Calgary‘s 1st round pick in the 2006 draft (#26 overall) goaltender Leland Irving(37) is sticking around for a fourth year in the system and will likely see more time in the AHL with the Heat as the Flames 1 and 2 looks set for the upcoming season. If that turns out to be true, I still predict he will see his 1st ever NHL games in ’11/’12.
Traded for late last year, John Mitchell(79) is basically a point per game player in the AHL with the Whale and the Marlies. He was re-signed by the Rangers‘ to a one-year, two-way deal.
In 150+ NHL games all with Toronto, he was a point every few games player over a few years.
He’s still only in his mid-20’s.
I think he’s got some potential to crack that fourth line with the big club this season.
Off-season rumors strongly suggested Islanders‘ 2003 2nd round draft pick (#58 overall) Jeremy Colliton(21) would go back to Europe (where he played in 2009/2010) but New York re-signed the 7th year pro for another 1 year, 2-way contract. He’s struggled to crack the NHL on a full-time basis but maybe this is his year.
Last season he was an assistant captain for Bridgeport AHL and is the team’s all-time leading scorer with 176 points in 285 games.
Gargantuan Slovak defenseman, Boris Valabik(22) didn’t spend much time in the Boston organization (played only 10 games with Providence) after getting picked up late in the season in a trade deadline deal.
For the 2011/2012 season he is off to Steel City to see if he can catch on with the Penguins of the NHL, where he signed a one-year, two-way deal, but more likely will play for their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre.
Ottawa‘s 2009 5th round pick (#150 overall), center Mike Hoffman(27) barely had time to finish celebrating Binghamton Senators AHL Calder Cup win in his rookie season before he was back on the ice participating in his third Development Camp with other Ottawa young bloods learning the ropes, looking to impress.
Both the championship win and camp were in June barely three weeks apart. Click on his name to see his interview at camp.
Swiss born, Ottawa Senators 2004 5th round draft pick (#156 overall), Roman Wick(14) turns around quickly after only one season here, wins the AHL Calder Cup with Binghamton, leaves and will once again play with Kloten Flyers in the Swiss League; right back where he came from.
Rumor had it he fell further down Ottawa‘s depth chart after spending 7 games in the NHL last season with the Senators and registering no points.
The Ottawa relationship with veteran center Ryan Potulny(22) only lasted 7 games, but more important were his contributions to Binghamton in their quest to win the AHL Calder Cup. He was the leading scorer in the playoffs with 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in 23 games.
He signed for 2 years to play with Washington. The 1st year is a two-way contract and the second is one-way deal. He certainly deserves it.
Vancouver Canucks have picked up the services of 4th year pro agitator (and sometime goal scorer) Mike Duco(14) in a trade with Florida gives the Panthers eyes on the great Russian underachiever, Sergei Shirokov as he plays in the KHL for the next couple of seasons.
Duco(14) will likely continue to develop in the AHL and see most of his playing time with Chicago Wolves, the new Canucks‘ affiliate.
In 12 NHL games, he has no points.
New York Rangers signed power forward with a mean streak, Dale Weise(23) to another year in the system. It will be his fourth with the organization. He has skated 10 games in the NHL registering 0 points. If healthy, look for him to be about a point per game player with Connecticut Whale this season.
He is not even 21 years old yet and was a 4th round Rangers‘ pick in 2008 (#111 overall).
Former 2008 Colorado Avalanche 4th round draft pick (#110 overall), center Kelsey Tessier(90) was unsigned upon going pro.
He then inked a one-year entry level deal with New York Rangers and spent the entire season with their AHL affiliate, Connecticut Whale, where he scored 10 goals to go along with 18 assists in 75 games played.
For 2011/2012 he signed another one-year deal but this time an AHL contract to stay in Hartford for his 2nd campaign with the team.
