Image via WikipediaHere is a nice article talking about former Fighting Sioux defenseman Joe Finley and his journey this season as Finley finally is healthy and made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres a few weeks ago. Dan Peters, AHL On The Beat ---- When Joe Finley came into training camp this season with the Rochester Americans on a try-out basis, he was simply attempting to earn an American Hockey League contract.
Plagued by injuries in the first two years of his professional career, the 24-year-old Finley had suited up for just eight AHL contests with the Hershey Bears over that span, while also appearing in 43 games in the ECHL.
After playing four years at the University of North Dakota, Finley suffered a forearm injury early in 2009-10 which ended his season, and followed that up with a knee injury last season, prompting him to be out of commission for three months.
Selected in the first round (27th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, the 6-foot-8, 260-pound blueliner chose to battle it out and earn a contract with the Buffalo Sabres organization rather than go to a different team, where he may have been given a contract immediately.
TheAHL.COM --- Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier today announced that the team has signed defenseman Joe Finley to a multi-year contract.
The 6-foot-8, 260-pound Finley has two points (1g, 1a) and a plus-10 rating in 18 games played with the the Rochester Americans and leads the team with 57 penalty minutes. Finley, 24, is in his third professional season out of the University of North Dakota and has totaled one goal, two assists and 79 PIM in 26 career AHL games with Rochester and Hershey.
The Edina, Minn., native was originally selected by the Washington Capitals in the first round (27th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
He was signed to an AHL contract by the Rochester Americans on Oct. 4, 2011.
