Erik Christensen
Erik Christensen was born in Edmonton, Alberta, and played for the Kamloops Blazers before being drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round, 69th overall, of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2002-2003 season, he received the Bob Clarke Trophy for being the leading scorer of the Western Hockey League. Christensen tallied 108 points (54 goals) in 67 games with the Kamloops Blazers. He also spent some time playing for the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2003-2004. Christensen then spent the NHL lockout season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL and impressed coaches and fans on a crowded and talented team that included Colby Armstrong, Ryan Whitney, Kris Beech, and Michel Ouellet. Christensen played 33 games for the Penguins in 2005-2006 and notched 13 points. He returned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 16 games in the 2006-2007 season before heading to Pittsburgh for 61 games in the NHL. Christensen finished the 2006-2007 season with 33 points and even played in 6 playoff games, finishing the post-season with no points. He is a skilled and creative player with a solid AHL history that should translate to the big leagues. Christensen can center a line with Crosby or play on the third line, he’s that versatile. He’s a nice fit in Pittsburgh and plays well with other young players, but the advent of Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin may push the young Christensen to the wing or back down to the minors.
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