Dynamic duo back in Hershey

The 2009 Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears announced today, in conjunction with the Washington Capitals, that left wing Alexandre Giroux and center Keith Aucoin have been assigned out of NHL camp to Hershey.

Giroux and Aucoin last season became the first Hershey duo since 1969 to finish 1-2 in the American Hockey League in scoring. Giroux scored a franchise-record 60 goals on his way to his first AHL scoring title in 2008-09, and then topped that off by scoring a team-record 15 postseason goals during the 2009 Calder Cup playoffs.

Aucoin scored the final goal of Game 6 at Manitoba to effectively clinch the Calder Cup for the Bears this past June. Between the two players, the Chocolate and White will return 193 points of offense from last year’s club and nearly 1,000 career AHL points with today’s transactions.

Giroux has played 567 career AHL games, totaling 258 goals and 211 assists for 469 points. He led the AHL with 97 points in 2008-09 and was named the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s most valuable player. His 60 goals last season were the most ever by an AHL left wing, and his 75 combined goals in the regular season and playoffs were the most in AHL history.

Aucoin has tallied 159 goals and 370 assists for 529 points in 505 career AHL contests. He placed second in the league with 96 points last season and was named a First Team AHL All-Star.