By Al Cohen
Philadelphia Phantoms Correspondent

Philadelphia Phantoms center Patrick Sharp was among the 22 skaters and three goaltenders named today to the Canadian team roster for the 2005 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic, to be held Feb. 13-14 at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H.

Sharp, who will be making his first AHL All-Star Game appearance, currently leads the Phantoms in points (33), goals (15) and power-play goals (7). He has also compiled 18 assists and three game-winning goals over 38 games to help Philadelphia remain atop the East Division standings virtually all season.

"The opposing coaches get together to vote for these guys, so obviously Patrick's earned a lot of respect from them," said Phantoms head coach John Stevens. "They know he is a threat on the ice and I think he has proven that he is one of the elite players in the AHL."

The Toyota Phantoms Player of the Month for December, Sharp began the season by recording a point in each of Philadelphia's first nine games. He tied a franchise record with four assists in the Phantoms' 4-3 win over Springfield on Dec. 15 and notched his 100th point as a pro on Jan. 9 vs. Albany.

"It's a good feeling, it was an individual goal of mine at the start of the year," said Sharp. "But more importantly, I am glad to be a part of a team that is battling for first place. It should be a fun weekend."

A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Sharp was originally selected in the third round (95th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. Following two strong seasons at the University of Vermont, he earned Phantoms Rookie of the Year honors in 2002-03, while also appearing in three NHL games. The 23-year-old split the 2003-04 campaign between the Phantoms and Flyers.

The PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team roster will be announced on Thursday.

The 2005 Dodge AHL All-Star Classic will get under way on Sunday, Feb. 13, with the Skills Competition at 7:00 p.m. The annual All-Star Game follows at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 14, and will be televised live nationally on ESPN2.

Sharp and the Phantoms return to action on Friday at 7:05 p.m., when they host the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Wachovia Spectrum. Philadelphia then plays at Bridgeport on Saturday.