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RoughRider Alum Abdelkader Signs with Detroit Red Wings
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RoughRider Alum Abdelkader Signs with Detroit Red Wings
Former Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Justin Abdelkader has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Detroit Red Wings and will be available to make his National Hockey League debut tonight when the Red Wings take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Abdelkader, 21, joins the Red Wings after completing his junior season at Michigan State. When he debuts for the Wings Abdelkader will become the third RoughRider alumnus to play in the NHL, joining Dave Moss (Calgary Flames) and Ted Purcell (Los Angeles Kings).
Last week Abdelkader was not only named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s Best Defensive Forward and a CCHA All-Conference Honorable Mention selection, but also received the Ilitch Humanitarian Award as the league’s top citizen based on his contributions on and off the ice to his team, his program, his school and his community. Abdelkader scored 19 goals and totaled 40 points in 42 games this season.
Abdelkader and the Spartans were eliminated by Notre Dame last Saturday in the second round of the NCAA tournament after winning the national title last season. It was Abdelkader, in fact, who scored the winning goal in the last April’s national championship game. Abdelkader totaled 44 goals and 95 points in 124 career collegiate games.
Abdelkader was a member of the RoughRiders’ 2004-05 Clark Cup-winning team. The Muskegon, Michigan, native finished tied for the team lead in goals (27) and totaled 52 points in his lone season in the USHL. Abdelkader was selected by the Wings in the second round of the 2005 NHL draft with the forty-second overall pick. He was drafted earlier than any other RoughRider in team history.
The RoughRiders (33-21-4, 70 points) are in third place in the United States Hockey League’s East Division. The Riders close out the regular season with a pair of games this weekend. The Riders will host the Indiana Ice tomorrow night at 7:05 before travelling to Waterloo Saturday evening to take on the arch rival Black Hawks.
Tickets for tomorrow night’s game are now on sale. Tickets are available for purchase in person at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office, over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or on line at www.roughridershockey.com. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM on weekdays and from noon through the end of the second period on game days. Ticket prices range from $7 to $17 in advance and from $8 to $18 on game day.
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Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 (Archive on Thursday, April 10, 2008)
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