AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

28Feb

Cody Goloubef (27)

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#37 overall), 4th year defenseman Cody Goloubef(27) is having a breakout year.

On reassignment to minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons he has reached career highs in goals (6), assists (16), points (22) and will soon eclipse his mark in games played.

He also made an appearance in the 2014 AHL All-Star Classic contributing a helper in the 7-2 victory.

Never a really big point scorer through 3 years of college hockey at University Of Wisconsin , he was able to connect frequently with assists.

The 6′ 195 lbs. hard-hitting blue liner has received NHL call-ups in each of the last three seasons playing 15 games total, scoring his first big league strike.

He was signed to a one-year extension for 2013/2014 after his entry level deal was up and seems to be hell bent on proving his abilities to move up the ladder.

At 24-years old he’s making a good argument to stick with the only prospect system he knows and possibly score two more years at the end of the current campaign.

25Feb

Scott Mayfield(10) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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New York Islanders‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft (#34 overall), defenseman Scott Mayfield(10) is using his large 6’4″ 210 lbs. to establish his shutdown, heavy hitting style of play.

He averaged well over triple digit penalty minutes in two years of USHL with Youngstown Phantoms and slightly under the mark through less games in another pair of seasons at University Of Denver.

He’s very much on track for another season of over 100 pims. In 54 AHL games with affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers he’s racked up 82 minutes with 6 fighting majors to his credit.

The rangy player is also showing an ability to put up points and may even surpass his American junior hockey career highs in goals and assists. He has 3 goals and 11 assists with a +9 rating on a squad that is just over an even record.

The 21-year is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2016 and will likely get a long look at next year’s NHL training camp as the parent club definitely has to make some tough decisions about their defensive core.

24Feb

Chad Rau(20) Worcester Sharks

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5th year center Chad Rau(20) recently moved from Minnesota Wild‘s prospect system, the only one he knew, to San Jose Sharks‘ organization and was reassigned from minor league affiliate Iowa Wild to Worcester Sharks.

His point production dipped severely in 33 AHL games, putting in only a single tally and adding half a dozen assists on a team that struggles to connect on the score sheet but continues to be in the hunt of a Western Conference playoff spot.

He has yet to catch fire so to speak with his new club notching only a pair of assists in 8 contests.

The not exactly huge 5’11” 178 lbs. forward averaged 35 points in each of his first four seasons and dipped below that mark last year but also had a career second best 16 goals.

Originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 7th round pick in the 2005 draft (#228 overall), he was never signed and inked a 2-year entry level contract with the Wild.

He has played in 9 NHL games and potted two goals in his short stint and was recalled and sent back numerous times

The 27-year old has definitely attained some pretty good goals: 2005 USHL Rookie Of The Year, four reputable years at Colorado College with close to point-per-game production and a trip to the 2011 Calder Cup Finals in his first year pro with Houston Aeros.

His 2-year extension is up at the end of this season and it’s definitely a wonder where the veteran will end up next.

23Feb

Kelly Zajac(11) Albany Devils

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Albany Devils‘ undrafted 2nd year center Kelly Zajac(11) is making a statement on the score sheet in his sophomore season with the team.

After being sidelined for a majority of his rookie year with a nagging lower body injury, limiting him to only 14 games (2 goals, 2 assists), he returned for 2013/2014 healthy and ready to contribute.

Appearing in 46 AHL games, he’s easily posted career highs with 8 goals, 22 assists and a +5 rating on a squad that’s poised to make a playoff run for the first time in a long while.

The not exactly huge 5’11” 175 lbs. forward was a point-per-game guy in his last two campaigns of college hockey at Union, helping them win the 2012 NCAA (ECAC) Championship.

He’s only been signed to a pair of 1-year minor league contracts but is definitely making a bid to get noticed and move up.

The 25-year old spent parts of his first season in the ECHL with Trenton Titans, most of the time to likely get some games under his belt, and was able to produce at a rate of 6 goals and 10 assists in 15 contests in the lower league.

He may not be sure where he will end up under a deal for his next campaign but should be able to score a training camp invite to show the higher ups what he can do.

22Feb

J.C. Lipon(34) St. John’s IceCaps

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Winnipeg Jets‘ 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft (#91 overall), rookie right wing J.C. Lipon(34) is having the kind of first year pro that he’ll easily be able to build on.

He signed a three-year entry level deal that keeps him in the prospect system through 2016.

Reassigned to minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, he’s posted a tidy 6 goals and 21 assists in 48 AHL games with a -7 rating.

The 6′ 180 lbs. forward also exhibits a willingness to stick his nose into developing situations, never shying away from any of the rough stuff and is a bit of a pest to play against.

He’s on his way to putting up triple digits in penalty minutes much like he did in three seasons with Kamloops Blazers of the WHL.

He also showed signs of marking up the score sheet with a lot of assists passing out 99 helpers to go with 55 goals in his final pair of junior hockey campaigns.

The still super-young 20-year old is very likely to get a look in the show and could stick with his feisty play.

21Feb

Zach O’Brien(10) Manchester Monarchs

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Super-mini, undrafted rookie right wing Zach O’Brien(10) has to be enjoying his first season pro.

After three seasons in the QMJHL with Acadie-Bathurst Titan, where he led the league in goals and points as a rookie then pulled off another goal scoring title the next year with 50 tallies and 101 points. He slumped in his final campaign with only 92.

The possibly overlooked 5’9″ 178 lbs. forward was invited to attend his hometown minor league club, St. John’s IceCaps‘ training camp after playing one game on an ato at the end of the previous season.

He didn’t stick and was reassigned to Ontario Reign to start the season despite being under some kind of vague contract.

He skated in 5 ECHL games scoring a quick pair of goals and assists.

One month into the 2013/2014 season and Manchester Monarchs come knocking and were able to sign him to a pto that is now 28 AHL games in.

With 6 goals, 8 assists and +6 rating to go along with his tenacious play, it looks like he’s a lock to stick.

19Feb

Buddy Robinson(10) Binghamton Senators

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Ottawa Senators‘ undrafted, big 6’5″ 225 lbs. right wing Buddy Robinson(10) is doing nicely for himself in his rookie season with minor league affiliate Binghamton Senators.

In 43 AHL games he has 8 goals and 9 assists with a +10 rating. He was said to have a good training camp with the parent club.

Signed to a three-year entry level deal he’ll be in the system through 2016 after spending two seasons at Lake Superior State University.

He also skated a pair of successful campaigns in the OPJHL with Hamilton Red Wings. that got him a scholarship to go the academic route.

Never exactly a big point scorer on his way to turning pro or even the type of player to mix it up with his extra large-sized frame, there’s easily hope that with some good coaching he can add some nice increases to his game.

He’s been reassigned down once for a single contest with Elmira Jackals of the ECHL.

The 22-year old started out quickly with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 6 games signed to an ato at the end of last season and even found himself in the lineup for a couple Calder Cup Playoff games.

We call this one another work in progress.

16Feb

Michael St. Croix(37) Greenville Road Warriors

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New York Rangers‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 draft (#106 overall) rookie right wing Michael St. Croix(37) has been a point-per-game guy at every level of hockey heading into a pair of recalls from where he is scoring 10 goals and a team leading 25 assists in 33 ECHL games with affiliate Greenville Road Warriors up to the AHL.

He has yet to mark in 9 appearances with direct farm club Hartford Wolf Pack playing limited minutes ice time.

The seemingly sort of small-looking 5’11” 183 lbs. forward won a WHL Championship with Edmonton Oil Kings and averaged 1.14 points per game and concluded four seasons with a +78 rating. He is also the team’s all-time leading scorer in their less than ten-year existence.

He’s signed through 2016 on a 3-year entry level deal and he’s pretty much a lock to find himself playing full-time in Connecticut but the 20-year old definitely still has some work to do before that NHL recall happens.

14Feb

Anton Zlobin(18) WBS Penguins

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Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#173 overall), Russian-born rookie right wing Anton Zlobin(18) has been tearing up the score sheet on every level he’s played leading up to his recall from ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers to direct farm club Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

In his 9 games in double A hockey he posted the usual point-per-game (or better) production with 4 goals and 5 assists.

The not exactly huge 5’11” 198 lbs. forward knows how to find his space on the ice.

He skated in 186 QMJHL games through 3 seasons scoring 92 goals and 120 assists for a mammoth 212 points. He also concluded his career in juniors at a stellar +61 rating and won a Memorial Cup with Shawinigan Cataractes in 2012.

The just turning 21-year old was quick to sign a three-year entry level contract and turn pro after his selection.

In 28 AHL games he has yet to completely catch fire with 5 goals and 4 assists but at a +10 he’s on the ice a good amount of the time when the puck goes in the net, which will likely lead to more opportunities for him to connect.

13Feb

Daine Todd (3)

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Phoenix Coyotes‘ undrafted rookie defenseman Daine Todd(3) is another recent player to take a somewhat Jeffy, Family Circus route to turning pro.

He even sat out the entire 2008-2009 campaign and lost another pair of seasons to injuries before he ever signing a contract.

To make matters stranger he played an over-age year with Medicine Hat Tigers and won two WHL Championships before being sidelined and returned for four campaigns with University Of New Brunswick.

He also won a college title with them.

The small-ish looking 5’10” 185 lbs. former forward turned blue liner battles pretty hard but is a -14 plus/minus so far in his first season but is also on the ice for many different kinds of game situations because of his versatile play.

On the upside he has 2 goals and 21 assists in 44 games with Portland Pirates.

His helper total is first among rookies and third overall on the team.

He’s signed to an AHL contract under the watchful eye of the parent club .

At 27-years old he might become one of the oldest players to sign a one-year entry level deal.