The Belleville Senators are sending not one but two players to the upcoming 2024 AHL All-Star Classic next month. The All-Star Classic is being held in San Jose, Calif., and will run from Sunday, Feb. 4 through Feb. 5.
All 32 AHL teams will have a representative, with 12 players from each division making up the rosters. The Senators will be sending forward Angus Crookshank and defenseman Max Guenette to represent the team. This is the third time that two players will represent Belleville.
Angus Crookshank is the Head Senator
This will be the first All-Star Classic selection for North Vancouver, BC native Angus Crookshank. The 24-year-old forward is playing in his second professional season with the Senators. During the 2022-23 season, Crookshank played in 71 games for Belleville, where he tallied 26 goals and 47 points.
For the 2023-24 season, he is tied for first on the team in points with 21. He shares the point lead with fellow All-Star Classic buddy Max Guenette and forward Garrett Pilon. Crookshank has also played in two games in the NHL, with the Ottawa Senators getting a goal and two points in seven games.
Crookshank is a University of New Hampshire product after playing three seasons with the Langley Rivermen of the BCHL. He is projected to finish with 26 goals and 29 assists for 55 points in 65 games for Belleville this season. Hopefully, this All-Star Classic selection proves to the Ottawa Senators that they picked the right guy at 126th in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Guenette Leads Way for Defense
Just like Crookshank, this will be the first All-Star Classic selection for defenseman Max Guenette. The 22-year-old Saint-Foy, QC native is playing in his third full season with the Senators. During the 2022-23 season, Guenette finished with five goals and 40 points in 72 games played. However, he did play one game for the parent club last season but did not record a point. This season, he has tallied four goals and 21 points in 32 games. As mentioned earlier, he is tied for the point lead with Crookshank. However, he does lead all defensemen on the team with 71 shots and is third on the Senators overall.
Guenette is 15th for AHL defenseman in points production in the 2023-24 season. Before coming to the Senators’, he played for four seasons with the Val-d’Or Foreurs, where he was the assistant captain for the last two. As of now, he is on pace to finish the current season with nine goals and 47 points in 72 games for Belleville. Guenette wants to prove he belongs in the NHL after being selected 187th overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Crookshank and Gunette join a decent list of former Senators who attended the All-Star Classic. They are the seventh and eighth players to be selected alongside the likes of Drake Batherson (2019) and Rudolf Balcers (2020).
