Wolf Pack Sign Four to AHL Contracts
September 1, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release
Hartford, September 1, 2006: Hartford Wolf Pack general manager/head coach Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the Wolf Pack have signed goaltender Alex Westlund, defenseman Corey Potter and forwards Jakub Petruzalek and Mike Ouellette to American Hockey League contracts. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Westlund, a former Yale University Eli and a veteran of seven professional seasons, played last season in Russia's Vysshaya Liga with Mechel Chelyabinsk, compiling a 2.09 goals-against average in 41 games. The 30-year-old Flemington, NJ native spent the 2004-05 campaign with the Wolf Pack's ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. In 51 ECHL games that season, Westlund went 27-15-5 with a 2.72 goals-against average, a 91.2% save percentage and one shutout. The 5-9, 180-pound backstop finished tied for fifth in the league in wins and ranked fifth in minutes-played (2,932) and saves (1,372). Following that season, he helped represent the United States at the IIHF World Championships, appearing in one game.
Westlund spent four years at Yale University from 1995-99, and holds Eli career records for games-played (99), wins (42) and saves (2,704). His best season was 1997-98, when he captured the Ken Dryden Award for Best Goaltender in the ECAC with a record of 20-9-3, a 2.32 goals-against average, a 91.8% save percentage and three shutouts in 32 games.
Westlund has played in six AHL games in his career, one with the Worcester IceCats and five with the Milwaukee Admirals. He also saw action in eight International Hockey League contests with the Admirals and Cincinnati Cyclones. The bulk of his first three pro seasons was spent in the ECHL, before he got his first taste of Russian hockey in 2002-03 and 2003-04, suiting up for a total of 82 Russian Hockey League games with Amur Tigers Khabarovsk and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
Potter, a 6-3, 200-pound Mason, Michigan native, was a fourth-round Rangers draft pick (#122 overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old spent the past four years (2002-2006) skating with the Michigan State University Spartans. During the 2005-06 season, Potter was one of only five Spartans to play in all 45 games, and netted four goals and 18 assists for 22 points. Over the course of his career with Michigan State, Potter skated in 150 games, tallying eight goals and 36 assists for 44 total points and had an overall +35 plus/minus rating.
Petruzalek, a 21-year-old, 5-10, 177-pound native of Litvinov, Czech Republic, was a ninth-round Rangers draft pick (#266 overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Wolf Pack on an amateur tryout (ATO) agreement in May 2006 and split his time earlier in the 2005-2006 season between Litvinov CHP HC (Hockey club Chemopetrol LitvÃnov) in the Czech Extraleague and the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). While with the Colts, Petruzalek played in 24 games, registering 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points, along with 28 penalty minutes.
Ouellette completed a four-year ECAC career at Dartmouth College in 2005-06. The Kamloops, B.C. native served as the Big Green's captain this past season and was a First-Team All-ECAC selection, as well as All-Ivy Player of the Year. He also earned recognition as the ECAC's Best Defensive Forward. In 33 games on the year, Ouellette tallied 13 goals and added a team-best 24 assists for 37 points, which was also tops on the club and tied him for fifth in the ECAC. In addition to his ECAC and Ivy League honors, Ouellette was also named an East Second-Team American Hockey Coaches Association CCM All-American and a New England Hockey Writers Association All-New England selection. After the completion of his college season, Ouellette joined the AHL's Springfield Falcons on an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement and chipped in one assist in three AHL contests.
The 24-year-old, 6-2, 190-pound Ouellette finished his Dartmouth career as the Big Green's all-time games-played leader, with 136. His four-year point total of 138 (58-80-138) ranks fifth all-time in school history.
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