MONTREAL – There’s one scene, in particular, Phil Varone replayed over and over in his mind recently when it became clear he was signing with the Canadiens. The events occurred on February 21, 2019 at the Bell Centre when Varone was still a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. “Honestly, I have that picture in my
American Hockey League
The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the club has signed left wing Andreas Martinsen to a one-year, two-way contract. Martinsen, 29, notched three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 38 AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs last season. He also tallied one goal and three assists in 24 NHL games with the Chicago
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews has announced that the league has named the 2018-19 recipients of several awards for excellence and service to the AHL. The winners were recognized Thursday evening at a gala reception during the Board of Governors’ Annual Meeting at Hilton Head Island, S.C. Springfield Thunderbirds
The Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Brian Gibbons to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2019-20 season. Gibbons, 31, has spent the last two seasons exclusively in the National Hockey League, picking up eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 64 games between Anaheim and Ottawa in 2018-19. He tallied 12 goals and
San Antonio Rampage captain Chris Butler officially announced his retirement from professional hockey on Wednesday. Butler, 32, served as captain of the Rampage each of the past two seasons, and of the Chicago Wolves in 2016-17. The St. Louis, Mo., native skated in 407 National Hockey League games and 271 American Hockey League contests over
BUFFALO – Last season, for the first time in his six-year career, new Sabres goalie Andrew Hammond didn’t play a single NHL game. Even as an undrafted rookie in 2013-14, Hammond earned 35 minutes of big league action. In 2017-18, a tough campaign in which he bounced around and started just one regular-season contest, he
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed forward Joseph Blandisi to a one-year, two-way contract. Blandisi, 24, skated in 54 AHL games with San Diego and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2018-19, totaling 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points — all AHL career bests. Blandisi also appeared in nine NHL games between Anaheim and Pittsburgh last season. A
The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the club has signed center Andrew Poturalski and left wing Blake Pietila to one-year, two-way contracts. Poturalski, 25, is coming off a career year in 2018-19, earning Second Team AHL All-Star honors with 23 goals and 47 assists for 70 points in 72 regular-season games with the Charlotte Checkers.
The Calgary Flames announced today that they have signed forward Justin Kirkland to a one-year, two-way contract. Kirkland notched nine goals and 21 assists for 30 points in 75 AHL games with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2018-19. He picked up one goal and three assists in five postseason contests as well. A third-round pick by
The Vegas Golden Knights have signed forwards Patrick Brown and Tyrell Goulbourne to two-year contracts, and defensemen Brett Lernout and Jaycob Megna to one-year contracts. Brown, 27, captained the Charlotte Checkers to the 2019 Calder Cup championship, contributing 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points in 70 regular-season games as well as five goals
The Ottawa Senators have acquired defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, forward Connor Brown and forward Michael Carcone from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Cody Ceci, defenseman Ben Harpur, forward Aaron Luchuk and a third-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft. Carcone, 23, was acquired by the Maple Leafs from Vancouver on Dec. 3, 2018.
The Anaheim Ducks have signed center Sam Carrick to a one-year contract extension through the 2019-20 NHL season. Carrick, 27, established career highs with 32 goals, 29 assists and 61 points in 61 games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls in 2018-19, his seventh professional season. He added seven goals and seven assists for 14
The Calgary Flames announced today that they have signed forward Alan Quine to a one-year, two-way contract extension. Quine, 26, notched 19 goals and 33 assists for 52 points in 41 games with the AHL’s Stockton Heat in 2018-19, ranking third in the AHL in points per game (1.27). He also appeared in 13 NHL
The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that the team has mutually parted ways with Mike Vellucci, their assistant general manager/director of hockey operations and Charlotte Checkers head coach. “I’m thankful for my time with the Hurricanes organization,” said Vellucci. “We created some great memories in Charlotte, including winning the franchise’s first Calder Cup and bringing the first championship
The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that they have agreed to terms with forwards Dylan Sikura and John Quenneville. Sikura, 24, recorded 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 46 games with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs as a rookie in 2018-19, finishing second on the team in scoring. He also tallied eight assists in
The Pittsburgh Penguins have named Mike Vellucci head coach of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Vellucci replaces Clark Donatelli, who resigned from his duties as Penguins head coach on Thursday due to personal reasons. Assistant coaches Jarrod Skalde and J.D. Forrest will remain with the team in their current roles. Vellucci, who
The Rochester Americans have signed forward Taylor Leier to a one-year American Hockey League contract for the 2019-20 season. Leier, 25, scored a career-best 22 goals and added 20 assists for 42 points in 69 AHL games between Rochester and Lehigh Valley last season. A native of Saskatoon, Sask., Leier has appeared in 261 AHL
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League and the Ontario Reign announced today a partnership with Ontario International Airport to serve as the presenting sponsor for the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic. The partnership, which will encompass both the Reign and the Los Angeles Kings, and the official event logo for the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic presented by