The AHL has done the right thing and corrected an injustice. Today, the AHL and the Hartford Wolf Pack announced that Center Artem Anisimov has been added to the 2009 All Star Classic Event this coming Sunday and Monday. Anisimov, who was earlier named by Howlings as the Pack’s first half MVP, will join teammate Bobby Sanguinetti on the PlanetUSA squad.
The spot on the squad for Anisimov was created because Brian Elliott of Binghamton (Ottawa), Claude Giroux of Philadelphia (Philadelphia), Steve Downie of Norfolk (Tampa Bay), Martin St. Pierre of Providence (Boston) and Nikita Filatov of Syracuse (Columbus) will all miss the event due to recall to their respective National Hockey League affiliates, while PlanetUSA All-Stars Tim Kennedy and Nathan Gerbe of Portland will miss the event due to injury.
The voice of the Wolf Pack, Bob Crawford tells Howlings, “I would say that he (Anisimov) has been among the most dynamic young players I've seen in the league this year. He's playing with a lot of confidence, and at 6-4, with the hands he has, and only 20 years old, I'd say he has the look of a guy that could be not just a good NHL player but a dominant NHL guy.”
Others added to the game include Lake Erie Monsters goaltender Tyler Weiman, Norfolk Admirals forward Brandon Segal and Syracuse Crunch forward Derek MacKenzie have been added to the Canadian AHL All-Star roster, while Philadelphia Phantoms forward Jared Ross has also been added to the PlanetUSA roster.
The two-day event will be televised to more than 100 million households, including on TSN nationally in Canada and on a series of regional sports networks in the United States, with telecasts produced by the New England Sports Network. The weekend's events will also be streamed live on-line at AHL Live.
Anisimov was a second-round draft pick by the New York Rangers in 2006 and won a silver medal with Russia at the 2007 World Junior Championships.
Congratulations not only to Anisimov, who certainly deserved it, but also to the Rangers organization and especially to the AHL for getting it right.
Here’s the official release.
WOLF PACK’S ANISIMOV EARNS AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC BERTH
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Will Join Teammate Bobby Sanguinetti on Planet USA Team
The American Hockey League announced today that Hartford Wolf Pack forward Artem Anisimov has been added to the Planet USA squad for the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic, presented by Charter Communications. The event takes place this Sunday and Monday, January 25-26 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA.
Anisimov leads the Wolf Pack team in goals, with 20, and ranks second on the club with 46 points, having played in all 44 of the Pack’s games on the season. The second-year pro stands tied for fifth overall in the AHL in points.
A second-round selection (54th overall) by the parent New York Rangers in the 2006 NHL Draft, Anisimov registered 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points in 74 games with the Wolf Pack last year, his first in the North-American pro ranks. The 20-year-old, 6-4, 205-pounder hails from Yaroslavl, Russia.
Anisimov’s selection gives the Wolf Pack two representatives on the Planet USA team, as defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti is also headed to the All-Star Classic to skate for Planet USA.
The 2009 AHL All-Star Classic, presented by Charter Communications, will consist of the 2009 AHL All-Star Skills Competition this Sunday, January 25 (4:00 start) and the 2009 AHL All-Star Game this Monday, January 26 (7:00 faceoff).
(Artem Anisimov photo courtesy of Chris Rutsch via Hartfordwolfpack.com)
