Panthers' Kearns makes NHL debut at 30

When Florida Panthers forward Shawn Matthias had flu-like symptoms Thursday, it turned into a feel-good story for 30-year-old career minor league center Bracken Kearns.

The Panthers called up Kearns from their San Antonio affiliate and put him into the lineup against the Buffalo Sabres for his first NHL game. He played 88 games in the ECHL and 341 games in the American Hockey League before making his NHL debut.

“I would not have called him up if he did not deserve it,” stated Panthers assistant general manager Mike Santos. “This is not a favor.”

Kearns, the son of former NHL player Dennis Kearns, had scored three goals in his first three games in San Antonio, and had been a 20-goal scorer for the first time in his career at San Antonio. “He was playing the ideal of all of our forwards down there,” Santos said.

Before Kearns, the last 30-year-old to make his NHL debut with the Panthers was Magnus Svensson, 32 at the time, on March 20, 1995.

When Santos was assistant GM for the Nashville Predators, they had spotted Kearns playing in the ECHL and brought him to Milwaukee.

“We had found a lot of players through the ECHL, like Jared Smithson or Rich Peverley for instance, who became good NHL players,” Santos said. “We always spent time watching ECHL games early in the year. In fact, I was just at an ECHL game this past Friday because you never know what you will find.”

Santos stated he always kept track of Kearns and signed him when he moved to Florida to work for GM Dale Tallon.

“He continues to work hard,” Santos said. “Everything he has achieved in pro hockey has come through hard work.”

Since Kearns was not notified until Thursday morning, he did not arrive at Florida’s rink until just after 6 p.m. for a 7:30 game.

“A lot of guys in his situation, want the same thing,” Santos said. “They just want a chance to be in an NHL game.”

Santos recalls that when he started in the NHL with the New York Islanders, he had a minor leaguer named Craig Charron at his Lowell farm that he wanted to get an NHL game, and he was not able to do that. Charron, who died last year, spent many years excelling in the AHL without playing in the NHL.

“These are things I try to do at the right time,” Santos said. “I did it for Hugh Jessiman last year. He was the only first-rounder from his year that had not played. … In this case, I got a guy who has worked his way up and deserved the chance.”

Milestone games:Hal Gill and Joe Thornton, who began their careers with the Boston Bruins in 1997, are hitting milestones one day apart.

Gill, now a Montreal Canadiens defenseman, played his 1,000th game Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 2009. San Jose Sharks center Thornton will do so Friday night against the New Jersey Devils.

Gill, drafted with the Bruins’ eight pick in 1993, is the 15th U.S.-born defenseman to reach 1,000 games.

Thorton, drafted first overall in 1997, is the second player from that draft class to hit that mark. Sharks teammate Patrick Marleau did it last season. Thornton has 1,002 points in 999 games.

Derrick back in action: The Oil Derrick, which the Edmonton Oilers skate through when entering the ice, is cleared for action. A cable malfunctioned when the structure was lifted in the last game and it hung over the Oilers’ bench.

“It has been a long few days, however we are very pleased with the process that has taken place, including the approval we received from the Occupational Health and Safety Board,” Oilers president Patrick Laforge stated in a statement.

More source:

Panthers' Kearns makes NHL debut at 30 – USATODAY.com
Bracken Kearns, 30, Makes NHL Debut for Florida Panthers - TypePad
Bracken Kearns - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
30-year-old rookie debuts for Panthers - NHL.com - News

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Submited at Friday, October 21st, 2011 at 1:00 am on Uncategorized by jessica
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