AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

14Sep

Tommy Cross(29) Boston Bruins

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Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#35 overall), defenseman Tommy Cross(29) signed a 2-year entry level deal with the club last spring after he finished a mighty successful college career earning two national titles and captaining Boston College in his senior year on the way to that honor.

Upon completion of this academic career he played with Providence Bruins for the remainder of the AHL regular season and got in a couple of pro games that put him up on the stat sheet with 4 shots on goal and a +1 plus/minus.

Even without the impending NHL lockout it was almost a certainty that the 6’3″ 210 lbs. 23-year old would start his first full pro season with the P-Bruins.

In the games and prospect camps we’ve seen him skate, he makes good decisions with the puck and has enough size out there that he’s already tough to play against.

13Sep

Joe Charlebois(51) Kalamazoo Wings

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4th year defenseman Joe Charlebois(51) re-signs a one-year deal with Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL for 2012/2013.

He’s been with the the team for the last couple of seasons and has skated in 112 regular and playoff games scoring 3 goals and 31 assists with a +22 plus/minus.

The 6’2″ 210 lbs. d-man was originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 6th round pick in the 2005 draft (#188 overall) but never officially signed him. Instead he agreed to an spc with their minor league team, Rockford IceHogs. He spent most of his time with their ECHL affiliate Toledo Walleye though.

In 2010, he returned to Toledo inking for a year with them but was traded to the K-Wings, where the 26-year old has found a home of sorts.

In 2011/2012, he was recalled for 13 games by Manchester Monarchs and Lake Erie Monsters. In 28 AHL games he has yet to register a point.

12Sep

Jeff Dimmen(6) Florida Everblades

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2nd year defenseman Jeff Dimmen(6) had the type of rookie year he probably didn’t expect.

After signing an AHL contract with Norfolk Admirals for 2011/2012, he played in 64 regular season and 6 postseason games en route to winning the Calder Cup Trophy. The 6′ 195 lbs. blue liner put up some respectable numbers in the process scoring 3 goals and 15 assists (1 in the playoffs), while showing much accountability in his own zone with a +10 plus/minus.

He made his pro debut at the end of 2011, inking an ato with Portland Pirates and skated in 14 total games for them notching an assist.

It a bit of a surprising move, the 26-year old has signed a one-year deal with Florida Everblades of the ECHL for the 2012/2013 season. Expect him to get a camp invite and the first recall with Syracuse Crunch for the upcoming campaign.

12Sep

Matthew Pistilli(36) South Carolina Stingrays

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Undrafted right wing Matthew Pistilli(36) had himself a nice 3-year entry level deal with Carolina Hurricanes that expired at the end of the 2012 season.

He split most of his time between minor league teams but played almost the full tilt (73 games) in the AHL last campaign scoring a career high 12 goals, 13 assists and 25 points with a less than great -12 rating.

He had 17 goals and 18 assists in 39 games on reassignment with Florida Everblades then added another 3 tallies and 7 helpers in 13 postseason contests.

Entering his 4th pro season, the 6’2″ 219 lbs., should-be power forward signed a contract to skate with South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL.

First things first though, he scored an invite to join new affiliate Providence Bruins training camp.

No doubt, the almost 24-year old should be on the short list for a recall, if a player gets injured.

09Sep

Eric Gelinas(24) New Jersey Devils

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21-year old New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#54 overall) defenseman Eric Gelinas(24) failed to score a rookie season recall and stuck with Albany of the AHL through 75 games, one short of a full regular season.

He arguably put up better numbers during his first pro year than he ever did in any of his time in juniors. In 2011/2012 he was tied for 3rd in the league for scoring by rookie d-men with 37 points (16 goals and 21 assists) and was first by a long margin on the A-Devils.

At 6’4″ 205 lbs. he’s still probably a good 15 pounds light of his eventual playing weight, but this is a guy that probably won’t be playing in the minors much longer.

2012/2013 will only be the 2nd year into his 3-year entry level deal he signed.

06Sep

Fight Card: Dane Byers (34) vs. Sena Acolatse (14)

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Opponents got much more than they bargained for mixing it up with Worcester Sharks‘ rookie defenseman Sena Acolatse(14) last season than they probably expected.

Standing in at only 5’11” 205 lbs. he may have not seem like a lot to handle, but once those gloves come off opponents quickly found him to be much stronger than his size might indicate and on the losing end of the battle.

Springfield Falcons 6’3″ 202 lbs. veteran left wing Dane Byers(34) got himself acquainted, only to get pummeled in his exchange with the smaller player.

Both guys will be around again with their respective teams for 2012/2013, so we’ll see if any rematch ensues.

Watch the fight here.

05Sep

Tony Romano(8) Vienna Capitals

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4th year center Tony Romano(8) was not qualified by New York Islanders after his three-year entry level contract expired at the conclusion of last season.

He was a local player, born on Long Island in Smithtown, NY.

For 2012/2013 he signed a tryout agreement with Vienna Capitals of the Erste Bank Hockey League (Austria).

It would be a big surprise if he failed to make the team.

In 2011/2012, his third AHL season with Bridgeport Sound Tigers the 24-year old put up career highs in just about every category scoring 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points, finishing 5th on the team.

He was also a +3 plus/minus and connected with 117 shots on net.

Still, the 5’10” 177 lbs. is relatively small and not always as strong on the puck as he should be, so found himself in and out of the lineup at times and was even reassigned to the ECHL Chicago Express for a wake-up weekend.

It actually worked because his point production soared afterwards.

He was originally a New Jersey Devils‘ 6th round pick in the 2006 draft (#178 overall) but traded to the Isles before he ever signed.

04Sep

Bobby Robins(21) Providence Bruins

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Undrafted 7th year center Bobby Robins(21) signed his first AHL contract since his rookie season with Binghamton Senators by re-upping for a full campaign with Providence Bruins, the team he spent 33 games with in 2011/2012. He was originally recalled from the ECHL, signed to a pto and upped to an spc as he continue to stick with the team.

The stat that pops out from his sheet is penalty minutes. He ended the regular season with 150 pims. That’s 3 games shy of a five minute (fighting) major per game. His actual number of incidents was more like 20 though, good enough for a three-way tie for 3rd in the league. It’s likely that he accomplished his feat in lesser contests than the other players did, which is a key reason why the P-Bruins found it necessary to get him under contract before the new season starts.

The knock on the team the last few years of postseason drought has been how undersized they were. This, at the very least, gives them 6’1″ 220 lbs. of protection out on the ice. The almost 31-year old also had a pair of goals and 10 assists (a career high) and we’d expect that number to go up too.

04Sep

Kyle Greentree(37) Medvescak Zagreb

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6th year undrafted left wing Kyle Greentree(37) hops over to skate in Austrian pro hockey for 2012/2013 with Medvescak Zagreb after two successful seasons with Hershey Bears. He was signed for a couple of years at the beginning of 2010 by Washington Capitals but appeared in no NHL games with the team.

The 6’3″ 212 lbs. forward has skated in four games, a pair apiece with Philadelphia Flyers, the first team he signed with and then with Calgary Flames, during his best offensive year with Quad City Flames. He failed to register a point in either visit. Interesting enough though he managed to be exchanged from one team to another and onto a third in trades.

The 28-year old is probably making a wise move and will likely be able to exited the fans of the game overseas.

03Sep

Fight Card: Mike Moore(8) vs. Micheal Haley(18)

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Former Worcester Sharks‘ captain/defenseman Mike Moore(8) and former Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ left wing Micheal Haley(18) had an axe to grind all season mixing it up on a number of occasions when the two teams met during the 2011/2012 season. The sluggers match up fairly well at roughly the same size and weight.

They won’t get to see much of one another next year though as both players have signed contracts that will see them play in different conferences.

Moore will likely be guarding the blue line for Milwaukee Admirals, while Haley moves up the highway joining Connecticut Whale.

Both could see some time in the NHL with affiliates Nashville Predators and New York Rangers, which could reopen the can of worms.