ECHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

15May

Jaroslav Janus(30) Norfolk Admirals

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3rd-ish year Norfolk Admirals‘ Slovakian-born goalie Jaroslav Janus(30) got his first start in the AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Finals and blanked Connecticut Whale 4-0 to help his team take the 3-2 series advantage. He was a Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#162 overall).

A couple of nights later he would be in net again to sail his team to a 2-1 win into the Conference Finals.

In 2011/2012 he played in a career high 34 games winning 23 games with a 2.36 GAA and .914 SV%.

In the playoffs he’s really shutting down the opposition with a 1.69 GAA and .937 SV%. He has 3 wins against 1 loss.

This is the final year of his 3-year entry level deal. He’ll almost assuredly be qualified for another season and maybe even sign an extension for 2 more.

Between this 22-year old and their other goaltending prospect, Dustin Tokarski, this should be the future of the Lightning‘s occupancy between the pipes.

14May

Keith Aucoin(11) Washington Capitals

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Veteran AHL center Keith Aucoin(11) has played a whopping 673 regualar season games in the league throughout his amazing 11-year career run.

Despite appearing in only 43 games this season, he still ranked 5th in scoring with 70 points (11 goals, 59 assists).

On February 28, the 33-year old was recalled from Hershey Bears for the fourth time in a month by Washington Capitals and stayed in the NHL throughout their Stanley Cup Playoff run, which included a pair of 7-game series.

In his first 14 big league postseason contests ever he had a pair of assists but more importantly was utilized on the power play and provided a tough fourth line checking forward for the opposition to deal with.

The 5’8″ 171 lbs. forward (that plays with hockey stick that’s bigger than he is) has been in the Caps‘ system for the last 4 seasons and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but we expect him to be re-upped for at least one more year.

09May

Alex Bourret(22) Wichita Thunder

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Wichita Thunder 6th year right wing Alex Bourret(22) was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#16 overall).

He started his pro career playing 168 AHL games with a few different teams, a couple of trades later.

By his fourth year, he seemed to burn out or something because he went off the pro map playing a couple of games in the LNAH, 16 in the Czech Elite League and even 16 in the Asian Hockey League but each of the last two seasons also kept a toe-hold in North American hockey with a couple of teams in the ECHL.

For 2011/2012 season, he signed with the Thunder of the Central Hockey League and tore it up with 57 points (20 goals, 37 assists) in 43 games and a mighty +20 plus/minus.

The 5’10” 205 lbs. 25-year old forward was called up for 6 games with Worcester Sharks this season and chipped in with 3 helpers. It was his first action in the A since 2009.

By all indications he should be playing in higher league. He helped Wichita to the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals but was injured and limited to 14 games (5 goals, 9 assists).

05May

John Mitchell(24) Anaheim Ducks

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3rd year undrafted left wing John Mitchell(24) was rewarded for working hard with their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch despite not being signed by Anaheim Ducks with a two-year, two-way entry level NHL deal that will take him through 2014.

He originally signed an AHL contract with the Crunch as a rookie in 2010/2011 and re-signed for a second campaign last season.

The 25-year old basically had mirror image seasons on the scoresheet but was a very respectable +7 plus/minus this year and played hard for them in their first round exit of the Calder Cup Playoffs scoring a goal.

He’s listed at 6’5″ 216 lbs. which seems big from when I saw him play. But if he is, then he should be banging like an extra large power forward.

27Apr

Tom Mele(10) Alaska Aces

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Undrafted rookie right wing Tom Mele(10) skated his first season with Fort Wayne Komets of the Central Hockey League and now his team is looking at a best of 7 finals to claim the Ray Miron President’s Cup trophy.

He also appeared with them in two postseason games last season.

In 12 playoff games he has a pair of goals and an assist.

The 6′ 188 lbs. 25-year old recorded 7 goals and 11 assists in 51 regular season games with a +11 plus/minus.

Before joining the Komets he signed an AHL training camp tryout with Springfield Falcons scoring a goal and making it through their preseason schedule before being released.

His hometown is listed as Bronx, NY, which isn’t exactly a hotbed of hockey talent.

8/31-12 update: For his sophomore season, the forward signs a one-year deal with Alaska Aces, jumping up a notch to the ECHL.

His former team, the Komets are also making the league switch.

25Apr

Mike Brodeur(29) Houston Aeros

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For the first time in his 8-year pro career, goaltender Mike Brodeur(29) didn’t sign a contract to play with a team for the 2011/2012 season.

This is after two seasons in the Ottawa Senators‘ system, where he appeared in 7 games from 2009-2011. Last season he appeared in NHL, AHL and ECHL games.

Then seemingly out of nowhere, he signs a pto 3 weeks before the end of regular season with Houston Aeros and finds himself to be the back-up but would come in to relieve an injured Matt Hackett in each of the first two games AHL Calder Cup Playoffs and got the call to start game 3 backstopping 31 shots for the 1-0 win to put them back in the series.

Aeros did get bounced from the Calder Cup Playoffs by Oklahoma City Barons on Tuesday night.

Originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 7th round pick in the 2003 draft (#211 overall), it’s a wonder where the 29-year old will end up next season. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him go the Europe route.

22Apr

Colin McDonald(13) WBS Penguins

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5th year Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins‘ forward Colin McDonald(13) is putting goals in the net in the Calder Cup Playoffs like Noah loads animals into the ark: two at a time.

He potted a pair in the first game and another two in the second game, both wins for the 2-0 lead vs. Hershey Bears in the AHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series.

Originally drafted by Edmonton in the 2nd round of 2003 (#51 overall), he appeared in only 2 games with the Oilers but did get his first NHL goal.

He’s played in 5 games this season with Pittsburgh Penguins, the team he signed a one-year, two-way contract with as an unrestricted free agent but didn’t register a point.

In 374 AHL regular season games he has 94 goals and 85 assists. He put in a career high 42 last season with Oklahoma City Barons but had a best this year with assists at 35 and a +12 plus/minus.

13Apr

Joey Haddad (37)

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Undrafted 3rd year left wing Joey Haddad(37) had another up-and-down year between the ECHL and AHL this season almost identical to his first two years in the WBS Penguins/Wheeling Nailers‘ system.

He originally signed a 3-year entry level deal with Pittsburgh Penguins but only ended up playing a couple of seasons with them.

This season he ended up spending most of the latter part of 2011/2012 in the AHL on a pair of pto’s with Hamilton Bulldogs and Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

In 19 games combined he was only able to manage one goal.

With Gwinnett Gladiators he is roughly a point per game guy striking for 17 goals and 18 assists through 43 games.

He also scored three points (2 goals and an assist) in 4 Kelly Cup Playoff games in a shocking 1st round exit for the team.

We wouldn’t be surprised to see him re-sign in Gwinnett for 2012/2013.

The 23-year old fit in well and bets are most guys will return as there’s very much something there that needs to blossom further.

12Apr

J.D. Watt(10) Ontario Reign

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4th year pro, right wing J.D. Watt(10) signed an AHL contract with Manchester Monarchs‘ for the 2011/2012 season after opting out of his one-year deal with Calgary Flames.

He was originally a Flames‘ 4th round pick in 2005 (#111 overall) and played 139 AHL games with their affiliates in Quad City then Abbotsford Heat before leaving.

Starting the season with the Monarchs‘ ECHL affiliate Ontario Reign he was recalled three times and played 19 games scoring a goal to go along with a pair of helpers.

He was most recently reassigned to the ECHL again to help out in the Reign‘s Kelly Cup Playoff push. They did get to game 5 before losing in that decisive matchup.

He will likely be recalled unless the Monarchs wait to see how their final weekend unfolds as they are in a battle for their playoff lives. The 24-year has been mostly a 4th line energy forward throughout his playing career.

07Apr

Jeff Prough(22) Connecticut Whale

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Undrafted forward Jeff Prough(22) played in 17 games this season on call-up to Connecticut Whale (the team he signed a one-year two-way deal with for 2011/2012) but as they were suffering some overcrowding for spots up front, he was reassigned to Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL to see if he could put some life into their Kelly Cup Playoff postseason run, who were on the brink of opening round elimination.

He scored their first goal but unfortunately it wasn’t enough as they were overmatched and sent packing until 2012/2013.

He’s a point per game guy in the ECHL but the 25-year old, 5’10” 170 lbs. left winger has been less consistent in mostly a fourth line role in the AHL.

He will be back up with the Whale soon as he’s on their clear day roster for the Calder Cup Playoffs.