AHL Report Headlines: Sunday July 30, 2017
	On this day in hockey history… 2005 — The Pittsburgh Penguins use their first-overall selection at the 2005 NHL Draft in Ottawa to draft center Sidney Crosby. Four years later he becomes the youngest captain in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup.  1998 — Six-time Stanley Cup champion Kevin Lowe retires after playing for 19 seasons. He was the first player drafted by the Edmonton Oilers franchise when they joined the NHL.
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by Joseph Whalen, Staff Writer, AHL Report

► Brand new look

• The Belleville Senators unveiled their inaugural logo. The franchise will outfit themselves with a prominent black ‘B’ outlined in white and red, and laid over top of singular red and black stripes framed within a black border.

• The Binghamton Devils also unveiled their inaugural logo and jerseys this week. The Devils released a primary logo, secondary logo, wordmark, and CCM jersey patch for the 2017-18 season. Binghamton also unveiled their new home and away jerseys, which closely resemble the New Jersey Devils’ new Adidas uniform.

#IsItOctoberYet pic.twitter.com/HB5r02i6cX

— Binghamton Devils (@BingDevils) July 29, 2017

► Lost and found

• Last week, we told you about the series of events that led to former AHL star Dick Gamble learning that a scuba diver in an upstate New York lake located his long-lost AHL Hall of Fame Ring.  This week, Gamble was reunited with his jewelry when the diver brought the ring to Gamble and his son. But the story got more interesting when it was discovered that Gamble didn’t even realize his ring was missing to begin with. Having given the ring to his son, Craig, in 2007 as a keepsake, Gamble was never told that it accidentally slipped off Craig’s hand in 2014 when he was swimming in Canandaiga Lake. He had the ring replaced through the AHL and never told his father about the mishap. When the scuba diver called his mother to ask if Mr. Gamble was missing his ring, however, the cover-up became clear. The family is reportedly very happy to have both versions of the ring back in their possession.

► Hockey on the race track

• The Lehigh Valley Phantoms made an appearance at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania this weekend. The AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers were the primary sponsor of the number 23 BK Racing Toyota in the Overton 400 on Sunday, driven by Monstor Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie Corey LaJoie.

► Who’s behind the bench?

• The Ontario Reign announced today that David Bell has been named the team’s assistant coach. Bell spent the past four years with the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL, including three years as an assistant and this past season as head coach.
• Arizona Coyotes president of hockey operations and general manager John Chayka announced the Coyotes have named Mike Van Ryn as the head coach of the Coyotes’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. In addition, John Slaney and Steve Potvin have been named assistant coaches for the Roadrunners.
• Vancouver Canucks announced that director of player development Ryan Johnson has added the role of general manager of the AHL’s Utica Comets, and Gary Agnew has been named Comets associate coach.

► It’s signing season

• Teams continued to add to their rosters during this busy offseason, as the league gets deeper into free agency with August just around the corner.

July 24

• The Charlotte Checkers have signed defenseman Josiah Didier to a two-way AHL contract. Last season, Didier recorded two goals and six assists with a plus-3 rating in 38 games with the St. John’s IceCaps.

Good signing. Finished the season strong, was solid in the playoffs with the IceCaps. Great penalty-killer, a warrior! Good luck @JDidier4 https://t.co/8N92OnZF2h

— All Habs (Canadiens) (@AllHabs) July 24, 2017

• The Arizona Coyotes re-signed goaltender Marek Langhamer to a one-year, two-way contract. Langhamer posted a record of 8-11-2 with a 3.36 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 25 AHL games with the Tucson Roadrunners last season.

July 25

• New Jersey Devils signed forward Joseph Blandisi to a two-year, two-way contract, and goaltender Scott Wedgewood to a one-year, two-way contract.
• The Hershey Bears announced today that the club has signed defenseman Paul Geiger to a one-year American Hockey League contract. Geiger spent his rookie campaign with the Rochester Americans last season, skating in 49 games and registering three goals and six assists for nine points
• San Diego Gulls announced today that the club has signed left wing Jordan Samuels-Thomas to a two-year contract. Samuels-Thomas registered a career-best 24 points this past season.

July 26

• Colorado Avalanche re-signed forward Rocco Grimaldi and signed defenseman Jesse Graham each to a one-year contract for the 2017-18 season.
• The New Jersey Devils signed forwards Blake Coleman, Stefan Noesen, Blake Pietila, Kevin Rooney and Ben Thomson to two-way contracts.
• San Diego Gulls announced today that the American Hockey League club has signed defenseman Jeff Schultz to a one-year contract through the 2017-18 AHL season. Schultz recorded 15 assists and a plus-6 rating in 65 games with the Gulls last season.

July 27

• New York Islanders signed forward Connor Jones to a one-year, two-way deal. In 58 games with the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Jones recorded 19 points.
• Chicago Wolves signed defenseman Kenney Morrison has signed with the club for the 2017-18 season. Last season with the AHL’s Stockton Heat, Morrison recorded four goals and eight assists for 12 points in 51 contests.
• Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Phil Di Giuseppe on a one-year contract. Di Giuseppe appeared in 40 games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers last season, scoring 12 goals and recording 16 assists for 28 points.

July 28

• Hartford Wolf Pack signed forward Eric Selleck to an AHL contract. Selleck spent 2016-17 with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL, skating in 46 games and notching five goals and four assists for nine points, with a team-leading 103 penalty minutes.
• Ontario Reign announced today that the team has agreed to terms with forward T.J. Hensick. Hensick led the Reign last season with 36 assists and 52 points in 67 games played.

Looking forward to another year in Southern Cali with the @ontarioreign! Thank you to the @LAKings for bringing me back to the organization!

— TJ Hensick (@TJHensick) July 28, 2017

• The Tucson Roadrunners have signed goaltender Michael Houser, defenseman Ryan Culkin and forwards Scott Allen and Trevor Cheek to AHL contracts.