ECHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

20Feb

Dwight King(21) Los Angeles Kings

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings‘ 4th round pick in the 2007 draft (#109 overall) forward Dwight King(21) got his first NHL goal on the same night as his roommate and teammate Jordan Nolan did. He even got another point, an assist on his friend’s tally, which proved to be the game-winner.

Both players were simultaneously recalled from their AHL team, Manchester Monarchs and have now appeared in four games with the parent club.

King had skated in 6 games for L.A. last season but didn’t register any points.

He’s in the final year of his entry level contract.

20Feb

Alex Stalock (32)

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

379 days later, San Jose Sharks‘ 4th round pick in the 2005 draft (#112 overall), goalie Alex Stalock gets another AHL start in net for their affiliate Worcester Sharks.

On February 4, the back of his knee was accidentally stepped on by Manchester Monarchs‘ forward Dwight King and it caused that season to be scrapped and pretty much most of 2011/2012 to be shelved as well.

But pretty much on schedule he arrives back in Central MA after starting his rehab with their ECHL affiliate Stockton Thunder, where he went 5-1 with a 2.83 GAA and .914 SV%.

He’s ready to return to the team he’s lead for the past two seasons and get back on San Jose’s radar.

He won his debut 2-1 against what turned out to be an anemic Springfield Falcons‘ offense that managed only 16 shots, got their goal on a 5-on-3 power play and even had a penalty shot awarded to them.

He’s back!

17Feb

Bryan Rodney(33) Oklahoma City Barons

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted 7th year defenseman Bryan Rodney(33) is one of those stories of endurance and sticktoitiveness that defines a pro.

His first couple of seasons were predominantly spent in the ECHL. By his third year he made the jump up to an AHL regular after a call-up with Albany River Rats.

With his impressive play on the blue line that season, Carolina Hurricanes stepped in an signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. He would sign two more similar contracts with them and skate his only 33 NHL games with Carolina (1 goal, 12 assists).

For the 2011/2012 he was once again a free agent but this time in need of a new home. Anaheim Ducks wasted no time signing him to a one-year, two-way deal that has him skating with their AHL affiliate, Syracuse Crunch. He has 5 goals and 15 assists.

Then, almost without warning, the Ducks have dished him to Edmonton Oilers, where he’ll report to their affiliate Oklahoma City Barons.

He’s definitely become a team leader on the ice but the big knock with his game is his tendency to be a minus player. Despite that, it would be little surprise to see the Oilers give him a look to see if they can’t ignite that scoring touch.

13Feb

Jordan Nolan(44) Los Angeles Kings

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

In his 2nd ever game, 2nd year center Jordan Nolan(44) popped in his first career NHL goal, the game-winner, in Los Angeles Kings‘ Sunday afternoon win. Welcome to the big league!

He was originally a 7th round pick in the 2009 draft (#186 overall) and this season in 40 AHL games with Manchester Monarchs has already reached career highs for goals, assists, points and penalty minutes in half the amount of time in his 2nd season with the team.

The 22-year old is a big kid at 6’3″ 227 lbs. but is still growing his game into that sized frame.

He comes from some pretty good hockey pedigree: his dad is Ted Nolan.

12Feb

David Caruso(35) Charlotte Checkers

Posted in AHL, ECHL | Leave a comment

6th year undrafted goalie David Caruso(35) has played AHL games in 4 of his first 5 seasons and with his recent call-up and start in net for Charlotte Checkers he can make that 5 of 6.

He signed a contract with Trenton Titans, an organization he’s spent all of his career with (as the Devils), except his rookie year, which was with Gwinnett Gladiators with a single game with Chicago Wolves to start the run.

He has 52 games of AHL experience and 174 in the ECHL.

At almost 30 years old, it’s a bit of a wonder where netminding will take him next season.

11Feb

Kevin Henderson(47) Milwaukee Admirals

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

After his two-year entry level contract with San Jose Sharks was up last season, undrafted left wing Kevin Henderson(47) found himself without any takers for 2011/2012.

He played two full seasons with Worcester Sharks with his scoring totals improving over the second year of his deal but not quite enough for them to offer him another shot.

Now past the leagues All-Star breaks, he finally signed a deal to play with Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. After all of two games played with them, he instantly gets loaned and signs a pto with their AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals.

How long he sticks probably depends on how quick is to make his mark on the scoring sheet.

The 3rd year pro is fairly big at 6’03” 210 lbs. but needs to put a little more Lucic into his game.

10Feb

Rob Mignardi(29) Houston Aeros

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

It didn’t take undrafted rookie right wing Rob Mignardi(29) long to find a new AHL home after being released from his pto with Manchester Monarchs. In fact, it very well could have happened in the same day but took a day to report to the transaction wire.

He skated 23 games with them and put up 2 goals and an assist after signing a pto in December. In fact, he was part of Los Angeles Kings‘ prospect system and attended their rookie and training camps but seemingly never inked a contract with the team. He did sign with their ECHL affiliate Ontario Reign in November but did not play in a game with them before being loaned to the Monarchs for the last couple of months.

Before he could potentially board a flight to California though, Houston Aeros immediately signed him to a pto and he’ll switch to the Western Conference and look to contribute more than he was able to in New Hampshire.

At 6′ 186 lbs. he’s got good size already for a 21-year old.

02Feb

Joel Rechlicz(19) Washington Capitals

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Washington Capitals is in desperate need of adding some necessary roughness to their game and turn 5th year undrafted tough guy Joel Rechlicz(19) contract into an NHL deal and he’s immediately recalled from his AHL team, Hershey Bears. In 27 games he has 1 goal and 1 assist to go along with 184 penalty minutes, which pretty much equal career highs all around for him in a season.

In a pair of games for the Caps he’s played a minute and a half and 2:37 of ice time in each of the games with no fighting majors (yet). This season he leads the AHL in penalty minutes.

He did have 23 games of NHL experience with New York Islanders, a team he spent a couple of seasons with, first playing in the ECHL with Utah Grizzlies and AHL with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He has one assist to his scoring credit and 95 pims. At 6’4″ 220 lbs. he could convert himself into some sort of power forward but doesn’t have the most deft hand abilities, except for fighting. He’s very much a Dale Hunter, coach of the Capitals‘ style of player.

30Jan

Boyd Kane(12) Hershey Bears

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

14-year veteran, Hershey Bears‘ left wing Boyd Kane(12) got the nod to captain the 2012 Eastern Conference All-Star squad for the Atlantic City, Boardwalk Hall match-up vs. the West.

He won back-to-back Calder Cups, first with Philadelphia Phantoms in 2005 and then with Hershey in 2006. He also won the AHL title with the Bears again in 2010.

His last three seasons have been spent in Washington Capitals‘ farm system and 5 of 6 seasons before that with Philadelphia, except the stop back in Hershey. He started his pro career with four years with New York Rangers‘ AHL (Hartford Wolf Pack) and ECHL (Charlotte Checkers) affiliates.

In 31 NHL games (23 with the Flyers, 8 with the Capitals) the 31-year old has three assists but has yet to pot his first goal. At 6’2″ 225 lbs. he’s easily more relied upon for his physical game.

30Jan

Edward Pasquale(40) St. John’s IceCaps

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

2nd year Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 2009 4th round pick (#117 overall) goaltender Edward Pasquale(40) looks to put up career highs this season playing very impressively for their AHL Eastern Conference leading affiliate St. John’s IceCaps.

In 16 games he has a 10-6 record with a 2.88 GAA and a so so .897 SV% but he’s been very focused and tough to beat in net the couple of starts we’ve seen him play recently. He notched his 1st shutout of 2011/2012 last weekend going into the AHL All-Star Game break.

He split his rookie season with Chicago Wolves and Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL and played decently for both.