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Capitals Recall Hunt From Hershey
CAPITALS RECALL TIMO HELBING, JAMIE HUNT AND DAVE STECKEL FROM HERSHEY
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December 29, 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Washington Capitals have
recalled defensemen Timo Helbling and Jamie Hunt and center Dave
Steckel from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL),
vice president and general manager George McPhee announced
today.
Helbling, 25, has 10 assists and a +6 rating in 27 games with the
Bears, with 46 penalty minutes. The 6'3", 217-pound native of
Basel, Switzerland, is a sixth-year professional who made his NHL
debut last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, appearing in nine
games and recording an assist. The Capitals signed Helbling as a
free agent, Aug. 9, 2006.
Hunt, 22, has two goals and 10 assists (12 points) in 27 games as
an AHL rookie in Hershey, ranking second among Bears' defensemen in
scoring. He has a +2 rating and 18 penalty minutes, with one
power-play goal. A 6'2", 200-pound native of Calgary, Alberta, he
signed with the Capitals as a free agent on April 1, 2006, after
three seasons at Mercyhurst College. If he plays for Washington he
would become the first former Laker and Atlantic Hockey
player to play in the NHL. Last season he tied for the NCAA
lead in points per game by a defenseman (1.36) with Matt Carle, now
with the San Jose Sharks.
Steckel, 24, ranks fifth on the Bears in scoring with 27 points (11
goals, 16 assists) in 32 games and leads the team with a +17
rating. A 6'5", 222-pound native of Westbend, Wisc., he played
seven games for the Capitals last season and helped lead Hershey to
the ninth Calder Cup in franchise history. He becomes the seventh
member of that team on the Capitals' active roster. A first-round
pick of Los Angeles in 2001 (30th overall), Steckel signed with the
Capitals as a free agent on Aug. 25, 2005.
All three players will be available for this evening's game at New
Jersey (7:30 p.m.; NewsChannel 8; WTNT-AM 570). Helbling would wear
No. 51, Hunt No. 29 and Steckel No. 25.
