MIDDLETON, PERRON AND KORENAR NAMED TO 2019 LEXUS AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC PRESENTED BY MGM SPRINGFIELD
Jan 3, 2019
San Jose, Ca - The American Hockey League (@TheAHL) announced today thatSan Jose Barracuda (@SJBarracuda) assistant captain Jake Middleton, forwardFrancis Perron (@fperron27), and rookie goaltender Josef Korenar (Yo-sef Core-ugh-nosh) have been named to the 2019 Lexus AHL All-Star Classic presented by MGM Springfield, which will be held at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, MA on Jan. 27-28, 2019. In addition, Barracuda head coach Roy Sommer will be the Pacific Division's coaching representative at the All-Star Classic.
Middleton, 23, ranks first among all Barracuda defenseman in plus/minus (+15) and remains tied for eighth in the AHL in that category among all skaters. Over two and a half years in the American League, Middleton has amassed 49 points (nine goals, 40 assists), 156 penalty minutes and a +25 rating in 143 career games. This is the six-foot-three, 210-pound defenseman's first All-Star selection. Through 26 games in 2018-19, the Stratford, Ontario native has totaled 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) and 20 penalty minutes.
Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round (#210 overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Middleton signed an AHL contract with the Barracuda in 2016 before inking a three-year entry-level deal with the Sharks in 2017.
Perron, 22, currently leads the top team in the Pacific Division in points (27), goals (13), power-play goals (6), and is T-second in assists (14). In addition, Perron is second in the AHL in shooting percentage (29.5). Acquired from the Ottawa Senators organization in the Erik Karlsson trade in September, the six-foot, 178-pound winger has already surpassed his single-season point totals through just 28games and has more goals in 2018-19 than he had combined over his first 112 AHL games played.
The Senators originally drafted Laval, Quebec, native 20 picks before Middleton in the seventh round (#190 overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
Korenar, 20, is pacing the AHL in goals-against average (2.19), second in save percentage (.924), t-fourth in shutouts (2) and t-second in wins (13). In 15 games this season, the Pelhrimov, Czech Republic, native has lost just one time in regulation and is currently riding a six-game winning streak. The Sharks signed the 6-foot-one, 185-pounder to an entry-level deal on July 13, 2017 after going undrafted in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Middleton, Perron and Korenar join Barclay Goodrow, Ryan Carpenter, Troy Grosenick, Danny O'Regan, Antoine Bibeau and Rudolfs Balcers as players to represent the Barracuda at the All-Star Classic.
The Barracuda are back in action on Friday, January 4 at San Diego to face the Gulls (Anaheim Ducks) and return to SAP Center at San Jose on Wednesday, January 9th when they take on the Ontario Reign (Los Angeles Kings) in another edition of five-dollar Wednesday walk-up, where fans can walk up to the box office and find five-dollar tickets for the contest.
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