ALL-STAR DUO

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The American Hockey League announced on Tuesday that Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Xavier Ouellet and right wing Teemu Pulkkinen have been selected to play for the Western Conference AHL All-Star Team at the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino, which will be held Jan. 25-26 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, N.Y.

A native of Bayonne, France, Ouellet has split his 2014-15 campaign between the Griffins and the Detroit Red Wings. In 21 games with Grand Rapids this season, the 21-year-old has collected eight points (1-7—8) and 16 penalty minutes. Detroit’s second choice (48th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Ouellet has also notched two points (1-1—2) in 11 games with the Wings, tallying his first NHL point (assist) on Nov. 22 at Toronto and his first NHL goal on Nov. 28 at New Jersey. In 91 games with the Griffins over the last two seasons, the 6-foot, 200-pound blueliner has accumulated 25 points (5-20—25), 38 PIM and a plus-eight rating.

Pulkkinen leads the Griffins in scoring and ties for second overall in the AHL with 38 points (19-19—38) in 32 games, while also tying for the league lead with 19 goals. In Saturday’s 4-2 come-from-behind victory over the Milwaukee Admirals at Van Andel Arena, which happened to be his 23rd birthday, the Vantaa, Finland, native scored the game-tying goal with just 4:32 remaining in regulation to extend his active goal streak to seven games. It marks the second-longest goal streak in Griffins franchise history, behind only Donald MacLean’s eight-game streak in 2005-06, when he was named the AHL’s regular season MVP. Pulkkinen’s streak also marks the longest in the AHL since former Griffin Jamie Tardif notched goals in seven consecutive games for the Providence Bruins nearly two years ago (Jan. 25-Feb. 16, 2013).

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound right wing has been held off the score sheet in only eight of his 38 games this season. On top of his current seven-game goal and point streak, Pulkkinen also recorded a six-game point streak from Oct. 11-31 (4-4—8) and an eight-game point streak from Nov. 12-29 (5-10—15). Out of 10 multi-point performances this season, Pulkkinen’s scoring came to a head on Dec. 27, when he posted a goal and three assists in a 9-2 rout of the Iowa Wild. Last season, Pulkkinen was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team after leading the Griffins in scoring with 59 points (31-28—59) in 71 regular season games.

Joining both Ouellet and Pulkkinen behind the bench will be the Griffins’ athletic trainer John Bernal and equipment manager Brad Thompson. A native of Pinckney, Mich., Bernal is in his fourth season with Grand Rapids and his 14th overall in hockey. Prior to joining the Griffins, Bernal spent three seasons as the assistant athletic trainer for the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes (2008-11), following a four-year stint as head athletic trainer for the club’s AHL affiliates in San Antonio (2005-08) and Utah (2004-05).

A mainstay in Grand Rapids’ locker room since the 1997-98 campaign, Thompson is in his 14th season as the Griffins’ equipment manager. In recent years, Thompson has had the honor of equipping two championship teams, capped off by the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cup title. He also worked with the Detroit Red Wings’ staff during that team’s run to the 2008 Stanley Cup, and he assisted the Red Wings during their return to the finals in 2009 as well as their three subsequent playoff runs (2010-12).

Former Griffins head coach Mike Stothers (2007-08), whose Manchester Monarchs sport the AHL’s best record at 24-7-2-1, will serve as a coach for the Eastern Conference all-stars.

Both the 2015 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Jan. 25 (8 p.m.) and the 2015 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, Jan. 26 (7 p.m.) will be televised live nationally in the United States and Canada.

2015 AHL All-Star Classic
Jan. 25-26 at Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, N.Y.

2015 AHL All-Stars – Eastern Conference

Albany – F Joe Whitney
Binghamton – D Chris Wideman
Bridgeport – D Ryan Pulock
Hartford – F Chris Bourque
Hershey – F Tim Kennedy
Lehigh Valley – D Brandon Manning
Manchester – D Colin Miller, F Brian O’Neill, F Nick Shore, F Jordan Weal
Norfolk – F Chris Wagner
Portland – F Alexandre Bolduc
Providence – F Alexander Khokhlachev, F David Pastrnak
Springfield – G Anton Forsberg, D Austin Madaisky
St. John’s – G Connor Hellebuyck
Syracuse – F Vladislav Namestnikov, D Nikita Nesterov
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – F Tom Kostopoulos, D Derrick Pouliot, G Jeff Zatkoff
Worcester – D Matt Taormina

Coaches: Mike Stothers, Manchester; Roy Sommer, Worcester

2015 AHL All-Stars – Western Conference

Adirondack – G Joni Ortio, F Emile Poirier
Charlotte – D Ryan Murphy
Chicago – F Ty Rattie
Grand Rapids – D Xavier Ouellet, F Teemu Pulkkinen
Hamilton – F Charles Hudon
Iowa – D Matt Dumba
Lake Erie – D Stefan Elliott
Milwaukee – G Magnus Hellberg
Oklahoma City – D Brad Hunt, F Anton Lander
Rochester – F Phil Varone
Rockford – D T.J. Brennan, F Joakim Nordstom
San Antonio – F Bobby Butler, F Drew Shore
Texas – D Maxime Fortunus, F Travis Morin
Toronto – F Connor Brown
Utica – G Jacob Markstrom, F Cal O’Reilly, D Bobby Sanguinetti

Coaches: Travis Green, Utica; John Anderson, Chicago

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The American Hockey League announced on Tuesday that Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Xavier Ouellet and right wing Teemu Pulkkinen have been selected to play for the Western Conference AHL All-Star Team at the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Turning Stone Resort Casino, which will be held Jan. 25-26 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, N.Y.

A native of Bayonne, France, Ouellet has split his 2014-15 campaign between the Griffins and the Detroit Red Wings. In 21 games with Grand Rapids this season, the 21-year-old has collected eight points (1-7—8) and 16 penalty minutes. Detroit’s second choice (48th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Ouellet has also notched two points (1-1—2) in 11 games with the Wings, tallying his first NHL point (assist) on Nov. 22 at Toronto and his first NHL goal on Nov. 28 at New Jersey. In 91 games with the Griffins over the last two seasons, the 6-foot, 200-pound blueliner has accumulated 25 points (5-20—25), 38 PIM and a plus-eight rating.

Pulkkinen leads the Griffins in scoring and ties for second overall in the AHL with 38 points (19-19—38) in 32 games, while also tying for the league lead with 19 goals. In Saturday’s 4-2 come-from-behind victory over the Milwaukee Admirals at Van Andel Arena, which happened to be his 23rd birthday, the Vantaa, Finland, native scored the game-tying goal with just 4:32 remaining in regulation to extend his active goal streak to seven games. It marks the second-longest goal streak in Griffins franchise history, behind only Donald MacLean’s eight-game streak in 2005-06, when he was named the AHL’s regular season MVP. Pulkkinen’s streak also marks the longest in the AHL since former Griffin Jamie Tardif notched goals in seven consecutive games for the Providence Bruins nearly two years ago (Jan. 25-Feb. 16, 2013).

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound right wing has been held off the score sheet in only eight of his 38 games this season. On top of his current seven-game goal and point streak, Pulkkinen also recorded a six-game point streak from Oct. 11-31 (4-4—8) and an eight-game point streak from Nov. 12-29 (5-10—15). Out of 10 multi-point performances this season, Pulkkinen’s scoring came to a head on Dec. 27, when he posted a goal and three assists in a 9-2 rout of the Iowa Wild. Last season, Pulkkinen was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team after leading the Griffins in scoring with 59 points (31-28—59) in 71 regular season games.

Joining both Ouellet and Pulkkinen behind the bench will be the Griffins’ athletic trainer John Bernal and equipment manager Brad Thompson. A native of Pinckney, Mich., Bernal is in his fourth season with Grand Rapids and his 14th overall in hockey. Prior to joining the Griffins, Bernal spent three seasons as the assistant athletic trainer for the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes (2008-11), following a four-year stint as head athletic trainer for the club’s AHL affiliates in San Antonio (2005-08) and Utah (2004-05).

A mainstay in Grand Rapids’ locker room since the 1997-98 campaign, Thompson is in his 14th season as the Griffins’ equipment manager. In recent years, Thompson has had the honor of equipping two championship teams, capped off by the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cup title. He also worked with the Detroit Red Wings’ staff during that team’s run to the 2008 Stanley Cup, and he assisted the Red Wings during their return to the finals in 2009 as well as their three subsequent playoff runs (2010-12).

Former Griffins head coach Mike Stothers (2007-08), whose Manchester Monarchs sport the AHL’s best record at 24-7-2-1, will serve as a coach for the Eastern Conference all-stars.

Both the 2015 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Jan. 25 (8 p.m.) and the 2015 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, Jan. 26 (7 p.m.) will be televised live nationally in the United States and Canada.

2015 AHL All-Star Classic
Jan. 25-26 at Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, N.Y.

2015 AHL All-Stars – Eastern Conference

Albany – F Joe Whitney
Binghamton – D Chris Wideman
Bridgeport – D Ryan Pulock
Hartford – F Chris Bourque
Hershey – F Tim Kennedy
Lehigh Valley – D Brandon Manning
Manchester – D Colin Miller, F Brian O’Neill, F Nick Shore, F Jordan Weal
Norfolk – F Chris Wagner
Portland – F Alexandre Bolduc
Providence – F Alexander Khokhlachev, F David Pastrnak
Springfield – G Anton Forsberg, D Austin Madaisky
St. John’s – G Connor Hellebuyck
Syracuse – F Vladislav Namestnikov, D Nikita Nesterov
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – F Tom Kostopoulos, D Derrick Pouliot, G Jeff Zatkoff
Worcester – D Matt Taormina

Coaches: Mike Stothers, Manchester; Roy Sommer, Worcester

2015 AHL All-Stars – Western Conference

Adirondack – G Joni Ortio, F Emile Poirier
Charlotte – D Ryan Murphy
Chicago – F Ty Rattie
Grand Rapids – D Xavier Ouellet, F Teemu Pulkkinen
Hamilton – F Charles Hudon
Iowa – D Matt Dumba
Lake Erie – D Stefan Elliott
Milwaukee – G Magnus Hellberg
Oklahoma City – D Brad Hunt, F Anton Lander
Rochester – F Phil Varone
Rockford – D T.J. Brennan, F Joakim Nordstom
San Antonio – F Bobby Butler, F Drew Shore
Texas – D Maxime Fortunus, F Travis Morin
Toronto – F Connor Brown
Utica – G Jacob Markstrom, F Cal O’Reilly, D Bobby Sanguinetti

Coaches: Travis Green, Utica; John Anderson, Chicago