In an exchange of former AHL rookies of the year, the Phoenix Coyotes have re-assigned forward Patrick O’Sullivan from the Portland Pirates to the Peoria Rivermen, while the St. Louis Blues have re-assigned forward Brett Sterling from Peoria to Portland.
O’Sullivan has appeared in 26 games for Portland this season, recording 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points. He also skated in 23 games with Phoenix, registering two goals and two assists.
In 2010-11, O’Sullivan helped lead the Houston Aeros to the Calder Cup Finals, recording a team-high 4-14-18 in 24 playoff games. In 36 regular-season games with Houston, he collected 19-29-48.
An AHL All-Star and the league’s rookie of the year in 2005-06 when he posted 47 goals and 93 points, O’Sullivan has totaled 210 points (94-116-210) in 181 career AHL contests with Portland, Houston and Manchester. He also has 161 points (58-103-161) in 334 career NHL games with Phoenix, Minnesota, Carolina, Edmonton and Los Angeles.
O’Sullivan was originally drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the second round (56th overall) in the 2003 Entry Draft.
Sterling has tallied 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points in 54 games with Peoria in 2011-12, good for second on the team in scoring. He has also appeared in four NHL games for St. Louis this season, going scoreless.
Sterling was a member of the Chicago Wolves’ Calder Cup championship team in 2008, and was the AHL’s rookie of the year in 2006-07 after scoring 55 goals and 97 points. He has appeared in three AHL All-Star Classics (2007, 2008, 2010), and was MVP of the 2007 AHL All-Star Game.
Overall, Sterling has dressed in 30 NHL games for Atlanta, Pittsburgh and St. Louis, posting nine points (five goals, four assists) and 32 penalty minutes. In the AHL, Sterling has totaled 364 points (193 goals, 171 assists) in 373 games.
The Los Angeles, Calif., native was originally drafted by Atlanta in the fifth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
