Former Falcons captain Craig returning to The Nest
July 23,
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Ryan Craig with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Reminder Publications submitted photo
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SPRINGFIELD — The Columbus Blue Jackets and Springfield Falcons announced on July 19 that they have signed center Ryan Craig to a one-year American Hockey League (AHL) contract for the 2012-2013 season.
Craig, a veteran with nearly 200 games of NHL experience and a former Falcon captain, returns to the club after skating for Springfield during the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons.
A 10th-year pro, Craig played the majority of the last two seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, scoring 30 goals and adding 48 assists for 78 points in 139 games from 2010 to 2012 while serving as the Penguins' captain. Craig recorded 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points in 2011-2012 and checked in second on the Penguins in 2010-2011 with 29 assists and 48 points while scoring 19 goals. He skated in six games with National Hockey League's (NHL) Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010-2011, Craig's most recent action at that level.
In 2009-2010, Craig paced the Norfolk Admirals with 23 goals and 45 points, was fourth with 22 assists, and was the club's captain in the latter half of that season.
The 30-year-old Craig played in parts of five seasons from 2005-2009 with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, including all of the 2006-2007 and 2008-2009 campaigns, and participated in 11 Stanley Cup playoff contests during that stretch. In 184 games with the Lightning, Craig collected 32 goals and 31 assists for 63 points.
Craig is tied for 13th on the Falcons' all-time goal-scoring list, lighting the lamp 39 times in 108 games from 2004 to 2006 while posting 24 assists and a total of 63 points during that stretch. In 2005-2006, Craig was Springfield's captain while also earning his first-career NHL promotion. He led Springfield with 27 goals and 41 points in 2004-2005, also garnering 14 assists.
A native of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Craig played the majority of his rookie season of 2003-2004 with the Hershey Bears, scoring four goals and adding eight assists for 12 points in 61 games.
Craig was selected by Tampa Bay in the eighth round (255th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
In 190 career NHL games, Craig has 63 points (32 goals, 31 assists). He has 201 points (97 goals, 104 assists) in 383 AHL contests.
Craig has received accolades for his character on multiple occasions during his career. He was named Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's IOA/American Specialty Man of the Year in 2010-2011 and was honored as the WHL and CHL's Humanitarian of the Year for the 2002-2003 campaign.
The Falcons also announced on July 20 that they have signed right wing Trent Vogelhuber to a one-year AHL contract for the 2012-2013 season.
Vogelhuber, a rookie who made his professional debut in two contests with the Falcons at the end of last season, played the last four years at Miami University. With the RedHawks, Vogelhuber accumulated 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 149 games from 2008-2012. He participated in 29 games with Miami in his freshman season of 2008-2009 as the RedHawks advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four Championship Game, where they fell to Boston University. Vogelhuber produced a goal in the finals.
A 24-year-old native of Dublin, Ohio, Vogelhuber was selected by Columbus in the seventh round (211th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
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