Tuesday, December 22, 2009

AJHL Announces 2010 All-Star Team Rosters

Press Release

December 22nd, 2009 – The Alberta Junior Hockey League announced today the team rosters for the 2010 Scott Safety AJHL All-Star Game. The Scott Safety AJHL All-Star Weekend will be held in Fort McMurray, Alberta on January 29th – 30th, 2010.

The following players have been voted to the North Division All-Star Team by the North Division’s General Managers and Coaches:

GOALTENDERS
Vincenzo Marozzi * Spruce Grove Saints
Chad Carder Grande Prairie Storm

DEFENCEMEN
Matthew Register Bonnyville Pontiacs
Brad Stebner Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Matt Williams Grande Prairie Storm
Dillon Simpson Spruce Grove Saints

FORWARDS
Branden Gracel * Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Zahn Raubenheimer * Grande Prairie Storm
Dennis Rix * Grande Prairie Storm
Travis Dunstall Grande Prairie Storm
Cody Kunyk * Sherwood Park Crusaders
Josh Lazowski Spruce Grove Saints
Daniel Carr *+ St. Albert Steel
Bryce Williamson St. Albert Steel

* Unanimous Selections

Daniel Carr of the St. Albert Steel was recently traded to the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), resulting in the addition of one replacement to the North Division roster. Eight players were selected to the North Division Team by the All-Star Team Coaching Staff to complete the 21-man roster.

GOALTENDER
Braely Torris Drayton Valley Thunder

DEFENCEMEN
Mason Conway Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Kodie Curran Spruce Grove Saints

FORWARDS
Shawn Bates Bonnyville Pontiacs
Brett Slobodzian Lloydminster Bobcats
Matt Meropoulis Sherwood Park Crusaders
Nate Fleming Spruce Grove Saints
Reed Linaker St. Albert Steel

Six North Division All-Stars were unanimous selections by the North Division’s General Managers & Coaches (Marozzi, Gracel, Raubenheimer, Rix, Kunyk, Carr). Brad Stebner, Zahn Raubenheimer, Bryce Williamson and Kodie Curran each participated in the 2009 AJHL All-Star Game in Calgary.

Five North Division All-Stars have already committed to furthering their athletic and academic careers by committing to a post-secondary institute (Stebner, Raubenheimer, Rix, Kunyk, Williamson). The top seven players in the AJHL Scoring Race are all members of the North Division All-Star Team. North Division All-Star Vincenzo Marozzi leads all AJHL goaltenders with a 1.54 GAA and 6 shut outs.

Cody Kunyk of the Sherwood Park Crusaders represented the AJHL as a member of Team Canada West at the 2009 World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) in November, where he was named to the 2009 WJAC Tournament All-Star Team.

The following players were voted to the 2010 South Division All-Star Team by the South Division’s General Managers and Coaches:

GOALTENDERS
Sam Brittain * Canmore Eagles
Marc Boulanger Olds Grizzlys

DEFENCEMEN
Nolan Kaiser Camrose Kodiaks
Ben Gallacher Camrose Kodiaks
Quinn Sproule Okotoks Oilers
Frank Carbonaro Olds Grizzlys

FORWARDS
John Dunbar * Calgary Canucks
Jeff Collett Calgary Royals
Lee Reimer Canmore Eagles
Erik Slemp Camrose Kodiaks
Brad McConnell Camrose Kodiaks
Clayton Jardine Camrose Kodiaks
Braden Hoogenboom Okotoks Oilers
Jordy Kwas Olds Grizzlys

* Unanimous Selections

Seven additional players were selected to the 2010 South Division roster by the All-Star Team Coaching Staff and round out the 21-man roster.

GOALTENDER
Sean Cahill Okotoks Oilers

DEFENCEMEN
Ryan Moir Calgary Canucks
Justin Tateson Drumheller Dragons

FORWARDS
Cullen Bradshaw Brooks Bandits
Jared Wynia Calgary Canucks
Derek Rodwell Okotoks Oilers
Corey Campbell Olds Grizzlys

Two players on the South Division Roster were unanimous selections by the division`s General Managers and Coaches (Brittain, Dunbar). Sean Cahill, John Dunbar and Jeff Collett were also members of the South Division All-Star Team in the 2009 AJHL All-Star Game.

Ten South Division All-Stars have committed to furthering their athletic and academic careers by committing to a post-secondary institute, including all three goaltenders (Brittain, Boulanger, Cahill, Sproule, Tateson, Dunbar, Reimer, Slemp, Jardine, Rodwell).

Two South Division All-Stars participated in the 2009 World Junior A Challenge as members of Team Canada West (Gallacher, Dunbar). In December, two South Division All-Stars were named to Team West for the 2009 CJHL Prospects Series (Brittain, Gallacher). Gallacher and Brittain have also been identified on the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s “Players to Watch” list for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. South Division All-Star Derek Rodwell was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Recent AJHL All-Star Game Results:

• 2009 at Calgary – North 14 South 13 (OT)
• 2008 at Grande Prairie – North 14 South 7
• 2007 at Canmore – North 13 South 12 (Shoot Out)
• 2006 at Spruce Grove – South 7 North 4
• 2005 at Okotoks – South 6 North 3

The Head Coach of the AJHL North Division All-Star Team will be GM / Head Coach Steve Hamilton of the Spruce Grove Saints. Camrose Kodiaks GM / Head Coach Boris Rybalka will lead the AJHL South Division All-Stars. The Head Coach for each All-Star Team is determined based on the team’s win percentage at the halfway mark (30 game) of the AJHL Regular Season.

The 2010 AJHL All-Star Weekend will open on Friday, January 29th with a regular season match-up between the North Division’s Spruce Grove Saints and the hometown Fort McMurray Oil Barons. The Oil Barons and AJHL have partnered with the Rural Alberta Midget Hockey League (RAMHL), who will kick off Saturday morning with the RAMHL All-Star Game. The 2010 Scott Safety AJHL All-Star Game will follow on Saturday afternoon as the North Division All-Star Team will look to extend its winning streak to four consecutive years.

The weekend will conclude with the 2010 Scott Safety AJHL Scholarship Banquet hosted by Emcee Dan O’Toole of TSN`s SportsCentre. The Banquet will feature NHL alumnus Jeremy Roenick and Edmonton Oilers President & CEO Patrick LaForge as the guest speakers, along with the presentation of approximately $50,000 in annual AJHL Scholarships.

Tickets to the 2010 Scott Safety AJHL All Star Game and Scholarship Banquet can be purchased from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons Ticket Office or by phone (780) 743-5509.

Schedule of Events – January 30, 2010

RAMHL All-Star Game at Thickwood Heights Arena @ 11:00AM $10.00/ticket
Scott Safety AJHL All-Star Game at Thickwood Heights Arena @ 3:30PM $20.00/ticket
Scott Safety AJHL Scholarship Banquet at Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre @ 6:30PM $100/ticket

(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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