Veteran to Lead PlanetUSA Team Jan. 28-29 in Toronto

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The American Hockey League on Wednesday announced that Grand Rapids Griffins center Kip Miller and Manitoba Moose right wing Mike Keane will serve as playing captains for the 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic in Toronto next month.

Captains for the AHL All-Star teams are selected by the league in recognition of their outstanding service and leadership to the AHL. Miller will captain the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team, while Keane will lead the Canadian AHL All-Stars.

Miller, 37, becomes the second Griffin in four seasons chosen to captain the PlanetUSA squad, following former defenseman Travis Richards’ selection for the 2004 event in Grand Rapids. In his fourth season with the Griffins, the 17-year veteran leads the team with 10 goals (tied), 21 assists, 31 points and five power play goals, and he is tied for 12th in the AHL scoring race.

Grand Rapids’ career leader with a 1.08 points-per-game average, Miller also ranks among the club’s all-time best with 60 goals (8th), 107 assists (5th), 167 points (5th), 21 power play goals (6th) and five shorthanded goals (T4th) in 155 games. The Lansing, Mich., native shows 1,104 points (398-706—1104) in 1,195 professional games, including 239 points (74-165—239) in 449 NHL contests.

Miller will make his first AHL All-Star Classic appearance. He was voted to the starting lineup in 2002 as a member of the Griffins after scoring 56 points (21-35—56) in just 41 games but missed the event after signing with the New York Islanders in mid-season. Miller was chosen MVP of the 1998 IHL All-Star Game after notching three goals, including two in an All-Star record span of 18 seconds during the first period.

Of the 394 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 92 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Brad Boyes, Daniel Briere, Jonathan Cheechoo, Pavol Demitra, Rick DiPietro, Patrik Elias, Ray Emery, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Dwayne Roloson, Marc Savard, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, Steve Sullivan and Kyle Wellwood.

The 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic will take place at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, home of the AHL’s Marlies. The event features the 2007 CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Jan. 28 (7 p.m.) and the 2007 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, Jan. 29 (7 p.m.), and will be televised live on Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and on a network of regional broadcast partners in the United States.