and click on the link to B2 Networks ten minutes prior to each Monarchs game to watch the game live!



American Hockey League Stories from January 9, 2008


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