The Syracuse Crunch announced today that defenseman Mike Gaul was voted by American Hockey League fans to start for the Canadian AHL All-Star Team.

Gaul, 27, has appeared in 27 games for the Crunch this season, recording six goals, 18 assists and 24 penalty minutes. He ranks fourth in scoring among AHL defensemen with 24 points.

This marks the second consecutive season Gaul has been voted as a starter to the Canadian AHL All-Star team. Gaul led all AHL defensemen in scoring last season with 69 points (12g, 57a) as a member of the Hershey Bears, earning Second Team AHL All-Star honors.

A native of Lachine, PQ, Gaul has appeared in 213 career AHL games with Hershey, Lowell and Syracuse, recording 200 points (42g, 158a) and 181 penalty minutes.

Signed by Columbus as a free agent on August 14, 2000, Gaul was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings with their 10th choice, 262nd overall, in the 1991 Entry Draft. Gaul was signed by the New York Islanders on August 11, 1998 before being traded to Colorado by the New York Islanders in exchange for Ted Crowley on December 15, 1998.

Gaul is the third player in team history to start an AHL All-Star Game, (Chris O''Sullivan, 2000 and Mark Wotton, 1998).

More than 90% of all players to compete in the AHL All-Star Game since 1995 have gone on to compete in the NHL. The 2001 First Union AHL All-Star Classic gets underway on Sunday, January 14, with the AHL All-Star Skills Competition at 7 p.m. The All-Star Game will begin Monday, January 15 at 4 p.m. The All-Star Game will be broadcast live internationally to more than 80 million households on ESPN2, TSN, RDS and ESPN International.