Phoenix Coyotes general manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes, parent club of the AHL’s Portland Pirates, have signed goaltender Curtis McElhinney and defenseman Tyler Eckford to one-year (two-way) contracts.
As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In four NHL seasons with Ottawa, Anaheim and Calgary, the 6-foot-2, 197 pound McElhinney has appeared in 67 games posting a 18-26-4 record with a 3.13 goals against average (GAA) and an .898 save percentage.
In 2010-11, the 28-year-old native of London, Ont., played in a career-high 28 games with Ottawa and Anaheim posting a record of 9-13-1 with two shutouts, a 2.99 GAA and a .903 SV%.
McElhinney spent three seasons in the AHL with Omaha and Quad City, appearing in 131 games and posting a record of 64-49-5 with 13 shutouts. In 2006-07, McElhinney went 35-17-1 with a 2.13 GAA and seven shutouts for Omaha; he was named a Second Team AHL All-Star and participated in the AHL All-Star Classic.
McElhinney was originally drafted by the Calgary Flames in the sixth-round (176th overall) in the 2002 Entry Draft.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Eckford played 37 games with the Albany Devils (AHL) in 2010-11, recording 2-10-12 and 12 penalty minutes. He was also scoreless in four NHL games with New Jersey.
In 2009-10, the 25-year-old native of Vancouver, B.C., set career highs in goals (8), points (31) and plus/minus (+11) with Lowell (AHL), representing the club in the AHL All-Star Classic. Eckford has played 170 AHL games in three pro seasons, notching 12 goals and 58 assists for 70 points.
Eckford was originally drafted by New Jersey in the seventh-round (217th overall) in the 2004 Entry Draft.
