AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

05Mar

Shawn Weller(23) Texas Stars

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5th year right wing Shawn Weller(23) found himself in the uncomfortable scenario of getting traded from the first place St. John’s IceCaps in the AHL Eastern Conference to Texas Stars, who sit in last place of the Western Conference.

It was a deal that enabled some room for the IceCaps to pick up one of the Stars players on reassignment as some teams rework their lineups as the Calder Cup Playoffs approach.

He already had AHL career highs in points (24) and assists (14) and was heading towards his best year for goals (10 in 41 games) in a season as well.

Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in the 2004 draft (#77 overall), the 25-year old has consistently shown improved skating and puck handling abilities to go along with his average-sized 6’2″ 205 lbs. frame that he uses all of on the ice.

The move may land him another NHL deal and could put him in a big league game before too long.

03Mar

Brock Trotter(9) St. John’s IceCaps

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25-year old undrafted 5th year center BrockTrotter(9) moves for a second time in the 2011/2012 season. He was acquired by Phoenix Coyotes at the beginning of the year in a three player and draft pick deal and sent to their AHL affiliate Portland Pirates.

In 35 games he has 12 goals and 19 assists but is a dismal -11 plus/minus.

He spent the 1st three years of his pro career signed with Montreal Canadiens to a three-year entry level contract. In the final year of that deal, he put up 36 goals and 41 goals in 75 games and went a mighty +33 on ice.

You can bet that he was looking for a one-way contract after that kind of season. Although in a pair of games with Montreal he didn’t register a point and went a -1.

For 2010/2011 he decided to sign in the KHL and played pretty well for Riga Dynamo but was offered a one-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens again and decided to return to North American hockey.

Now he has been reassigned in an AHL player swap by Phoenix to St. John’s Ice Caps for the remainder of the season and if healthy will play against his former teams before the end of the year and possibly in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

02Mar

Linden Vey(9) Manchester Monarchs

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Manchester Monarchs‘ rookie right wing Linden Vey(9) proved he could put up points almost at will in juniors and jumps to the pro ranks mostly retaining those abilities.

In 57 AHL games he has 17 goals and 19 assists with a steady +9 plus/minus and minimal penalty minutes.

He was originally a Los Angeles Kings 4th round pick in 2009 (#96 overall).

Listed at 6′ 187 lbs. he doesn’t seem quite that big but digs in every time he’s out on the ice.

For the month of February, he was chosen as the AHL Rookie Of The Month putting up 6 goals and 8 assists in 12 games.

His consistent play has to have him on the short list of prospective forward call-ups to the NHL, especially if the Kings start to slide out of the Stanley Cup playoff picture.

The 20-year old signed a 3-year entry level contract that takes him through the 2013/2014 season.

02Mar

Mike Connolly(18) Lake Erie Monsters

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Undrafted rookie forward Mike Connolly(18) found himself strung onto a multi-player deal between his former team, San Jose Sharks and his now current club, Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline.

He will really be shuffled from one affiliate, Worcester Sharks to another, Lake Erie Monsters.

In 40 AHL games this season he’s put up some impressive numbers (10 goals, 20 assists and +4 plus/minus).

He’s another small-sized “power” forward at 5’9″ 180 lbs. that plays a tenacious style game, sees the ice well and gets into those open spaces for good bids on net.

He has yet to appear in an NHL regular season game but that should change.

01Mar

Steve Kampfer(26) Houston Aeros

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Boston Bruins shipped 2nd year puck moving defenseman Steve Kampfer(26) off to Minnesota Wild for some veteran blue line experience at the NHL trade deadline. He should compete for a roster spot on the team.

He’s played 48 games in a Bruins‘ uniform scoring 5 goals and 7 assists with a highly accountable +15 plus/minus.

Somehow with some perceived shaky play he fell lower on the club’s depth chart, which at the moment made him expendable.

Originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#93 overall), he was traded to Boston and signed to a 3-year entry level deal in late 2010 after he finished up his college career.

He was reassigned to Houston Aeros and will play his first games with them this weekend. In 40 AHL games he has 5 goals and 19 assists.

01Mar

Keith Aulie(3) Tampa Bay Lightning

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Keith Aulie(3) is a monster of a 22-year old, 2nd year defenseman at 6’6″ 217 lbs.

He’s been in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system from the start of his pro career and played in 57 NHL games (2 goals and 2 assists).

With their AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies, he’s skated in 64 games (3 goals, 7 assists).

All of that ain’t so bad but in 2011/2012 with the two teams, he has only 3 assists and is a -10 plus/minus.

He must have slipped pretty low on their depth chart because they dumped him at the trading deadline for prospect forward Carter Ashton.

Could be that they just needed more up front than on the blue line.

He will debut with his new team Tampa Bay Lightning in the upcoming weekend. The team needs to make sure it has defense that takes up a lot of space with their goaltending worries, as they stumble and surge, pushing for a playoff spot.

He was originally a Calgary Flames‘ 4th round draft pick in 2007 (#116 overall) but played most of his rookie season with Abbotsford Heat.

29Feb

Marc Cantin(27) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Undrafted, rookie defenseman Marc Cantin(27) gets dished by Boston Bruins in a deal that sent two youngsters to New York Islanders for a pair of veterans.

Signed to a 3-year entry level contract, he didn’t seem to find a spot with Providence Bruins and was reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Reading Royals on numerous occasions. This season he’s played 15 games with them and has a goal and 5 assists. For the P-Bruins he guarded the blue line in 19 contests but failed to register a point.

At 6’1″ 192 lbs. the Isles could have just got themselves a nice 21-year old prospect for practically nothing.

29Feb

Darryl Boyce(47) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Lost in the trade deadline shuffle: undrafted, 5th year center Darryl Boyce(47) didn’t survive going through waivers after being reassigned by Toronto Maple Leafs to their AHL affiliate Marlies, the only two pro teams he’s ever played for.

He was snapped up by Columbus Blue Jackets and skated in his 1st game with his new team on Tuesday night.

He had appeared in 64 NHL games with the Leafs 6 goals with 9 assists but goal scoring isn’t where he lives.

At 6′ 200 lbs. he’s not excessively large but he plays a big game out there and is a tireless agitator for all his opponents to have to deal with.

It will be interesting to see how he adapts to the change of scenery and where the Blue Jackets see him fitting into their lineup. Seeing him with Springfield Falcons before the end of the season wouldn’t surprise me.

He traded in his odd number 47 jersey he’d been wearing for 43, which is a bit of a thinker.

28Feb

Andrew Gordon(10) Vancouver Canucks

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Vancouver Canucks added more depth at forward position by acquiring 5th year right wing Andrew Gordon(10) from Anaheim Ducks and reassigned to Chicago Wolves before anything even settled.

He started the season playing 37 NHL games (2 goals, 3 assists) but was reassigned to their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch in mid-January and skated in 19 games (3 goals, 5 assists) with them up until his trade from an organization he wasn’t even with for a full season.

Originally drafted by Washington Capitals in the 7th round of 2004 (#191 overall) he spent his first 4 years as pro in their system, playing 12 NHL games with them (1 goal, 1 assist). He was mostly known as being one of the team leaders for Hershey Bears, where in 313 regular season and playoff games he put up 124 goals and 136 assists.

He won back-to-back Calder Cups with the Bears in 2009 and 2010.

In his rookie season, he even played some games in the ECHL with South Carolina Stingrays but overpowered the competition in that league with 8 goals and 6 assists in 11 games.

27Feb

Brad Thiessen (39)

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3rd year undrafted Pittsburgh Penguins‘ goaltender Brad Thiessen(39) received his 1st NHL start after putting up impressive numbers with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Originally signed to a 2-year entry level deal with Pittsburgh, he’s played 126 AHL regular season and Calder Cup Playoff games waiting his turn in what has turned out to be a glut of good goalies in their system.

In his debut, a 4-2 win, he saved 22 of 24 shots for a 2.00 GAA and .917 SV%.

It’s another one of the success stories as he was never drafted and played parts of his rookie season in the ECHL with Wheeling Nailers, 12 games, 8-3 record.

He could be in line to be the team’s NHL back-up for 2012/2013, but will need another contract in the meantime.