2012-13 AHL Players of the Week

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Binghamton Senators goaltender Robin Lehner has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 27, 2013.

Lehner was 2-0-0 with a 0.92 goals-against average and a .975 save percentage in two starts last week, sending the Senators into the All-Star break with the best record in the league.

Returning to action after spending the previous two weeks on recall to the parent Ottawa Senators, Lehner led the Senators into a battle of the AHL’s top two teams on Friday night and earned a 1-0 victory in Syracuse, making 40 saves during a 65-minute shutout before denying all five Crunch shootout attempts. Then on Saturday, Lehner stopped 38 of 40 shots in regulation and overtime before another perfect shootout effort, denying all three Hershey shooters to claim a 3-2 win.

Lehner capped his week by representing the Senators at the 2013 Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic in Providence.

A second-round draft pick by Ottawa in 2009, Lehner is 16-5-1 in 23 appearances for Binghamton this season, ranking third in the AHL with a 1.80 goals-against average and first with a .948 save percentage. The 21-year-old native of Gothenburg, Sweden, has a career record of 41-35-4 with seven shutouts in 87 regular-season AHL games in his career, and won the Jack Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2011 Calder Cup Playoffs with the Senators. Lehner has also played 13 NHL games with Ottawa.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Petr Mrazek has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Feb. 3, 2013.

Mrazek stopped 53 of 54 shots in two games last week (2-0-0, 0.50, .981) as the Griffins extended their lead atop the Midwest Division.

Mrazek, who began the week representing the Griffins and earning the win in net for the Western Conference during last Monday night’s AHL All-Star Game, made 21 saves on Friday as Grand Rapids hit the road and defeated Hamilton, 5-1. Then on Saturday night, Mrazek posted his first professional shutout, garnering first-star honors with 32 saves in the Griffins’ 1-0 victory over Abbotsford. Mrazek’s impressive week was capped by his first career National Hockey League recall by the parent Detroit Red Wings.

A 2010 draft pick by Detroit, Mrazek owns a record of 16-7-1 in 25 appearances for Grand Rapids this season. He ranks second among rookie goaltenders with a 2.26 goals-against average and third with a .916 save percentage. The 20-year-old native of Ostrava, Czech Republic, played the previous three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with Ottawa and was selected by the IIHF as the outstanding goaltender at the 2012 World Junior Championships.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Albany Devils right wing Matt Anderson has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Feb. 10, 2013.

Anderson notched three goals and four assists for seven points in three games as the Devils earned three big road wins to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.

On Tuesday night at Connecticut, Anderson recorded a goal and two assists in regulation and converted on his attempt in the shootout as Albany defeated the Whale, 4-3. He followed that up with another three-point effort on Saturday at Syracuse, tallying a goal and two assists in the third period of the Devils’ come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Crunch. And on Sunday in Binghamton, Anderson scored during another third-period comeback and was credited with a career-high nine shots on goal as Albany rallied for a 3-2 shootout victory over the Senators.

A sixth-year pro out of the University of Massachusetts, Anderson now leads Albany with 18 assists and 28 points in 43 games this season. The 2011 AHL All-Star has totaled 73 goals and 119 assists for 192 points in 318 AHL games with Albany and Chicago, and was a member of the Wolves’ Calder Cup championship team in 2008. Anderson, a native of West Islip, N.Y., made his National Hockey League debut with New Jersey on Jan. 29, 2013, and has recorded one assist in two NHL games.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Syracuse Crunch goaltender Riku Helenius has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Feb. 17, 2013.

Helenius backstopped the Crunch to three wins this week, recording two shutouts in the process—against the Albany Devils on Feb. 13 and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Feb. 17. The only goal allowed was a power-play goal during the Crunch's 7-1 win over the Binghamton Senators. Over the three games this week, Helenius stopped 80 of 81 shots faced for an impressive save percentage of .987.

A fifth-year pro out of the Finland, Helenius has appeared in 20 games for the Crunch this season, with a 2.78 goals-against average, a .891 save percentage, and an 11-8-0 record. Over his career, he has totaled 57 AHL games, and has made stops in SM-liiga and the Swedish Elite League. Helenius, a native of Palkane, Finland, made his National Hockey League debut on Jan. 30, 2009 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was drafted 15th overall by Tampa Bay in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Chicago Wolves right wing Darren Haydar has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Feb. 24, 2013.

In three games last week, Haydar had a hand in every one of the Wolves’ seven goals, scoring four times and assisting on the other three.

On Wednesday night vs. Abbotsford, Haydar notched two goals and an assist in regulation and later scored on his shootout attempt to help Chicago to a 4-3 victory over the Heat. On Saturday at Peoria, Haydar broke a scoreless tie with the game-winning goal early in the third period and then assisted on a pair of insurance goals as the Wolves shut out the Rivermen, 3-0. And on Sunday, Haydar scored Chicago’s lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Rockford.

Haydar, the Wolves’ captain, leads the team in goals (17), assists (23), points (40), plus/minus (+11) and game-winning goals (five) over 45 games played this season, his 11th professional campaign. One of the most accomplished players in AHL history, Haydar is a two-time Calder Cup winner and former league MVP, scoring champion and rookie of the year, and ranks among the league’s career leaders with 289 goals (24th), 482 assists (13th) and 771 points (17th) in 754 games with Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids and Lake Erie. The 33-year-old native of Milton, Ont., also owns the AHL records for longest scoring streak (39 games in 2006-07) and career playoff scoring (143 points).

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Toronto Marlies goaltender Drew MacIntyre has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 3, 2013.

MacIntyre made two starts last week and stopped 55 of 57 shots (2-0-0, 0.97, .965) to help the Marlies reclaim sole possession of first place in the North Division.

On Wednesday night vs. Rochester, MacIntyre made 27 saves and was named the game’s second star as he backstopped Toronto to a 2-1 win over the division-rival Americans. Then on Sunday afternoon vs. Binghamton, MacIntyre made 19 of his 28 saves in the third period and overtime before stopping four of five shootout attempts to claim first-star honors as the Marlies edged the Senators, 2-1.

MacIntyre, who joined the Marlies on Feb. 13 before signing an AHL contract last Thursday, has not allowed more than two goals in any of his first five starts with Toronto, posting a 3-1-1 record with a 1.17 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage. The 10th-year pro from Charlottetown, P.E.I., has played in 289 career American Hockey League games and ranks 19th in AHL history with 153 victories (153-98-16). He was named a Second Team AHL All-Star in both 2007-08 and 2008-09, and participated in the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic. MacIntyre has also made four career National Hockey League appearances with Vancouver and Buffalo.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Norfolk Admirals left wing Patrick Maroon has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 10, 2013.

Maroon returned from a three-week stint in the National Hockey League and posted four goals and two assists in three games for the Admirals.

After being assigned on Tuesday, Maroon rejoined the Admirals lineup on Wednesday night and scored the game-tying goal in the third period as Norfolk gained a standings point with a 3-2 overtime loss vs. Charlotte. On Friday, Maroon had a goal and two assists to spark the Admirals to a 5-1 victory over Hershey. And in Saturday’s rematch with the Bears, Maroon’s two third-period goals sealed a 4-1 Norfolk win.

Maroon has registered 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points in 48 games with Norfolk this season, good for second on the team in scoring. He also ranks first on the club in power-play goals (eight), game-winning goals (three, tied) and penalty minutes (113). The 24-year-old native of St. Louis, Mo., is in his fifth pro season and has totaled 109 goals and 155 assists for 264 points in 337 career AHL games with Norfolk, Syracuse and Philadelphia/Adirondack. He has appeared in nine NHL games with the parent Anaheim Ducks this season, scoring his first career NHL goal on Feb. 16 at Nashville.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that St. John’s IceCaps center Eric O'Dell has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 17, 2013.

O’Dell struck for three goals, two assists and a plus-3 rating in two games last week, helping the IceCaps to a pair of wins.

On Friday night, O’Dell notched a goal and an assist as St. John’s snapped a six-game winless streak with a 5-0 victory over Hamilton. And in Saturday’s rematch, O’Dell scored two third-period goals and assisted on the game-winner with 27.5 seconds left in regulation as the IceCaps rallied for a 4-3 win over the Bulldogs.

In 45 games for the IceCaps this season, O’Dell leads the team in goals (21), points (38) and plus/minus rating (+7), and also ranks fifth in the AHL in shooting percentage (21.0 percent). A second-round draft choice (39th overall) by Anaheim in 2008, O’Dell is in his second pro season and has totaled 33 goals and 27 assists for 60 points in 87 AHL games. The 22-year-old native of Ottawa, Ont., played four seasons of junior hockey with Sudbury in the Ontario Hockey League.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Peoria Rivermen goaltender Mike McKenna has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 24, 2013.

McKenna made four starts last week and stopped 127 of 132 shots, going 3-1-0 and defeating a pair of division leaders to keep the Rivermen in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.

McKenna began the week with 25 saves to help Peoria to a 4-1 win over Midwest Division-leading Grand Rapids on Tuesday night. After stopping 33 shots, including a late penalty shot attempt, and allowing just two goals in a 3-1 loss at Milwaukee on Friday, McKenna came back on Saturday with a 33-save effort in a 3-0 win over Chicago, his third shutout in a nine-game span. And making his third start in less than 48 hours, McKenna made 36 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped four of five shootout attempts as the Rivermen edged Toronto, the first-place team from the North Division, 3-2.

McKenna has appeared in 32 games for Peoria this season, posting a record of 17-13-1 and ranking fifth in the AHL with a .924 save percentage to go with his 2.32 goals-against average and three shutouts. An eighth-year pro from St. Louis, Mo., McKenna has a career record of 108-98-13 with 11 shutouts in 237 AHL games. Originally drafted by Nashville in 2002, McKenna has appeared in 17 National Hockey League contests with Tampa Bay and New Jersey, and signed as a free agent with his hometown Blues on July 1, 2012.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Oklahoma City Barons center Anton Lander has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 31, 2013.

Lander racked up eight points and a plus-6 rating in three games last week, including a record-setting performance on Saturday night.

Entering the week with 11 points in 42 AHL games this season, Lander scored a goal on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City’s 3-2 shootout loss at Chicago. He notched an assist on Friday to help the Barons to a 4-2 win at Peoria, then had a career night on Saturday in Rockford. Lander posted his first hat trick as a professional and also added three assists, setting both a franchise record and an AHL season for points in a game (six) as Oklahoma City defeated the IceHogs, 7-3.

Lander was then recalled by the parent Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, his second NHL promotion of the season.

A 21-year-old native of Sundsvall, Sweden, Lander was a second-round draft choice by Edmonton (40th overall) in 2009. He has totaled eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 45 games with Oklahoma City this season, along with one assist in four contests with the Oilers. Last season, in his first campaign in North America, Lander registered six points in 56 NHL games for Edmonton and contributed five points in 14 regular-season games plus four points in 14 postseason contests for the Barons.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Rockford IceHogs left wing Rostislav Olesz has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Apr. 7, 2013.

Olesz tallied four goals (including two game-winners) and three assists for seven points, along with a plus-6 rating, in four games as Rockford jumped from 11th place into a tie for eighth in the Western Conference with a perfect 4-0-0-0 week.

After being held scoreless in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Milwaukee – his only game without a point since joining the IceHogs on Mar. 14 – Olesz recorded back-to-back three-point games, including the game-winning goal in both. On Friday, he scored two go-ahead third-period goals to help Rockford to a big 4-3 victory at Milwaukee, and on Saturday his second goal of the night came with 2:31 left in regulation to send the IceHogs to a 5-4 win at Peoria. Finally, back home on Sunday, Olesz tallied an assist in Rockford’s 4-1 win over the Rivermen.

The seventh overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and a veteran of 355 National Hockey League games with Chicago and Florida, Olesz has picked up six goals and seven assists for 13 points in nine AHL games with Rockford this season. The 27-year-old native of Bilovec, Czech Republic, set professional career highs for goals (17), assists (24) and points (41) in 50 games for Rockford during the 2011-12 season.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Providence Bruins defenseman Torey Krug has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Apr. 14, 2013.

Krug notched seven points (two goals, five assists) and a plus-5 rating in three games as Providence secured the Atlantic Division title and closed in on the AHL’s overall points championship.

On Friday night, Krug celebrated his 22nd birthday by tallying two assists and helping the Bruins to a 3-2 win over visiting Hershey. In a battle of division champions on Saturday, Krug set up both Providence goals in a 2-0 victory at Springfield. And on Sunday, Krug scored twice and added another assist for his third consecutive multiple-point game as the B’s knocked off Norfolk, 4-1.

Krug is tied for eighth among AHL rookies and tied for third among AHL defensemen in scoring with 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists) in 62 games for Providence this season. He has also skated in one game with the parent Boston Bruins, notching one assist. Krug, a native of Livonia, Mich., signed with Boston on Mar. 25, 2012, after three years at Michigan State University, where he was named the CCHA conference’s Player of the Year last season.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Milwaukee Admirals goaltender Magnus Hellberg has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Apr. 21, 2013.

With a Calder Cup Playoff berth on the line, Hellberg was a perfect 4-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage and two shutouts last week to help send Milwaukee to the postseason for the 11th consecutive season.

Entering the week tied with Chicago and two points out of eighth place in the Western Conference, the Admirals got a 15-save effort from Hellberg on Tuesday night in a crucial 3-2 victory over the Wolves. On Friday night, Hellberg made 10 of his 26 stops in the third period as Milwaukee rallied for a 6-4 win over Charlotte. In Saturday’s rematch with the Wolves in Chicago, Hellberg made 27 saves in a 2-0 decision, and needing a point on the season’s final day to earn a playoff spot, he turned in a second consecutive shutout, stopping 20 shots in a 3-0 win at Peoria.

Hellberg completed the 2012-13 regular season with a record of 22-13-0, ranking fourth in the league with a 2.14 goals-against average, fourth with a .924 save percentage and tied for second with six shutouts. The 22-year-old Hellberg, a native of Uppsala, Sweden, was a second-round choice (38th overall) by the Nashville Predators in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.