Former X-Man Roberts named ECHL all-rookie

X-Men hockey alumnus and former assistant captain Sam Roberts has been named to the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) All-Rookie team. A defenseman who graduated from StFX in 2009 with a Human Kinetics degree, Roberts has been enjoying an impressive first pro seaosn with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL.

Courtesy Gwinnett Gladiators Communications

The Gwinnett Gladiators announced today that defensemen Drew Paris and Sam Roberts have been named to the 2009-2010 ECHL All-Rookie Team. The All-Rookie Team is determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, who were asked to select a goaltender, two defensemen and three forwards. The defensemen were also selected to the 2010 ECHL All-Star game.

Paris is a 21-year-old rookie from Pointe-Claire, Quebec who made his professional debut in five games with the Rochester Americans near the end of last season after completing his fifth junior season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The 6’4” blueliner leads all rookie defensemen with 44 points, eight power-play goals and two shorthand goals. His 24 power-play points are tied for third among league rookies. Paris also appeared in one game with Toronto of the AHL registering two assists.

Roberts, a 25-year-old St. John’s, Newfoundland native, made his pro debut with the Gladiators this season, registering 10 goals and 30 assists for 40 points in 67 outings. He is third among first-year defensemen with 10 goals and is tied for second with 40 points. He has played in two games with Lake Erie of the American Hockey League and has two penalty minutes.

Both Paris and Roberts represented the Gladiators at the 2010 ECHL All-Star game in Ontario, California, where Roberts scored the first goal of the game and later added an assist, while Paris chipped in with a goal in the third period to help the American Conference to a 10-9 shootout victory.

Along with Paris and Roberts, forwards Evan Barlow of the Idaho Steelheads, Justin Donati of the Elmira Jackals, and Maxime Tanguay of the Toledo Walleye, and goaltender Richard Bachman of the Idaho Steelheads were named to the All-Rookie team. The two players from Gwinnett and Idaho mark the eighth and ninth times that multiple players from the same team have been voted to the ECHL All-Rookie Team. This is the first time since 2001-02 that multiple players from more than one team have been selected to the All-Rookie Team.

The Gladiators continue their 7th season in the ECHL at home tonight, March 31st vs. South Carolina at 7:05 p.m. The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and Columbus Blue Jackets and play all home games at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth.