Sound Tigers parent club signs trio
July 25, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
The New York Islanders, NHL parent club of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, have signed defensemen Allan Rourke and Ryan Caldwell along with goaltender Billy Thompson each to one-year contracts.
Rourke and Caldwell garnered a bulk of experience with the Sound Tigers last season. In 58 games with the Tigers Rourke netted 9 goals and added 22 assists, while compiling 30 penalty minutes.
"It is great having one of the backbones of last year's defense returning for another year of leadership and intensity," Sound Tigers President Howard Saffan said of Rourke.
In 61 games Caldwell had 3 goals and 12 assists and 38 penalty minutes. Thompson, who played for the American Hockey League's Binghamton Senators last year, went 9-18-3 with a 4.14 goals against average. His best season with the Senators was in 2004-05 when he posted a 19-8-2 record with a 2.44 goals against average.
Allan Rourke
The 26-year-old Rourke (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) is a Mississauga, Ontario native. Rourke was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth-round of the 1998 NHL entry draft. After being traded to Carolina he recorded his first NHL point against the Leafs and notched his first NHL goal against the Islanders.
Ryan Caldwell
Caldwell (6-foot-3, 202 pounds) is 25 and is a Brandon, Manitoba native. Caldwell had a four-year career at the University of Denver in which he was selected to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament team in 2004. He was selected by the Isles in the 2000 entry draft.
Billy Thompson
Thompson (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) is 23 and is a native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was selected in the 2001 NHL entry draft by the Florida Panthers. Thompson played parts of five seasons with the Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars between 1998 and 2003 before beginning play with Binghamton.
American Hockey League Stories from July 25, 2006
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- Crunch Announce Additional Home Date - Syracuse Crunch
- Capitals ink defenseman Trevor Byrne - Hershey Bears
- Rivermen Announce Preseason Schedule - Peoria Rivermen
- Iowa Stars bolster blueline - Iowa Chops
- Aeros re-sign C Bryan Lundbohm - Houston Aeros
- Capitals to host New Jersey Devils at Giant Center September 24 - Hershey Bears
- Wolf Pack Announce 2006 Pre-Season Schedule - Connecticut Whale
- Sound Tigers parent club signs trio - Bridgeport Islanders
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