Barons sign Cheechoo to tryout

The Oklahoma City Barons have signed forward Jonathan Cheechoo to a professional tryout contract, general manager Bill Scott announced today.

Cheechoo, a 6-foot, 200-pounder from Moose Factory, Ont., skated last season with the Peoria Rivermen where led the team with 25 goals and scored 56 points.

Originally a second-round draft choice (29th overall) of the San Jose Sharks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Cheechoo is a veteran of 501 games in the National Hockey League. His breakout season came during the 2005-06 campaign when he recorded a team-leading 93 points for the Sharks. That included 56 goals, which earned him the Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy as the league’s top goal scorer. He also played in the 2007 NHL All-Star Game.

Cheechoo, 32, has also played 287 games in the AHL with Kentucky, Cleveland, Binghamton and Peoria, notching 107 goals and 129 assists for 236 points. He was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team and skated in the AHL All-Star Classic in 2001.