By Dale Lamontagne, Hamilton Bulldogs Correspondent, Bulldogs Hockey Report
HAMILTON, ONT — Just one day after sending Drayson Bowman back down to the Hamilton Bulldogs, the Montreal Canadiens have decided to recall the forward now that Rene Bourque cleared waivers and has joined the Bulldogs.
Bourque was assigned to Hamilton this afternoon after the Canadiens put him on waivers yesterday. No team took the gamble on the veteran forward, so he will play in the AHL for the foreseeable future.
A Bowman-for-Bourque swap is smart for the Habs because they save cap now that Bourque is in the AHL.
Bowman will act as Montreal’s extra forward, and could slide into the lineup this week.
6’8”, 250-pound defenceman brings over 200 games of professional experience
(Photo by Bob Fina | Inside Hockey)
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – Montreal Canadiens and Hamilton Bulldogs General Manager Marc Bergevin announced today the Bulldogs have signed defenceman Joe Finley to a one-year American Hockey League contract for the 2014-2015 season.
Finley spent the 2013-2014 season with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In 29 regular season games with Bridgeport, the 27-year-old recorded two assists and 50 penalty minutes.
In six seasons as a pro, Finley has participated in over 200 regular season and playoff games between the National Hockey League, AHL and ECHL. In 21 career NHL regular season games with the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres, the 6’8”, 250-pound defenceman has notched one assist and 32 penalty minutes. In 130 career AHL regular season games with the Sound Tigers, Rochester Americans and Hershey Bears, the Edina, Minnesota native has recorded 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) and 296 penalty minutes. In 43 career ECHL regular season games with the South Carolina Stingrays, he has recorded 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) and 116 penalty minutes.
Before turning pro, Finley played four seasons with the University of North Dakota in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. In 154 career games with UND between 2005 and 2009, he recorded 35 points (seven goals, 28 assists) and 303 penalty minutes.
Finley was originally selected by the Washington Capitals in the first round (27th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
