ECHL Announces Rosters for 2013 All-Star Game
 

PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL on Wednesday announced the starting lineup for the ECHL All-Stars for the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game presented by University of Colorado Health. The remainder of the ECHL All-Star Team will be announced tomorrow.

The 2013 ECHL All-Star Week, presented by CCM, begins on Tuesday, Jan. 22 with the ECHL All-Star Skills Competition, presented by OtterBox, and continues with the ECHL All-Star Game on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Both events begin at 7:05 p.m. MT at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo.

More than 50 players from the ECHL All-Star Game have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 39 since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.

ECHL All-Star Starters
G – Philipp Grubauer, Reading (24 gp, 18-4-1, 2.28 GAA, .915 save pct.)
D – Denny Urban, Reading (31 gp, 13g, 13a, 26 pts.)
D – Nathan Deck, Stockton (19 gp, 5g, 12a, 17 pts.)
F – Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Gwinnett (34 gp, 9g, 28a, 37 pts.)
F – Justin Dowling, Idaho (31 gp, 11g, 31a, 42 pts.)
F – C.J. Stretch, Ontario (31 gp, 18g, 16a, 34 pts.)

The starting lineup is determined in voting by ECHL coaches, team captains, media directors, broadcasters and media members.

Philipp Grubauer of the Reading Royals leads the ECHL with 18 wins, is third with 1,424 minutes played, fourth with a 2.28 goals-against average and fifth with 561 saves. Under contract to the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League, Grubauer is 18-1-1 in his last 20 decisions and has allowed two goals or less in 12 of those 20 games. He was ECHL Goaltender of the Month for November after posting a 10-1-0 record with a 2.13 goals-against average and a save percentage of .913 in 12 appearances during the month.

Denny Urban joins his Royals’ teammate Grubauer in the starting line-up. The second-year pro leads all ECHL defensemen with 13 goals and 26 points and is tied for first among blue-liners with five power-play goals while ranking second with 91 shots on goal. He also has appeared in two games with Worcester of the American Hockey League, registering two assists.

Nathan Deck of Stockton, who is currently recalled to Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League, has posted 17 points (5g-12a) in 19 games with the Thunder this season, while adding four points (0g-4a) in 12 games with Oklahoma City.

Gwinnett’s Casey Pierro-Zabotel is tied for fourth in the ECHL with 28 assists and is tied for sixth with 37 points. He has notched multiple points in 13 games this season and is second on the Gladiators in plus-minus with a +14 rating.

Justin Dowling of Idaho is tied for second in the league with 42 points (11g-31a) and his 31 assists are second overall. Dowling is third with 15 power-play assists and fourth with 19 power-play points. He has at least one point in 11 of his last 13 games.

Rounding out the starting line-up is Ontario’s C.J. Stretch, who has 34 points (18g-16a) in 31 games this season. His +17 leads the Reign, and is third overall in the league. Stretch ranks fourth in the league with a 25.4 percent shooting percentage (18-for-71).

PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL on Thursday announced the reserves for the ECHL All-Stars for the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game presented by University of Colorado Health.

View the complete ECHL All-Star Roster

The 2013 ECHL All-Star Week, presented by CCM, begins on Tuesday, Jan. 22 with the ECHL All-Star Skills Competition, presented by OtterBox, and continues with the ECHL All-Star Game, featuring the Colorado Eagles taking on the ECHL All-Stars, on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Both events begin at 7:05 p.m. MT at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo.

More than 50 players from the ECHL All-Star Game have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 39 since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.

There are nine rookies on the All-Star Team, and each of the 21 players is making their first ECHL All-Star Game appearance.

The Alaska Aces are represented by rookie defenseman William Wrenn, who is fourth among first-year defensemen with 16 points (5g-11a).

Rookie forward Josh Shalla represents Cincinnati. He is fourth among rookies with 13 goals and is first with a 30.2 percent shooting percentage (13-for-43).

Reigning ECHL Rookie of the Year Dustin Gazley will represent the Elmira Jackals. He leads the club with 32 points (9g-23a) in 26 games this season.

Forward Justin Shugg represents the reigning Kelly Cup champion Florida Everblades. Currently recalled to Charlotte of the American Hockey League, Shugg has 22 points (11g-11a) in 19 games with Florida this season.

Rookie defenseman Daniel Maggio is the representative for Fort Wayne. He leads Komets’ defensemen with 14 points (4g-10a) in 32 games.

Greenville is represented by rookie defenseman Mike Marcou, who is second among rookies and third among defensemen in plus-minus, at +15.

Gwinnett rookie goaltender Mike Lee is one of two Gladiators named to the All-Star Game, joining starting forward Casey Pierro-Zabotel. Lee, who has twice been named ECHL Goaltender of the Week this season, is second with a 2.06 goals-against average and is tied for second with a .922 save percentage.

Las Vegas is represented by forward Chris Francis. He is second on the Wranglers with 12 goals and tied for fourth on the club with 19 points.

Nick Petersen, currently recalled to Houston of the American Hockey League, is Orlando’s representative. The ECHL Player of the Month for October, Petersen leads the Solar Bears with 12 goals and is tied for the team lead with 26 points.

Rookie forward Dean Ouellet represents San Francisco. Ouellet is tied for first among ECHL rookies with 16 goals while his 29 points are tied for third among first-year players.

The South Carolina Stingrays are represented by rookie goaltender Ryan Zapolski, who leads the ECHL in goals-against average (1.65) and save percentage (.939) while his 12 wins are tied for fourth.

Joining starting defenseman Nathan Deck on the ECHL All-Stars is Stockton forward Toni Rajala. He is tied for fourth in the league with 18 goals and is tied for ninth with 36 points.

The Toledo Walleye are represented by defenseman Ben Youds and forward Luke Glendening. Youds is tied for first among ECHL defensemen with 26 points (4g-22a) while Glendening, who is currently recalled to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League, is third among rookies with 14 goals.

Rookie forward Marcel Noebels, currently recalled to Adirondack of the American Hockey League, is the Trenton Titans’ representative. Noebels leads all rookies with 19 assists and is tied for first among rookies with 30 points.

I do not like this Team vs a ALL-STAR team crap... Go back to the way it was, Conference vs Conference. That was the best.

PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL on Thursday announced that 10 players have been added to the roster for the ECHL All-Stars, replacing players currently recalled to the American Hockey League, for the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game presented by University of Colorado Health.

The 2013 ECHL All-Star Week, presented by CCM, begins on Tuesday, Jan. 22 with the ECHL All-Star Skills Competition, presented by OtterBox, and continues with the ECHL All-Star Game, featuring the Colorado Eagles taking on the ECHL All-Stars, on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Both events begin at 7:05 p.m. MT at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo.

Added to roster as defensemen are Cincinnati’s Taylor Ellington, Chris Huxley of Ontario and Wheeling’s Andrew Hotham.

Ellington, who represented Victoria at the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game, has 22 points (4g-18a) in 34 games with the Cyclones and Florida this season.

Huxley, who has been named a starter to replace Stockton’s Nathan Deck who is loaned to Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League, leads all Reign defensemen this season with 24 points (4g-20a) and is a +13 in 39 games.

Hotham, who is currently loaned to Oklahoma City, is tied for seventh among ECHL defensemen with 23 points (6g-17a) in 30 games.

Additionally, Greenville’s Mike Marcou has been added to the starting line-up as a defenseman, replacing Reading’s Denny Urban, who is loaned to Worcester of the American Hockey League.

Seven forwards have been added to the ECHL All-Star roster: Bakersfield’s Francis Verreault, Nathan Moon from Evansville, Austin Fyten of Idaho, C.J. Severyn from Orlando, Toledo’s Willie Coetzee, Justin Maylan of Stockton and Utah’s Mitch Wahl.

Verreault has tallied eight points (3g-5a) in six games with Bakersfield after being acquired in a trade with Greenville where he registered 21 points (7g-14a) in 32 games. He is fifth among ECHL rookies with 99 shots on goal.

Moon is tied for second on the IceMen with 12 goals and is tied for third on the club with 26 points.

Fyten is tied for first among ECHL rookies with 17 assists while ranking tied for eighth with 29 points and second with a +17 rating.

Severyn has tallied 19 points (11g-8a) in 36 games with the Solar Bears this season.

Coetzee leads the league with 148 shots on goal, and paces the Walleye with 33 points, and is tied for the team lead in both goals (14) and assists (19).

Maylan is tops among ECHL rookies with 34 points and is tied for fourth among first-year players with 15 goals. His nine power-play assists are tied for second among rookies while his 12 power-play points are fourth.

Wahl, currently recalled to Abbotsford of the American Hockey League, leads the ECHL with 17 power-play assists and 22 power-play points while he leads Utah with 39 points (11g-28a).

Additionally, Elmira’s Dustin Gazley has been named a starting forward for the ECHL All-Stars, replacing Idaho’s Justin Dowling, who is recalled to Texas of the American Hockey League.