CHAIMOVITCH: PLAYING ROSTERS UNVEILED FOR 2018 AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC 

CHAIMOVITCH: PLAYING ROSTERS UNVEILED FOR 2018 AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC

BY: Jason Chaimovitch, AHL

The American Hockey League announced today the playing rosters for the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino, to be held January 28-29 in Utica, N.Y.

Each of the AHL’s four divisions will be represented by 12 players. Rosters were determined by committees of AHL coaches, and all 30 AHL teams are represented by at least one All-Star.

The 2018 rosters feature 37 first-time AHL All-Stars, seven former first-round draft choices, and 12 more second-rounders. In addition, 25 of the All-Stars named have been recalled to the National Hockey League already this season, including standouts Luke Kunin of the Iowa Wild (Minnesota), Kasperi Kapanen of the Toronto Marlies (Toronto), Daniel Sprong of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) and Dylan Strome and Nick Merkley of the Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona).

Also named to the All-Star rosters are Chicago Wolves forward Brandon Pirri, the MVP of the 2014 AHL All-Star Game; Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman T.J. Brennan, an All-Star for the fifth consecutive year; and 2018 United States Olympian Chris Bourque of the Hershey Bears, who would be making his record-tying sixth All-Star appearance.

Providence Bruins head coach Jay Leach, Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe, Manitoba Moose head coach Pascal Vincent and Tucson Roadrunners head coach Mike Van Ryn will serve as coaches for the event.

The 2018 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 28 (8 p.m. ET) will pit the All-Stars from the two Eastern Conference divisions against those from the two Western Conference divisions in seven skills events.

In the 2018 AHL All-Star Challenge on Jan. 29 (7 p.m. ET), the four teams will participate in a round-robin tournament featuring six games of 10 minutes each, played entirely at 3-on-3. The two teams with the best records at the end of the round-robin will face off for the championship, a six-minute game also played at 3-on-3.

Tickets for the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino are priced at $39, $49, $69, $89 and $99, and include admission to both the Skills Competition on Jan. 28 and the All-Star Challenge on Jan. 29. To purchase event tickets, visit the Adirondack Bank Center box office or go online to empirestatetix.com.

Atlantic Division All-Stars

D Sebastian Aho, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (1st appearance)
G Jordan Binnington, Providence Bruins (1st)
F Chris Bourque, Hershey Bears (6th)
D T.J. Brennan, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (5th)
F Austin Czarnik, Providence Bruins (1st)
G Casey DeSmith, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1st)
F Tanner Fritz, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (1st)
D John Gilmour, Hartford Wolf Pack (1st)
F Alexandre Grenier, Springfield Thunderbirds (2nd)
F Danick Martel, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (1st)
F Daniel Sprong, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1st)
F Valentin Zykov, Charlotte Checkers (1st)
Coach: Jay Leach, Providence Bruins (2nd)

North Division All-Stars

F Reid Boucher, Utica Comets (1st)
G Thatcher Demko, Utica Comets (1st)
D Travis Dermott, Toronto Marlies (1st)
F Gabriel Gagne, Belleville Senators (1st)
F Kasperi Kapanen, Toronto Marlies (1st)
F Bracken Kearns (“C”), Binghamton Devils (2nd)
D Jacob MacDonald, Binghamton Devils (1st)
F Matthew Peca, Syracuse Crunch (1st)
F C.J. Smith, Rochester Americans (1st)
D Matt Taormina, Laval Rocket (4th)
F Chris Terry, Laval Rocket (3rd)
G Linus Ullmark, Rochester Americans (2nd)
Coach: Sheldon Keefe, Toronto Marlies (2nd)

Central Division All-Stars

D Erik Gustafsson, Rockford IceHogs (1st)
F Vinnie Hinostroza, Rockford IceHogs (1st)
G Michael Hutchinson, Manitoba Moose (1st)
D Dean Kukan, Cleveland Monsters (1st)
F Luke Kunin, Iowa Wild (1st)
G Anders Lindback, Milwaukee Admirals (1st)
F Matt Lorito, Grand Rapids Griffins (2nd)
F Emil Pettersson, Milwaukee Admirals (1st)
F Brandon Pirri, Chicago Wolves (3rd)
F Matt Puempel, Grand Rapids Griffins (1st)
F Jack Roslovic, Manitoba Moose (2nd)
D Cameron Schilling, Manitoba Moose (1st)
Coach: Pascal Vincent, Manitoba Moose (1st)

Pacific Division All-Stars

D Rasmus Andersson, Stockton Heat (1st)
G Antoine Bibeau, San Jose Barracuda (1st)
F Rocco Grimaldi, San Antonio Rampage (1st)
F Andrew Mangiapane, Stockton Heat (1st)
F Curtis McKenzie, Texas Stars (1st)
F Nick Merkley, Tucson Roadrunners (1st)
G Cal Petersen, Ontario Reign (1st)
F Ty Rattie, Bakersfield Condors (2nd)
D Jordan Schmaltz, San Antonio Rampage (1st)
F Dylan Strome, Tucson Roadrunners (1st)
F Brett Sutter (“C”), Ontario Reign (1st)
D Andy Welinski, San Diego Gulls (1st)
Coach: Mike Van Ryn, Tucson Roadrunners (1st)

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