AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

12Nov

Ryan Parent(3) Norfolk Admirals

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6th year, former 1st round draft pick of Nashville Predators in 2005 (#18 overall) defenseman Ryan Parent(3) has over 100 games of NHL experience but none since a couple of seasons ago, 4 games with Vancouver Canucks despite signing a two-year one-way contract with the team.

He spent all of 2011/2012 that he was healthy enough to play for with their new AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves but only managed to be 22 of a 76-game season.

Ironically he finished the season with a goal and 5 assists, which would have put him on pace for career highs on the scoresheet.

He also have a goal and 6 assists in the NHL.

As an unrestricted free agent approaching 2012/2013, he signed a pto with Norfolk Admirals a couple of weeks into the season.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. d-man has one assist in 6 games but is a -5 plus/minus.

Admirals must like having the 25-year old on their team though, because they inked him to an spc. Still, it looks to be a smart move on their part.

11Nov

Brandon Gormley (36)

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Arizona Coyotes‘ 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (#13 overall) defenseman Brandon Gormley(36) was probably always headed for at least a year in the minor leagues but has already established a winning pedigree working his way up to pro status.

The rookie is signed for the next three-years on an entry level contract.

In 10 games with Portland Pirates he notched his first career goal and added 3 assists.

The 20-year old is fairly big already at 6’2″ but will probably have to add to his 196 lbs. count, unless he becomes mostly known as an offensive play-maker.

Then they’ll just hope his accountable enough in his own zone to avoid being a minus player.

He already knows what it’s like to be on either side of the math, so it looks to be more of a matter of time to see what develops.

11Nov

Adam Larsson(5) Albany Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#4 overall), Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson(5) started his rookie season with the team as an 18-year and scored his first NHL goal one day before his 19th birthday. He would finish the 2011/2012 campaign with a pair of goals and 16 assists in 65 games but went a lowly -7 plus/minus. He also appeared in 5 postseason contests and scored his only goal in his first Stanley Cup Playoff game. At age 16 and 17 he already played two years in the Swedish Elite League (SEL).

Signed to a three-year entry level deal, the d-man was reassigned to start his sophomore season with their AHL affiliate Albany Devils, as the big club waits for word on whether they will play at all.

In 9 games he’s put up four helpers.

At 6’3″ 200 lbs. the youngster definitely has good size in his favor and will likely only continue to fill out that frame and has the ability to help the team put some points up on the board but has to push for more accountability in his zone.

10Nov

Cody Hodgson(19) Rochester Americans

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3rd year Vancouver Canucks‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#10 overall) center Cody Hodgson(19) is back in the AHL after his first successful full season in the NHL that ended with Buffalo Sabres after a late season trade sent him eastward.

In 83 totals regular season games he picked up 19 goals and another 22 assists between the two squads.

The 6′ 185 lbs. gritty forward would have almost assuredly continued to pick up the pace in the big league this year had they not hit the roadblock called a lockout.

Everyone seems to agree though that some more playing time in the AHL (his first since being a Manitoba Moose rookie standout ) with the Sabres‘ affiliate Rochester Americans will continue to help his game reach that next level and becoming a consistent 20-goal scorer is where he looks to be headed.

Unfortunately he was recently derailed for at least a few weeks with a broken hand suffered in the third week of the season. In 9 games he’s been quick to notch a goal and 9 assists.

09Nov

Scott Pitt(44) Greenville Road Warriors

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Undrafted 2nd year center Scott Pitt(44) won the ECHL Kelly Cup in rookie season with Florida Everblades, the team he joined fresh out of college at the end of the year before.

The 6′ 175 lbs. forward was a bit of a scoring machine popping in 22 goals and 36 assists in 63 games.

Going into the 2012/2013 season, he signed a deal with Greenville Road Warriors that led to a training camp invite from Connecticut Whale.

He actually played in their opening game but was released from his pto soon afterwards and sent back down.

In 10 games with the Road Warriors he’s at it again tallying 3 goals and 7 assists already.

What the 24-year lacks in overall size he definitely makes up for in the speed and getting into those open spaces on the ice department.

He played 6 games on recall with Charlotte Checkers last season, scoring 0 points but regardless of that expect him to get another crack at the Whale lineup as soon as the injury bug starts biting.

08Nov

Ryan Stoa (21)

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4th year center Ryan Stoa(21) was originally a Colorado Avalanche 2nd round draft pick in 2005 (#34 overall) and stayed in their system for 3 seasons, first under a 2-year entry level deal and one-year extension.

He’s played in 37 NHL games over his first two years scoring 4 goals and 3 assists but skated the full 2011/2012 season with their affiliate Lake Erie Monsters.

The rugged 6’3″ 200 lbs. forward has played in 177 AHL regular season contests connecting for 55 goals and 54 assists.

He leads the young team in overall tallies.

Going into the offseason, the 25-year old faced his first unrestricted free agent status but was quickly scooped by Washington Capitals and signed to a one-year, two-way contract.

Reporting to Hershey Bears, he has struck for 3 goals and an assist in 9 games with a -2 rating.

That does seem to be the one hindrance to his play as he’s on the ice for more goals against than he probably should be and does seem to eat up a lot of minutes.

06Nov

Keven Veilleux(44) Wheeling Nailers

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Few players have been bitten by the injury bug more than Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#51 overall), right wing Keven Vellieux(44).

He’s only skated almost one complete season over the course of a 3-year pro career in 2010/2011 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. But even then, skating in 66 games he missed over a dozen contests.

The 6’5″ 218 lbs. forward did put up some decently impressive numbers potting 12 goals and 24 assists, while going a +17 plus/minus on what was a very good team that year, and added another 4 points in the postseason.

2011/2012 however got scrapped entirely due to a blown out knee in preseason play that required surgery setting him back yet another full campaign, when he was diligently looking to continue to prove himself.

Penguins‘ brass still have hopes for the 23-year old though as they qualified him for another go in 2012/2013.

Still not full recovered from his injury 9 match-ups into the new season, he has been reassigned to ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers for the first time to get his game on. He should light the lamp and pound some fists consistently in the lower league quickly leading him back up to the AHL.

05Nov

Mike Matczak(54) Manchester Monarchs

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Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Mike Matczak(54) has been recalled from Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL to Manchester Monarchs for the first time in short pro career. He did sign an ato fresh out of college and played 4 AHL games with Adirondack Phantoms at the end of 2010/2011, so it’s not like he’s a complete novice.

He’s currently spending his second season in a K-Wings‘ jersey, where in 69 games he’s scored 11 times and added 25 assists. He only has one assist so far this year but did produce pretty well for them in the 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a goal and 4 assists in 14 contests.

The slightly small 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner spent training camp with the Monarchs and played in exhibition games with the team, so he’s on their radar.

He made zero mistakes in his first game, a 1-0 shootout loss, and the Manchester defense corps are currently beat up, so the 24-year old could possibly stick around awhile.

04Nov

Alex Burmistrov(8) St. John’s IceCaps

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Atlanta Thrashers‘ 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (#8 overall), Russian-born center Alex Burmistrov(8) starts the final season of his 3-year entry level deal with Winnipeg Jets‘ AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, while the NHL ponders playing at all.

He already has 150 games of experience in the show scoring 19 goals and 29 assists, including career highs in games played, goals, assists, points, penalty minutes and shots on net in 2011/2012.

The rather lightweight-looking 6′ 175 lbs., just turned 21-year old forward has the entire skill set he needs to compete on the top level and is already starting to gel in the AHL with a goal and 5 assists in 10 contests.

There’s little doubt he could add some muscle to his stick-handling assets but he may be just quick enough to continue to elude opponents and put up points at an elite pace.

03Nov

Sebastien Piche(7) Greenville Road Warriors

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After viewing the first 8 Connecticut Whale 2012/2013 regular season games from the stands, defenseman Sebastien Piche(7) gets reassigned to help their ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors.

Originally undrafted he was signed by Detroit Red Wings to a 3-year entry level deal but spent most of his playing time with either their AHL affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins or in the lower league with Toledo Walleye.

He somewhat luckily went from skating (or not) last season with the Griffins but was traded in a late transaction that sent him to Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was immediately sent all the way down to Florida Everblades for the remainder of the year; and his contract. He was given a qualifying offer at the end of the season.

The 6′ 202 lbs. blue liner played in all 18 Kelly Cup playoff games with the Everblades on their way to winning the Kelly Cup. He scored 2 goals and added 9 assists in postseason play.

He has the ability to connect with the scoresheet and looked pretty solid in the one preseason game we saw him take part in; and also put up numbers in juniors.

Maybe the 24-year is continue to work his game. He signed an AHL contract for 2012/2013 and bets are good he’ll receive a call-up quickly but will need to contribute.