ECHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

28Jan

Mitch Wahl(51) Utah Grizzlies

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After suffering a season ending concussion in his 2010/2011 rookie year, Calgary Flames‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#48 overall), center Mitch Wahl(51) is starting it a bit slow to begin his second campaign in the pros.

After appearing in 6 games to start the season with ECHL Utah Grizzlies, where he put up 5 goals and two assists, he was recalled to Abbotsford Heat to find a spot in their lineup. He skated in 5 games with them but failed to get on the scoring sheet and was loaned by the Flames to Hamilton Bulldogs.

Recently recalled and reassigned once again to Utah, he picked up where he left off scoring a goal in his first game back.

With the Bulldogs, he had 2 goals and 3 assists in 22 games and went a +1 plus/minus.

28Jan

Aaron Gagnon (25)

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Originally a Phoenix Coyotes‘ 8th round pick in the 2004 draft (#240 overall), center Aaron Gagnon(25) got his first crack at the big league a couple of seasons ago, while under contract with Dallas Stars.

In 21 games over two seasons, he registered 0 goals and a pair of assists.

He mostly skated with their AHL affiliate Texas Stars and has played over 250 career games, picking up 57 goals and 78 assists with 4 different teams.

Winnipeg Jets signed him to a one-year, two-way contract just after free agency began.

In 33 games this season with St. John’s IceCaps he has 8 goals and 12 assists but as a 5th year pro plays with a sense of purpose and accountability out there.

He was recently call-up for his first taste of NHL this year but was quickly returned as the team went into a low period off for the All-Star break.

In the game, which all his IceCaps‘ teammates attended he skated 12 shifts for 8:38 of ice time and went a -1 plus/minus.

25Jan

Mike Angelidis(10) Tampa Bay Lightning

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6th year, undrafted left wing Mike Angelidis(10) scored his 1st NHL goal in his 1st NHL game on his 1st shot on net. He only played a 4:01 of ice time through 7 shifts (the goal came during his 2nd time out there) in Tampa Bay Lightning‘s Monday night 4-2 win.

After four seasons to start his pro career in Carolina Hurricanes‘ system, he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Lightning last year and re-signed with the team for the 2011/2012 season. He was named captain of Norfolk Admirals at the start of the year.

He’s on pace to set career highs in goals and assists in the AHL, if he can continue along the pace he started in the first half of the season.

20Jan

Mike Thomas(17) Grand Rapid Griffins

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Former Saint John Sea Dogs‘ captain and Memorial Cup winner, undrafted winger Mike Thomas(17) signed an spc to play with Springfield Falcons to start his pro career.

To start 2012 though, he was reassigned to the ECHL Chicago Express, where he posted no points in 2 games before being quickly called back up.

In 25 AHL games, he only has a goal and 3 assists to go along with a -6 plus/minus in limited minutes of play.

He has never been a prolific goal scorer but has good size (6’1″ 204 lbs.), which Grand Rapids Griffins look to develop in the 21-year old, when they traded veteran defenseman Greg Amadio for him.

19Jan

Trevor Smith(23) Tampa Bay Lightning

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5th year undrafted winger Trevor Smith(23) has played in 7 NHL games (all with New York Islanders) but that was back in the 2008/2009 season.

He’s bounced around the AHL with a couple of teams since then but signed a one-year, two-way contract in the offseason to join Tampa Bay Lightning‘s prospect system.

As the team’s assistant captain, he’s having himself a heck of a first half of the season with their affiliate, Norfolk Admirals. In 39 games, he leads the team in points posting 16 goals and 28 assists and is an outstanding +17 plus/minus.

This play has earned him his 1st recall in three seasons and some more ice time in an NHL game, where he hopes to add to his one goal and no assists scoring.

18Jan

Brad Mills(17) New Jersey Devils

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5th year undrafted center Brad Mills(17) has only played in New Jersey Devils‘ system and appeared in games from the ECHL to the NHL.

He started the season on the opening night roster for New Jersey and spent 21 games with the team registering only an assist.

By late November, he was reassigned back to Albany. He had over 200 AHL games played through the 2011 season.

In 18 games, he got only a couple of goals and 5 assists never seeming to find his groove like he had for the last couple of years with Albany and Lowell Devils.

As the injuries pile up with the Devils, he gets called up to play in his 22 NHL game, a win. He skated 16 shifts for 11:07 of ice time. Unfortunately though, he went a -1.

11Jan

Tim Spencer(33) Springfield Falcons

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5th year, undrafted forward Tim Spencer(33) started the 2011/2012 season in the ECHL with Chicago Express and Trenton Titans but it didn’t take long for him to earn a call-up to the AHL with Springfield Falcons.

Originally signing a pto with the team in November, he was recently upped to a standard player contract after just 12 games and three fights where he just pummeled his opponent.

He’s oversized at 6’6″ 230 lbs. and has no problem stepping in to protect his teammates or give a beat down on a deserving member of the other team.

09Jan

Ryan Russell(20) Columbus Blue Jackets

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5th year New York Rangers 2005 7th round pick (#211 overall) center Ryan Russell(20) played his 1st NHL regular season games over the weekend on call-up from Springfield Falcons by his new team Columbus Blue Jackets.

When he couldn’t come to terms with the Rangers on a contract he signed to a two-year entry deal and then another one year, two-way deal with Montreal Canadiens but spent time only with their AHL affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs before he was traded in the offseason to start 2011/2012.

In 2 games with the Blue Jackets (a win and a loss), he’s skated an average of 12 minutes of ice time including a good amount on the pk. He’s played 30 games in the AHL and has 9 goals and 6 assists while maintaining an even plus/minus.

His twin brother Kris Russell plays defense for St. Louis Blues. He was a Blue Jackets‘ player up until mid-November, when he was traded. They did play in the preseason together though.

06Jan

Joe Sova(36) Albany Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ undrafted rookie defenseman Joe Sova(36) skated in 11 AHL games with Albany after his final college season was over.

He started his rookie year with Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL but was recalled in early December. In 11 games he has a couple of goals and a couple of assists and looks pretty comfortable and accountable out there.

Look for him to continue to move up the depth chart and potentially step into his first NHL even before the end of the current season. He’s fairly big at 6’3″ 190 lbs and is all of 23 years old.

04Jan

Luca Caputi(17) Syracuse Crunch

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In one of the most uncomfortable trade scenarios we’ve come across in a little while, 4th year pro Luca Caputi(17) was traded to the team that happened to be visiting his (former) home area that night, Syracuse Crunch.

Toronto Maple Leafs made a minor league trade with Anaheim Ducks that perpetuated this cruel joke.

What makes it worse is the player he was traded for Nicolas Dechamps(16) scored a goal in his debut for Toronto Marlies 2-0 victory over his new team.

A humorous aside from the trade, the two players also traded numbers assuming each other’s numbers for their new teams.

In 23 AHL games this season Caputi has 2 goals and 1 assist.

He has 35 games of NHL experience with the Maple Leafs and the team he was originally drafted by in the 4th round of 2007 (#111 overall) Pittsburgh Penguins. He has 3 goals and 6 assists to his credit.

Anaheim Ducks are slumping so badly that it’s almost certain he will see his 1st NHL call-up of the 2011/2012 season.