ECHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

21Aug

Joel Chouinard(2) Hamilton Bulldogs

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4th year defenseman Joel Chouinard(2) signs a one-year AHL contract to skate with Hamilton Bulldogs or ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers in the 2012/2013.

Originally a Colorado Avalanche 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#187 overall), he was left unqualified after three seasons in the their prospect system, where he played in 98 games with minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters but only 10 last year.

Instead he was reassigned for most of the campaign to the Central Hockey League appearing in 42 contests with Denver Cutthroats.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. blue liner posted career highs in assists and points in the lower league.

He had similar strong marks in his rookie season, putting up a team leading 8 goals and 9 assists in only 35 AHL games.

This first year pro performance extended what he was able to accomplish in his final run of junior hockey with Victoriaville Tigres. He struck for phenomenal 23 tallies, good for first in the league and 35 helpers, which made him a more than point per game guy as a d-man.

The 23-year old will need to step it up again to spend the full season with the Bulldogs.

18Aug

Max MacKay(17) Wheeling Nailers

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It was a very trying rookie season for undrafted right wing Max MacKay(17) due to a series of injuries and a reported terrible bout with the flu that sidelined him for all but 16 games in 2012/2013.

Signed to an AHL contract with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he was limited to only 8 appearances notching 3 assists.

Loaned to Wheeling Nailers to gets his wheels working the 6’1″ 190 lbs. forward was still bugged skating in only 8 ECHL games but struck for a pair of goals and 4 assists.

Taking an odd route through the Atlantic Junior Hockey program before turning pro, he was a 2-point-per-game player in the tier III league, leading the team in scoring and to a pair of championships.

The 22-year old inked a one-year deal to re-join Wheeling for the upcoming season and get back on the radar in hopes to continue his climb up the pro hockey ladder.

He was an invite to the 2012 New York Islanders‘ development camp. His uncle is in fact, coach Jack Capuano.

17Aug

Thomas Heemskerk(33) Quad City Mallards

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3rd year undrafted goalie Thomas Heemskerk(33) was left unqualified by San Jose Sharks and became an unrestricted free agent after his three-year entry level contract was up.

He spent two years in their prospect system skating mostly for their ECHL affiliates Stockton Thunder and San Francisco Bulls with some sprinkles of ice time with Worcester Sharks. In 6 AHL games he posted a 1.97 GAA and .926 SV%.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. net minder also received one recall to the NHL to serve as a back-up and practice with the team.

Although only appearing in a fraction of the games, his SV% was better than his junior hockey league best in 2009/2010 with Everett Silvertips. had a 91-58-19 record in four years of WHL with a 2.81 GAA and .910 SV%.

His marks in the ECHL were less good. In 63 contests his GAA was 3.19 and had a .899 SV%.

For 2013/2014, he almost surprisingly signs a one-year deal with Quad City Mallards of Central Hockey League.

The still very young 23-year old goaltender should score a recall or two in the upcoming season that might elevate him back up into a higher level of pro hockey.

15Aug

Nick Schaus(28) Stavanger Oilers

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4th year undrafted defenseman Nick Schaus(28) leaves North American pro hockey for Stavanger Oilers of GET-ligaen in Norway.

Initially signed to a one-year entry level deal by San Jose Sharks he played in 92 regular and postseason games with their farm team, Worcester Sharks (4 goals, 21 assists).

He was left unqualified for his sophomore campaign but quickly picked up an AHL deal with Syracuse Crunch, where he also spent some time in the ECHL with affiliate Elmira Jackals.

The small-ish 5’11” 200 lbs. blue liner continued with Anaheim Ducks‘ minor league squads for 2012/2013 signing a one-year contract with new affiliate Norfolk Admirals but found less space on the roster in a lockout shortened NHL season and spent more slightly more time with Fort Wayne Komets putting up some impressive numbers (5 goals, 17 assists in 26 games).

All’s well though as the 27-year will likely excel overseas.

11Aug

Ryan Hayes(18) Stockton Thunder

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Undrafted 3rd year right wing Ryan Hayes(18) played for three different ECHL teams last season after being involved in a pair of trades that eventually brought him to Stockton Thunder to finish out the remainder of 2012/2013.

And what a finish it was. In 12 games he scored 5 goals and added another 6 assists bringing his totals to 14-13-27 in 40, which was under what he put up in his rookie campaign but close and in 23 less games played.

Great marks all around for the only 5’9″ 185 lbs. forward but once it hit playoff hockey time he stepped his scoring output to the next level.

In 23 Kelly Cup postseason match-ups he was able to strike for 9 tallies and 15 helpers while going a +8, good enough for 2nd overall in scoring.

Those postseason numbers were in line with what he attained in 22 OHL playoff games with Plymouth Whalers (12-13-25).

Very smartly Stockton taps into his scoring performance for another season signing him to a one-year deal.

It won’t be surprising to see the 24-year old earn his first AHL call-up or appear in a higher league training camp.

10Aug

Dustin Stevenson(9) WBS Penguins

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Undrafted 4th year giant-sized defenseman Dustin Stevenson(9) signs a 1-year deal to join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 2013/2014.

After his 3-year entry level contract with Washington Capitals was up, he was not qualified for the upcoming season and became an unrestricted free agent.

The 6’5″ 220 lbs. d-man was always in the parent club’s training camp and released to AHL‘s Hershey Bears but never found a roster spot and reassigned double A affiliates.

He has skated in 200 ECHL contests (3 goals, 26 assists) in his first two years with South Carolina Stingrays and won a Kelly Cup Championship last season with Reading Royals.

His game has never been about scoring. He’s seen as more of a steady, shutdown blue liner that’s tough to play against.

The soon-to-be 24-year old did however connect for a goal and 8 assists in 22 playoff match-ups with a +17 rating. He also put up big points in 3 seasons of Saskatchewan junior hockey, so it’s possible those offensive abilities have been kick started and will blossom in his new environment.

06Aug

Jacob Lagace (83)

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4th year unrestricted free agent left wing Jacob Lagace(83) signs on for the 2013/2014 season with Orlando Solar Bears.

He just wrapped up his 3-year entry level deal with Buffalo Sabres that saw him skate 120 AHL games (20-23-43) with Portland Pirates and Rochester Americans and 70 in the ECHL (16-26-42) with Greenville Road Warriors and Bakersfield Condors.

He was originally a 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#134 overall).

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward posted his best numbers in 2012/2013 with 16 goals and 20 assists last season with Bakersfield only reassignment but only had four AHL appearances.

He was a scoring machine in 3 junior hockey campaigns in the QMJHL with 90 markers and 114 helpers in 191 games.

The 23-year old should be able to surpass his high marks with a full season in the ECHL but he could also be on the short list for a recall.

05Aug

Nathan Deck(8) Stockton Thunder

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3rd year, undrafted defenseman Nathan Deck(8) will return to Stockton Thunder for another season.

He has signed three 1-year deals with the team but spent the majority of 2012/2013 in the AHL with Oklahoma City Barons.

Initially recalled in December and signed to a pto he was upped to an spc on Valentine’s Day. He marked his first league goal and 7 assists in 33 contests.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner was on the roster to start the postseason with OKC but was returned to the Thunder for their run that took them all the way to the last round. He skated 8 games through the Western Conference and Kelly Cup Finals scoring a goal and three assists.

In 88 ECHL games he has a tidy 14 tallies and 34 helpers with a +18 rating.

The still very young 23-year old has always shown he can be an offensive threat, an attribute he showed in juniors with Prince Albert Raiders compiling 96 assists in 4 years.

It would be no surprise to see him score an AHL training camp invite.

03Aug

Julien Cayer(12) Reading Royals

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2nd year center Julien Cayer(12) re-signs with Reading Royals for 2013/2014 after winning the Kelly Cup with the team in his rookie season.

In 49 ECHL games he had 3 goals and 6 assists with a +10 rating. He also skated in 6 playoff contests with one helper.

At 6’4″ 207 lbs. he’s definitely got a big frame, power forward size but is still waiting to really connect on the score sheet.

Through four years of college hockey at Clarkson University he posted 14 goals and 19 assists in 104 games, which seems a bit low for the big man.

He was originally a Detroit Red Wings‘ 5th round draft pick in 2008 (#151 overall) but never inked a deal, subsequently becoming a free agent.

No doubt more improvements to his scoring game will be expect in the upcoming campaign.

30Jul

Joel Champagne(24) Braehead Clan

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In somewhat of an interesting pro hockey move, third year center Joel Champagne(24) signs to play with Braehead Clan of the EIHL for 2013/2014.

He won the Kelly Cup Championship last season with Reading Royals, playing pretty much all of the regular season and playoff games on reassignment from Hershey Bears. Technically he was signed to an AHL contract last season but never recalled. His ECHL numbers were decent: 18+31=49 points and then put up another 3 goals and 5 assists in 21 postseason match ups.

The 6’4″ 217 lbs. XL forward was originally a Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 5th round pick in the 2008 draft (#129 overall) but signed his first deal with Milwaukee Admirals. He had 6 goals and 6 assists in 55 games with a +4 rating. He also played a 6 games with their affiliate Cincinnati Cyclones and put up 5 goals and 3 assists.

It’s maybe just that the 23-year has yet to find his place to show his abilities but as a more than a point per game player in his final three years of juniors in the QMJHL, he’s definitely shown the ability to connect and should be able to light the lamp like crazy in the English pro league.