AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

12Feb

David Caruso(35) Charlotte Checkers

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6th year undrafted goalie David Caruso(35) has played AHL games in 4 of his first 5 seasons and with his recent call-up and start in net for Charlotte Checkers he can make that 5 of 6.

He signed a contract with Trenton Titans, an organization he’s spent all of his career with (as the Devils), except his rookie year, which was with Gwinnett Gladiators with a single game with Chicago Wolves to start the run.

He has 52 games of AHL experience and 174 in the ECHL.

At almost 30 years old, it’s a bit of a wonder where netminding will take him next season.

11Feb

Kevin Henderson(47) Milwaukee Admirals

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After his two-year entry level contract with San Jose Sharks was up last season, undrafted left wing Kevin Henderson(47) found himself without any takers for 2011/2012.

He played two full seasons with Worcester Sharks with his scoring totals improving over the second year of his deal but not quite enough for them to offer him another shot.

Now past the leagues All-Star breaks, he finally signed a deal to play with Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. After all of two games played with them, he instantly gets loaned and signs a pto with their AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.

How long he sticks probably depends on how quick is to make his mark on the scoring sheet.

The 3rd year pro is fairly big at 6’03” 210 lbs. but needs to put a little more Lucic into his game.

10Feb

Rob Mignardi(29) Houston Aeros

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It didn’t take undrafted rookie right wing Rob Mignardi(29) long to find a new AHL home after being released from his pto with Manchester Monarchs. In fact, it very well could have happened in the same day but took a day to report to the transaction wire.

He skated 23 games with them and put up 2 goals and an assist after signing a pto in December. In fact, he was part of Los Angeles Kings‘ prospect system and attended their rookie and training camps but seemingly never inked a contract with the team. He did sign with their ECHL affiliate Ontario Reign in November but did not play in a game with them before being loaned to the Monarchs for the last couple of months.

Before he could potentially board a flight to California though, Houston Aeros immediately signed him to a pto and he’ll switch to the Western Conference and look to contribute more than he was able to in New Hampshire.

At 6′ 186 lbs. he’s got good size already for a 21-year old.

09Feb

Louis Leblanc(20) Montreal Canadiens

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Highly touted Montreal Canadiens‘ 1st round 2009 draft pick (#18 overall), 21-year old center Louis Leblanc(20) started the season with their AHL affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs but was called up in November and then returned in early January only to be recalled again earlier this month.

He’s made the most of his NHL playing time, scoring 3 goals and 4 assists in 18 games.

In 25 games with the Bulldogs he has 9 goals and 8 assists.

Listed at 6′ 178 lbs. he doesn’t look all that big out there in whatever league he’s playing in. He is considered a sniper though and should become a valuable scoring asset once he grows into his pro game.

09Feb

Evan Oberg(27) Tampa Bay Lightning

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With a rash of injuries Tampa Bay Lightning has been suffering through this season, call-ups from their AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals are plentiful, but no one player has seen more time in airports and on airplanes so far than 3rd year, undrafted defenseman Evan Oberg(27).

It honestly seems like he’s been recalled a dozen times in the first half of the season, but in actuality it’s more like 7 or 8 times. He’s played a whopping 1:21 minutes in the one NHL game he did skate in.

Seeing that this is the last season of his 3-year entry level deal he originally signed with Vancouver Canucks, some insiders are looking at him as potential trade bait. He was picked up this season in a minor league deal with Florida Panthers that brought the Lightning a pair of defensive prospects for their system.

He only skated in 5 games in the big league with no points to his credit and has already been returned once again to the minors with no appearance.

08Feb

Aaron Ness(27) New York Islanders

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New York Islanders‘ rookie defenseman Aaron Ness(27) was a 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#40 overall). He got an unexpected emergency basis call-up from their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers and got to experience his first NHL action.

The game turned out to be an Islanders‘ 1-0 shootout win and he probably logged a bit more ice time (14:25 minutes) than he anticipated he’d get in his first game.

He skated in 13 games with the Sound Tigers at the end of last season after signing with the team and popped in his first professional goal and also served up a pair of helpers. In 46 games this season he’s got a couple of goals and 15 assists with a +6 plus/minus.

At 5’10” 170lbs. he’s not the biggest guy by no means but plays an aggressive, defensive style that has gotten him noticed.

07Feb

Erik Christensen(40) Minnesota Wild

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It had been only a couple of seasons since 8th year center Erik Christiansen(40) played in the AHL, but before that it had been a few years when he appeared in 16 games with the affiliate of the team he was originally drafted and signed by, Pittsburgh Penguins (3rd round of 2002, #69 overall).

His only full season in the minors was his rookie campaign in 2004/2005, the year of the NHL lockout.

In his third season with New York Rangers, he came out of the gate slow and was eventually squeezed out of the lineup as the Blueshirts were looking for that right winning combination to click.

After many healthy scratches, he was finally demoted to Connecticut Whale on a “conditioning stint”.

In 5 games he scored a pair of goals and added an assist.

Looking to add some punch to their now struggling team, Minnesota Wild stepped in and gave up a prospect for some help up front they hope will pay immediate dividends.

He’s played 359 NHL games scoring 62 goals and 94 assists.

We shall see. . .

05Feb

Cal O’Reilly(36) Pittsburgh Penguins

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6th year pro center Cal O’Reilly(36) didn’t survive the waiver wire in his recent Phoenix Coyotes‘ NHL call-up from their AHL affiliate Portland Pirates and was grabbed as a depth player for the injury riddled Pittsburgh Penguins‘ offensive push.

In 108 NHL games he has 13 goals and 28 assists (he just got his first with his new team over the weekend).

He was originally a 5th round Nashville Predators‘ pick in the 2005 draft (#150 overall) and skated for five plus seasons with them and Milwaukee Admirals before being traded to Phoenix at the beginning of this year.

04Feb

Wojtek Wolski(86) Connecticut Whale

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In six pro seasons, Polish left wing Wojtek Wolski(86) has never played a minor league game; until last week.

Assigned by the parent club, New York Rangers on conditioning loan to their AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale to rehab after being out of action for well over a month with a groin injury he has to get up to speed to crack the solid lineup in Manhattan.

In his debut with the Whale, he ended up scoring what would become the game winning goal for the team.

I hope someone saved him that puck to mark the occasion.

In 402 NHL games, he has 91 goals and 158 assists for 249 points.

He was originally a 1st round pick by Colorado Avalanche in the 2004 draft (#21 overall). He played four seasons with them before being dished to Phoenix Coyotes and from there to the Rangers.

At almost only 26 years of age, the big (6’3″ 200 lbs.) power forward still should have plenty left in the tank but looks to be on his way to a fourth team.

03Feb

Danny Richmond(7) Lake Erie Monsters

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Defenseman Danny Richmond(7) is one of those high draft picks (Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round in 2003, #31 overall) that just have never quite lived up to expectations.

He was just traded out of Hershey, where he saw limited action, and just couldn’t find his spot on a fairly deep roster after signing a one-year, two-way deal with Washington Capitals in the offseason. This happened to be his 8th AHL team in six years.

The next chapter in his pro career takes him to Cleveland to skate for Lake Erie Monsters, as he was traded out of Chocolatetown. We’ll see if he’s able to gain any traction and maybe another look with Colorado Avalanche.

He has 49 games of NHL experience, registering 0 goals and 3 assists and a -12 plus/minus. He mostly has been less than accountable in his defensive zone.