ECHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

17Dec

Scott Howes(13) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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4th year undrafted forward Scott Howes(13) burst onto the scoring sheet when he joined Bridgeport Sound Tigers on a pto scoring 4 goals in his first 5 games with the team.

In 9 games he has 6 goals and 2 assists and may have found himself a home in the AHL for the season if he continues along at this pace.

Previously his only other call-up was with Manitoba Moose in the 2008/2009 season. A stint that netted him zero points in 5 games.

Last season in the ECHL, where he has spent most of his pro career, with Alaska Aces he was voted the playoffs MVP with 7 goals and 12 assists in 12 straight wins to help the team capture the Kelly Cup. He also tore it up offensively in the regular season with 22 goals and 36 assists in 59 games.

9/12 – 12: Seemingly out of nowhere, the now 25-year old signs a one-year deal with Central Hockey League‘s Allen Americans. Our guess is he’d be an easy call-up to skate with Texas Stars if needed.

12Dec

Colin Stuart(10) Rochester Americans

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8th year wing Colin Stuart(10) played Friday night in Rochester, where he is team captain of the Amerks. On Saturday he received his first NHL 2011/2012 season call-up and played in Buffalo Sabres‘ home game. Then on Sunday he was back in the AHL playing up in Hamilton playing against the Bulldogs.

He was original picked in the 5th round of the 2001 draft (#135 overall) by Atlanta Thrashers and was in their system for the first four years of his pro career.

He’s been signed with Buffalo for the last couple of seasons and has responded to this season’s leadership role with a point production that puts him second on the team.

07Dec

Keith Aucoin(11) Hershey Bears

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It didn’t take long for Hershey Bears‘ 11th year veteran center Keith Aucoin(11) to be named Reebok/AHL Player Of The Week.

He’s the league leading scorer with 6 goals and 30 assists but had a particularly productive four-game stretch where he put in another couple of goals and 6 helpers to help the team win 3 of the 4.

Originally undrafted, he has played in the Washington Capitals‘ system for the last four seasons, winning back-to-back Calder Cups with the Bears.

In 78 NHL games, he’s put up 8 goals and 18 assists but in the AHL he has scored the most points of any American born player.

06Dec

Garth Murray(17) St. John’s IceCaps

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10th year veteran center, Garth Murray(17) was originally signed by St. John’s IceCaps at the start of the 2011/2012 season to a pto. After a hot start by the team and showing good leadership with the group, he was recently upped to a standard player contract.

Originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2001 draft (#79 overall) by New York Rangers, he’s spent played in 116 NHL games (8 goals, 2 assists).

He’s spent most of his career in the AHL with 5 different teams but did start last season in the ECHL with the defunct Victoria Salmon Kings but didn’t take long before he earned a call-up.

03Dec

Marc-Andre Bourdon(3) Philadelphia Flyers

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 2008 3rd round pick (#67 overall) defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon(3) is quietly enjoying his first four games in the NHL.

Just one season ago he played 5 games in the ECHL with Greenville Road Warriors. As a pro he’s spent more of his time guarding the blue line with their AHL affiliate Adirondack Phantoms.

He is on the third year or his entry level contract. It’s almost assured that they’ll qualify him for at least another year of service, unless he looks good enough out there to attract some attention.

As said, he’s quietly enjoying his first games in the NHL. The less people notice him out there = a good thing.

27Nov

Jason Jaffray(15) Winnipeg Jets

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In his 10th year, undrafted wing Jason Jaffray(15) has always been a leader for the AHL squads he’s played for.

Through 41 NHL games, most of those with Vancouver Canucks, he’s defined as mostly a character player, who does what he needs to get the job done.

With his new team for the 2011/2012 season, Winnipeg Jets, he received his first call up and has been making the most of it.

He recently notched his first point with the team, an assist, in 5 games.

He’s the captain of affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, a team he has helped to a first place overall standing in its’ debut AHL season.

He is one of the most storied players in Manitoba Moose history and holds 6 different team records.

26Nov

Dov Grumet-Morris(1) San Antonio Rampage

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It’s a bit of a wonder that 7th year pro goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris(1) didn’t sign with at least an AHL team in the offseason after posting solid numbers for Connecticut Whale in 22 games last season (13 wins against 5 losses, 2.12 GAA and .923 SV%).

But seemingly no one bit, until recently when the first team he tended net for in the league along his journeyman career would come calling once again.

San Antonio Rampage signed him to a standard player contract, a scenario he’s a bit unfamiliar with in his time spent with 10 different teams in North American hockey. Only his two seasons overseas had him on one team for the duration, but otherwise it’s been mostly pto’s for the former star goalie at Harvard University.

The Whale did eventually sign him to a contract last year but he was third wheel as soon as their starters were healthy. The Rampage are in a similar pickle.

He posted a 5-0 shutout in his first game. It’s a wonder that he has yet to appear in the NHL.

25Nov

Micheal Haley(18) New York Islanders

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Micheal Haley(18) has spent his entire 5 year pro career in the New York Islanders‘ system.

Last season he appeared in 27 games registering 2 goals and an assist to go along with 85 penalty minutes. Of those minutes, his most famous had to be when he took on Pittsburgh Penguins‘ goaltender Brent Johnson.

He was reassigned to start the season with their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he’s been a terror in over 200 games; but last year his scoring touch came back to life for the first time since his final year in juniors and rookie season to start his pro career with ECHL Utah Grizzlies.

He was recalled and played his first game of the season with the badly slumping Isles. He’s no doubt been summoned to give the team a much needed infusion of energy.

Every picture I have of him, he looks like he wants to start a fight, which he showing some restraint, waited to do until his 2nd game back.

17Nov

Shaun Heshka(37) Peoria Rivermen

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6th year undrafted pro, defenseman Shaun Heshka(37) returned from one season overseas playing in Austria for Salzburg EC and signed a contract to play with Binghamton Senators for 2011/2012.

Only 10 games in, they have dished him to Peoria Riverman for future considerations (a bag of rocks), where he should join the team for tonight’s game vs. Lake Erie Monsters.

Originally signed by Vancouver Canucks to a 3-year entry level deal, he spent 3 seasons with Manitoba Moose without ever getting called up.

It wasn’t until the next season, where he signed a one-year contract with Phoenix Coyotes that he got into his first NHL action (8 games, no goals and 2 assists).

16Nov

Ben Street (10)

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2nd year, undrafted center Ben Street(10) showed in his rookie season what he is capable of in 74 games with WBS Penguins and their ECHL affiliate, Wheeling Nailers putting up combined totals of 36 goals and 38 assists.

Entering the 2011/2012 he was signed to a one-year AHL contract.

In 12 games, he’s on a recent tear with 2 goals and 8 assists (8 of those points coming in 3 games last weekend), which was good enough to earn him AHL Player of the Week.

Despite only playing half the season with Wheeling last year, he was named ECHL Rookie Of The Year. I think he will eventually be signed by Pittsburgh Penguins.