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Schiestel's Game Heading South

November 20, 2012, 4:44 PM ET [2 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Talk about flipping the proverbial script.

Today, Drew Schiestel’s career took a sudden southbound trajectory, not figuratively, literally.
The Rochester Americans announced Tuesday that the team has assigned defensemen Drew Schiestel and Matt MacKenzie to the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL.

Years before the Sabres drafted stellar rear guards Mark Pysyk and Brayden McNabb, Drew Schiestel was considered the organization’s can’t-miss prospect. He was Brian Campbell re-incarnate: speed merchant with sick skating and passing prowess, to say nothing of his defensive abilities. He reminded many OHL observers of a Scott Niedermayer-type D. Not gonna kill you with physicality, however, will derail your attack with sound positioning and fast-ups during transitions to the forwards in open ice to create odd-man attacks against opponents. Joining the rush never bothered Schiestel either. That is, until he injured his knees. In 2010, while with the Portland Pirates, he blew out his right knee. Season ending injury. In October 2011, he suffered an MCL sprain of his left knee, and was parked in the press box and rehab rom for six weeks. This after Schiestel created quite a buzz for himself in junior, first with Mississauga Ice Dogs, then with the Niagara.

Schiestel (6’1”, 197 lbs., from The Hammer) had only appeared in three games with the Amerks this season. Coach Ron Rolston is rolling Pysyk, McNabb, Brennan, Biega, Finley and Gauthier-Leduc. Try as he might, Schiestel just couldn’t crack the starting six. So its off to North Carolina to get his game and career back on track.

Schiestel was elected as a member of the Eastern Conference AHL All-Star Team for the 2011 AHL All-Star Classic in Hershey, PA, however, was unable to participate due to injury. He suffered the knee injury on 1/25/11 and missed remainder of season.

In 159 career AHL games, Schiestel has collected 52 points (8+44) and 75 PIM. Last season, the Hamilton, Ontario, native notched 17 points (2+15) in 59 AHL games. He was selected by the Sabres with the 59th overall pick in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Schiestel (6’1”, 197 lbs., 4/9/89) has appeared in three games with the Amerks this season. In 159 career AHL games, Schiestel has collected 52 points (8+44) and 75 PIM. Last season, the Hamilton, Ontario, native notched 17 points (2+15) in 59 AHL games. He was selected by the Sabres with the 59th overall pick in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.



MacKenzie, (6’1”, 182 lbs., 10/15/91) has appeared in nine games with the Amerks this season, recording one assist and 23 penalty minutes. Last season, the native of New Westminster, British Columbia, played in 20 games with the Amerks and five games with Gwinnett of the ECHL. MacKenzie was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

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A NHLPA game to benefit local charities is being organized for Dec. 8 at the WFCU Centre. An official announcement of the game is expected to be made today.

Sabres Son Of Anarchy and former Windsor Spitfires wrecking ball, Steve Ott, will join forces with Detroit Red Wings forward Dan Cleary and Shawn Horcoff of the Edmonton Oilers to create an NHLPA game that will benefit Windsor area charities. The game with be played at Windsor's WFCU Centre on 12/8/12. That is of course if the NHL lockout remains unresolved.

Other NHLers who are committed to play:

Red Wings Todd Bertuzzi, Justin Abdelkader, Jimmy Howard, Johan Franzen, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson, Ian White, Cory Emmerton, Darren Helm and Jonas Gustavsson, Colorado Avalanche defenceman Ryan Wilson of Windsor, Oilers forward Eric Belanger and defenceman Jeff Petry, Chicago Blackhawks forward Jamal Mayers, Pittsburgh Penguins forward James Neal, Phoenix Coyotes defenceman Keith Yandle, Dallas Stars forward Brenden Morrow, and former Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins forward Sergei Samsonov.

More players are expected to be added to this list prior to game night.

The game is slated for a 6:30 p.m. start and will consist of three 20-minute stop-time periods. Ticket prices and purchase locations will be revealed later this week.

Thanks, Windsor Star

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