from Canadiens.com (updating TSN’s earlier story)
Apr 17, 2008, 2:35 PM EDT
PRESS RELEASE MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens announced Thursday that forwards Kyle Chipchura, Matt D’Agostini and Brock Trotter, defensemen Mathieu Carle and Pavel Valentenko, as well as goaltender Yann Danis have been recalled from the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League. All players will join the team later in the day.
Chipchura, a first-round selection by the Canadiens in 2004, started the season with the Canadiens. The centreman amassed 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 36 games with Montreal, before joining the Bulldogs on January 8. The 22-year-old registered 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists), three short-handed goals and fired 80shots on goal in 39 games with the Bulldogs.
Matt D’Agostini ranked first with the Bulldogs with 235 shots on goal and was second with 23 goals and 53 points in 76 AHL games this season. Drafted by the Canadiens in the sixth round in 2005, the 21-year-old right-winger played his first NHL game on April 3 against the Buffalo Sabres.
Before joining the Bulldogs on February 7, Brock Trotter played 24 games with the University of Denver Pioneers in his third season with the NCAA team, he was leading the Pioneers with 31 points in 24 games (13 goals, 18 assists), posting a plus-12 rating and 65 shots on goal. The 20-year-old centreman compiled nine points (3 goals, 6 assists), a plus-2 rating and four penalty minutes in 21 games with Hamilton this season.
Mathieu Carle, 20, finished second among Bulldogs defensemen with 24 points (7 goals, 17 assists) in 64 games. The rookie defenseman, drafted in the second round by the Canadiens in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, recorded eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) on the powerplay this season and fired 77 shots on goal.
Valentenko won the Top Rookie Award with the Hamilton Bulldogs this season, scoring 16 points (1 goal, 15 assists) and posting a plus-3 rating in 57 games. The 20-year-old defenseman succeeds Jaroslav Halak, who was the 2006-07 recipient. Valentenko, drafted in the fifth round by the Canadiens in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, also won the hardest shot competition at the Bulldogs’ skills competition with a 102 mph blast.
Goalkeeper Yann Danis posted a 11-19-4 record and a 3.28 goals-against average with Hamilton this season. Danis, 26, played six games with the Canadiens in 2005-06, compiling a 3-2-0 record, one shutout, a 2.69 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.
