TAFFE ADDED TO AHL EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STARS

January 23, 2013

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League today announced several changes to the team rosters for the 2013 Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic, to take place Sunday and Monday, Jan. 27 and 28, in Providence, R.I.

In the Eastern Conference, Norfolk Admirals forward Emerson Etem, Binghamton Senators defenseman Eric Gryba, Syracuse Crunch defenseman Radko Gudas, Worcester Sharks forward Bracken Kearns, St. John’s IceCaps defenseman Derek Meech, Providence Bruins forward Jamie Tardif and Hershey Bears forward Jeff Taffe have been added to the roster.

In the Western Conference, Hamilton Bulldogs forward Gabriel Dumont, Toronto Marlies forward Matt Frattin and Chicago Wolves defenseman Brad Hunt have been added.

In addition, the AHL has announced that Binghamton’s Andre Benoit, Portland’s Alexandre Bolduc, Providence’s Chris Bourque, Norfolk’s Peter Holland, Worcester’s Tim Kennedy, Hershey’s Tomas Kundratek and St. John’s Zach Redmond in the East and Hamilton’s Brendan Gallagher, Toronto’s Mike Kostka and Chicago’s Brett Sterling in the West will be unavailable for the event.

A limited number of individual tickets remain available for the 2013 Pepsi AHL All-Star Skills Competition at 7 p.m. on Sunday, January 27 and the 2013 AHL All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 28. Call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com or the Dunkin’ Donuts Center box office to purchase.

The 2013 Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic in Providence will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League competing a two-day event to be televised nationally in the United States and Canada. Of the 597 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since the event was reinstated in 1995, nearly 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Daniel Briere, Dustin Brown, Ryan Callahan, Mike Cammalleri, Zdeno Chara, Miikka Kiprusoff, Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan, Martin St. Louis, Cory Schneider, Jason Spezza and Eric Staal.