Blues acquire sniper Mink from Florida

The St. Louis Blues, parent club of the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen, announced today the club has acquired forward Graham Mink (pictured) from the Florida Panthers, parent club of the AHL’s Rochester Americans, in exchange for defenseman T.J. Fast.

Mink, 31, spent last season with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. He was one of four 20-plus goal scorers on the roster and finished the season with 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists) in 67 games. In January, Mink was honored by the American Hockey League as being named team captain for the PlanetUSA All-Stars at the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic in Portland, Maine.

Over his career in the AHL that has spanned nine seasons and 568 games with Portland, Hershey, Worcester and Rochester, the 6-3, 200-pound right winger has racked up 401 points (203 goals, 198 assists) and 681 penalty minutes.

He has been a key contributor to two Calder Cup championship Hershey Bears teams (2006, 2009) and has seen action in 58 AHL playoff games where he has accumulated 67 points (19 goals, 48 assists). He has scored at least 20 goals in each of the last five seasons and has reached the 30-goal plateau on two separate occasions (32 in 2008-09 and 31 in 2006-07).

In addition, the Stowe, Vt., native and University of Vermont alum has made seven NHL appearances with the Washington Capitals serving two penalty minutes.

Fast, 22, has appeared in 64 games for Peoria over the past two seasons and registered six points (one goal, five assists). He contributed 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 46 games for Peoria’s ECHL affiliate, the Alaska Aces this past season.

Originally drafted in the second round (60th overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in 2005, the Blues acquired Fast on June 4, 2008 in exchange for a fifth round pick in the 2009 draft.