WEISE = AHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

We hate to say we told you so, but “We told you so…” From the beginning of this season Howlings has been saying that Dale Weise is an NHL quality player. This afternoon the AHL recognized that talent as well awarding Weise the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week Award.

In speaking of his reaction, Weise told Howlings,  “It’s always exciting to be given a league wide honor like this. I had a good week.”  The Winnipeg, Manitoba native added. “We got a big four points for our team. These individual awards are nice, but it’s all about the team.”

When asked how he heard about having been given this honor, Weise said laughing, “Actually the first person who told me about it was you.”  Weise immediately got on the phone and told his family. “She was at work when I called and she immediately hit the internet and was pretty excited.  She told me she was pretty happy and that she was proud of me.”

Here’s the official release:

The American Hockey League announced today that Hartford Wolf Pack right wing Dale Weise has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 10, 2010. Weise scored five goals in four games as the Wolf Pack earned a split on their week-long road swing.

On Wednesday night, Hartford took on Lowell in Newark, N.J., and Weise scored the game-tying goal in the third period of a game eventually won by the Devils, 3-2. Weise scored twice, including the game-winner, in a 5-2 victory at Worcester on Friday, and tallied a shorthanded marker in Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Albany. Finally, Weise extended his scoring streak to four games with a power-play goal in Hartford’s 2-1 victory in Providence on Sunday evening.

In recognition of his achievement, Weise will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Wolf Pack home game.

A native of Winnipeg, Man., the 21-year-old Weise has registered 15 goals and 14 assists for 29 points in 41 games for Hartford this season, already surpassing his totals of 11-12-23 compiled in 74 games as a rookie in 2008-09. He is currently tied for fourth in the AHL with four game-winning goals and leads the league with five unassisted tallies. Weise was a fourth-round draft choice by the New York Rangers in 2008 and played his junior hockey at Swift Current (WHL).

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Week include Abbotsford goaltender Matt Keetley, Adirondack center Jared Ross, Albany right wing Jacob Micflikier, Binghamton right wing Brandon Svendsen, Bridgeport center Greg Moore, Chicago center Johnny Pohl, Grand Rapids left wing Francis Lemieux, Hamilton center Brock Trotter, Hershey goaltender Braden Holtby, Houston center Nathan Smith, Lake Erie goaltender Billy Sauer, Lowell right wing Stephen Gionta, Manchester center Marc-Andre Cliche, Manitoba goaltender Cory Schneider, Milwaukee center Dave Scatchard, Peoria center Nicholas Drazenovic, Portland right wing Mark Mancari, Providence right wing Jordan Knackstedt, Rochester center Jamie Johnson, Rockford left wing Kyle Greentree, Syracuse goaltender Kevin Lalande, Texas defenseman Maxime Fortunus, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton center Dustin Jeffrey and Worcester defenseman Derek Joslin.

Also in the news,

CHECKERS TO DELIVER TEDDY BEARS TO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

The Charlotte Checkers will deliver teddy bears collected at the Dec. 26 game to Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010 from 2 – 2:30pm. The Checkers players who will attend the event include goaltender Ryan Munce, defensemen Mike Berube, T.J. Reynolds, Kevin Schaeffer, Steve Ward, and Chris Snavely, along with forwards David Marshall,  Andrew Carroll, Kenny Roche, Matt Schepke and Mike Taylor.