Andrew MacWilliam and Arvin Atwal sign 1-year contracts with Rochester.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester Americans General Manager Randy Sexton announced today that the team has re-signed defensemen Andrew MacWilliam and Arvin Atwal to one-year American Hockey League contracts.
MacWilliam, 28, returns for his second season in Rochester after recording eight assists and 73 penalty minutes in 54 games with the Amerks in 2017-18. He also collected one assist in two Calder Cup Playoff appearances.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, MacWilliam has totaled 44 points (4+40) in 306 career AHL outings with Rochester, Albany, Manitoba and Toronto while also adding three assists in 15 postseason contests. MacWilliam made his NHL debut during the 2014-15 season, notching two assists in 12 games for Toronto Maple Leafs, who selected him in the seventh round (188th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound blueliner played four years at the University of North Dakota (WCHA), where he produced 31 points (4+27) in 163 career games for the Fighting Hawks. As a senior, MacWilliam recorded 13 points (2+11) and was named to the All-WCHA Academic Team while serving as team captain.
A native of Delta, British Columbia, the 22-year-old Atwal returns for his first full season in Rochester after splitting the 2017-18 campaign between the Amerks and Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. Atwal recorded three points (2+1) in 14 games with Rochester last season, including an assist in his AHL debut on Nov. 17, while adding 11 points (3+8) in 27 appearances for the Cyclones, ranking third among team defensemen in scoring. The 6-foot-0, 200-pound blueliner has also collected three points (1+2) in five Kelly Cup Playoff contests for Cincinnati.
Prior to turning pro, Atwal played five seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Vancouver Giants, recording 108 points (25+83) in 225 career WHL games. He set career-highs in goals (11), assists (39) and points (50) during his final season with the Hurricanes in 2015-16.