Chris Wagner Brings Home AHL Player of the Week Honour

The American Hockey League season is underway and they already have their first player of the week award to give out. Chris Wagner of the Norfolk Admirals was the named the first AHL player of the week for this season, kicking off the award in impressive style.

It took just one game for Chris Wagner to impress the AHL but a hat-trick in the season opener, including the game winner, was enough to get the AHL’s attention. He also set a personal high for shorthanded goals in a season, scoring two of them in the opener.

Wagner is a 2010 draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks and is entering into his third season of pro hockey following four years at Colgate University. Since joining the AHL ranks, Wagner has been able to pick up some key things at the centre position improving on his face-offs and defensive responsibilities.

In his NCAA days, he was thought of to be one of the Ducks best assets in college hockey and has improved his game to the point where he talked about as a solid sleeper pick. He was drafted 122nd overall in the 5th round back in 2010. He has the potential to be a top notch scorer in the AHL and a solid scorer in the NHL but his multi-dimensional game is what gives him the best option to step up to the next level in the near future.

He’ll need some more seasoning in the AHL leading the Admirals as he looks to improve on a 28 point campaign with the team last season, before he’s ready to make the jump. The Ducks are solid right now, so they can afford to give Chris Wagner the time he needs to develop before calling him up to the big leagues.

Through two games this season Wagner already has a hat-trick and four goals on the year. If he keeps this pace up, he’ll have no issues catch the Anaheim Ducks attention. Congratulations to Chris Wagner on being named AHL player of the week opening the season on a great note.