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AHL Syracuse Crunch

Syracuse Crunch Namestnikov and Nesterov Named AHL All-Stars

January 6, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The American Hockey League today announced rosters for the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino. Center Vladislav Namestnikov and defenseman Nikita Nesterov will represent the Syracuse Crunch on the Eastern Conference team.

Namestnikov, 22, has 15 points (7g, 8a) in 14 games with the Crunch this season and seven points (3g, 4a) in 24 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He began the 2014-15 campaign with Tampa Bay, recording his first NHL points Oct. 13 with a goal and an assist vs. Montreal. Since joining Syracuse Dec. 5, Namestnikov is the Crunch's leading scorer and the team is 11-2-1-0. He has points in 11 of his 14 games, including three multi-point performances, three power-play goals and two game-winning scores. The third-year pro has 84 points in (33g, 51a) in 114 career AHL regular season games, plus six points (2g, 4a) in 17 Calder Cup playoff games. The 6-foot, 182-pound center made his NHL debut Feb. 9, 2014, amid a co-MVP season for Syracuse during which he posted 48 points (19g, 29a) in 56 contests and a team-best 14 multi-point games. The Zhukovskiy, Russia native was selected in the first round of the 2011 NHL Draft, 27th overall, by the Lightning. Namestnikov's father, John, was an All-Star for Syracuse in 1996-97.

Nesterov, 21, appeared in each of Syracuse's first 32 games before a Dec. 31 promotion to Tampa Bay when he made his NHL debut for the Lightning. He is plus-1 in two games with the Lightning, averaging 14 minutes of ice time. The second-year pro is plus-4 with the Crunch and is the club's top-scoring defenseman with 14 points (3g, 11a). He's provided nine of his points (2g, 9a) on the power play, second most on the team. Two of Nesterov's goals are game winners, including Oct. 24 in overtime at Worcester and Dec. 10 at Springfield. During his rookie season in the AHL, the 5-foot-11, 199-pound defenseman totaled 16 points (4g, 12a) in 54 games for Syracuse. The Chelyabinsk, Russia native was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, 148th overall, by the Lightning.

Each team comprises 23 players: 12 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders. Rosters were determined by committees of AHL coaches, and all 30 AHL teams are represented by at least one All-Star.

Each conference's All-Star roster is listed below.

A very limited number of tickets remain available for the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino. They can be purchased in person at the Utica Memorial Auditorium box office (10-4 ET), by phone at 800-693-8000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets for the two-day event are priced as low as $69 and include admission to both the All-Star Skills Competition at 8 p.m. on Jan. 25 and the All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on Jan. 26.

In 21 seasons, 33 Crunch players have been selected to participate in the AHL All-Star Classic. Previous selections are Lonny Bohonos and Scott Walker (1994-95), Brian Loney (1995-96), Larry Courville and John Namestnikov (1996-97), Mark Wotton and Robert Dome (1997-98), Boris Protsenko and Valentin Morozov (1998-99), Harold Druken and Chris O'Sullivan (1999-00), Mike Gaul (2000-01), Derrick Walser and Duvie Westcott (2001-02), Karl Goehring (2002-03), Aaron Johnson (2003-04), Alexander Svitov (2004-05), Andy Delmore and Mark Hartigan (2005-06), Filip Novak (2006-07), Derick Brassard, Joakim Lindstrom and Clay Wilson (2007-08), Nikita Filatov and Derek MacKenzie (2008-09), Dan Fritsche (2009-10), Kyle Palmieri (2010-11 & 2011-12), Mark Barberio, Tyler Johnson, Radko Gudas and Richard Panik (2012-13) and Brett Connolly (2013-14).

The 2015 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League: Of the 644 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 94 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Ben Bishop, Ryan Callahan, Zdeno Chara, Logan Couture, Jimmy Howard, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Miller, Gustav Nyquist, Zach Parise, Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan,Martin St. Louis, Cory Schneider, Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and P.K. Subban.

Single game and season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased either in person at the Crunch Box Office located at the War Memorial on 800 South State Street in Syracuse, or by calling the office at (315) 473-4444. For the latest Crunch information, visit the team's official website, syracusecrunch.com, or follow the club on Facebook, facebook.com/syracusecrunch, and Twitter, @SyracuseCrunch.

2015 Eastern Conference AHL All-Stars

G Anton Forsberg, Springfield Falcons (1st appearance) -- 16-4-0, 1.93, .931, 2 SO

G Connor Hellebuyck, St. John's IceCaps (1st) -- 13-9-2, 2.54, .923, 2 SO

G Jeff Zatkoff, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (2nd) -- 11-6-2, 1.69, .932, 3 SO

D Austin Madaisky, Springfield Falcons (1st) -- 36gp, 9-20-29, +6

D Brandon Manning, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2nd) -- 31gp, 6-17-23, +3

D Colin Miller, Manchester Monarchs (1st) -- 29gp, 7-15-22, +3

D Nikita Nesterov, Syracuse Crunch (1st) -- 32gp, 3-11-14, +4

D Derrick Pouliot, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1st) -- 23gp, 7-13-20, E

D Ryan Pulock, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (1st) -- 29gp, 12-5-17, -1

D Matt Taormina, Worcester Sharks (1st) -- 33gp, 4-13-17, -5

D Chris Wideman, Binghamton Senators (1st) -- 32gp, 12-17-29, +6

F Alexandre Bolduc, Portland Pirates (1st) -- 27gp, 10-11-21, E

F Chris Bourque, Hartford Wolf Pack (3rd) -- 33gp, 14-16-30, +4

F Tim Kennedy, Hershey Bears (1st) -- 34gp, 2-25-27, -1

F Alexander Khokhlachev, Providence Bruins (1st) -- 27gp, 7-18-25, +1

F Tom Kostopoulos ("C"), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (2nd) -- 33gp, 6-11-17, +5

F Vladislav Namestnikov, Syracuse Crunch (1st) -- 14gp, 7-8-15, -1

F Brian O'Neill, Manchester Monarchs (1st) -- 34gp, 10-32-42, +17

F David Pastrnak, Providence Bruins (1st) -- 24gp, 10-17-27, +14

F Nick Shore, Manchester Monarchs (1st) -- 34gp, 19-19-38, +23

F Chris Wagner, Norfolk Admirals (1st) -- 21gp, 9-8-17, -7

F Jordan Weal, Manchester Monarchs (1st) -- 34gp, 11-22-33, +4

F Joe Whitney, Albany Devils (2nd) -- 32gp, 13-19-32, +4

Coach: Mike Stothers, Manchester Monarchs (3rd; 1st as head coach)

Coach: Roy Sommer, Worcester Sharks (2nd as head coach)

2015 Western Conference AHL All-Stars

G Magnus Hellberg, Milwaukee Admirals (1st appearance) -- 7-4-2, 1.89, .928, 1 SO

G Jacob Markstrom, Utica Comets (1st) -- 10-2-1, 1.91, .932, 4 SO

G Joni Ortio, Adirondack Flames (1st) -- 16-8-1, 2.54, .915, 3 SO

D T.J. Brennan, Rockford IceHogs (2nd) -- 36gp, 7-21-28, +15

D Matt Dumba, Iowa Wild (1st) -- 14gp, 3-8-11, +3

D Stefan Elliott, Lake Erie Monsters (1st) -- 33gp, 9-11-20, +3

D Maxime Fortunus ("C"), Texas Stars (1st) -- 33gp, 4-9-13, -9

D Brad Hunt, Oklahoma City Barons (2nd) -- 20gp, 7-15-22, +9

D Ryan Murphy, Charlotte Checkers (1st) -- 23gp, 0-17-17, -7

D Xavier Ouellet, Grand Rapids Griffins (1st) -- 21gp, 1-7-8, +5

D Bobby Sanguinetti, Utica Comets (3rd) -- 27gp, 8-9-17, +16

F Connor Brown, Toronto Marlies (1st) -- 35gp, 9-19-28, +6

F Bobby Butler, San Antonio Rampage (3rd) -- 31gp, 14-17-31, -1

F Charles Hudon, Hamilton Bulldogs (1st) -- 35gp, 10-23-33, +6

F Anton Lander, Oklahoma City Barons (1st) -- 29gp, 9-22-31, +8

F Travis Morin, Texas Stars (2nd) -- 23gp, 10-14-24, -1

F Joakim Nordstrom, Rockford IceHogs (1st) -- 17gp, 8-5-13, +2

F Cal O'Reilly, Utica Comets (3rd) -- 34gp, 4-26-30, -1

F Emile Poirier, Adirondack Flames (1st) -- 28gp, 10-10-20, +5

F Teemu Pulkkinen, Grand Rapids Griffins (1st) -- 32gp, 19-19-38, E

F Ty Rattie, Chicago Wolves (1st) -- 35gp, 15-8-23, +4

F Drew Shore, San Antonio Rampage (2nd) -- 33gp, 9-21-30, +1

F Phil Varone, Rochester Americans (1st) -- 35gp, 8-21-29, -3

Coach: Travis Green, Utica Comets (1st as head coach)

Coach: John Anderson, Chicago Wolves (2nd as head coach)

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