Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Amerks Sign Rank to SPC, Marshall to PTO


The Rochester Americans announced today that the club has signed forward Kyle Rank to a standard American Hockey League contract and forward David Marshall to a 25-game Professional Tryout.

The duo will officially join Rochester this morning and can potentially make their Amerk debut against the Toronto Marlies on Friday, November 26th at The Blue Cross Arena. The pair also becomes the 36th and 37th players to suit for Rochester this season.

Rank, 28, attended the Toronto Marlies training camp prior to the start of the 2010-11 campaign, but has yet to see any action this season. Last season with the Portland Pirates, the 6-foot-0, 200-pound forward appeared in all but one game, scoring nine goals and 11 assists, while setting career-highs in games played (79) and penalty minutes (62). He also notched one assist in four postseason contests for the Pirates. In 114 total American Hockey League appearances with Bridgeport and Portland, Rank has recorded 33 points (12+21) and 85 penalty minutes. In his pro career, the fourth-year pro has amassed 72 points (26+46) in 171 total games.

Prior to turning pro, the Elmira, Ontario, native played four years under former Amerk captain and defensemen Mike Hurlbut (2003-07) at St. Lawrence University, collecting 99 points (39+60) and 127 penalty minutes in 151 career games for the Saints. Rank also skated in 23 games under current Amerks Head Coach Chuck Weber during the 2008-09 season with the Cincinnati Cyclones.


Marshall, 25, earns his second promotion to the AHL after collecting 11 points (7+4) in 16 games with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers to start the season. At the time of his recall, Marshall scored a team-high seven goals and was second on the team in overall scoring.
Marshall brings 24 games of AHL experience with him to Rochester, having spent time with the Lake Erie Monsters the past two seasons. In his pro career, Marshall has tallied 53 points (34+19) in 95 games.

Before joining the professional ranks, the Buffalo, Minnesota, native played four years (2005-09) at Quinnipiac University, where he finished among the top five players three consecutive years, including leading all team rookies in scoring in 2006-07 with 34 points (22+12). In 155 career games for the Bobcats, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward has scored 73 goals and 54 assists for 127 points.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Amerks Sign Pair

The Amerks have signed forwards Michael Dubuc (DOO-bick)) and Matt Pierce to 25-game professional tryouts. Dubuc, 22, joins the Amerks from the ECHL’s Elmira Jackals, where he shares the team lead in points with 21 and has a league-best 11 goals. The Granby, Quebec, native has played in 19 career AHL games over the past two seasons, all with the Hershey Bears. As a rookie in 2008-09, he led the Kelly Cup Champion South Carolina Stingrays with 35 goals. Dubuc also led Rouyn-Noranda in scoring in his final two seasons of junior hockey.

Pierce, who attended Rochester’s training camp this fall, officially joins the team after beginning the 2010-11 campaign with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL), collecting 10 points (3+7) in 15 games. The former Mercyhurst College standout is coming off a banner year in 2009-10, finishing fifth on the team in scoring to guide Cincinnati to its second ECHL title in three years. Pierce played under current Amerks head coach Chuck Weber his last two seasons behind the Cyclones bench.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

P.J. Fenton Signed to Contract

Florida Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has signed forward PJ Fenton to a standard American Hockey League contract.

Fenton, 25, returns for his second stint in the AHL after opting to go overseas prior to the start of the 2009-10 season. A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, Fenton began the 2010-11 campaign with the DEG Metro Stars of the German Elite League, scoring one goal and adding three assists for four points in 19 games. The fourth-year pro posted his best season a year ago with the Heilbronn Falcons, capturing career-highs in all offensive categories in goals (27), assists (36), points (63) and penalty minutes (47) to finish second on the team in overall scoring.

San Jose’s fifth-round selection (162nd overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Fenton made his professional debut in 2007-08 with the AHL’s Worcester Sharks, appearing in four games.

Prior to turning pro, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward played four seasons (2004-08) at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he finished among UMass’s top three scorers in three out of four years. In 148 career games with the Minute Men, Fenton registered 95 points (37+58) and 129 penalty minutes. In his pro career, Fenton has amassed 92 points (43+49) in 140 appearances.