Florida Panthers‘ 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft (#31 overall) rookie defenseman Ian McCoshen(12) was having a good first season with affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds leading the team with a +23 rating.
The fairly sizable 6’3″ 217 lbs. blue liner has never been a big point getter through three years at Boston College and previously three campaigns with Waterloo Blackhawks but managed a respectable 4 goals and 12 assists through 68 AHL games.
He did have one offensive explosion in his last season in the USHL, where he put up 11 goals and 33 assists.
His hard work and accountability earned a first big league recall and recorded one assist in 3 NHL games skating roughly 18 shifts for an average of 13 minutes ice time per appearance.
The 21-year old is signed through 2019 on a three-year entry level deal so still has plenty of time to develop but seemed to be off to a nice, quick start.
One of the most positive things you can say about the big d-man is sometimes you don’t even notice he’s out there but know he’s getting the job done.
That’s a goal!
Albany Devils‘ center John Quenneville(17) lunges towards a puck near the opposing net and fires it past Toronto Marlies‘ net minder Garret Sparks(40) for their second and final goal of the evening.
The upstate NY squad would fall 6-2 in the 2nd game of AHL North Division Semi-Finals tying the best of 5 series at 1-1.
This potentially could be the final sighting at the Times Union Center as the team leaves for Binghamton starting 2017/2018.
New York Rangers‘ 7th year net minder Magnus Hellberg(45) received his first big league start and got an NHL win in a tough fought battle against 2016 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
He made 22 saves on 24 shots leaving the game with a .917 SV%.
The 26-year is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current calendar and even though he was unable to save affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack from being the worst team in the AHL it seems likely he would be a good bet for the Blueshirts to keep around.
6th year defenseman Chad Billins(4) heads back to the SHL, signing a two-year deal with former club as recent as 2015/2016, Linkoping HC through 2019.
He returns after a one-year visit back to North America under a one-year two-way agreement with Vancouver Canucks.
The small-ish d-man was likely looking for some time in the big league but spent all of 2016/2017 on reassignment to affiliate Utica Comets playing 72 AHL games 3 goals, 17 assists and a +4 rating.
On a team that was basically out of the playoff push to begin, he definitely should have been given a look.
He’s almost always effectively puts up helpers in the mid 20’s for a pair of seasons and 31 when he was skating for Abbotsford Heat, while under his only other major contract with Calgary Flames.
After winning the 2013 Calder Cup with initial club as a rookie, Grand Rapids Griffins he was given an NHL deal and even played 10 games recording three assists.
He split first for the KHL hooking up with CSKA Moskva but that last only 24 games before he was off on his first venture to Sweden for Lulea HF.
The 27-year old will be 28 soon enough in the offseason and is probably just looking for the best spot to contribute and when he settles he’ll likely do just that.
And it’s officially a long way from his playing days with Alpena IceDiggers.
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ undrafted third year center Jean-Sebastien Dea(9) received his 1st taste of the NHL in what is a contract year for the upcoming restricted free agent.
In his debut he skated 21 shifts for 11:18 minutes of ice time with one shot on net, 2 penalty minutes, 3 hits and he went 50% on the face off dot in a tough battle 3-2 loss.
The 5’11” 175 lbs. forward has almost unusual identical stats through his last two seasons with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 75/73 AHL games scoring 20/18 goals, 16 assists for 36/34 points and a bizarre double +13 rating.
He was quite the scorer for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL in his last two seasons twice pocketing 40+ goals (49 in 2013/2014, his last year of juniors) and averaged 30+ assists.
The 23-year old should have no problem extending his contract for at least another year as his game continues to grow.
Ottawa Senators‘ 1st round pick in the 2015 draft (#27 overall) center Colin White(82) signed an ato with affiliate Binghamton Senators, played 3 AHL games scoring a goal and 2 assists, then officially signed his 3-year entry level deal before joining the parent club for a pair of contests.
The 6′ 183 lbs. forward foregoes in last couple years at Boston College after putting up slightly more than a point-per-game in his first two campaigns.
This offensive outburst followed two seasons in the USHL with the USNTDP, where he was able to connect with nice frequency and two years of high school hockey that saw him plug in 76 points in 51 appearances.
The 20-year old is thought to be a strong skater with good on ice accountability and even won a USA gold medal at the 2017 World Juniors.
He’s signed through 2019 but could see some more time in the minors to start his rookie year.
Boston Bruins‘ 5th year defenseman Tommy Cross(56) got what must have been a bit of a surprise playoff recall from affiliate Providence Bruins as the team was preparing for Eastern Conference First Round playoff game 3.
The farm club captain for the past pair of seasons last played an NHL game at the beginning of 2015/2016.
Even though the decently sized blue liner seemed to do fairly well on his only recall with one assist and a -1 rating he was passed over in favor of giving other prospects an opportunity.
He had a career year in the minors through 2016/2017 recording all new bests with 74 AHL games, 12 goals, 23 assists, 35 points, 138 shots on net and a +18 rating.
In his big league postseason debut he skated 19 shifts for 13:08 of total ice with 2 break-ups, 1 giveaway and left the 4-3 overtime loss with a +1.
It will be interesting to see he played well enough to stay or will be reassigned to help the P-Bruins with their Calder Cup quest.
Regardless, the 27-year old is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current calendar and could grab some attention from other squads, if not re-up nicely for another year in the only organization he’s skated for.
Undrafted 4th year center Matt Bailey(27) started 2015/2016 under a minor league contract with Stockton Heat but only appeared in a career low 17 AHL games.
He was also reassigned lower to affiliate Adirondack Thunder for 6 ECHL games and detonated the score sheet for his brief spell in the lower league with 3 goals, 6 assists and a +6 rating.
This type of offensive explosion was more like what he was able to accomplish in his fourth and last year at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks, when he was a point per game player with 20 goals and 18 assists.
The 6’1″ 189 lbs. forward originally signed a two-year entry level deal with Anaheim Ducks but was mostly reassigned to affiliates, where he was a healthy scratch probably more times than he wanted.
With more limited playing time he decided that he’d had enough and split for Sweden’s tier 2 Allsvenskan signing with Mora IK.
In his 7 contests before playoffs rolled around he had 3 goals and 3 assists, then added another 7 goals and 2 assists in 9 postseason match-ups.
This output was good enough for him to secure a new agreement for 2017/2018 as the team ascends to the higher level, SHL.
The 26-year old may have found his spot.
Manchester Monarchs‘ 11th year right wing Ashton Rome(88) nets the game-winning goal and celebrates with what’s definitely a little sigh of relief for the veteran, hard-working forward.
It’s his first of the postseason and helps the team take a 2-0 Kelly Cup playoff series lead.
He returned to North American pro hockey once again after starting 2016/2017 with Iserlohn Roosters but only lasted 9 DEL games.
In 36 ECHL contests he would grab 12 goals and 6 assists, while providing veteran leadership to a mostly young squad.
The 31-year old could easily continue if he wants and could be back closer to home to start setting up a next move to coaching.
5th year right wing Ben Hanowski(28) likely picked up a nice deal for 2017/2018 with Kolner Haie of DEL after a two season of 20+ goals with Augsburger Panther.
Originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 3rd round pick in the 2009 draft (#63 overall), he was traded before ever lacing them up to Calgary Flames as he was finishing up his four years at St. Cloud State University.
He spent his junior and senior campaigns as team captain and earlier in his hockey ascension became Minnesota High Schools all-time leading scorer at Little Falls.
The 6’2″ 210 lbs. power forward played his first five games after finishing up college in the big league and even potted a first NHL goal in his debut.
In the following year he played a career high 11 games in the last month of the calendar recording 2 assists but seemed to drop from the depth chart despite receiving a contract extension heading into 2014/2015.
Through 56 AHL games with affiliate Adirondack Flames he picked up a new minor league best 16 goals with a +3 rating but it wasn’t enough to keep him around making him an unrestricted free agent.
He agreed to his first deal overseas as 2015/2016 was set to begin.
The 26-year old may have found a great home in the top German league and it would be little surprise to see him continue playing here for a long while.
