Category: ECHL

John Muse (40)

John Muse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3rd year, undrafted goaltender John Muse(40) was selected as the AHL player of the week after posting a pair of perfect games with Charlotte Checkers on loan from Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL.

Irony of ironies, he was signed to a contract with the Checkers for his rookie season after four years at Boston College, where he won 2008 and 2010 NCAA Championships.

The 5’11” 175 lbs. net minder also played more than half his first campaign with Florida Everblades, ultimately helping lead the team to a Kelly Cup Championship.

He was also named Playoff MVP for his outstanding 1.78 GAA and .939 SV% over 13 games to the title.

Carolina Hurricanes took notice and signed him to a 1-year entry level deal but the impending lockout basically derailed any promise of him guarding the cage in the show despite being recalled on one occasion.

In his sophomore season, he spent even more time in Charlotte and Florida but wasn’t retained before ultimately moving on.

Now coming full circle (albeit a small one) he is back where he started, but there could be too many stacked pads for him to steal the starter job or even ride the pine until his next opportunity.

Oh, did we mention the East Falmouth, MA-born native was in Providence Bruins‘ training camp on an invite?

We are still lead to believe that with continued good play the 25-year old with once again find himself signed to an NHL contract.

cody-lamplUndrafted 5th year Idaho-born defenseman Cody Lampl(32) pulls a go figure move to begin the 2013/2014 season.

Under contract for another campaign with Toledo Walleye of the ECHL after a successful run, reaching a career high 6 goals and tying his point total of 15, he looked to build on the success and was invited to join St. John’s IceCaps‘ training camp.

One thing leads to another and by early October he finds himself on the an AHL roster.

In 8 games, the 5’11” 183 lbs. blue liner has yet to hit the score sheet with a -2 rating but definitely doesn’t look a bit out of place.

He has 214 ECHL games, first for a pair of seasons with hometown team Idaho Steelheads and then he moved slightly more east for a year with Utah Grizzlies.

To his credit he’s scored 8 goals and 49 assists with a +9 plus/minus.

The 27-year old played four years at Colorado College after three seasons in the USHL en route to turning pro.

However this story ends up it’s already a good one.

Greg Coburn

Undrafted, 25-year old rookie defense Greg Coburn(2) starts his career with Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL after attending both rookie and training camp with Phoenix Coyotes, then being sent to their minor league affiliate Portland Pirates for their camp.

He scored his first goal in his pro debut.

The 6′ 174 lbs. d-man played four years at Union College and had a best 8 goals, 20 assists and 28 points in his final season at school.

He could find himself recalled by an AHL team on a pto and might even ending up doing well enough to stick.

Brian Lashoff

4th year, undrafted defenseman Brian Lashoff(32) split 2012/2013 up with the big club, Detroit Red Wings and their farm team.

He appeared in 31 NHL games post lockout and all three playoff contests before being reassigned to help Grand Rapids Griffins capture their first Calder Cup Championship.

With his 3-year entry level deal expiring, the sturdy 6’3″ 213 lbs. blue liner was signed for another 3-year extension to continue with the team through the 2015/2016 season.

He sticks with the parent club to begin 2013/2014 and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere soon. In 7 games he has one assist.

He’s never been a big point-getter but is looked to for steady play and leadership abilities he brings at only 23-years old.

He was team captain of Kingston Frontenacs in his final two campaigns of junior hockey.

Jack Downing

3rd year undrafted right wing Jack Downing(80) starts the 2013/2014 season much like he did in his first couple of years, in the ECHL on reassignment. He joins South Carolina Stingrays.

He was in both Boston and Providence training camps. Signed to a 1-year deal with P-Bruins, he was an invite to the parent club’s camp.

Despite beginning his campaigns in the lower league, he’s played in more AHL games with Binghamton Senators in two seasons than he did with their affiliate Elmira Jackals.

The fairly big 6’3″ 200 lbs. forward has almost a point-per-game average in the ECHL but has only half the success in the AHL.

At 24-years old he still has plenty to prove to move up more permanently.

Steve Spinell2

Undrafted rookie defenseman Steven Spinell(78) will start his pro career in Boston Bruins‘ prospect system on reassignment to ECHL affiliate South Carolina Stingrays.

He was originally in development and training camps before being cut and sent to their main farm team, Providence Bruins.

The 6’2″ 216 lbs. blue liner signed a 2-way AHL contract and looks to be on the short list for an early season recall.

He’s never really been known to put up big numbers on the score sheet but in four years of college hockey at Miami University, the 23-year old won an NCAA Championship in 2011 and he was a combined +60 rating through 149 games.

This will definitely be an interesting player to watch in the upcoming season.

Gabriel Levesque

3rd year undrafted center Gabriel Levesque(12) decides to switch up his hockey landscape, leaving Stockton Thunder to join the lower Central Hockey League Quad City Mallards for the 2013/2014 season.

The very small but speedy forward with good hands skated in the ECHL for his first two campaigns registering 18 goals and 42 assists in 94 games.

He also suited up for another 27 Kelly Cup Playoff games with the team going all the way to the Finals last season.

At only 5’7″ 160 lbs. there’s no doubt he could be viewed as a bit of a punching bag out there but has proven he can strike gold on the score sheet.

In four years of QMJHL he lit the lamp for almost a point per game production and in his last season was the league’s assist leader putting up 70 helpers and 38 goals through 68 games.

He started his pro career on an invite to Worcester Sharks‘ training camp but was quickly sent down.

There’s little doubt the 23-year old will put up big numbers and likely either transition back to a higher level of play or look overseas to continue his quest.

Justin Weller

Phoenix Coyotes‘ 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#105 overall) defenseman Justin Weller(27) was assigned to the club’s double A affiliate Gwinnett Gladiators to start his second pro season.

He’s signed to a three year entry level deal, but failed to appear in the parent club’s training camp after prospect camp and reported to Portland Pirates‘ to skate in preseason games before recently getting cut. This is the final year of his contract.

At 6’2″ 205 lbs. he has fairly good size but has yet to crack even their AHL team’s roster.

In 65 ECHL games in his rookie season he scored a pair of goals and 9 assists with a +7 rating. He added another tally and a helper in 10 Kelly Cup Playoff contests.

The 22-year old played 5 years of junior hockey in the WHL with Red Deer Rebels but was never a big point producer, favoring maybe a bit more of a stay-at-home defensive style.

If he can shine in his sophomore campaign, he may still be left unqualified going into 2014/2015, but could find himself a nice home for hockey overseas or look to continue to climb the ladder through the minors in North America.

andrew-clark

Undrafted left wing Andrew Clark(21) signed a one-year deal to continue with Stockton Thunder for his rookie season.

Taking a longer route than most players before turning pro, he spent four seasons in juniors with Brandon Wheat Kings and then headed off to Acadia University, where he continued the scoring tear he started in his final WHL campaign, putting up more than a point-per-game.

The 5’11” 178 lbs. forward signed an ato when he was finished with his college career and promptly got right to dotting the score sheet with points.

In 4 ECHL games he notched 3 goals and a pair of helpers.

He stayed on course through 22 Kelly Cup Playoff contests, adding another 7 tallies and 14 assists, good enough for third on the team in playoff points.

The 25-year old could find himself on a short list for a call-up, if he can stay hot.

ty-rimmer

Undrafted rookie goaltender Ty Rimmer(39) signs his first pro deal, a one-year AHL contract with Oklahoma City Barons for the 2013/2014 season.

He’ll have some tough competition during training camp to stay with the team and could very well find himself reassigned to their new ECHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors to start his first campaign.

The 6’1″ 180 lbs. net minder played a ton of games in three WHL seasons for a variety of teams, posting a 2011/2012 league best 2.43 GAA and .922 SV% with Tri-City Americans.

He followed that up with continued impressive numbers in the playoffs and in the next year shattered the single season saves record at 2,106 for Lethbridge Hurricanes.

After completing his final run of junior hockey, he signed an ato to join Manchester Monarchs for the remainder of last season.

He appeared in one game, taking the loss with a 4.12 GAA and .900 SV%.

The 21-year old definitely knows he has a lot to prove now that he’s playing hockey with the big boys and a year in double A might be the best start for the young goalie.