Category: ECHL

02Nov

David Aebischer(1) St. John’s IceCaps

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Here’s this year’s pro hockey thinker.

33-year old, Swiss-born 1997 Colorado Avalanche 6th round draft pick (#161 overall) David Aebischer(1) is back playing in a league he hasn’t played in for over a decade, the AHL.

He won the Stanley Cup in 2001. Sure he only played in one game, because some goalie named Patrick Roy happened to be the starter.

To his credit he has 214 games of NHL experience and posts a fairly impressive 2.52 GAA and .912 SV%.

During the last four seasons he has been playing net in his native Switzerland for the team he signed with the year of the lockout, HC Lugano.

In 2011/2012 seemingly out of nowhere, Winnipeg Jets offered him a training camp tryout and he was subsequently signed and reassigned to their AHL affiliate, St. John’s IceCaps.

Weirdo fact: he has an action figure of his goaltending likeness with the Avalanche.

01Nov

Andre Deveaux(7) New York Rangers

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Responding to a need for some grit in their game after a lackluster 3-3-3 in 9 games start, New York Rangers‘ call up their extra large-sized offseason free agent signing, 8th year pro, center Andre Deveaux(7).

He has 22 games of NHL experience with the Maple Leafs putting up only one assist but more importantly 75 penalty minutes, which is mostly what he’s called upon for.

In recent years he has shown an ability to find the back of the net though; this season already putting up 6 points in 9 games played in the AHL with Connecticut Whale.

Born in the Bahamas, he is the first from there to play in the NHL. He was originally drafted by Montreal Canadiens in the 6th round of the 2002 draft (#182 overall) but never signed with them.

 

29Oct

Harry Young(32) Kalamazoo Wings

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New Jersey Devils‘ 7th round pick in the 2008 draft (#202o overall) starts his second season as part of their prospects system with their new ECHL affiliate, Kalamazoo Wings.

Last season he played 52 games with Albany Devils and another 3 with Trenton.

He’s a large presence on the blue line standing at 6’4″ 225 lbs. Not known for putting up a lot of points on the scoresheet, he does however not back down when challenged by an opponent.

Look for him to be called up soon and in all likelihood play most of the season in Albany for a second straight season.

 

27Oct

Devin DiDiomete(24) Chicago Express

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After being released only a couple of games into the 2011/2012 season on a pto with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 4th year pro winger Devin DiDiomete(24) was given the option of being reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers. He took them up on that offer signing a deal to return to the E for the first time since ’09/’10, when he was with Charlotte Checkers as reassigned by Hartford Wolf Pack for 15 games of seasoning.

Last season he had 303 pims in 63 games and even put up 6 goals and 4 assists. Turns out that after his entry level contract expired and three years in the system, New York Rangers were done with him.

Originally drafted by Calgary Flames in 2006, 5th round (#187 overall), he was scooped up by the Rangers to groom.

Follow him on Twitter @deeds2424. He’s quite the comic.

Wheeling waived him a few days ago but on 11/8 he signed with Chicago Express.

26Oct

Sean Collins(6) Washington Capitals

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Undrafted 5th year defenseman Sean Collins(6) has been in the Washington Capitals‘ prospects system from the get-go.

He’s appeared in 19 NHL games registering a couple of goals and an assist.

It’s not really point production that they have in mind when signing him/calling him up though, because at 6’1″ 212 lbs. he can wreak all sorts of havoc on opposing team’s forwards and is very accountable in the defensive zone.

10/26: he was called up to Washington for the first time in the 2011/2012 season. He was only recalled once last season but did not appear in a game.

26Oct

Bryan Lerg(19) WBS Penguins

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*post #700

In his 2nd season with WBS Penguins Bryan Lerg(19) is exhibiting early season promise that last year’s career high totals (65 games, 15 goals, 17 assists) was starting to point at. Only 10 games into the 76 game AHL season schedule and he’s already posted 6 goals and 4 assists in 7 games.

On this play after a stop on dime in full rush, he almost wipes out but instead backhands an amazing pass on to the tape of Eric Tangradi‘s stick for the death knell goal wrapping up the team’s 3-0 road win.

He was originally signed by Edmonton Oilers as a free agent in 2008. This is his 4th overall year pro. He spent two years with the Springfield Falcons to start, including 7 games in the ECHL with Stockton Thunder, where he also posted 10 points in 7 games before he got called-up (for good).

26Oct

Matt Campanale(20) Bakersfield Condors

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Undrafted rookie defenseman Matt Campanale(20) played his first NHL almost immediately after finishing his college career at UNH. He was signed and called up by New York Islanders on an emergency basis after only a couple of games with their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers and then sent back for the weekend to finish up the season in Connecticut.

Odd that he wasn’t signed by anyone for the 2011/2012 season and ended up inking a deal with the ECHL Bakersfield Condors. Ever more odd, is that he was originally signed by Chicago Express but traded before the season even started. As if it could get stranger, the Express were touting him to “bolster” the team’s blue line in their press release when they signed him. More twists, his NHL player page is a bit cryptic with no picture but he has stats. He was assessed a 2 minute penalty.

In two games this season, he posted his first professional hockey goal. So now he has one point.

He’ll get called up to the AHL before too long.

11/25: He signs a pto with Binghamton Senators.

C

22Oct

Manny Legace(30) Springfield Falcons

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18-year veteran goaltender started the 2011/2012 season on a training camp tryout invite from Vancouver Canucks. They released him in mid-September and from there he signed a pto with San Antonio Rampage, which lasted through one game of the AHL season.

His playing career has come full circle as he signed another pto. This time with the team he started his pro career with, Springfield Falcons. On Friday night, he appeared in his first game with the team since 1997.

Just how long this renewed relationship will last is tough to say but I would expect it to be a short return visit. In the 3-0 loss vs. WBS Penguins he looked to be in the zone and shaky sometimes on the same play.

At 38 years old and having backstopped 365 NHL games, won a Stanley Cup with Detroit Red Wings in 2002 and played in 6 different leagues (4 North American, 2 oversesas) it may be time for him to hang up the goalie skates.

21Oct

Nathan Moon(34) Worcester Sharks

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Rookie center Nathan Moon(34) was originally drafted by Pittsburgh Penguins in the 4th round of the 2008 draft (#120 overall) but never signed with them.

After his junior career concluded last year, he went on to join Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (r.i.p.) of the Central Hockey League and won the Ray Miron President’s Cup with the team in its last season of existence. Nice way to go out.

In the San Jose system, he signed an AHL contract to play with their affiliate, Worcester Sharks for his first season. In two games he’s got an assist. It was first reported that he would play in the ECHL with Cincinnati Cyclones but training camp was so good he got bumped up.