SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Binghamton Senators right wing Jeff Heerema has been named the CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending April 9, 2006. Heerema scored six goals and added four assists for 10 points in three games last week, keeping Binghamton alive in its hunt for a playoff berth in the East Division.
On Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre, Heerema notched a hat trick and chipped in an assist as the Senators recorded a 6-4 victory over the division-leading Penguins. On Friday, Heerema had a goal and an assist in Binghamton’s 4-0 victory over visiting Bridgeport, and on Saturday, he was in on four of the Sens’ six power-play goals, scoring two and assisting on two, in a 6-5 win over Rochester.
In recognition of his achievement, Heerema will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Senators home game.
Heerema, a former first-round draft choice (11th overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes in 1998, has tallied 27 goals and 46 assists for 73 points in 74 games with Binghamton in 2005-06, surging into the top 15 in the AHL in scoring. A native of Thunder Bay, Ont., the 26-year-old Heerema has recorded 101 goals and 145 assists for 246 points in 308 career AHL games with Binghamton, Manitoba, Hartford, Worcester and Lowell. He has also skated in 32 career NHL contests with St. Louis and Carolina, tallying four goals and two assists.
Other nominees for CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week include Bridgeport forward Joe Tallari, Chicago right wing Scott Barney, Cleveland forward Tomas Plihal, Grand Rapids left wing Donald MacLean, Hershey defenseman Lawrence Nycholat, Houston defenseman Curtis Murphy, Iowa goaltender Mike Smith, Manitoba left wing Ryan Bayda, Norfolk right wing Pavel Vorobiev, Peoria center Mike Zigomanis, Philadelphia forward Tony Voce, Portland right wing Dustin Penner, Providence center Tyler Redenbach, Rochester right wing Mark Mancari, Syracuse defenseman Andy Delmore, Toronto right wing Aleksander Suglobov and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Matt Hussey.
