Friday, December 28, 2012

ERLAND SET TO REJOIN BRANDON

Press Release

Calgary, AB. -- The National Hockey League's Calgary Flames have announced that 20-year old left-winger Michael Ferland has been assigned to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League.

A fifth round draft choice (133rd overall) of the Flames in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Ferland has spent the majority of the 2012-13 campaign with the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League. However, the local product has dressed for just seven games with the Heat and made three appearances for the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies, finishing with a single assist.

In 68 games with the Wheat Kings last season, Ferland scored 96 points including a team high 47 goals.

During his WHL career, Ferland has 79 goals and 180 points in 185 games. As well, he has accumulated 279 minutes in penalties during his first three years in Brandon.

His return to Brandon leaves the Wheat Kings with four overage players on their active roster, one over the league limit of three. Ferland joins forward Nick Buonassisi and defencemen Ryley Miller and Tyler Yaworski.

The former AAA Midget Wheat King forward is expected to make his WHL season debut Friday night when Brandon opens up its post-Christmas schedule with a game against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors at Westman Communications Group Place.

While Ferland rejoins the Wheat Kings, the WHL club will be without a number of regulars this weekend as three are busy playing on the international front. 19-year old left-winger Alessio Bertaggia, who currently leads the team in scoring with sixteen goals and 34 points, is skating with Switzerland at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Russia while rookies Jayce Hawryluk and John Quenneville are members of Team Western and Pacific respectively at the World U17 Challenge in Quebec.


 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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