AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

27Jan

Anthony Stewart(21) Manchester Monarchs

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Former Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#25 overall), right wing Anthony Stewart(21) was one of the NHL signed players to head overseas during the lockout. He somewhat ironically inked with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL and scored 6 goals and 5 assists in 19 games.

He has played 262 (27 goals and 44 assists) NHL games with the Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers and Carolina Hurricanes. The latter team dished him and his $1M contract to Los Angeles Kings in favor of a tough guy.

With little space in their front line, the Kings reassigned the 6’2″ 230 lbs. winger to their AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs, a league he hadn’t been in since 2010, but has 42 goals and 56 assists in throughout his 8-year pro career

In 3 games, he posted a goal and two fighting majors but appears a bit disinterested out there, although that could just be his style of play.

At 28-years old it’s a bit of a wonder where the power forward will land next.

26Jan

Cal Heeter(35) Trenton Titans

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ undrafted rookie goaltender Cal Heeter(35) might be spending too much time in the “waiting” room before his next appearance in net with their AHL affiliate Adirondack Phantoms, where he has played the entire first half of his first pro season.

In 20 games he’s compiled a 7-11-1 record with a respectably decent 2.97 GAA and .906 SV% on a team that has been challenged to string together wins and sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

At 6’4″ 195 lbs. he’s a pretty big frame in there and moves pretty well, but the 24-year old just hit a logjam in the Flyers‘ system that sends him to the ECHL Trenton Titans for the first time.

He’ll likely take it in stride, play hard and looks to be part of at the very least the Phantoms‘ future.

His two-year entry level deal keeps him in the system through 2014.

25Jan

Andrew Agozzino(11) Lake Erie Monsters

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Lake Erie Monsters‘ undrafted rookie left wing Andrew Agozzino(11) signed a one-year AHL contract with the team to start his pro career.

He’s quickly put up 13 goals and 22 assists in 42 games, which ties him for the team lead in scoring.

He is also a big +15 plus/minus.

At 5’9″ 185 lbs., he’s fairly unassuming out there but obviously sees the ice well and can get the puck to another player for a scoring situation or put the biscuit in the basket on his own.

The under-sized forward consistently put up points in the OHL and was Niagara IceDogs‘ team captain in his last two and a half seasons (one as an over-ager).

He also led them in scoring for three straight campaigns.

The 21-year old did attend a St. Louis Blues‘ prospect camp and suited up for their minor league affiliate Peoria Rivermen at the end of 2010 but that situation failed to go any further.

He was also invited to a Tampa Bay Lightning development camp.

Look for him to score an NHL deal (likely of the two-way variety), maybe not with parent club Colorado Avalanche, but he should latch on with some big league club, especially if he continues to tear up the scoresheet.

He was chosen to participate in the upcoming AHL All-Star Game.

23Jan

Mike Sgarbossa(43) Lake Erie Monsters

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Undrafted Colorado Avalanche rookie center Mike Sgarbossa(43) is going to someday (maybe really soon) play in the NHL.

The promising pivot was originally acquired in a 6-player trade with San Jose Sharks before he ever took to the ice as a pro.

For now though, he’ll continue to put up points in the AHL with their minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters. The 5’11” 180 lbs forward (knock on his size?) has 14 goals and 18 assists in 36 games, tying him for first on the team.

In his last two seasons in juniors, he was virtually a two-point per game guy.

The almost 21-year old is signed with the ‘lanche through 2015 so there’s time to develop but his game might just be ready now.

22Jan

Mark Schiefele(42) Winnipeg Jets

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19-year old Winnipeg Jets‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#7 overall) center Mark Schiefele(42) initially started his pro career last season but was returned to his junior club Barrie Colts after 7 games. In the brief stint, he did manage to pot his first NHL goal.

After the end of the season OHL season for his team, he joined AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps for their deep bid at the Calder Cup. That bid ended at the Eastern Conference Finals.

In 10 postseason match-ups he had one helper to add to his pro scoring stats.

Starting the 2012/2013 campaign, he continued his development in juniors, where he is a more than a point per game player.

As soon as the lockout ended, the 6’2″ 184 lbs. forward was ushered to Jets‘ shortened training camp and once again impressed enough to be on the opening night roster with the big club.

In two games he has yet to reach the scoresheet but will likely stick at this level or be reassigned to help the slumping IceCaps.

21Jan

Vladislav Namestnikov(18) Syracuse Crunch

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#27 overall), Russian-born rookie center Vladislav Namestnikov(18) starts his pro career with their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch. Not that he had a chance to begin in the NHL with the lockout erasing all of 2012.

Seemed a bit peculiar that he wasn’t invited to attend the Lightning‘s shortened training camp but they probably thought it was better for their young prospect to continue uninterrupted development with their farm team.

The 6’ 170 lbs. forward did suffer a fairly bad shoulder injury only a few contests into his 2012/2013 debut that sidelined him for 5 weeks.

Returning to action as the calendar flipped to a new year, the 20-year old has skated in 14 games scoring a pair of goals and 3 assists.

He’s pegged to become an elite power forward in the top league and despite playing at a weight that’s probably 15-20 pounds under where he should be, he muscles his way into situations and looks to have the abilities to turn into what’s projected for his future.

20Jan

Brian Sutherby(14) Lake Erie Monsters

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12th year former Washington Capitals‘ 1st round pick in the 2000 draft (#26 overall) center Brian Sutherby(14) started the season on a pto with St. John’s IceCaps but was released after being a healthy scratch from the first two games.

Two and a half months later, the 30-year forward signs a standard player contract with Lake Erie Monsters.

A veteran of 460 NHL games with Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars and the Capitals, he’s quite literally under-scored where he should be with only 41 goals and 49 assists.

An unrestricted free agent last season, he signed a minor league deal with San Antonio Rampage but failed to produce as they would have liked and was released. He spent the rest of the year sidelined with back ailments. In 85 AHL games he’s scored 13 goals and 31 assists.

At 6’2″ 209 lbs. he’s built like a power forward and skates like one.

Despite having no points in 5 games with the Monsters, he really seems to fit into this team pretty well, making sure that if he has yet to quite hit the scoresheet yet, he’s still a big pest to play against.

19Jan

Mike Mottau(3) Toronto Marlies

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Heading into 2012/2013 13th year defenseman Mike Mottau(3) was an unrestricted free agent with 313 NHL games to his credit.

Originally a New York Rangers‘ 7th round draft pick in 1997 (#182 overall) he has skated with 5 different teams, his hometown Boston Bruins‘ being the most recent he skated with last season. He was acquired in a trade deadline deal and wore a spoked “B” for 8 games, including 2 in the playoffs.

With a lockout looming, the 34-year old blue liner had a decision to make: either sign a deal with an AHL team or risk not playing for a full year and potentially wrapping up a nice, long career.

He chose the former and inked a pto to join San Antonio Rampage, making his first appearances in the league since 2007. In 16 games, he put up 7 assists and was a +5 plus/minus helping stabilize the team to jump back into the playoff picture.

Offered a chance to fight for a spot on Toronto Maple Leafs‘ roster in a shortened training camp the 6’ 193 lbs., 2000 Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in college hockey, took it.

He had a strong enough showing that he was signed to a 1-year, two-way contract for the shortened season. Reassigned to their minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies, he played his first game with his new team notched an assist in the loss.

17Jan

Tom Poti(33) Washington Capitals

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Washington Capitals‘ 15th year, veteran NHL defenseman Tom Poti(33) was reassigned to their minor league affiliate Hershey Bears on a conditioning stint. It was the 35-year old’s first AHL games of his career and he even netted a goal in a pair of wins before being returned to the big club to continue his road back to a full-time spot on the blue line.

The two contests were actually his first since a recurring groin injury and fractured pelvis had him sidelined for the full 2011/2012 campaign and the 2nd half of the prior season. He was at the point where it became doubtful that he would lace up the skates to play professionally ever again.

After lots of hard work, he finally passed the team physical and was cleared to play.

The towering 6’3″ 209 lbs. d-man was originally an Edmonton Oilers‘ 3rd round pick in the 1996 draft (#59 overall) and has appeared in over 800 NHL contests scoring 69 goals and 256 assists.

His deal with the Capitals is through this season. If the Worcester, MA native and regain his scoring touch, there’s no reason to believe he won’t get another extension and likely retire with the team he’s been under contract with for 6 seasons.

16Jan

Michael Chaput (16)

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Originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2010 draft (#89 overall), center Michael Chaput(16) was traded to Columbus Blue Jackets‘ organization in a minor deal before he ever hit the ice with the team.

Reassigned to the AHL Springfield Falcons to start his pro career, the 6’2″ 194 lbs. forward has struck for 5 goals and 8 assists in 33 games with a +4 plus/minus.

More than a pure goal scorer, which he certainly showed signs of becoming in juniors, the rookie seems to be more of an energy line skater and penalty kill specialist out of the gate.

He did win a Memorial Cup Trophy with Shawinigan Cataractes, was the tournament’s leading scorer and MVP.

There’s definite signs he could come to life in a big way on the scoresheet as he gets more games under his belt but for now if he can stay accountable, should be fine chipping in the occasional points.

At only 20 years old, he is signed through 2015.