AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

23Nov

Chris Bourque(17) Providence Bruins

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Fully ensconced in his 8th pro year, left wing Chris Bourque(17) now sports a spoked emblem on the front of his jersey similar to the one his dad wore for 21 seasons.

The first son wears a “P” for Providence on his sweater, whereas his dad proudly wore the “B” for Boston Bruins.

Temporarily with no place to move up the ladder, the AHL veteran forward is right at home playing his games at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, a building he skated many a contests for opposing teams, instead of up the highway at the TD Garden.

The still only 26-year old is off the scoring pace that made him the top point getter in the league last season with 93, but 14 games in he has a pair of goals and 8 assists, which is very respectable.

If things stayed stalled with the NHL talks, he may not be a league leader in 2012/2013 with the talent pool the way it is but he’ll almost certainly for a fourth start year end the campaign as a point per game performer.

22Nov

Shayne Wiebe(24) Connecticut Whale

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Undrafted rookie center Shayne Wiebe(24) signed an AHL contract last season with St. John’s IceCaps after participating in Winnipeg Jets‘ training camp.

12 games and 4 assists into the 2011/2012 season and he worked out a release to pursue his education and skated the rest of the year with University of New Brunswick. He was basically a point per game player.

2012 rolls in and he’s back at the pro level in training camp with Connecticut Whale, a team he played one game with signed to an ato after his career in junior hockey was up.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward started the season with the team but only under a pto.

After one game he was reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors and in 12 games has socked away 7 goals and 5 assists with a +7 plus/minus.

The performance earns the 22-year a recall and another pto with the Whale. Let’s see if the former captain of Brandon Wheat Kings can make it stick.

21Nov

Andrew Johnston (15)

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Undrafted rookie left wing Andrew Johnston(15) signed a three-year entry level deal with Philadelphia Flyers that keeps him in the system through 2015.

He came out of the SJHL and lit the lamp regularly in the less dominant junior league that’s usually a buffer for college hockey as the next step for a player.

In 10 AHL games with Adirondack Phantoms he has his first pro goal but no helpers yet.

The 6’1″ 188 lbs. forward was bumped down to their ECHL affiliate Trenton Titans to see if he can reignite that scoring spark in the lower league.

Chances are good this will happen but then he’ll still have to fight to find an open spot in the lineup on what’s a pretty deep prospect pool for the Flyers.

20Nov

Stanislav Galiev(10) Hershey Bears

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Washington Capitals‘ 3rd round pick in the 2010 draft (#83 overall), Russian left wing Stanislav Galiev(10) has been put in a bit of a tight situation when he was reassigned to get a midweek game in with their new, now geographically nearby ECHL affiliate Reading Royals.

He was immediately recalled as planned after his one appearance in the league but now is having a tough time finding an open roster spot with Hershey Bears, the team he started his rookie season with through the first 9 regular season games.

The 20-year old 6’2″ 187 lbs. forward has only managed 1 assist but did also score the game-winner in his shootout debut.

He was basically a point per game guy in his junior career.

No doubt he’ll either get the nod to go again with the Bears soon or could get reassigned for a longer run.

19Nov

Emerson Etem(26) Norfolk Admirals

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (#29 overall), center Emerson Etem(26) is a rare example of a local kid signing with the hometown team and seeing how it’s a California story makes it even more like Twilight Zone.

After three pretty outrageously successful years in juniors, where last year he put up 107 points (61 goals and 46 assists) in 65 regular season games, the 20-year is ready for the next step. He signed a three-year entry level deal that keeps him with the Ducks through 2015.

The 6′ 195 lbs. forward probably didn’t expect to see as much time with the team’s farm team, Norfolk Admirals but with no NHL in site he’s skated 14 AHL games to start 2012/2013.

He’s recorded three goals and no assists. Last season on an ato with then Anaheim affiliate Syracuse Crunch he potted a goal in two games to get things started.

No doubt he seems to have the skill set but in the one game we saw him play, his team was eaten alive in a shutout so no one looked too good.

18Nov

Alexander Avtsin(67) Hamilton Bulldogs

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Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#109 overall), Russian right wing Alexander Avtsin(67) has struggled to live up to expectations in his first two seasons playing with their AHL affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs.

The 6’3″ 193 lbs. forward is signed to a three-year entry level deal, which will keep him in the organization through 2014, but has yet to exhibit the signs of becoming the power forward the Habs thought they were getting.

He’s a bit light for his size and needs to show a willingness to get into the mix for scoring chances. Maybe at the young age of 21-years old he’s still struggling with the North American style of hockey but needs to snap to it quickly or may face reassignment to the ECHL this season to get him up to speed.

Through the first 11 games of the 2012/2013 season he was a healthy scratch from the lineup, finally getting his opportunity to play in game 12.

He must have gotten the message loud and clear because he struck for a goal and an assist in a big win for the Bulldogs but will have to keep up the pace to stay on the big club’s radar.

17Nov

Alden Hirschfeld(7) Providence Bruins

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Undrafted rookie forward Alden Hirschfeld(7) signed an AHL contract with Providence Bruins a month before the 2012/2013 was to start.

He was impressive in training camp and a pair of exhibition games but ultimately reassigned to start his pro career with their new ECHL affiliate South Carolina Stingrays.

The 6’1″ 206 lbs. right-handed shot has been quick to pick up his game throwing 4 goals and 4 assists on the scoresheet in 16 contests with a team that looks outstanding on paper but has struggled to put together wins.

He gets rewarded with his first AHL recall, which turns out to be part of a winning effort. He played one game with Portland Pirates last season after his college career wrapped up.

16Nov

Ben Bishop(30) Binghamton Senators

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5th year goaltender Ben Bishop(30) may be suffering from a bit of a letdown playing in the AHL again this season after all but solidifying a spot to tend net in the NHL with Ottawa Senators.

Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 3rd round pick in the 2005 draft (#85 overall), he played a lucky 13 games for them but spent most of his time with their AHL affiliate Peoria Rivermen consistently improving his numbers.

The 25-year goalie was swapped out late last season to the Sens, when the Blues had sort of a logjam in the crease with talent and thought they might lose him to free agency.

He’s absolutely giant-sized at 6’7″ 205 lbs and will definitely compete for a big league job once they stop bickering and work out a deal to play hockey, but with no NHL negotiating thaw in sight he signed a contract with Binghamton Senators for 2012/2013.

In 10 games with Ottawa, he posted a 3-3-2 record with a 2.48 GAA and .902 SV%.

15Nov

Will Weber(8) Springfield Falcons

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#53 overall), defenseman Will Weber(8) earns his first call-up to the AHL Springfield Falcons.

The extra-large 6’4″ 231 lbs. blue liner is certainly filled out enough to tackle offensive threats but spent the first couple weeks of his rookie season in the stands until he was reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Evansville IceMen to get some ice time and game action in.

In 8 games he failed to connect on the scoresheet and went a -5 plus/minus on a team that has had its’ struggles in the early going of 2012/2013.

The 24-year old is not really known as a puck-moving d-man but with his size has the ability to move any attackers out from in front his own net. He is signed for the next two seasons on an entry level contract.

14Nov

Brock Nelson (29)

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New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (#30 overall), center Brock Nelson(29) is lighting the lamp with frequency with their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In 11 games, he’s already tallied 7 goals and 6 assists with a +4 plus/minus.

The sizable 6’3″ 205 lbs. forward knows how to get into position and execute scoring chances.

He left college after only a couple of years (and his last one as more than a point per game player), signing a 3-years entry level deal with the Isles.

If the NHL was in session, the 21-year old would definitely be competing for a roster spot in the show; but for now he’s doing just fine proving what he’s worth with the farm team in his rookie season.