Category: ECHL

21Oct

Ryan Garlock(22) Springfield Falcons

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Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2004 2nd round draft pick (#45 overall) center Ryan Garlock(22) signed a pto to start the season out of camp with Springfield Falcons and 5 games into the season and 5 assists later, he’s up it to an spc for 2011/2012.

He might be starting the argument that there was a good reason Chicago picked him so high but he never played in their system. At age 25, he’s already a veteran of just under 200 games played. Columbus could be watching.

For the last couple of seasons he’s been with Hartford Wolf Pack / Connecticut Whale.

20Oct

Marvin Degon(3) Reading Royals

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6th year pro defenseman and Worcester, MA native Marvin Degon(3) looked like he might stick on the Providence Bruins‘ roster after a strong training camp with the team.

He spent the last few seasons playing overseas mostly in Germany and Austria for a short time, but decided to return to North America for the 2011/2012 season. In his first two seasons he was the leading scorer on defense for both Hartford Wolf Pack, then Hamilton Bulldogs, where he was actually signed with the Canadiens.

After playing just two games for the P-Bruins and then being waived, he signed with their ECHL affiliate Reading Royals, where he should be nothing short of outstanding and likely will be back up in the AHL soon.

 

 

20Oct

Jody Pederson(25) Stockton Thunder

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Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Jody Pederson(25) starts the season pretty much where he ended last year with the ECHL Stockton Thunder. He also appeared in 11 games with their AHL affiliate, Worcester Sharks on two separate call-ups (one from Elmira), registering 3 assists but was also a healthy scratch much of the time.

If the injury bugs bites the Sharks like it did last season look for him to be in more games with Worcester this season but he could also get called up by any AHL team and that could very well happen too.

19Oct

Dave Leaderer(20) Milwaukee Admirals

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For the last couple of seasons, 4th year pro defenseman Dave Leaderer(20) has received call-ups to the AHL from his ECHL team, Trenton Devils. First it was with Milwaukee Admirals in 2009 and the next year he was called up within the system to Albany Devils for 5 games, where he registered his first point, an assist.

Leaving the Devils‘ nest after 212 games with Trenton, he signed for 2011/2012 with Cincinnati Cyclones, the affiliate of Milwaukee Admirals. He was called up today and will appear in his fourth game ever with the team this weekend. Coincidence?

 

 

16Oct

Ben Scrivens(30) Toronto Marlies

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Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 2nd year goaltender prospect, Ben Scrivens(30) had a good training camp and NHL preseason, which he looks to be parlaying into another winning season for their AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies in 2011/2012.

As a rookie, he started the year with the ECHL Reading Royals post quite the record in the early going, earning him a call-up and didn’t return until the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Undrafted, he signed two one-year contracts with the Maple Leafs but could stay in their system for some time to come.

He’s already started the first three games of the season posting a pair of wins and one loss and looks to be the go-to goalie for the team again. He has yet to play in regular season NHL action but was called upon once as back-up goalie.

10/24: Scrivens gets recalled by Toronto on an emergency basis to serve as backup goaltender. It’s a bit doubtful that he’ll play.

11/3: Ben Scrivens gets his first win in his NHL debut.

9/12-12: Signs a 2-year deal with the first season being a two-way contract and the second one-way NHL. He lead the Marlies to the 2012 Calder Cup Finals and could be a campaign away from a starting job in the show.

15Oct

Tyler Donati(14) Chicago Express

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Right wing, Tyler Donati(14) has spent most of his 5 years pro playing career in the ECHL with Elmira. He’s been called-up to the AHL for a total of 66 games (6 goals, 13 assists) but has mostly underproduced at the higher level of hockey.

Chicago Express signed him for the new season. I would expect him to earn a call-up or two, especially if he can return to the AA hockey form that won him league MVP in 2009/2010 with 38 goals and 76 assists for 114 points in 67 contests.

Undrafted, he’s still young at 24 years old but the knock on him seems to be his small-ish size (5’10” 193 lbs.) and lack of physical play.

 

 

15Oct

Dennis McCauley(28) Reading Royals

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3rd year undrafted forward Dennis McCauley(28) turned down Buffalo Sabres‘ qualifying offer to rejoin the team (very likely in Rochester) after a career year with Portland Pirates in ’10/’11, where in 73 games he put up 12 goals and 21 assists. He was considered a contract hold out for the entire summer.

Just before the start of the 2011/2012 season in a surprising move, he signed with the ECHL Reading Royals. In his first game with the team (a 4-3 OT loss) he scored his first goal of the year.

It’s a no brainer that he is the first guy to get  signed to a pto by an AHL team that’s looking for a power forward that can fight and get on the score sheet. Last year was probably no fluke for the 6’3″ 225 pounder.

03Oct

Mark Voakes(27) Rochester Americans

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Heading into his third pro season, winger Mark Voakes(27) signs himself an AHL contract for the 2011/2012 season with Rochester Americans after signing a pto late last year with Portland Pirates, the now former affiliate of Buffalo Sabres, and posting some impressive numbers (6 goals, 5 assists in 18 games and 3 goalsand 5 assists in 10 playoff games). He spent the entire early season in the ECHL with Greenville Road Warriors putting up good totals there too (60 games, 17 goals and 37 assists).

AHL News carried a good story about his pro career and him being a bit of a late bloomer.

One thing is for certain, in the games he skated that I was in attendance for, this guy’s got some skills. If he does get sent down again, it would be to Gwinnett Gladiators, where 2008 draft pick Corey Fienhage will likely start the year with a contract.

02Oct

Joe Loprieno(3) Bakersfield Condors

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After two seasons with Worcester Sharks, undrafted defenseman found himself looking for a new team for 2011/2012.

He recently signed a contract to play in the ECHL with the seemingly stacked Bakersfield Condors.

He was invited to Chicago Wolves‘ training camp but was cut when they received reinforcements from their new parent club, Vancouver Canucks.

Last year the big defenseman (6’3″ 220 lbs.) found himself playing a few games at the forward position and not too surprisingly it yielded his first professional hockey goals. The trend to put him up front will probably continue with the Condors. And it’s also likely that he’ll receive a call-up or two in the upcoming season.

01Oct

Obi Aduba(37) Springfield Falcons

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3rd year undrafted local pro from Walpole, MA (played his college hockey at UMass-Amherst), Obi Aduba(37) got an invite to Springfield Falcons‘ AHL training camp after posting some good numbers last season with Quad City Mallards (21 goals, 30 assists in 66 games) in the Central Hockey League. It was his second year with the team that he’ll in all likelihood rejoin for the 2011/2012 season after recently signing a new contract.

At age 27, he’s the type of player that very well could be a bit of a late bloomer and find himself climbing the professional hockey league ladder.

Seeing him in action for the first time since his rookie season with Danbury Mad Hatters, I wouldn’t doubt if he scores himself a couple of call-ups.