ECHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

02Feb

Louis Domingue(35) Arizona Coyotes

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Here’s easily one of those stories that starts with “when there’s a knock on the door, you answer it”

Phoenix Coyotes‘ 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#138 overall) 3rd year goalie Louis Domingue(35) was recalled to fill the open back up spot and he stepped right in.

The 6’3″ 210 lbs. net minder got pressed into 3rd period action to put out the fire that would become a 7-2 beating.

His play earned him the nod, probably on a coach’s hunch, to get the start in his hometown spot vs. Montreal Canadiens.

He stopped 18-20 shots, which turned out to be enough for a third period comeback to help him score his first big league win.

The 22-year old is one of those rare players to have pulled off the feat of appearing in games in three leagues, ECHL, AHL and NHL during one season.

Once again he’s splitting net minding duties for the farm team and putting up better numbers with a 8-4-1 record and a 2.40 GAA and .922 SV%.

On a two game reassignment to Gwinnett Gladiators he completely shut the door allowing only 2 goals with 1.01 GAA and .958 SV%.

In juniors he had the best save percentage of any other goaltender with a .912 mark for Quebec Remparts.

Signed through the end of 2015 he may have seen the last of the minors for the time being and may even start to compete for the number one job.

See related: 3/21-13

30Jan

The AHL moves west

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At 3:30pm ET AHL president Dave Andrews announced the creation on a Pacific Division that will play in the Western Conference of the league starting 2015/2016.

The cities effectively losing teams are Oklahoma City Barons, which happened earlier this season, Norfolk Admirals, Glens Falls/Adirondack Flames after only one run, Worcester Sharks and rivals Manchester Monarchs.

Picking up teams will be soon to be former ECHL franchises Ontario (Los Angeles), Bakersfield (Edmonton) and Stockton (Calgary). San Diego (Anaheim) will be a new city for triple A hockey although did at one time have a Gulls, and San Jose‘s farm club will play out of the same building as the Sharks; and will likely be renamed.

It’s fairly well-thought that Manchester, Adirondack and Norfolk make announcement to join the double A league and there’s rumors racing around Worcester is exploring the options and would have the best chance at success by resurrecting the Ice Cats, while Oklahoma City may get back into the fold under their old successful Blazers‘ banner after a year on the sidelines.

This move was 100% inevitable and can easily make fiscal sense. Those west coast teams draw fairly well with their fan base of hockey lovers.

On the plus side for Eastern Conference folks, chances are Utica, Rochester, Charlotte, Hamilton and even possible Toronto enter in their rivalry picture.

The big news is the top level of minor league hockey in California has arrived.

25Jan

Shawn Szydlowski (27)

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4th year undrafted right wing Shawn Szydlowski(27) is having a career season in his second campaign with Fort Wayne Komets, his first under contract with the team.

He has 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points in 35 ECHL games with a +19 rating.

His totals are good enough for 5th overall points in the league but possibly the most tell-tale stat about his sudden surge is his 117 shots on net, which is only three off his totals from last year.

The 6′ 208 lbs. forward was originally under a 3-year entry level deal with Buffalo Sabres but after his rookie year with Rochester Americans was mostly reassigned down.

He has always put up respectable numbers but it was in the 2014 Kelly Cup Playoffs where he really started to shine getting 6 goals and 5 assists in 11 games with a +4 plus/minus.

Not being offered a qualifying offer to spend another year under NHL contract, he decided to stay in Indiana and is really starting to take off.

His play got notice from Binghamton Senators, who signed him to a pto.

In 3 AHL he failed to register a point but was played somewhat sparingly.

20Jan

Jordan Binnington (30)

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St. Louis Blues‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#88 overall) goaltender Jordan Binnington(30) has one of the more interesting artist renderings on his mask for 2014/2015.

That’s Will Smith as The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air that graces one side of his cage.

The story goes he is a huge fan of the actor in the tv show and thinks he can basically do no wrong on the silver screen.

Between the pipes the 2nd year net minder is earning his keep with minor league affiliate Chicago Wolves.

The 6’1″ 176 lbs. backstop has a 11-6 record in 19 AHL games with a 2.33 GAA, .911 SV% and one shutout.

He played the majority of his rookie season in the ECHL posting similar stats but was fairly outstanding in three Kelly Cup Playoff games going 1-1-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .946 SV%.

The 21-year old won the 2011 OHL Championship and was voted Outstanding Goalie at the Memorial Cup despite not winning.

He was also named 2013 Goaltender Of The Year in his final season with Owen Sound Attack.

He’s received one recall and probably isn’t too far from an NHL start.

17Jan

Parker Milner(30) Quad City Mallards

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2nd year undrafted net minder Parker Milner(30) was a 2-time NCAA Championship with Boston College Eagles and voted MVP in the 2012 Tournament but can’t seem to catch a break.

After signing a one-year, two-way minor league deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he barely got to show anything on a training camp invite to parent club New York Islanders, who were reported to sign him over the summer but already had a glut of goaltenders, before being released.

With little room to play on the AHL club, he was reassigned to start his pro career with Stockton Thunder, where he spent the majority of his rookie season.

In 25 ECHL games he may not have posted a winning record at 9-14-1-1 but had a respectable 2.84 GAA and .907 SV% with a pair of shutouts. He had similar numbers in 8 games on recall but managed a 4-2 record on a farm team that struggled and even won three straight starts.

The 6’1″ 188 lbs. backstop inked a one-year deal with Quad City Mallards for his sophomore campaign and looks to be on his way to setting new high marks.

In 18 contests he’s 9-6-2 with a 2.48 GAA and .919 SV%.

He earned a call up to Iowa Wild and was thrown into the net as they were getting shellacked and unable to stop the bleeding.

The 24-year old has worked hard to gain notice and will continue to earn every inch he gets.

14Jan

Steve MacIntyre(74) Utah Grizzlies

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Norfolk Admirals‘ absolutely huge 6’5″ 250 lbs. 13th year veteran left wing Steve MacIntyre(74) has seemingly taken his demotion to Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL for the first time since 2006 in stride this late in his pro career.

He actually played the next season 2006/2007 in the old UHL with Quad City Mallards, who maybe ironically are now playing their games in the same league.

His brick wall, tough guy style and persistent attitude helped take his game to the next level when in 2007/2008 he skated a full AHL season with Providence Bruins.

It would be the last time he put up over 200 penalty minutes in a season and although he threw fists 18 times, that was easily the most fights in a campaign he’d ever settled.

Edmonton Oilers took notice and grabbed him off waivers from Florida Panthers, who reclaimed him a year later.

He would play games mostly in Alberta, but he also got some time with Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 34-year old skated last season with Oklahoma City Barons but only appeared in 11 games.

He’s been held pointless for at least the last three years.

It’s pretty likely that if he wants to still play the sport he will take his game to England next and be a hero.

11Jan

Willie Coetzee(26) Worcester Sharks

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5th year undrafted South African-born right wing Willie Coetzee(26) has already cycled through three different leagues and two countries in his first season out of contract with Detroit Red Wings.

He started in Austria on a tryout with Graz 99ers but after 12 games was released.

A week later he signed a one-year deal with Reading Royals and went right to work in a league he was already very familiar from his time on reassignment with Toledo Walleye.

In 9 ECHL games he caught fire quickly scoring 2 goals and 10 assists, which got the attention of the injury plagued Worcester Sharks, who signed him to an spc essentially keeping him for the season.

Once again, the not huge 5’10” 185 lbs. forward stepped in attacking the score sheet unlike he did while playing for Grand Rapids Griffins, although he did have an ok sophomore campaign getting 11 tallies and 11 helpers.

In 8 AHL games he’s blowing the lid off the pace of his previous marks, amassing 4 goals and 7 assists with a +6 rating.

However the switch was activated, the 24-year old that missed all of 2013/2014 with a knee injury has seemingly arrived.

10Jan

Sebastian Collberg(49) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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New York Islanders‘ Swedish-born rookie right wing Sebastian Collberg(49) got the wake-up call pretty quickly as he was reassigned down to affiliate Stockton Thunder when he wasn’t really producing much with farm club Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

In 6 ECHL games he produced 4 goals and 3 assists that proved he definitely belonged on a higher level of hockey. He already had 3 seasons of pro experience in his home country’s top league SHL skating for Frolunda.

He rebounded nicely, in 18 AHL games he now has 3 goals and 5 assists and is definitely starting to contribute. Two of those tallies were notched when he returned up the ladder.

The 5’11” 186 lbs. forward, who was originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#33 overall) then traded, is only officially signed through the end of this season, when his three-year entry level deal with two years on loan, expires.

The only 20-year old will need to continue to step it up and prove himself worthy for a look at the next level to earn a qualifying offer.

06Jan

Jordon Southorn(3) Portland Pirates

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5th year defenseman Jordon Southorn(3) scored his first goal in his longest stint yet in the AHL.

He signed a 2-way contract with Portland Pirates over the summer and has been up and down a couple times already this season.

He’s skated in 11 games also adding an assist with a +4 rating on what is a roller coaster ride of a team.

The big 6’3″ 199 lbs. blue liner has played in all kinds of situations: even strength, on the power play and short-handed and handled himself with seemingly steady precision.

Definitely a bit of a wonder why the former Buffalo Sabres‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#104 overall) went unsigned and has played most of his pro career in the ECHL.

He has 213 games for 6 different teams in the league to his credit scoring 34 goals and 74 assists with a defensively accountable +31 rating.

It was surprising to see him sent down the first time but it appears that decision is rapidly becoming tougher to make as he starts connecting with the score sheet and stays tough to play against in his zone.

01Jan

Happy 2015!

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