Carolina re-signs Joe Jensen

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Again from ECHL.com.

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League announced that they have agreed to terms with 2007 ECHL All-Star left wing Joe Jensen, who has played for the Wheeling Nailers his first two seasons.

Carolina is owned by Peter Karmonos, Jr. who is also part owner of the Florida Everblades in the ECHL, who are the ECHL affiliate of the Hurricanes and the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League.

The 25 year old was the 349th player to play in the NHL after the ECHL when he made his debut with the Hurricanes on Feb. 17 in a 5-1 loss at New Jersey. He was acquired by Carolina from Pittsburgh on Jan. 31 in exchange for former Johnstown Chiefs center David Gove. Jensen played in six games for the Hurricanes and had one goal and two penalty minutes.

Jensen had seven points (4g-3a) and 28 penalty minutes in nine games with Wheeling in 2007-08 while also playing in the AHL where he had four points (2g-2a) and 23 penalty minutes in 27 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and 11 points (8g-3a) and 27 penalty minutes in 24 regular season games and one goal and eight penalty minutes in seven playoff games with Albany.

Selected in the eighth round (232nd overall) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, the 5-foot-11 and 180-pound Jensen had 29 points (11g-18a) and 45 penalty minutes in 28 games for Wheeling as a rookie in 2006-07 and he was selected to replace injured teammate Sean Collins on the American Conference roster for the 2007 ECHL All-Star Game. He also played in the AHL where he had 11 points (6g-5a) and 16 penalty minutes in 26 regular season games and three points (2g-1a) and six penalty minutes in seven playoff games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League had affiliations with 26 of the 30 teams in the NHL in 2007-08, marking the 11th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams.

There have been 355 players who have played in the NHL after the ECHL and 210 who have made their debut in the last seven seasons.

Twenty-six former ECHL players made their NHL debut in 2007-08 including six who played in both the ECHL and NHL: Chris Beckford-Tseu (Alaska and St. Louis), Adam Berti (Pensacola and Chicago), Joe Jensen (Wheeling and Carolina), Dan LaCosta (Elmira and Columbus), Jonathan Quick (Reading and Los Angeles) and Danny Taylor (Reading and Los Angeles).

Former Mississippi Sea Wolves and current Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau was selected as the NHL Coach of the Year in 2007-08. He is one of 14 coaches with an ECHL background working behind an NHL bench including former Wheeling coach Peter Laviolette, who is head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes.

The ECHL is represented on the Stanley Cup for the eighth consecutive year with Aaron Downey, who played his first two professional seasons with Hampton Roads, becomes the 14th former player to be a part of a NHL championship team.