The Colorado Avalanche, parent club of the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters, announced Friday the signing of free-agent forwards Eric Healey and Matt Hussey, along with goaltender Tyler Weiman, all to one-year contracts.
“These three players add to our team’s overall depth,” said Avalanche assistant general manager Greg Sherman. “Going into our first year with our own American Hockey League affiliate in Cleveland, we have more options available for the organization.”
Healey appeared in all 80 games last season with the AHL’s Springfield Falcons, leading that club in goals (27), assists (48) and points (75). The 6-foot, 205-pound native of Hull, Mass., finished the 2006-07 season ranked 12th in the AHL in scoring.
Healey is a two-time AHL All-Star, participating in the midseason event in 2002 and again in 2006, when he served as captain of the PlanetUSA team. He was a winner of the AHL’s Fred T. Hunt Award for sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey in 2002-03. In 519 career AHL games with Springfield, Providence, Chicago, Manchester and Saint John, Healey has recorded 197 goals and 231 assists for 428 points.
Weiman, 23, was Colorado’s fifth-round choice in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Last season, he appeared in a career-high 54 games with the Albany River Rats, finishing sixth in the AHL in wins (27) and backstopping the club to its first Calder Cup Playoffs appearance in seven years. Weiman was 27-22-3 with a 2.99 goals-against average, a .905 save percentage and two shutouts.
A native of Saskatoon, Sask., Weiman made his AHL debut in 2005-06, going 6-6-1 in 14 appearances for the Lowell Lock Monsters.
Hussey, 28, was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins (254th overall) in the 1998 Entry Draft. He signed with the Detroit Red Wings prior to last season and appeared in 75 games with the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids, recording 15 goals and 29 assists for 44 points. He also suited up in five NHL games for Detroit.
In 344 career AHL games with Grand Rapids and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Hussey has registered 66 goals and 85 assists for 151 points. The native of New Haven, Conn., helped the Penguins reach the Calder Cup Finals in 2004.