Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Luca Sbisa to Lethbridge

Press Release

Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes will have several players making their return as they prepare for their U.S. Division road trip this week. Among them; NHL 1st round draft pick Luca Sbisa who was reassigned to Lethbridge by the Philadelphia Flyers this afternoon. Sbisa began the season with the Flyers and played good minutes as a rookie NHL defenseman notching seven assists in 39 games.

Sbisa, who hails from Oberägeri, Switzerland was drafted 19th overall in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by Philadelphia. He made a seamless transition to the North American game during his rookie year in Lethbridge in 07-08. Despite being unranked coming into the season, made an immediate impact, tallying 33 points (6A, 27A) in 62 regular season games. Sbisa was the recipient of the 2007-2008 Carl Trentini Memorial Award, awarded to the Lethbridge Hurricanes Rookie of the year and also represented his home country of Switzerland in the 2008 IIHF U-20 World Junior Hockey Championships. Sbisa then capped a solid rookie season by leading all WHL defensemen in playoff scoring with 15 points (3G, 12A).

With his return, the Hurricanes now boast a lineup which includes three first round draft picks; Sbisa, the newly acquired Kyle Beach (Chicago – 11th overall) and Zach Boychuk (Carolina – 14th overall). Lethbridge now also has a total of seven drafted players on their current roster. The others include; Captain Ben Wright (4th round, 113 overall - Columbus 2006, now an overage free agent), Dwight King (4th round, 109th overall – Los Angeles 2007), Colton Sceviour (4th round, 112th overall – Dallas 2007) and Eric Mestery (2nd round, 57th overall – Washington 2008).

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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