Senators’ Novak named an All-Star

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today announced that Binghamton Senators defenseman Filip Novak has been added to the PlanetUSA roster for the 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic, set for next Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.

The AHL also announced that Peoria Rivermen forward Peter Sejna will be unable to participate in the event due to injury.

Novak, 23, will be making his second AHL All-Star Classic appearance, having participated in Portland in 2003. The third-year pro is tied for fourth among AHL defensemen with 34 points (six goals, 28 assists) in 37 games for Binghamton this year. A native of Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Novak was originally a second-round draft pick by the New York Rangers in 2000, and was traded to Florida in 2002 as part of the Pavel Bure deal. He was acquired by Ottawa from the Panthers prior to the start of the 2005-06 season.

Novak was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2002-03 before missing the entire 2003-04 season due to injury.

The 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic will take place at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, home of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, and will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League. The event gets underway on Tuesday, January 31, with the 2006 CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition at 8:00 p.m. (ET), and concludes with the annual All-Star Game at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday, February 1.

The 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic will be televised on Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and on a series of regional cable networks in the United States. It will also be offered at no charge on B2 Networks’ broadband video webcast at theahl.com. The action can also be heard on XM Satellite Radio and on the internet at theahl.com.