BYERS RECALLED BY COLUMBUS

December 12, 2011 - The Columbus Blue Jackets have added forward Dane Byers to the roster on emergency recall from the Springfield Falcons, Columbus’ American Hockey League affiliate, club Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson announced today.

Byers, 25, has registered seven goals and eight assists for 15 points and has 63 penalty minutes in 23 games with Springfield this season. He ranks second on the club in power play goals (four), is fourth in goals and points and tops in penalty minutes. He has appeared in six career NHL games, all with the New York Rangers, and has 1-0-1 and 31 penalty minutes. He scored his first NHL goal at Minnesota on October 30, 2009.

A native of Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Byers was the Rangers’ fourth pick, 48th overall, in the 2004 Entry Draft. He made his professional debut with Hartford (AHL) in 2005-06 and has collected 91-124-215, 745 penalty minutes in 347 career AHL games with Hartford/Connecticut, Springfield and San Antonio. Prior to his professional career, he notched 49-50-99 and 518 penalty minutes in 236 games with Price Albert of the Western Hockey League.