This should be good news for the Rochester Americans defense that Joe Finley is going to (or has already) sign a contract contract with the Amerks. Kevin Oklobzija (twitter.com/@kevinodandc) is reporting the news this afternoon.
Having watched Finley skate in the preseason and based on what people saw of him during the exhibition game last week he’ll add some size to the back end. Amerks Head Coach Ron Rolston has said from the start he believes winning starts at the back end from the goalie up, Finley should be a big part of that.
Finley was drafted 27th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. Each of his professional seasons have been cut short by injuries. The 2009-2010 season ended early with a ruptured artery in his hand when he ran into an opponent. Still trying to find what injury ended last season early for him.
Assuming Finley can avoid unfortunate injuries he could be a player that turns many heads.
“Finley, a 2005 first-round draft pick of the Washington Capitals, has missed the last 10 weeks with a lower body injury. Finley is poised to make his return this weekend during a three-game series with Gwinnett….”
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/feb/11/stingrays-finley-poised-to-make-return-from-injury/
and about the hand injury…
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/nov/19/stingrays-defenseman-finley-overcoming-freak-hand/
Thanks for those!!!
sure, the links are to Andrew Miller’s writing – the beat writer for the SC Stingrays
I thought it was a knee injury but when I went back for confirmation, didn’t appear in writing anywhere I could find quickly.