OILERS ASSIGN TOP PROSPECT EBERLE TO SPRINGFIELD

General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the Edmonton Oilers have assigned forward Jordan Eberle from the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League to the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League.

Eberle, the Oilers first round draft choice (22nd overall) in 2008, finished the 2009-10 WHL season with 106 points (50G, 56A) in 57 games with the Pats. He led all WHL skaters in goals scored (50) and ranked second in the overall scoring race with 106 points. The 19-year-old also had the highest points-per-game average with 1.86 points per game and was named the WHL’s Player-of-the-Month for September and October.

Eberle, a 5’11”, 184lb winger, had points in 47 of the 57 games he played in 2009-10, including a 13-game point streak to finish the season where he collected 27 points. He had six 4-point games and one 5-point game during the season as well as three hat tricks.

The Regina, Saskatchewan native played four seasons with the Pats scoring 155 goals and 155 assists in 254 games. He was the recipient of the Doc Seaman Trophy in 2008 as the WHL’s Scholastic Player-of-the-Year and was named to the First Team All-Star squad the same year.

Internationally, Eberle is well-known for his clutch performances in both the 2009 and 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships, where he became Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer in the tournament surpassing John Tavares with 14 goals.

Eberle made his professional debut in the American Hockey League last season, recording nine points (3-6-9) in nine games with the Springfield Falcons.