Here is a article I come across on former Vernon Vipers goaltender Andrew Hammond.Hammond spent the previous four years at Bowling Green University before signing with the Ottawa Senators on March 20th 2013. The Senators farm club American Hockey League (AHL) Binghamton Senators signed Hammond to a amateur try-out contract on March 27th 2013. Hammond attended the Ottawa Senators development camp (July 3rd-9th) before playing in a few exhibition games with the Senators. (no stats).
Hammond attended the Chicago Blackhawks development camp last year (July) went (10-15-3) with three shutouts and a 2.47 GAA last season at Bowling Green University. Hammond played parts of two years in Vernon (2007-2009) after coming over in a trade with the Surrey Eagles during the 2007-08 season. In 52 regular season games with the Vipers Hammond posted a (33-15-1) record recording 6 shutouts.
Andrew Hammond's Player Profile:
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=113948
This was in the Ottawa Sun Newspaper:
Ottawa Senators goalie Andrew Hammond looks sharp in rookie tourney win over Chicago Blackhawks
By Lance Hornby,Toronto Sun
LONDON, ONT. - The Senators have been talking up Andrew Hammond for months, but badly wanted to see him in uniform and under fire.
Hammond delivered the goods on Saturday for general manager Bryan Murray, coach Paul MacLean and the rest of the staff. He debuted with 18 saves on 19 shots in his half game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the NHL rookie tournament, an eventual 4-3 shootout win for Ottawa.
Hammond was a free-agent signing from NCAA Division I Bowling Green University, filling an organizational goalie gap when Ben Bishop departed. It was forecast Hammond would figure largely with AHL Binghamton this coming season and if need be, in the NHL.
"I'm glad to see what I liked last year show up (Saturday)," said Ottawa goaltending coach Rick Wamsley. "He read everything well, strong legs, good push, good hands. It was a good first performance and we go from there."
The 6-foot-1 Hammond slid to his right perfectly to stop Chicago's Maxim Shulanov on his first 2-on-1 test, but the true baptism was a long 5-on-3 penalty kill with some point blank saves. Then came his cool-as-a-cucumber breakaway stop against Pat Mullane to start the second period. The only goal to beat him glanced off his mask.
"I got in the game early," agreed the Surrey, B.C. native. "I knew all along that the opportunity is here for me to show what I can do. It's all up to me to wrap my arms around it."
Bowling Green wasn't a top NCAA school during Hammond's four-year stretch (he was 0-12 his freshman year) and no NHL team was biting until he graduated. But the Sens were among the clubs to look beyond the Falcons' record and Hammond's pedestrian 2.47 goals-against average. Another potential suitor, ironically, was the Blackhawks, who invited him to their summer prospects camp a year ago. They didn't act on signing him, which Hammond completely understood.
"I was able to play a lot from my freshman year to my senior year," Hammond said. "I'm grateful for that opportunity. Then Chicago gave me a chance with a great organization and were very good to me for that week. I just tried to use that to my advantage. Ottawa is where I want to be (now)."
At 23, the red-bearded Hammond is almost ancient in a dressing room filled with so many teens and young juniors.
"I've been the oldest guy on my team for seven or eight years, so you get used to it," he laughed. "At the end of the day, it's just hockey players."
Sens coach Luke Richardson was also pleased with Hammond, who has helped his club improve its record to 2-0 in this tournament with the Toronto Maple Leafs on tap in Sunday's finale.
"He kept us in the game and got our legs underneath us (Saturday)," Richardson said. "Not only does he make the save, he looks really prepared for the rebound."
Richardson's rotating goalie system saw Francois Brassard finish up, giving up two goals on 17 shots, including the tying marker with 21.5 seconds remaining and Chicago pressing hard with six men. Brassard then made two of three shootout saves, while Andre Petersson and Curtis Lazar scored to clinch after Jean-Gabriel Pageau's two-goal game had helped give Ottawa the early lead.
Hammond and Chris Driedger are scheduled to split the Leaf game. Hammond can't wait to get back in and take a role in the Battle of Ontario.
"I grew up watching that on Hockey Night In Canada and I'm familiar with the importance of it," Hammond said.
Richardson, an ex-Leafs defenceman, will certainly be pumped to be a head coach against his old team. The warm-up was last year in Binghamton against Toronto farm team coach Dallas Eakins. Now the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, Eakins was also a journeyman NHL defenceman who came through Peterborough as a junior,
"On the game sheet, Dallas would put my name on (the starting lineup) and then scratch me out," Richardson recalled with a smile. "Toronto is part of my history that I enjoy. But it would sure be nice to beat them (Sunday)."
Richardson agrees with Leafs philosophy at this event -- dive into the Toronto-Ottawa rivalry head-first as an NHL primer.
"It's a long year, you play each other a lot (in the same AHL division), so you want to create that early. They're a team you want to beat and more than likely, you'll meet them in the playoffs in your career if you're there a long time. You want to have that psychological edge. You can take that a long way."
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