AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

19Oct

Nick Jones (8)

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Undrafted rookie defenseman Nick Jones(8) played a couple of AHL games with Worcester Sharks after four years at Mercyhurt College came to a close.

He didn’t record any points but did come away with a +1 rating and had a fairly high 6 shots on goal.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. blue liner mostly showed point production increases in each of his campaigns at school and healthy plus/minus marks in his final couple of seasons but was fairly well-known as unafraid to take a shot from the point (or closer).

He signed a one-year two-way minor league deal for his rookie campaign right before the start of 2014/2015.

Invited on a tryout to attend San Jose Sharks‘ training camp, he was among the first cuts sent down.

The 24-year was further reassigned to start his pro career with Indy Fuel but is already making a statement.

In two ECHL games he’s struck for his first goal and added 2 assists while firing 7 shots at the net.

18Oct

Chris Wagner (21)

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#122 overall), third year center Chris Wagner(21) is enjoying a quick start to his 2014/2015 campaign.

He notched his first career hat trick (including a pair of short-handed tallies and the game-winning goal) in minor league affiliate Norfolk Admirals‘ season opener and added another strike in his next game.

The 6’ 195 lbs. forward was named CCM Player Of The Week for his strong offensive outburst and recalled for his NHL debut.

He only skated 9 shifts for 4:10 of total ice time and 2 penalty minutes but is still up with the parent club so will get another crack at the ice.

In 148 AHL games he has 26 goals and 27 assists, setting high point marks in 2013/2014 (14-14-28 in a complete 76 game effort) but seemed to be waiting for the kind of point production he enjoyed in a pair of years at Colgate University and two seasons of American juniors in the EJHL.

The 23-year old is in the final season of his three-year entry level deal and trying to make it a no-brainer for an extension.

14Oct

Colton Gillies(17) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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7th year former Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2007 draft (#16 overall) right wing Colton Gillies(17) is currently minus a contract for the 2014/2015 but skating AHL games with Bridgeport Sound Tigers after being released from his New York Islanders‘ training camp invite.

He played the entirety of the 2013/2014 season on a minor league deal with Rochester Americans putting up close to career high numbers but even those are barely something to write home about (9-15-24).

The fairly large 6’4″ 190 lbs. forward has skated most of three full campaigns in the NHL with a pair of clubs.

His numbers up in the big league are minimal as well (6-12-18 in 154 games).

He never really produced on the score sheet through three years of junior hockey in the WHL with Saskatoon Blades. which makes it a bit of a wonder how he was ever selected so high and even traded up to get.

In a pair of games in this early season, he has yet to record a point playing on a pto.

He’s definitely a good leader type figure for the young squad to retain but it’s a wonder if they will.

13Oct

Eric Knodel (40)

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Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#128 overall), the absolutely huge 6’6″ 225 lbs. defenseman Eric Knodel(40) will start the first full season of his pro career on double reassignment to Orlando Solar Bears.

He signed an ato after completing his fourth year at University Of New Hampshire, where as a senior he was named team captain.

Skating in 10 AHL games with minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies he recorded his first two points, assists and was a +1 plus/minus.

He’s definitely shown flares for putting up points, especially helpers but might need a little more coaching and practice on the next level to give him the confidence to produce.

He attended a pair of Leafs’ prospect camps and this year’s training camp but was cut early.

At 24-years old he’s a bit of a late starter but easily has the size to blossom into a powerhouse on the blue line.

He’ll need to do it quickly though, as he’s only signed to a one-year entry level deal.

09Oct

Spencer Machacek (17)

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After attending both Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies‘ training camps on invites, 7th year unrestricted free agent, veteran right wing Spencer Machacek(17) was having a hard time finding a new hockey home.

He was released from his tryout agreement with the AHL team just before the beginning of the new season but did manage to quickly find a landing spot overseas in the German elite league DEL with Augsburger Panther.

In a pair of games he already has his first point, an assist.

Since leaving Winnipeg Jets‘ organization, where he was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#67 overall) and stayed with them until a late season trade sent him to Columbus Blue Jackets‘ affiliate Springfield Falcons.

Signed to a one-year extension as a restricted free agent, he once again was dealt in late season move and found himself skating with Pittsburgh Penguins‘ farm club, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

They did not offer the 6’1″ 201 lbs. forward a contract to stay on.

In his first four seasons he pretty much averaged 30 helpers in each of his campaigns.

He also dominated on the score sheet in 3 years of junior hockey with Vancouver Giants, where he won a WHL Championship and a Memorial Cup.

It would be surprising if the 26-year old doesn’t become a top scorer where he is.

We shall see.

07Oct

Nickolas Latta (39)

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Undrafted, German-born rookie center Nickolas Latta(39) takes an interesting route to starting his pro career.

After 4 years in the OHL with Sarnia Sting, under the watchful eye of New York Rangers he signed an ato with minor league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack late last season.

In 11 AHL games he scored 1 goal, added one assist and held a +1 rating.

He was the team captain and a point-per-game player in his last campaign of junior hockey.

The 5’11” 195 lbs. skater plays a bit bigger on the ice than his size might indicate and could definitely develop into a form of a power forward style.

He was an invite to the Blueshirts‘ training camp but released early to the Pack where he would potentially signed a contract with the farm team.

A week later the 21-year old decided he was going back to Germany and signed with Kolner Haie of DEL.

His Canadian father Kenneth Latta spent the majority of his playing time in the country and still coaches.

06Oct

Andrew Yogan(6) San Antonio Rampage

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New York Rangers‘ 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#100 overall), center Andrew Yogan(6) was quickly falling off the depth chart with the parent club and found himself reassigned down the pro hockey ladder to their ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors through his two years in the system.

The big-ish 6’3″ 203 lbs. power forward excelled fairly big in the lower league performing at nearly a point-per-game level through 31 games and recording 7 goals and 11 assists in 17 Kelly Cup Playoff contests.

After a quick start on his first ato with AHL farm club Connecticut Whale, where he notched a quick pair of goals in his debut and added an assist in another, his totals slumped upon signing his 3-year entry level deal.

He played 5 seasons of juniors in the OHL showing he could connect with the score sheet on a regular basis.

The 22-year old was recently involved in a minor trade that sends him back home down south to Florida Panthers.

He’ll start 2014/2015 with San Antonio Rampage to see if he can find that spark in his game that got folks talking about his potential as the first player ever drafted from the Sunshine State.

05Oct

Tommy Grant(17) Aalborg Pirates

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4th year undrafted left wing Tommy Grant(17) decided to take his game overseas to Denmark, joining Aalborg Pirates after tearing it up for a season under contract with Idaho Steelheads.

In 64 ECHL games he had 23 goals and 27 assists.

It wasn’t his first time skating in the league either. While under contract with San Jose Sharks he was double reassigned to San Francisco Bulls where he had one tally and four helpers in 5 contests.

The pretty big 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward was initially property of New York Rangers playing exclusively for their minor league affiliate the then Connecticut Whale, once again Hartford Wolf Pack.

He was signed to a 2-year entry level deal after three outstanding seasons of college hockey at University Of Alaska-Anchorage and joined the team at the completion of school for 7 regular season games (3 assists) and 8 Calder Cup Playoff matchups (1-1-2).

He had decent enough campaigns with the team too, scoring 9 goals and 9 assists in 34 AHL games before getting dealt.

When he reported to Worcester Sharks all the air seems to be let out of the tires. Maybe he potentially realized the time on his 2-year entry level was up and he’d be looking for a new place to play for his third year.

He seems to be fitting in kind of nicely in his new surroundings as he’s credited with a pair of goals and 1 assist in 4 games.

02Oct

Mathieu Brodeur(6) Chicago Wolves

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Former Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#76 overall) biggie defenseman Mathieu Brodeur(6) was left unqualified going into a second restricted free agency after the one year extension on his three-year entry level deal was up.

At 6’6″ he’s certainly one very large man on the ice but weighing only 215 lbs. he still seems like he has some more room to completely fill out that frame.

His skating style is a bit awkward with all that size that maybe that’s an area a little more muscle would help.

He certainly fires a decent number of shots at net from the point but maybe he has let it fly even more.

In 176 AHL games the fifth year blue liner only has 8 goals and 30 assists, which ain’t half bad, all with minor league affiliate Portland Pirates.

The 24-year played most of his rookie season in the ECHL with Las Vegas Wranglers.

He signed his first contract after three campaigns in the QMJHL Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, where he had a some offensive prowess in the assist department with 25.

For 2014/2015, he signed a one-year deal to join Chicago Wolves.

He’s going to have to bring it.

01Oct

Louis-Marc Aubry(22) Grand Rapids Griffins

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Detroit Red Wings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2010 draft (#81 overall) center Louis-Marc Aubry(22) has to be happy that his first pro season was on an entry level slide and the first year of his three-year entry level deal didn’t actually kick in until his second campaign 2012/2013, playing for minor league affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins.

He won a Calder Cup with the team that season and even skated in 14 postseason match ups with one assist and a +3 rating.

In the middle of last year the 6’4″ 213 lbs. forward found himself on reassignment south, playing 19 games for Toledo Walleye of the ECHL.

He managed to assert himself right away, striking for 7 goals and 8 assists.

But there’s no time like the present for the still young 22-year old to start using that large frame in front of the net and hammering more shots at the opposing net minder.

His numbers have been diminishing, along with his ice time, so he needs to step it up in the AHL or his next deal could be of the one-year variety in the lower league.