Pirates sign defensemen Oberg, Southorn

The Portland Pirates today announced the signings of defensemen Evan Oberg and Jordon Southorn to American Hockey League contracts.

Oberg, a 26-year-old Forestburg, Alta., native, is entering his sixth professional season in 2014-15. The 6-foot-1, 191-pound defenseman has played 283 career AHL games, recording 23 goals and 75 assists for 98 points with Manitoba, Rochester, San Antonio, Norfolk, Syracuse and Chicago. He won a Calder Cup championship with Norfolk in 2012.

Last season, Oberg appeared in 60 AHL games with Chicago, recording six goals, 19 assists and a plus-22 rating.

Oberg has played a total of seven games in the National Hockey League with Vancouver and Tampa Bay.

Southorn, a 24-year-old Montreal, Que., native, has spent most of his first four professional seasons in the ECHL, playing 205 games with Trenton, Wheeling, Elmira and Fort Wayne.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman has played three career AHL games, including two with Providence in 2011-12 and one with Portland in 2013-14. He recorded two assists, the first two points of his AHL career, in the Pirates’ 7-4 win at St. John’s IceCaps on Mar. 14, 2014.

Southorn was a fourth-round draft pick by Buffalo in 2008.