AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

25Jun

Brent Henley(44) Nottingham Panthers

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

Giant-sized 6’7″ 249 lbs., undrafted 11th year defenseman Brent Henley(44) will don the jersey of his 21st pro hockey team, when he jumps shores to continue his career in the EIHL with Nottingham Panthers for 2013/2014.

He has skated most of his time in the ECHL amassing 248 games and 1189 penalty minutes in the league, while posting 9 goals and 38 assists.

He’s also played in 114 AHL contests, most recently last season in 5 appearances with Lake Erie Monsters.

The 32-year old was a member of Fort Wayne Komets through three different leagues, playing 164 games and won a pair of titles with the team, 2008 IHL Turners Cup and 2012 Central Hockey League President’s Cup.

Most awesomely though, he started his career with Colorado Gold Kings of the WCHL in 2001/2002.

24Jun

Andy Andreoff(12) Manchester Monarchs

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Tough as nails Los Angeles Kings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#80 overall), left wing Andy Andreoff(12) had a good rookie season with 13 goals and 13 assists in 69 games for AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

He also accrued a healthy 111 penalty minutes and at 6’1″ 217 lbs. was always a hard-nosed customer when challenged.

He also seemed to take his game to the next level come playoff hockey time, as he has connected for a pair of goals and three assists in 8 postseason contests over a couple of Calder Cup Playoff rounds.

The 22-year old signed a three-year entry level deal that kicked in while he was still playing in juniors with Oshawa Generals and is set to become a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2013/2014 campaign.

He has yet to receive his first official NHL recall but joined the parent club as part of the “black aces” practice squad for the last couple of playoff runs, including the Kings’ 2012 Stanley Cup win.

Bets are on that he scores that recall in the upcoming season.

22Jun

Brodie Reid (51)

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted, third year right wing Brodie Reid(51) signs to a one-year contract extension with San Jose Sharks for 2013/2014.

He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent after initially playing under a two-year entry level deal.

Despite being sidelined for half of last season with injuries, he still scored 10 goals and 11 assists in 34 AHL games with affiliate Worcester Sharks.

That amount almost eclipsed his rookie year totals of 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 66 contests.

At 6’2 195 lbs. he doesn’t exactly have huge power forward size but always plays that style of a game and gives it 110% on the ice.

If he can stay healthy there’s no reason to believe the 23-year old can’t put up 20/20 numbers.

With those kind of numbers, he’d be a shoe in for his first NHL recall.

See related: 11/6-11

20Jun

2013 AHL Calder Cup Champions: Grand Rapid Griffins

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Grand Rapid Griffins won the 2013 AHL Calder Cup Championship 4-2 over Syracuse Crunch.

19Jun

Tomas Tatar(27) Grand Rapids Griffins

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Detroit Red Wings‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#60 overall), Slovakian-born left wing Tomas Tatar(27) was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2013 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs for his part in Grand Rapid Griffins‘ championship win.

His 16 goals were a postseason best and he finished tied for second in scoring with 21 points.

He started the lockout season back home with SHK 37 Piestany until he was returned to the AHL to keep him closer to the parent club.

He pocketed a swift 5 goals and 5 assists before he returned.

Within the first couple of weeks of the NHL reconvening the small-ish 5’10” 185 lbs. forward was recalled and playing consistently in the show.

In 18 games in the shortened season, he proved his abilities to compete with 4 goals and 3 assists before being sent back down.

He was recalled and reassigned numerous times as a rookie but never appeared in a game until his sophomore season, when he notched a first big league goal in 9 appearances.

The still only 22-year old with four years of North American pro hockey playing experience has another campaign left on his 3-year entry level deal (two seasons of slides due to his young age) and will likely find himself with a full-time role in the show for 2013/2014.

18Jun

Andrej Sustr (2)

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

6’8″ 225 lbs. Czech Republic-born, undrafted defensive tower Andrej Sustr(2) signed a two-year entry level deal with Tampa Bay Lightning that included the remainder of 2012/2013 after deciding to turn pro at the conclusion of his third season at University Of Nebraska-Omaha.

He appeared in a pair of NHL games without registering a point while skating an average of 10 minutes in each contest and had a couple of shots of goal and a +1 rating before being reassigned to their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch to finish off the regular season.

In 8 games, he scored his first 2 pro goals and added an assist.

The 22-year old has skated in all 17 Calder Cup Playoff games with the team, adding another goal and 5 assists to his totals while going a rock steady +9 plus/minus and showing a willingness to fire pucks on the net and mix it up when the situation calls for it.

With a bit more grit he will easily develop into a feared blue liner much like another extremely large, former countryman. Very possibly this could be his only stop in the minors.

16Jun

Josh Lunden(42) St. John’s IceCaps

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Third year, undrafted left wing Josh Lunden(42) spent most of last season, first in training camp, then on a pair of pto’s with St. John’s IceCaps. In 31 games, he notched 8 goals and 10 assists playing mostly energy line roles.

In his sophomore campaign he was recalled for AHL games by three different times.

He has been signed for the last two seasons with Las Vegas Wranglers. He also appeared with the team during his rookie season, reassigned while under a one-year entry level contract with Phoenix Coyotes.

The 6’2″ 202 lbs. forward also participated in their 2010 training camp.

In 79 ECHL games he’s pocketed a nifty 33 goals and 36 helpers.

The 27-year old earned a well-deserved one-year contract with the IceCaps for 2013/2014, where he should be able to continue to step up his game.

15Jun

Bill Thomas(29) Medvescak Zagreb

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

29-year old, undrafted 8th year right wing, Bill Thomas(29) has decided it’s time to leave North American pro hockey and joins Medvescak Zagreb of the KHL for 2013/2014.

He had been signed to a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado Avalanche for 2012/2013 but failed to receive a call-up in the lockout shortened season. It was the first time since he was on an AHL agreement for ’09/’10 with Springfield Falcons that he didn’t play in an NHL game.

He also left mid-season that year for the NLA in Switzerland but returned for the next campaign signing with Florida Panthers.

The unassuming 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward has played 87 contests in the show scoring 16 goals and 12 assists with three different teams.

He has 388 minor leagues games with 115 goals and 136 assists to his credit.

Seems like the right choice for the veteran player and chances are he will find his scoring touch.

See related: 12/29-10

13Jun

Jan Mursak (39)

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Detroit Red Wings‘ 5th year, 6th round pick in the 2006 draft (#182 overall), Slovenian-born right wing Jan Mursak(39) has already made it public knowledge of his intentions next season to join Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL, reportedly to return to playing on the bigger sheets of ice.

He didn’t let that stand in the way of scoring the winning goal in game three of the 2013 Calder Cup Finals to help his current team, AHL affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins, to a sweep-ready 3-0 series lead.

The 25-year old is set to become an unrestricted free agent after signing a two-year, one-way extension as his entry level contract was up.

He has 46 games of NHL experience to his credit scoring a pair of goals and assists.

In 213 contests in the minors, he’s registered 43 goals and 60 assists with a huge +41 rating.

Almost ironically he started the lockout season back in his country skating for Olimpija Ljubljana in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, where he logged 30 games, connecting for a career high 48 points and 29 helpers.

If he continues to excel overseas, there could be some room for him to return to North American pro hockey, but it remains to be seen if his heart keeps him closer to home.

10Jun

Francis Pare(9) Grand Rapids Griffins

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Detroit Red Wings‘ undrafted fifth year right wing, Francis Pare(9) scored the winning goal for minor league affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins in game 2 of the 2013 Calder Cup Finals to help give his team a 2-0 series lead.

Appearing in all 20 postseasons contests, he has 3 goals and 9 assists. 2 of his strikes came on the power play, including the recent game-winner.

In 68 2012/2013 regular season outings he notched 22 goals and 22 assists

He is currently in the final campaign of his 2-year contract extension, which he signed as his tw0-year entry level deal was wrapping up.

In his first year as a pro he signed a one-year agreement with the Griffins.

He has played in 363 AHL games, all with Grand Rapids, scoring 102 goals and 135 assists with a +19 rating.

The 5’10” 191 lbs. forward had an outstanding junior career registering 1.12 points per game over 4 seasons in the QMJHL. He was selected league MVP in his final season.

The soon-to-be 26-year old enters his first off season as an unrestricted free agent. He has yet to skate in an NHL game but we have to think his chances of re-upping one more time are good, unless he feels the need to explore the market.