ECHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

24Aug

Cam Paddock(11) Frederikshavn

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9th year grisly veteran center Cam Paddock(11) started last season with Manchester Monarchs after signing a one-year, two-way contract with Los Angeles Kings right before the 2011/2012 season started.

He appeared in 39 AHL games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists and then seemingly disappeared. The 29-year resurfaced, without much of an explanation from the parent club other than they terminated his contract, back in Germany (where he skated in ’10/’11) with Ausburg Panthers for the remainder of the year.

The one-time 5th round pick of Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2002 draft (#137 overall) switches up countries for the new season, joining Frederikshavn White Hawks in the Danish hockey league AL-Bank Ligaen.

The 6’2″ 192 lbs. forward has nasty written all over his game and has played in 16 NHL games, all with St. Louis Blues, registering a goal and a pair of assists to his credit.

It’s likely he’ll ride out his pro career overseas at this point.

12Aug

Ryan Craig(22) Springfield Falcons

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Heading into his 10th season, center Ryan Craig(22) is back with Springfield Falcons under an AHL contract. He was originally reassigned to the team in his second pro year by Tampa Bay Lightning. He was their 8th round pick in the 2002 draft (#255 overall).

The 6’2″ 202 lbs. forward was team captain from 2004 until mid-way through 2005 before being recalled to the NHL, where he stayed for the next four seasons although was unable to shake the injury bug limiting his effectiveness and games to 61 games in 2007-2009.

By the start of 2009 – 2010, he was basically relegated to their AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals.

He was an unrestricted free agent as the start of 2010 and signed a one-year, two-way deal with Pittsburgh Penguins. He played 6 games with them without hitting the scoresheet, spending most of his time in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Re-signing for 2011/2012, he skated the full year in the AHL.

The now 30-year forward is a welcome asset and proven leader for a young Falcons‘ squad, and may just lift them back into the playoff picture.

In 190 career NHL games he’s scored 32 goals and 31 assists.

11Aug

Lee Baldwin(77) Greenville Road Warriors

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Undrafted 3rd year defenseman Lee Baldwin(77) signed a 2-year entry level deal with New York Rangers to start his pro career. But that didn’t necessarily mean if he failed to make the NHL roster he was automatically going to end up with their AHL affiliate. In fact, he played in more ECHL games over the last two seasons with Greenville Road Warriors (85 total, 8 goals and 21 assists with a +16 rating) than he did with Connecticut Whale (38 for 0 points).

Heading into 2012/2013 as an unrestricted free agent, the 24-year old, 6’4″ 205 lbs. blue liner, signed a one-year deal to play again with the Road Warriors. No doubt, if Connecticut needs a defenseman, he’ll be the first called up, signed to a pto.

06Aug

Zach McKelvie(24) Abbotsford Heat

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Undrafted, 2nd year defenseman Zach McKelvie(24) took one of the more unlikely paths to turning pro.

After his college career finished, he went into a couple of years of military duty. He tried to defer it as he was signed an entry level deal with Boston Bruins but was told otherwise, although was still able to maintain a contract for the time he was away.

Upon finishing up his responsibilities with the army, he inked a one-year, two-way deal that would finally start his rookie season at age 26.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. blue liner played in 39 games with their AHL affiliate Providence Bruins scoring a goal and an assist, while going a rough -11 plus/minus. He also appeared in 7 games regular season and 5 postseason games towards the end of his debut campaign in the ECHL with Reading Royals.

For 2012/2013, the Minnesota native jumps up to Canada, where he has signed a one-year standard AHL contract to continue with Abbotsford Heat. Good story all around.

30Jul

Mike Clemente (35)

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Undrafted net minder Mike Clemente(35) signed an ato with Springfield Falcons for the remainder of the 2011/2012 season after initially signing on with Providence Bruins in the same capacity upon completing his college career.

He played in 6 games posting a 2-1 record with an impressive 1.99 GAA and .930 SV% with a shutout.

Barely missing a beat, he officially signed an AHL contract for his rookie season with the team, where he’ll compete with a veteran and a 2nd year net minder for a spot in the cage.

It’s very possible that he’ll be reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Evansville IceMen to maximize his playing time.

Regardless of where he plays, the 22-year old, 6’2″ 200 lbs. goalie strikes a pretty imposing presence.

27Jul

Jay Leach(2) New Jersey Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ defenseman Jay Leach(2) will be entering his 12th pro year at the start of next season. He re-signed for another 0ne-year, two-way deal that will possibly see him taking over as team captain for their AHL affiliate in Albany.

Originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 5th round pick in the 1998 draft (#115 overall), it wasn’t until four years of bouncing between ECHL and AHL teams that he got his first taste of NHL action with Boston Bruins. He’s appeared in 70 games with 5 different teams scoring only one goal and adding a pair of assists.

He’s never really been counted on for his scoring touch so much as his 6’4″ 215 lbs frame to keep the attackers at bay.

The almost 33-year old has what seems to be a small-ish count of 439 regular season AHL games to his credit. You’d think he’s played more but he also has a surprising 177 ECHL contests on his resume.

This could be his final season playing. We could see him going into coaching with ease, if that’s where he sees the next step in his hockey career. He barely play any last season succumbing to what seemed like a series of injuries.

25Jul

Justin Pogge(1) Renon/Ritten

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Heading into his 7th pro season former Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 3rd round pick in the 2004 draft (#90) Justin Pogge(1) splits for Renon/Ritten of the Italian Serie A league after 254 regular season AHL games.

The big 6’3″ 21o lbs. backstop has almost quietly always had a winning record and put up decent numbers for whatever minor league team he’s played with.

Last season with Portland Pirates he posted a 14-13 record with a .890 SV% and a 3.07 GAA, which was a bit higher than his average play in the league.

In 7 NHL games, all with Toronto Maple Leafs, he didn’t fare so well. He had an amazing season in his last of juniors.

He’s still only 26-years old and probably has a good amount of juice left in the container. A couple good years overseas and we may see him again.

23Jul

Maxime Macenauer(26) Winnipeg Jets

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Entering his 4th pro season, originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#63 overall) center Maxime Macenauer(26) re-signs for another year on a two-way deal with Winnipeg Jets, the team he was traded to near the 2012 trade deadline.

He appeared in 27 games to start 2011/2012 with the Ducks, making the team out of training but was reassigned to their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch in mid-December and then traded a couple months later.

The 5’11” 188 lbs. forward wasn’t exactly a cornerstone in the Jets‘ AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps during the last part of the regular season or in the postseason through three rounds. He did have some nagging injuries during the season that hindered his play.

Still the Jets must see something in the 23-year old to qualify the restricted free agent and sign him up for another season.

see related post: 4/26-12 Riley Holzapfel(26)

22Jul

Cullen Eddy(20) Philadelphia Flyers

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Undrafted, 3rd year defenseman Cullen Eddy(20) proves that hard work and determination can pay off. After a couple of seasons signed to a pair of two-way AHL contracts with Adirondack Phantoms, he moves up a notch with a two-year, two-way NHL contract with Philadelphia Flyers.

He had career highs last season with 54 games played, 2 goals and 13 assists to go along with 130 penalty minutes, which ranked him second on the team. He also had a dismal -13 plus/minus, which he’ll need to work on.

The 23-year old, 6′ 195 lbs. blue liner was born right down the street from Broad Street and played his college hockey in PA too.

There’s little doubt that he will continue to develop his game in the AHL but with a couple of strong training camps could be eyed as a potential fill-in as the Flyers rebuild their defense.

21Jul

Kenny Reiter(30) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Undrafted, Pittsburgh-born goaltender Kenny Reiter(30) will start his pro career after 3 years of college at UMD, which included an NCAA Division I Championship in 2011, with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He was with the team on an ato late last season and received an invite to participate in New York Islanders‘ prospect camp in June. He turned enough heads to almost immediately get offered an AHL contract for 2012/2013.

The 5’11” 170 lbs. backstop will turn 26 years old right after the start of his rookie season and hopes he continues to impress enough not be reassigned to their ECHL affiliate. Regardless, you know he’ll work hard toward that ultimate goal, reaching the NHL.

What do you think, odds good?