Category: ECHL

01Oct

Louis-Marc Aubry(22) Grand Rapids Griffins

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Louis-Marc AubreyDetroit Red Wings‘ 3rd round pick in the 2010 draft (#81 overall) center Louis-Marc Aubry(22) has to be happy that his first pro season was on an entry level slide and the first year of his three-year entry level deal didn’t actually kick in until his second campaign 2012/2013, playing for minor league affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins.

He won a Calder Cup with the team that season and even skated in 14 postseason match ups with one assist and a +3 rating.

In the middle of last year the 6’4″ 213 lbs. forward found himself on reassignment south, playing 19 games for Toledo Walleye of the ECHL.

He managed to assert himself right away, striking for 7 goals and 8 assists.

But there’s no time like the present for the still young 22-year old to start using that large frame in front of the net and hammering more shots at the opposing net minder.

His numbers have been diminishing, along with his ice time, so he needs to step it up in the AHL or his next deal could be of the one-year variety in the lower league.

24Sep

Nick Larson(17) HC Banska Bystrica

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Nick Larson2nd year right wing Nick Larson(17) has decided to take his game overseas, joining HC Banska Bystrica of the Slovakian league for 2014/2015.

He was originally a Calgary Flames‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#108 overall) but was never signed.

Instead he become an unrestricted free agent upon completion of four years at University Of Notre Dame. He signed an ato with Peoria Rivermen, where in 5 games he he went pointless.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. forward put up ok numbers in college but was much better at putting the puck in the net through a pair of campaigns in USHL junior hockey with Waterloo Blackhawks.

To start his rookie season he eventually signed a two-way deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He was reassigned to ECHL affiliate Stockton Thunder to begin the year and was quickly recalled.

Through 17 AHL games he scored 4 goals and 2 assists with a +5 rating but to failed to stick on the young squad and was eventually sent back down a couple of months later.

He was later loaned to South Carolina Stingrays to play out the season and almost ironically started to regain his scoring touch, putting in 7 goals and 2 assists in 23 games.

It’s almost surprising that the 24-year old decided to take his game to another country but maybe a fresh start is what he needs to move up the ranks.

He was rumored to have inked a deal with Orlando Solar Bears but decided to jump ship.

23Sep

Tyler Brown(18) Greenville Road Warriors

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Tyler BrownAfter his three year entry level contract was up, Philadelphia Flyers‘ undrafted center Tyler Brown(18) became an unrestricted free agent as he wasn’t qualified with an offer.

With his fourth season was approaching the 6’2″ 198 lbs. forward signed a one-year deal for 2014/2015 to skate for Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL.

He was never really able to connect on a regular basis in his three campaigns with minor league affiliate Adirondack Phantoms putting up only 14 goals and 18 assists in 182 AHL games.

Totals from his final year of junior hockey with OHL Plymouth Whalers were almost double what he was able to put up as a pro and likely earned him his big league deal.

The still young 24-year old could blow up again as a scoring threat in the lower league and will probably be on the radar for a recall as he has the experience.

He’s been invited to Hartford Wolf Pack training camp.

22Sep

Bretton Stamler (48)

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Bretton-Stamler

3rd year, former Detroit Red Wings‘ 7th round pick in the 2005 draft (#214 overall) Bretton Stamler(48) chose to once again sign with an ECHL team, Gwinnett Gladiators, which happens to the direct rival of his former club Greenville Road Warriors.

He spent most of his time up in the AHL last season with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack and on a team that was cellar dwelling for a while he came in and started to help.

Utilized sparingly through 39 games, he netted a pair of goals and added 6 assists with a reliable +6 rating but more importantly was part of a team that worked hard together to right the ship.

The 6’1″ 203 lbs. blue liner plays a fairly hard-nosed style and although he may not light up the score sheet much; he actually did better points-wise in the higher league.

He’s accountable though at another +6 plus/minus in the lower league.

The 27-year old took a rather long route (9 years) to turning pro, playing 5 campaigns in the WHL, then four at college with University Of New Brunswick.

He could find himself up once again on a pto for another extended run in 2014/2015.

25Apr

Alan Quine(22) Stockton Thunder

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alan-quine

New York Islanders‘ 6th round pick in the 2013 draft (#166 overall) rookie left wing Alan Quine(22) was ready to sign his three-year entry level contract and turn pro immediately upon being selected a second time.

He was originally a Detroit Red Wings‘ 3rd round pick in 2011 (#85 overall) but was left to go back into the pool.

He did however appear in training camp and skated three games at the end of 2012 with Grand Rapids Griffins but somewhere along the line they lost interest.

No worries, he put up some nifty rookie season numbers in the AHL with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, scoring 9 goals and 18 assists. On the downside, he was a -24 but matters deteriorated on a number of occasions through the 61 games he suited up for.

Reassigned near the end of his first season, he was sent down to join ECHL affiliate Stockton Thunder for 7 games, which was enough to keep him skating into the postseason.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward produced at a point-per-game clip in the lower league, getting 2 goals and half a dozen helpers in 7 games.

He only has one tally in 3 Kelly Cup Playoff games but he’s on a team that looks to go deep and will very likely add more points to that start.

2014/2015 will be an important season that should help better define the type of player the still young 21-year old will become.

20Apr

Joey Martin (14)

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Joey Martin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockton Thunder undrafted center Joey Martin(10) posted career highs for games played, assists and points in his third ECHL season.

He skated in 66 contests, scoring one less goal than he did as a rookie, with 21 tallies and a new record 45 helpers, 66 points; all team leading offensive totals.

He also managed to tie his AHL scoring mark in 2013/2014 with a pair of goals on loan to affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers; and his 2 assists for 4 points with a +3 rating in 9 games were new personal bests.

He’s skated in higher league games in each of his years.

The 5’10” 174 lbs. forward is now once again lighting up the postseason score sheet and will undoubtedly eclipse his former totals as in just 2 games he has already evened up with his 5 points, including a new best 4 assists.

14Apr

Coach Roy Sommer Worcester Sharks

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Roy Sommer2

Worcester Sharks‘ coach Roy Sommers stood behind the bench for his now league leading 1,257th AHL game.

He started his journey 16 years ago in 1998 with then San Jose Sharks‘ farm club Kentucky Thoroughblades, then moved with the team to 5 minor league famed seasons at the helm for Cleveland Barons.

Continuing his move with affiliates east, he achieves the record feat in his 8th year in Central Massachusetts.

The 56-year old former played only three NHL games but managed to score his only goal in the show in his debut.

He also won a Calder Cup trophy with Maine Mariners in 1984 and skated in 147 AHL and 195 IHL games.

He hung up his skates after 8 seasons, just after his 30th birthday.

Straight after retirement, he started as an assistant coach for a pair of seasons before moving on to 5 winning campaigns in the ECHL and two more as an assistant in the NHL.

 

11Apr

Michael Hutchinson (33)

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michael-hutchinson-1

Goaltender Michael Hutchinson(33) has been on quite the ride through the hockey ranks this season since being left unqualified by the team that drafted him, Boston Bruins.

Originally a 3rd round pick in 2008 (#77 overall), he spent the first three years in their prospect system tending net mostly with Providence Bruins.

He was reassigned on a couple of occasions to ECHL affiliate Reading Royals through his first two campaigns.

None of it compares to the roller coaster ride he’s still on this season backstopping cages in three different leagues.

The almost unassumingly large 6’3″ 192 lbs. free agent net minder signed fairly quickly with Winnipeg Jets for a 1-year 2-way contract.

He was in training camp but quickly reassigned to AHL farm team St. John’s IceCaps and it didn’t stop there as he was sent along to Ontario Reign to start his fourth pro season.

This was where he stepped it up because in 28 starts he won 22, good enough for third in the league, lost a lowest 4 contests and posted a 2.08 GAA and .921 SV%.

He would receive an early Christmas gift on recall but it didn’t last as he was sent back down again. In early 2014 though, he was summoned once again and due to injuries ended up splitting starting duties.

Earning his time in net, he managed a 15-5 record, helping to solidify the IceCaps‘ postseason berth.

The stellar play of the 24-year old also earned him his first NHL games, making him a rare case of a player to skate games in three different leagues in a single frame.

In three appearances he won 2 and lost 1.

One of his wins was against his former team in a shootout and his 1.64 GAA and .943 SV% should almost assuredly score the future restricted free agent an extension.

First up though, he could be on his way to help bring the Calder Cup to the Rock.

09Apr

Andrey Pedan(3) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Andrey Pedan

New York Islanders‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#63 overall), extra large 6’4″ 215 lbs. Russian-born defenseman Andrey Pedan(3) missed a good portion of his rookie season with minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers due to an upper body injury that put him on the sidelines for almost three months.

Appearing in only 25 AHL games, he still was able to connect for 5 goals and 5 assists while playing a punishing shutdown style in his own zone.

His -1 rating is also nicely accountable on a team with a league second worst goal differential.

He’s been in the parent club’s training camps ever since he was selected but returned to junior hockey as a teenager, where he skated a few seasons with Guelph Storm before signing his three-year entry level deal.

No doubt this is a player that has been widely scouted, as he was a first round grab in both the 2010 KHL and OHL drafts.

He obviously decided to try his skates on North American ice for a shot at the NHL.

The 20-year old may return to the farm club for a full year of development in 2014/2015, but could very well be on the short list for a recall, especially if he continues to display more of his offense-minded upside.