Junland an AHL All-Star; Turek in Peoria

No, not that  Turek...

Blues' prospect Jonas Junland has been named to the AHL PlanetUSA Team for the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic on Jan. 26, 2009 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Junland, a 6-2, 198-pound rookie defenseman from Linköping, Sweden, was the Blues' fourth selection (64th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He is currently among the AHL's leaders in goals and points scored by a defenseman. Junland's eight goals put him in a three-way tie for second place in defenseman goal-scoring, and his 18 points put him in a three-way tie for 19th place in defenseman points and 25th among all AHL rookies.

Also, former Blues' draft pick (94th overall in 2006) Ryan Turek has been signed to a 25-game pro tryout contract by Peoria.

Turek, a six-foot, 185-pound swingman, is capable of playing either forward or defense; he played primarily forward in the USHL with the Omaha Lancers, and has been primarily a defenseman with Michigan State. The junior from Northville, Michigan was recently dismissed from the Michigan State hockey program for "failure to meet expectations," and had amassed 0-9-9 totals, with a minus-8 and 62 PIM, in 80 career games with the Spartans.

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"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851