COREY LOCKE…ALL-STAR 

Congratulations to the Hartford Wolf Pack’s Corey Locke who was named to the 2009-2010 AHL Second Team AHL All-Star. Locke, who’s had a good run in his first year in Hartford, is currently in the NHL with the New York Rangers.

Here’s the official release:

The American Hockey League announced today the 2009-10 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams, as voted by AHL coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 29 member cities.

2009-10 AHL First All-Star Team

G Jonathan Bernier, Manchester Monarchs (56gp, 29-20-6, 2.07gaa, .936sv%, 8 SO)

D Danny Groulx, Worcester Sharks (74gp, 11+51=62pts., +18)

D P.K. Subban, Hamilton Bulldogs (71gp, 18+34=52pts., +43)

LW Alexandre Giroux, Hershey Bears (63gp, 44+53=97pts., +34, 14 PPG)

C Keith Aucoin, Hershey Bears (67gp, 35+65=100pts., +29, 10 GWG)

RW Jerome Samson, Albany River Rats (72gp, 37+39=76pts., 327 SOG)

2009-10 AHL Second All-Star Team

G Cedrick Desjardins, Hamilton Bulldogs 42gp, 26-8-3, 1.93gaa, .923sv%, 6 SO

D Maxim Noreau, Houston Aeros 71gp, 18+32=50pts., 22 PP pts.

D Clay Wilson, Rochester Americans 73gp, 14+46=60pts., +19

LW Charles Linglet, Springfield Falcons 75gp, 19+55=74pts., 31 PP pts.

C Corey Locke, Hartford Wolf Pack 73gp, 29+51=80pts., 18 PPG

RW Andrew Gordon, Hershey Bears 73gp, 36+34=70pts., +25, 18 PPG

Each All-Star Team member will receive a custom designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2009-10 AHL First and Second All-Star Teams.

2009-10 AHL First All-Star Team

Jonathan Bernier, Goaltender (Manchester Monarchs):

A native of Laval, Que., second-year pro Jonathan Bernier has enjoyed a stellar season for Manchester, leading all AHL goaltenders in save percentage (.936) and shutouts (8) while ranking second in goals-against average (2.07) in 56 appearances (29-20-6). Bernier, 21, who earned the start in net for Canada at the 2010 AHL All-Star Game, has also been the busiest goaltender in the AHL, leading the league in minutes played (3,306), saves (1,672) and shots faced (1,786). Drafted 11th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2006, Bernier is 2-0-0 in two games for the Kings this season and earned his first career NHL shutout on Mar. 30.

Danny Groulx, Defense (Worcester Sharks):

A Calder Cup champion with Hamilton in 2007, Danny Groulx has authored a career year for Worcester in 2009-10. The native of LaSalle, Que., leads AHL defensemen with 51 assists and 62 points, both personal bests, and has skated in all 74 games for the Sharks, running his ironman streak to 182 games, the longest active run in the AHL. One of only two rearguards currently leading his team in scoring, Groulx has tallied 16 multiple-point performances and enjoyed a nine-game scoring streak from Jan. 16 to Feb. 6.

P.K. Subban, Defense (Hamilton Bulldogs):

Rookie standout P.K. Subban has been among the AHL’s top-scoring defensemen all season, currently ranking first in goals (18-tied) and third in points (52) in 71 games for Hamilton. Named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team on Wednesday, Subban is second in the AHL with a plus-43 rating and leads all AHL rookies with 11 power-play goals. A Toronto native and second-round draft pick by Montreal in 2007, the 20-year-old Subban represented Hamilton in the 2010 AHL All-Star Game and has appeared in his first two career NHL games for the Canadiens.

Alexandre Giroux, Left Wing (Hershey Bears):

Coming off a 60-goal performance as AHL MVP in 2008-09, Alexandre Giroux again leads the AHL in goals (44) and ranks second with 97 points in 63 games for Hershey, earning him his second straight First Team AHL All-Star berth. Needing one more point to set a career high for the second straight year, Giroux rattled off a 16-game scoring streak (15-17-32) from Dec. 27 to Jan. 31 and played in his third AHL All-Star Classic. A Quebec City native, Giroux notched both his 500th career AHL point and his 300th career AHL goal this season, and has chipped in three points in nine NHL games for Washington.

Keith Aucoin, Center (Hershey Bears):

Poised to finish among the AHL’s top three scorers for the third time in the last four years, Keith Aucoin currently leads the league with a career-high 100 points – including a personal-best 35 goals – in 67 games for Hershey. Aucoin, who had an assist in 16 straight games from Dec. 27 to Jan. 31 (14-25-39), one game shy of the AHL record, also shows a league-high 10 game-winning goals, and appeared in his fifth consecutive AHL All-Star Classic this winter. A native of Waltham, Mass., Aucoin recently became the highest-scoring American-born player in AHL history (629 points). He also has five points in nine NHL matches with Washington this season.

Jerome Samson, Right Wing (Albany River Rats):

Third-year pro Jerome Samson has enjoyed a breakout season in 2009-10, pacing Albany’s offense with career highs in goals (37), assists (39) and points (76) through 72 games. He ranks second in the AHL in goals and fourth in points and has recorded four separate four-point performances this season, and his 327 shots on goal are 33 percent more than anyone else in the league has registered. A native of Greenfield Park, Que., Samson earned his first NHL action with Carolina this year and has tallied one assist in six games.

2009-10 AHL Second All-Star Team

Cedrick Desjardins, Goaltender (Hamilton Bulldogs):

Cedrick Desjardins has rolled to a 26-8-3 mark in 42 appearances for Hamilton and currently leads all AHL netminders in goals-against average (1.93) while ranking fourth in save percentage (.923) and second in shutouts (6). The Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month for December and the winning goaltender in the 2010 AHL All-Star Game, Desjardins reeled off nine straight victories from Nov. 28 to Dec. 31, a stretch that included four shutouts in a five-game span. A 24-year-old native of Edmundston, N.B., Desjardins has helped Hamilton surrender a league-low 165 goals through 74 games.

Maxim Noreau, Defense (Houston Aeros):

Third-year pro Maxim Noreau has established career highs in all offensive categories this season for Houston, tying for the lead among AHL defensemen with 18 goals and placing fifth with 50 points in 71 games. A Montreal native, Noreau enjoyed a seven-game scoring streak from Nov. 28 to Dec. 16 and racked up a career-high five points (2-3-5) at Abbotsford on Jan. 22. The 22-year-old Noreau, who contributed two game-winning goals and 11 points during Houston’s run to the 2009 conference finals, appeared in his first AHL All-Star Classic in January.

Clay Wilson, Defense (Rochester Americans):

Clay Wilson has averaged a point per game since the calendar turned to 2010 and currently ranks second among AHL defensemen with a career-high 60 points (14-46-60) in 73 games, good for second on the Americans in scoring. Wilson is tied for the league lead among defensemen with 32 points on the power play and has put together 16 multiple-point performances on the season. The Sturgeon Lake, Minn., native has helped Rochester back to the playoffs following a two-year absence.

Charles Linglet, Left Wing (Springfield Falcons):

Coming off his least productive season as a professional in 2008-09, Charles Linglet has responded in a big way with his best showing yet, setting career highs in assists (55) and points (74) in 75 games for Springfield. A Montreal native, Linglet is tied for fifth in the AHL scoring race and ranks third in assists, including 14 multiple-assist performances and a four-point effort (1-3-4) on Jan. 17 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Linglet was rewarded with first career NHL recall on Wednesday, and is expected to make his debut with the Oilers this weekend.

Corey Locke, Center (Hartford Wolf Pack):

A four-time AHL All-Star and a 2007 Calder Cup champion, Corey Locke set the AHL scoring pace for the first half of the season and now ranks third with a career-best 80 points (29-51-80) in 73 games for Hartford. The Toronto native, who sits one goal short of matching a career high, is on track to lead his team in scoring for a third consecutive season. Locke, 25, is tied for the AHL lead in power-play goals (18), and made his N.Y. Rangers debut on Mar. 30.

Andrew Gordon, Right Wing (Hershey Bears):

Third-year forward Andrew Gordon tallied a hat trick on opening night and continued to flourish while playing on league-leading Hershey’s potent top line this season. He’s shattered his previous career highs with 36 goals – ranking him third in the AHL – and 70 points in 73 games for the Bears, and the 24-year-old from Halifax, N.S., is tied for the league lead with 18 power-play tallies. Drafted by Washington in 2004, Gordon has also appeared in two games with the Capitals on the year.

Here is the Wolf Pack’s release on Locke:

WOLF PACK’S COREY LOCKE EARNS SECOND-TEAM AHL ALL-STAR HONORS

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Veteran Center is League’s Third-leading ScorerHARTFORD, April 1, 2010:  The American Hockey League today named Hartford Wolf Pack center Corey Locke a Second-Team AHL All-Star.

Locke, currently on recall from the Wolf Pack to the parent New York Rangers, leads the Wolf Pack team in goals, assists and points, and ranks third in the AHL in point-scoring, with 29-51-80 in 73 games.  Locke’s 80 points are a personal pro career high, and he is only one goal short of his career best in that department.  The sixth-year pro also is tied for the league lead in power-play goals, with 18.

This is Locke’s first season AHL All-Star nod, but he has been selected to the Canadian team for the AHL All-Star Classic the last four consecutive years.  In 463 career AHL games with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Houston Aeros and the Wolf Pack, Locke has struck for 139 goals and 249 assists for 388 points.

(photo by Chris Rutsch)