AHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

02Jul

Nick Holden (5)

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ undrafted defenseman Nick Holden(5) re-signed for another year, his 5th with the team since turning pro in 2008.

His deal is for one-year on a two-way contract.

He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.

He missed two-thirds of the 2011/2012 season with an injury, limiting him to just 25 regular season AHL games (3 goals, 6 assists, -2 plus/minus) with Springfield Falcons.

He’s played 222 games minor league contests and put up 17 goals and 62 assists.

In 2010/2011 he made his first NHL appearances, when he was called up for a 5-game stint.

Although he didn’t register a point, he skated an average of 20+ shifts and 17 minutes per game.

At 6’4″ 205 lbs. he’s a towering presence on the ice.

With a little more weight and a bit more grit and he could find himself a permanent spot on a big league roster, if he wants it.

01Jul

Ryan Del Monte(16) Starbulls Rosenheim

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28-year old right wing, Ryan Del Monte(16) joins the exodus from North American pro hockey to Europe (and beyond). He signed with Starbulls Rosenheim for next season after 4 years in the ECHL and AHL.

He played his first full season in the AHL last year, appearing in 52 games with Worcester Sharks scoring 5 goals and 14 assists for 19 points, all bests for the 6′ 190 lbs. forward in the league.

He won the Kelly Cup with Cincinnati Cyclones in 2010 and signed with the team in the next season before being traded to South Carolina Stingrays but spent the majority of it with Rochester Americans and the Sharks.

Although he was undrafted and has no appearances in the show, the NHL did a nice story on him a few years ago talking about the route he took from a couple of seasons in junior hockey to four years of college to earn a degree and then finally turning pro.

30Jun

Mike Carman(26) Washington Capitals

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3rd year center Mike Carman(26) re-signs with Washington Capitals for another year, two-way contract after they obtained him in a late season trade from Colorado. He was originally a 3rd round pick of the Avalanche in the 2006 draft (#81 overall), but due to become a restricted free agent this year after his two-year entry level deal was up.

In 32 games with Hershey Bears he scored 5 goals and 7 assists and finished the season, split with Lake Erie Monsters with 18 points in 60 total AHL contests.

The 24-year old 6′ 185 lbs. forward definitely seemed to be pretty enrolled in the game we saw him play . Skating a full season in Chocolatetown, he should be able to put up points.

29Jun

Ryan Garlock(14) Vålerenga

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Headed into his 7th pro season, center Ryan Garlock(14) is heading out of the country for 2012/2013 to skate with Vålerenga of GET-ligaen (Norway).

He was originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2003 draft (#45 overall) but has yet to play in an NHL game.

The 6’ 196 lbs. forward has 321 AHL games to his credit putting up 22 goals and 57 assists. He also spent parts of 3 seasons in the ECHL, where he easily was a point per game player.

He signed an spc with Springfield Falcons shortly after he joined the team on a pto last season, his second stint but first full year with the team.

He’s a tough one to figure out, because he’s got the size and tenacity and mostly plays an agitating style, leaving it all on the ice but other times he looks like he’s land of the lost and unable to follow the play.

See related post: 10/21/11

28Jun

Marco Rosa (19)

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Entering his 10th pro season, center Marco Rosa(19) skips the country to play with Espoo Blues of the SM-liiga for the 2012/2013 season.

Hampered by post-concussion symptoms, he was limited to just 31 games during the regular season but did manage to produce close to a point per game with 6 goals and 21 assists.

He was on par to beat his career high point totals from 2 years ago until he got sidelined.

Although he did return for 9 postseason contests, he wasn’t nearly the same player, getting only one assist.

Originally a Dallas Stars‘ 8th round pick in the 2001 draft (#255 overall), the 6’ 180 lbs. forward worked his way up through the ranks first with a few years in the ECHL and for the last 5 seasons he’s been an AHL mainstay.

At 30 years old, no doubt he’s making the right decision to possible play his final years in Europe.

27Jun

Corey Locke(84) TPS

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There comes a time when a player has pretty much done all he can in North America. Even though he was drafted by Montreal Canadiens in the 4th round of 2003 (#114 overall), has 573 AHL regular season and another 62 playoff games to his credit; plus 2 Calder Cup Championships (Binghamton 2011 and Hamilton 2007), has scored 197 goals and added 383 assists for a total of 580 points and has plenty of other accolades including league MVP to his credit, sometimes it’s just time.

28-year old center Corey Locke(84) signed on with TPS of SM-liiga for the 2012/2013 season as he becomes an unrestricted free agent after signing a two-year deal in 2010 with Ottawa Senators.

Odds are the quick thinking, skillful 5’9″ 175 lbs. playmaker will continue to produce a point per game even in the new environment.

It comes as a bit of a surprise that he would leave to go play in Europe as his two-way contract pays him pretty well and another team could easily use his services for another couple of seasons, but again, seems like more of a timing issue; and the level of hockey he’s entering will keep him at the top of his game.

Ironically he earned his only NHL point, an assist, last season. He’s appeared in only 9 big league games.

See related posts: 1/15/11, 5/6/11, 6/5/11.

26Jun

Craig Schira(6) Frisk Asker

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3rd year, undrafted defenseman Craig Schira(6) was not qualified an offer for a fourth season within Ottawa Senators‘ organization, so he splits the country to play in 2012/2013 with Frisk Asker of Norway’s GET-ligaen.

He signed a 3-year entry level deal as an unrestricted free agent coming out of 5 years in juniors and skated 215 regular and postseason games (15 goals, 33 assists) with Binghamton Senators of the AHL, where he won the Calder Cup with the team in 2012.

At 6′ 196 lbs. the 24-year old has good size but is a bit slow moving and lacks the killer instinct to shut down opposing forwards.

The change of scenery will likely do him well.

25Jun

Colin Long (10)

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Phoenix Coyotes‘ restricted free agent center Colin Long(10) may have been reading the tea leaves with his decision to join Dusseldorfer EG Metro Stars of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) for 2012/2013, leaving that status on the table for now.

It was the final year of his 3-year entry level contract, which saw his playing time limited to just 53 AHL games with San Antonio Rampage and last season Portland Pirates, due to head and upper body injuries that continued to follow him.

He also played 50 games in the ECHL with Las Vegas Wranglers during his second year and was almost a point per game skater.

The former Coyotes‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#99 overall) doesn’t exactly have the size out there at 5’11” 186 lbs. but he does bring an edginess to his style, when he’s fully involved in the game.

Coming from a couple of years of big numbers in juniors, bigger things were expected of him but sidetracked due to multiple injuries to the 23-year old.

There’s still plenty of time for him to develop if he can stay healthy.

24Jun

Jacob Micflikier(18) EHC Biel

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Entering his 5th pro season undrafted, under-sized as previously stated in a previous post, forward Jacob Micflikier(18) flies from North American hockey to skate with EHC Biel of the Swiss NLA.

It’s a move that makes sense for the 27-year old, unrestricted free agent. For 2011/2012, he signed a one-year, two-way deal with Washington Capitals but spent the entire season with Hershey Bears. He also was injured and limited to 57 games but had a career year for assists with 35 and would have been on par for highs in points and possibly goals too.

He leaves on a high, which is probably why the climate change likely makes it more appealing from a player standpoint. He’ll probably do pretty well playing this style hockey and we wish him all the best.

See related posts: July 18, 2011 & November 30, 2010

24Jun

Michel Ouellet(28) Boston Bruins

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10th year veteran right wing Michel Ouellet(28) was traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, where he won the Calder Cup Championship last season with AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals, to Boston Bruins in a draft day deal.

If signed, he’ll most likely be reassigned to Providence to start 2012/2013.

The former Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 4th round pick in the 2000 draft (#124) has 190 games of NHL experience 52 goals and 68 assists.

In the AHL he has 105 goals and 131 assists in 330 regular and postseason games.

No doubt the 30-year old, 6’1″ 210 lbs. forward will bring some much needed size to the P-Bruins‘ lineup but they are certainly going to need him to regain that scoring touch to help them get back into the playoffs for the first time in a few seasons.

He could also pull some effective 4th line duties for the big club if injuries occur.