Worcester Sharks general manager Wayne Thomas announced Friday that the club has signed center James Sheppard to an American Hockey League standard player contracts.
The 24-year-old center from Halifax, N.S., played four scoreless games with the Worcester Sharks last season and brings 224 NHL games of experience to the Sharks roster. He has totaled 11 goals and 38 assists for 49 points in the NHL, and set career highs in goals (5), assists (19), points (24) and games played (82) during the 2008-09 season.
Sheppard was the ninth overall NHL draft selection by the Minnesota Wild in 2006.