From: Ryan Stanzel
Director of Communications
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
713.361.7930 (Direct Line)

AEROS PAIR NAMED TO PLANETUSA ALL-STAR TEAM

Westrum to start, O’Sullivan will also represent Aeros in February 1 game

HOUSTON, Texas – Houston Aeros center Erik Westrum has been named a starter for the PlanetUSA team at the 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic, to be held January 31 and February 1 at MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Teammate Patrick O’Sullivan will also represent the Aeros on PlanetUSA. The Canadian All-Star Team, which could feature as many as three more Aeros in captain Kirby Law, defenseman Curtis Murphy and goaltender Josh Harding, will be announced Thursday. 

Westrum, 26 (7/26/79), currently leads the AHL in scoring with 53 points (16-37=53), and his 37 assists pace the league as well. The 6-foot, 204-pound native of Minneapolis, Minn., was acquired by the Minnesota Wild along with defenseman Dustin Wood for defenseman Zbynek Michalek from Phoenix on August 26, 2005. Westrum had an 11-game point streak November 30-December 31, the longest by an Aero since the 1998-99 season. In just 38 games, Westrum has career-highs in assists and points, and his 16 goals are just two off his career-best, set last season in Utah. Westrum has tallied 192 points (71-121=192) in 317 career AHL games, and has two points (1-1=2) in two career NHL games with the Phoenix Coyotes. Phoenix took Westrum in the seventh round (No. 187 overall) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

O’Sullivan, 20 (2/1/85), is tied for the AHL lead in scoring among rookies with 37 points (19-18=37), a total that also ranks him tied for 13th among all AHL players. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound native of Winston-Salem, N.C., is tied for sixth in the league in goals. O’Sullivan, who has two hat tricks this season, was Minnesota’s second-round pick (No. 56 overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

The 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic will take place at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, home of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, and will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League. The event gets underway on Tuesday, January 31, with the 2006 CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition at 7:00 p.m. (CT). The annual All-Star Game follows at 7:00 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, February 1, and will be televised live in North America.

PlanetUSA All-Stars
Forwards
Keith Aucoin, Lowell
Valtteri Filppula, Grand Rapids
Eric Healey, Providence ("C")
x-Jiri Hudler, Grand Rapids
Patrick O’Sullivan, Houston
Libor Pivko, Milwaukee
x-John Pohl, Toronto
Patrick Rissmiller, Cleveland
Peter Sejna, Peoria
Ryan Shannon, Portland
Tomas Surovy, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Ryan Vesce, Springfield
x-Erik Westrum, Houston

Defensemen
x-Sven Butenschon, Manitoba
Denis Grebeshkov, Manchester
Matt Greene, Iowa
David Hale, Albany
Matt Jones, San Antonio
Thomas Pock, Hartford
Danny Richmond, Lowell
x-Noah Welch, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Goaltenders
Al Montoya, Hartford
x-Pekka Rinne, Milwaukee
Tim Thomas, Providence

Head Coach: Joe Mullen, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Assistant Coach: Al Sims, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Athletic Therapist: Rob Milette, Manitoba Moose
Equipment Manager: Corey Osmak, Manitoba Moose


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