Amerks sign Bendickson to PTO

The Rochester Americans hockey club has signed forward Aaron Bendickson to a 25-game Professional Tryout agreement.

Bendickson will join the team on the road this weekend and can potentially make his American Hockey League debut against the Worcester Sharks on Friday, October 29th at the DCU Center.

Bendickson, 24, is currently in his first professional season with ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators, where he leads the team in both points (nine) and assists (seven) through just the first four games of the campaign. He also presently leads all league rookies and is tied for first among the ECHL’s top scorers in all overall scoring.

Prior to turning pro, the Thief River Falls, Minnesota, native played four years (2006-10) at the University of Wisconsin, collecting 40 points (20+20) and 40 penalty minutes in 147 career games for the Badgers. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound forward posted his best season during his senior year, capturing career-highs in all offensive categories in goals (12), assists (10) points (22), penalty minutes (16) and gamed played (43) to lead Wisconsin to its second NCAA Division I National Championship appearance in the last five years.

McArdle Returns

Joining the Amerks for Tuesday's game against Hamilton is forward Kenndal McArdle after his reassignment from the Florida Panthers.  Having started this season in the NHL with the Florida Panthers, McArdle returns to Rochester for his fourth season with the club. The 23-year-old Toronto, Ontario, native has posted 44 points (20+22) over his past three seasons with the Amerks.

Ehgoetz and Del Monte join Amerks

Rochester has signed forwards Barret Ehgoetz and Ryan Del Monte to 25-game professional tryouts. Both played under Weber last season with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones who captured the 2010 Kelly Cup championship this past spring. Ehgoetz, Cincinnati’s captain and Niagara University’s all-time scoring leader, has one goal in two games with the Cyclones this season. The sixth-year pro made his professional debut with Rochester during the 2004-05 season, skating in one game with the Amerks. Del Monte, who attended Amerks training camp prior to the start of the campaign, has recorded one assist in two appearances with Cincinnati.