Additions made to All-Star rosters

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today several roster changes for the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross, to be held January 29-30 at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Utica Comets forward Alexandre Grenier (37gp, 13-18-31) has been added to the North Division team; Cleveland Monsters goaltender Anton Forsberg (12-7-2, 2.10, .932) has been added to the Central Division roster; and Tucson Roadrunners forward Christian Fischer (31gp, 16-16-32) has been added to the Pacific Division squad.

In addition, the AHL announced that Toronto forward Kasperi Kapanen, Milwaukee goaltender Juuse Saros and Tucson forward Brendan Perlini will be unavailable for the event.

The 2017 All-Star rosters now feature 37 first-time participants, 13 AHL rookies and 11 former first- and second-round NHL draft choices. In addition, 26 of this year’s All-Stars have been recalled to the National Hockey League already this season.

The 2017 AHL All-Star Skills Competition presented by Giant Food Stores and Velaspan on Jan. 29 (7:30 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 2017 AHL All-Star Challenge on Jan. 30 (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.

Starting at just $26 each, a limited number of single-event tickets are on sale for the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross, featuring the AHL All-Star Skills Competition presented by Giant Food Stores and Velaspan and the AHL All-Star Challenge. To purchase event tickets, please visit phantomshockey.com, call 610-347-TIXX or visit the PPL Center box office.

The 2017 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross will be preceded by a Phan Fest on Saturday, Jan. 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by a Tailgate Party beginning at 6 p.m. Both events will take place at the PPL Center and tickets for both the Phan Fest ($5) and Tailgate Party ($10) are also available now at phantomshockey.com.

The 2017 AHL All-Star Skills Competition presented by Giant Food Stores and Velaspan on Sunday 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 2017 AHL All-Star Challenge on Monday, 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.

The All-Star Classic festivities also include the AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony, to be held at Miller Symphony Hall at 11 a.m. on Jan. 30. The ceremony will feature the induction of Billy Dea, Bryan Helmer, Rob Murray and Doug Yingst as the AHL Hall of Fame Class of 2017 and will also celebrate honorary All-Star Classic captains Daniel Briere and Terry Murray.

The 2017 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League: since 1995, more than 93 percent of All-Star Classic participants have gone on to compete in the National Hockey League, including Jake Allen, Artem Anisimov, Patrice Bergeron, Ben Bishop, Troy Brouwer, Ryan Callahan, Zdeno Chara, Logan Couture, Braden Holtby, Tyler Johnson, Martin Jones, Chris Kunitz, Zach Parise, Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan, Cory Schneider, Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza, P.K. Subban and Mats Zuccarello, as well as former Lehigh Valley Phantoms representatives Nick Cousins, Brandon Manning and Anthony Stolarz.

In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for the players, coaches, managers, trainers, executives and broadcasters of all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of NHL players last season were AHL graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers. In 2015-16, over 7.1 million fans attended AHL regular-season and playoff games across North America, the highest total attendance in league history.

Rosters as of January 19:

16_AHL_ALL_STAR_XTHEME_ATLANTIC_1.3
Chris Bourque
her14_200F (capt.)
Chris
Bourque
Travis Boyd
her14_200F
Travis
Boyd
T.J. Brennan
lv14_200D
T.J.
Brennan
Jake Guentzel
wbs14_200F
Jake
Guentzel
Danton Heinen
pro14_200F
Danton
Heinen
Tristan Jarry
wbs14_200G
Tristan
Jarry
Nicklas Jensen
hfd14_200F
Nicklas
Jensen
Taylor Leier
lv14_200F
Taylor
Leier
Zane McIntyre
pro14_200G
Zane
McIntyre

bri14_200D
Devon
Toews
Jordan Weal
lv14_200F
Jordan
Weal
MacKenzie Weegar
spr16_200D
Mackenzie
Weegar
donatelli_clark
wbs14_200Coach
Clark
Donatelli
Casey Bailey
bng14_200F
Casey
Bailey
Mark Barberio
stj15_200D
Mark
Barberio
Joe Blandisi
alb14_200F
Joe
Blandisi
Yanni Gourde
syr14_200F
Yanni
Gourde
Alexandre Grenier
uti14_200F
Alexandre
Grenier
Brendan Leipsic
tor16_200F
Brendan
Leipsic
Charlie Lindgren
stj15_200G
Charlie
Lindgren
John Quenneville
alb14_200F
John
Quenneville
Cole Schneider
rch14_200F
Cole
Schneider
Jordan Subban
uti14_200D
Jordan
Subban
Matt Taormina
syr14_200D
Matt
Taormina
Linus Ullmark
rch14_200G
Linus
Ullmark
Benoit Groulx
syr14_200Coach
Benoit
Groulx
Spencer Abbott
rfd14_200F
Spencer
Abbott
Kenny Agostino
chi14_200F
Kenny
Agostino
Oliver Bjorkstrand
cle16_200F
Oliver
Bjorkstrand
Alexandre Carrier
mil15_200D
Alexandre
Carrier
Ryan Craig
cle16_200F (capt.)
Ryan
Craig
Anton Forsberg
cle16_200G
Anton
Forsberg
Brad Hunt
chi14_200D
Brad
Hunt
Michael Leighton
cha14_200G
Michael
Leighton
Matt Lorito
gr15_200F
Matt
Lorito
Teemu Pulkkinen
ia14_200F
Teemu
Pulkkinen
Jack Roslovic
mtb15_200F
Jack
Roslovic
Robbie Russo
gr15_200D
Robbie
Russo
Todd Nelson
gr15_200Coach
Todd
Nelson
Taylor Beck
bak15_200F
Taylor
Beck
Jonny Brodzinski
ont15_200F
Jonny
Brodzinski
Christian Fischer
tuc16_200F
Christian
Fischer
A.J. Greer
sa14_200F
A.J.
Greer
Troy Grosenick
sjb15_200G
Troy
Grosenick
Julius Honka
tex15_200D
Julius
Honka
Mark Jankowski
stk15_200F
Mark
Jankowski
Vincent LoVerde
ont15_200D
Vincent
LoVerde
Spencer Martin
sa14_200G
Spencer
Martin
Brandon Montour
sd15_200D
Brandon
Montour
Daniel O'Regan
sjb15_200F
Daniel
O’Regan
Kyle Wood
tuc16_200D
Kyle
Wood
Mike Stothers
ont15_200Coach
Mike
Stothers
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