Stars Sign D Gord Baldwin; AHL Suspends VandeVelde for Headshot

The Stars announced the signing of defenseman Gord Baldwin from the Idaho Steelheads today. The signing indicates that the team was not comfortable with their current position, only having six healthy defenseman. It also indicates that Tyler Sloan's injury could be more serious or long-term than previously thought.

Baldwin previously played for the Stars head coach, Willie Desjardins, in WHL Medicine Hat. Jace Coyle, one of the other Stars-contracted defenseman in Idaho, is currently suffering a foot injury.

Further, the AHL announced today that Chris VandeVelde was suspended today for three games as a result of his illegal check to the head of Tomas Vincour. Vincour did not return to the game. VandeVelde will miss a game against Texas on New Year's Eve in OKC.

Here's the release on Baldwin:
The Texas Stars, proud American Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced today that the club has signed defenseman Gord Baldwin to a professional tryout contract, calling him up from the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL.

Baldwin, 25, is currently in his sixth professional season and has 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists), 39 penalty minutes and a +11 plus-minus rating in 26 games for Idaho this year. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the third round (69th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and spent parts of four seasons with the club’s AHL affiliate in Quad City and Abbotsford, appearing in 234 career AHL games and recording 48 points (8 goals, 48 assists) and 207 penalty minutes. Baldwin (6’5”, 225 lbs) played three seasons of junior hockey with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, where he played for Texas Stars head coach Willie Desjardins. He was a member of the Medicine Hat squad that won the 2007 WHL Championship and went to the 2007 Memorial Cup Tournament.

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