GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. The American Hockey League on Wednesday announced that Grand Rapids Griffins forwards Jiri Hudler and Valtteri Filppula have been selected to play for the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team at the 2006 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic, which will be held Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Hudler, who will make his second all-star appearance in three seasons (2004), was chosen as a starter for the Feb. 1 All-Star Game via fan voting at theahl.com, while Filppula was selected as a reserve by a committee of AHL coaches. The roster for the Canadian AHL All-Star team will be announced on Thursday.
These two dynamic Europeans are a major reason why the Griffins currently stand in first place in the North Division (26-11-1-2) and lead the AHL in goals scored (156).

Hudler, who turned 22 only one week ago, ranks third in the AHL scoring race with 51 points (21-3051) through 40 games, putting him on a pace to break Michel Picards franchise record of 101 points set in 1996-97. Tied for second in the league with 21 goals, he could join Picard (46 goals in 1996-97) as the only Griffins to light the lamp 40 times in one season, and his projected 60 assists would eclipse the current team standard of 55 (Jeff Nelson and Picard in 1996-97).

The native of Olomouc, Czech Republic, opened the season with a 14-game scoring streak, the second-longest in franchise history, and was named the CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Oct. 16. Detroits first choice (58th overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Hudler went scoreless in four games with the Red Wings earlier this season.

The 21-year-old Filppula, Detroits third selection (95th overall) in that same 2002 draft, is staking his claim as one of the leagues top youngsters. Since earning an assist in his two-game debut with the Red Wings in December, the Vantaa, Finland, native has scored in each of the last nine Griffins games, tying for the eighth-longest point streak in franchise history.

Filppula, who earned AHL Player of the Week honors for the period ending Nov. 20, has registered points in 20 of his last 23 games with the Griffins (11-2132) to rocket up to third on the team in goals (15), assists (24) and points (39). He currently is tied for tenth in the AHL scoring race.

Comcast Local will televise the AHL All-Star Skills Competition live on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m., and provide a next-day broadcast of the AHL All-Star Game that will air on Feb. 2 at 7 p.m.