AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

27Jan

Sean Sullivan(37) San Antonio Rampage

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After only a year and a half in Worcester signed to a pair of one-year, two-way contracts with San Jose Sharks, fan-favorite, 5th year defenseman Sean Sullivan(37) uproots from Central MA and moves himself back to South Texas, where he played the first two-and-a-half seasons of his pro career with San Antonio Rampage. He’ll return to a team he holds many defensive records with.

He was originally a 9th round pick of Phoenix Coyotes in 2003 (#272 overall) but has yet to appear in an NHL game. Soon he will hit a landmark 300 AHL games played.

He’s a sort of small-ish 6′ 190 lbs. player but is accountable in his defensive zone (he’s a +10 plus/minus this season) and has steadily been putting up some offensive numbers.

The trade with Florida Panthers that brings him back to the South will likely give him his first playing time in the NHL.

26Jan

Justin Falk(4) Minnesota Wild

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Large-sized (6’5″ 215 lbs.) Minnesota Wild defenseman Justin Falk(4) got his first NHL goal in his fourth season with the team.

He was originally a 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#110 overall) and has career highs this year for games played (29), goals (1), assists (4) and points (5). This also looks to be his first full season in the big league.

He’s skated in 233 games (including 44 Calder Cup Playoff contests) over 3 years with their AHL affiliate Houston Aeros. The 2010/2011 season was a big breakout year for the 23-year old in points and overall play, as he’s growing into his game nicely.

25Jan

Mike Angelidis(10) Tampa Bay Lightning

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6th year, undrafted left wing Mike Angelidis(10) scored his 1st NHL goal in his 1st NHL game on his 1st shot on net. He only played a 4:01 of ice time through 7 shifts (the goal came during his 2nd time out there) in Tampa Bay Lightning‘s Monday night 4-2 win.

After four seasons to start his pro career in Carolina Hurricanes‘ system, he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Lightning last year and re-signed with the team for the 2011/2012 season. He was named captain of Norfolk Admirals at the start of the year.

He’s on pace to set career highs in goals and assists in the AHL, if he can continue along the pace he started in the first half of the season.

25Jan

Marc-Antoine Pouliot(23) Phoenix Coyotes

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Former Edmonton Oilers‘ 1st round pick in 2003 (#22) and former Rimouski Oceanic linemate of Sidney Crosby, forward Marc-Antoine Pouliot(23) got an early New Year’s gift with a recall by the new NHL team he signed with as a free agent in the offseason, Phoenix Coyotes.

In 9 games he has a pair of assists and is a -3 plus/minus.

He skated in 168 NHL games with the Oilers to start his career and had 21 goals and 32 assists. In three games last season with Tampa Bay Lightning he had no points.

In the AHL he’s basically a point per game player but just has yet to be able to translate that to the higher league.

For Portland Pirates he has four goals and 12 assists in 25 games and is a +4 player.

In his 7 pro seasons he’s played more games in the NHL 4 times to 3 in the AHL.

24Jan

Andre Petersson(20) Ottawa Senators

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Ottawa Senators‘ 2008 4th round pick (#109 overall), right wing Andre Petersson(20) received his 1st NHL called up in his rookie season.

With their AHL affiliate Binghamton Senators he has 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 30 games and is a +2 plus/minus.

He’s not so big at 5’9″ 172 lbs. but the 21-year old Swedish-born player had been playing professionally in his home country for two full campaigns before signing a 3-year entry level deal at the end of last season to come over and play in North America.

Used sparingly in his first big league game, he skated 5:02 of ice time over 7 shifts but failed to post any other stats.

23Jan

Christian Hanson(21) Hershey Bears

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Undrafted 3rd year center Christian Hanson(21) signed a one-year, two-way deal with Washington Capitals in the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. He spent his first couple of seasons in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system and got his first NHL goal in 2009 fresh out of college.

In 42 NHL games he has 3 goals and 6 assists, all with the Leafs.

He spent most of his pro career with their AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies and continues in 2011/2012 with Hershey Bears, where he’s put up 8 goals and 10 assists in 42 games this season.

He has yet to be called-up but with his rather large 6’4″ 228 lbs. frame, he probably deserves a look before his current contract expires.

He is the 25-year old son of Dave Hanson, who was made famous for his role as one of the brothers in the movie Slapshot.

23Jan

Joe Callahan(7) Hamilton Bulldogs

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8th year defenseman Joe Callahan(7) signed a one-year, two-way contract with Montreal Canadiens in the offseason and has been keeping it fairly real for them on the blue line in the AHL.

He has 46 games experience and was a +5 player on defense for the Islanders and +1 for the Sharks in one game.

If the Habs continue to sink look for him to get his first playing time of the season (his fourth straight) and I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls an NHL rabbit out of his helmet.

In 38 games with Hamilton Bulldogs he has a goal and 12 assists.

He was originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2002 draft (#70 overall)

22Jan

Mark Bell(18) Anaheim Ducks

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11 year veteran, former Chicago Blackhawks‘ 1st round draft pick in 1998 (#8 overall), 31-year old center Mark Bell(18) received his first NHL call-up with his new team for the 2011/2012 season, Anaheim Ducks.

He now has 446 big league games to his credit, registering 87 goals and 95 assists to go along with 597 penalty minutes.

For the last couple of seasons he played in the Swiss-A League but signed a one-year, two-way contract to come back to North American pro hockey early in the offseason.

In 32 games with the Ducks‘ AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch he has 5 goals and 8 assists but is a kind of miserable -11 plus/minus.

21Jan

Colton Gillies(18) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Former 1st round pick, center Colton Gillies(18) was handed a new two-year, one-way deal with Minnesota Wild and played 37 games with the team this season. The downside was he only recorded 2 assists.

With little point production for the slumping team, he was put on the waivers to be reassigned to their AHL affiliate Houston Aeros.

That was all the motivation last place Columbus Blue Jackets needed, as they claimed him to hopefully bolster their offense with his sizable 6’4″ frame.

In his first game with the team he was initially credited for a goal but was later changed to an assist. Either way, it was a good way for him to start a new phase in his career with the Blue Jackets.

20Jan

Mike Thomas(17) Grand Rapid Griffins

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Former Saint John Sea Dogs‘ captain and Memorial Cup winner, undrafted winger Mike Thomas(17) signed an spc to play with Springfield Falcons to start his pro career.

To start 2012 though, he was reassigned to the ECHL Chicago Express, where he posted no points in 2 games before being quickly called back up.

In 25 AHL games, he only has a goal and 3 assists to go along with a -6 plus/minus in limited minutes of play.

He has never been a prolific goal scorer but has good size (6’1″ 204 lbs.), which Grand Rapids Griffins look to develop in the 21-year old, when they traded veteran defenseman Greg Amadio for him.