POKKA NAMED TO 2014-15 AHL ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The American Hockey League has announced the 2014-15 AHL All-Rookie Team, as voted by coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 30 member cities.

2014-15 AHL All-Rookie Team

Each player will receive a custom-designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2014-15 AHL All-Rookie Team.

Previous selections to the annual AHL All-Rookie Team include Zdeno Chara (1998), J.S. Giguere (1998), Marc Savard (1998), Daniel Briere (1998), Dan Boyle (1999), Cory Sarich (1999), Barret Jackman (2002), Ron Hainsey (2002), Jason Spezza (2003), Brad Boyes (2003), Cam Ward (2005), Thomas Vanek (2005), Rene Bourque (2005), Kevin Bieksa (2005), Jimmy Howard (2006), Dan Girardi (2006), Mike Green (2006), Jaroslav Halak (2007), Troy Brouwer (2007), Ryan Callahan (2007), Bobby Ryan (2008), Teddy Purcell (2008), Brian Boyle (2008), Alex Goligoski (2008), Nathan Gerbe (2009), Justin Abdelkader (2009), John Carlson (2010), P.K. Subban (2010), Logan Couture (2010), Lars Eller (2010), Eddie Lack (2011), Brendan Smith (2011), Gustav Nyquist (2012), Tyler Johnson (2012), Justin Schultz (2013), Sami Vatanen (2013), Jason Zucker (2013), Tyler Toffoli (2013), Ryan Strome (2014) and Teemu Pulkkinen (2014).

2014-15 AHL All-Rookie Team

Matt Murray, Goaltender (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins):

A third-round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2012, Matt Murray has rewritten the American Hockey League’s record book this season. Entering Wednesday’s action, Murray is 23-9-3 in 37 appearances for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton while leading the league with a 1.54 goals-against average, a .941 save percentage and 11 shutouts, more than any other rookie goaltender in AHL history. From Feb. 8 to Mar. 8, Murray held Penguins opponents off the scoreboard for 304 minutes and 11 seconds, the longest shutout streak by a goaltender in the AHL’s 79-year history. The 20-year-old native of Thunder Bay, Ont., has been named CCM/AHL Player of the Week twice and was CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month in both February and March.

Ville Pokka, Defense (Rockford IceHogs):

Acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 4, 2014, as part of the trade that sent Nick Leddy to the New York Islanders, Ville Pokka has excelled in his first season of North American hockey, helping Rockford secure a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time in five years. Pokka has tallied eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 64 games for the IceHogs and solidified a blue-line corps that lost all-stars Adam Clendening and T.J. Brennan to mid-season trades. The 20-year-old Pokka was a second-round draft choice by the Islanders in 2012 and was a gold medalist representing his native Finland at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships.

Ryan Pulock, Defense (Bridgeport Sound Tigers):

Selected 15th overall by the New York Islanders in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Ryan Pulock has been limited by injury to 48 games for Bridgeport this season but still ranks second among all AHL defensemen with 17 goals – most ever in a season by a Sound Tigers blueliner – and second among all AHL skaters with 13 power-play markers. Pulock has added nine assists for 26 points while also amassing just six penalty minutes. A 20-year-old native of Dauphin, Man., Pulock was an East First Team All-Star in the Western Hockey League in 2011-12 and 2013-14 playing for Brandon.

Viktor Arvidsson, Forward (Milwaukee Admirals):

Milwaukee’s leading scorer with 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists) in 66 games played this season, Viktor Arvidsson was selected by Nashville in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft after winning back-to-back championships with his hometown Skelleftea AIK in the Swedish Hockey League. The AHL leader in shots on goal with 250, Arvidsson recorded a hat trick in just his fourth career AHL game (Oct. 18 at Iowa) and was later named CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month in January after notching 13 points in 12 games. Arvidsson, who turns 22 today, made his NHL debut with the Predators on Mar. 21 in a game against Buffalo.

Connor Brown, Forward (Toronto Marlies):

Toronto native Connor Brown is the AHL’s rookie leader in assists (39) and points (57) and also owns a plus-20 rating, tied for first among all rookie forwards in the league. A sixth-round draft pick by the Maple Leafs in 2012, Brown has scored six game-winning goals and has been assessed just four minor penalties while skating in all 70 games for the Marlies to date. The 21-year-old Brown was the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for December, and participated in the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic in January. Prior to turning pro, Brown captured the Ontario Hockey League’s most outstanding player award and won a scoring title with Erie last season.

Charles Hudon, Forward (Hamilton Bulldogs):

Hamilton forward Charles Hudon has tallied 17 goals and 38 assists for 55 points in 71 games this season, good for second on the Bulldogs and second among all AHL rookies in scoring. Montreal’s fifth-round selection in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Hudon was named the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month after tallying 14 points in 12 games during November, and was co-winner of the 2015 AHL All-Star Game MVP award after notching a hat trick and four points in the Western Conference’s victory. The 20-year-old native of Alma, Que., played four junior seasons in the QMJHL and was named that league’s offensive rookie of the year in 2010-11.