Boston Bruins‘ 3rd round pick in the 2015 draft (#75 overall), Czech Republic-born rookie goaltender Daniel Vlader(30) earned his first AHL shutout and has a stellar 4-0-2 record through 7 games with affiliate Providence Bruins.
He also has a pretty decent 2.39 GAA and .928 SV%.
The big 6’5″ 185 lbs. net minder is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2019 and could be pushing himself up the rankings for an appearance with the parent club sooner than later depending how the playoff picture unfolds.
It’s been less successful on reassignment to Atlanta Gladiators, where he’s been less successful with a struggling squad in 16 ECHL games.
His 5-8-1-1 record with a 4.09 GAA and .882 SV% points more towards the team at a -42 GF/GA than it does the goalie.
He played most of junior hockey in his home country and only spent one season in the USHL with Chicago Steel before agreeing to his big league contract and turning pro but the only 19-year old has to be looked at as the possible future guarding the cage for the black & gold.
New York Rangers‘ 7th round pick in the 2016 draft (#201 overall) right wing Ty Ronning(14) signed an ato to join affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack for the rest of the regular season, one with no playoff hopes to hang onto.
After completing his fourth year with Vancouver Giants, a team that struggled to string wins together, he still remains unsigned but the parent club thought it would be good to have a look at his progress in the pro ranks.
The small 5’9″ 165 lbs. forward lead his WHL team in goals and points (25-53) this past campaign and was the scoring leader with 31 tallies in 2015/2016.
In his 2nd game with the farm club he would get his first AHL goal (he had an assist in his debut), skates hard out there, gets himself into the mix and is on the ice for lots of different game situations.
The son of former 17-year NHL veteran center Cliff Ronning (1,137 games, 306-563-869), the 19-year old may be returned to juniors for an overage season before grabbing an entry level deal but the early signs look good.
Heading into his 10th pro season right wing Francis Pare(91) signs with Avtomobilist Yekaturenburg for 2017/2018 to return to the KHL for a 5th season.
After winning the 2013 Calder Cup Championship with his original contract team Detroit Red Wings‘ affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins the unrestricted free agent decided to move on with no NHL games played, agreeing to a 2-year deal with TPS of Liiga.
He would only stay with the team for half a season before getting his first deal in Russia’s top league with Metallurg Magnitorgosk, where he won a second straight title, the 2014 Gagarin Cup.
The forward stayed for another campaign but was traded after a slow start to Traktor Chelyabinsk through the beginning of 2015/2016 before moving once again to HC Slovan Bratislava.
He only stayed there for 16 games before heading back to Finland.
After another brief visit there (18 contests and 8 in the playoffs) and a return to the type of scoring which made him sought after, he signed his next contract with Medvescak Zagreb and was able to achieve scoring totals closer to what he achieved in the AHL (10-26-36) before once again moving on a month before the season concluded to Geneve-Servette HC of the NLA.
He’ll turn 30-years old before the start 2017/2018.
It’s unlikely this will be this next stop will be a last one for the journeyman skater.
Undrafted 2nd year right wing Alexandre Ranger(11) may be finally finding a bit of a stride.
In his first three games since returning from the higher league to his fourth team of 2016/2017, Tulsa Oilers he has 2 goals and 2 assists.
He also skated 15 AHL games on loan to San Antonio Rampage and his 2nd stint in 2 years with St. John’s IceCaps, where he had a goal and an assist in 8 appearances and 2 goals and 1 assists in 17 contests last season.
The 5’11” 180 lbs. forward has signed two minor league contracts with Norfolk Admirals to start each campaign and with the team in 53 ECHL games has 12 goals and 12 assists with a -9 before being traded to Oklahoma.
He was a point-per-game guy in his final year of QMJHL with Chicoutimi Sagueneens, so definitely has the offense skills.
It would be little surprise to see him make the jump up on a full-time basis in 2017/2018 with the new Laval Rocket, if he’s given a training camp opp.
New Jersey Devils‘ 1st round pick in the 2014 draft (#30 overall) rookie center John Quenneville(42) scored a 1st NHL goal in his 6th game with the big club.
He arrived on a second recall leading affiliate Albany Devils in points (41), assists by a wide margin (29) and adds 12 goals on top of all that in 53 AHL games.
One downside is a depressing -17 rating.
The former 2016 WHL Champion in his fourth and final year for Brandon Wheat Kings was more than a point per game scorer during the regular season and in the playoffs, not to mention a combined +45.
His 16 goals was a most in the junior league for the postseason.
The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward is signed through 2018/2019 on a three-year entry level deal.
At only 20-years old, he also has two assists to his point tally.
He’s ready for the show.
Arizona Coyotes‘ rookie right wing Christian Fischer(36) has spent most of his first pro season in the minors with new affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners.
Through 51 AHL games he has an already impressive 19 goals and 24 assists but carries a bit of a trying -13 rating on what is a non-playoff contending squad.
The very decently sized forward is on his 2nd recall to the big league.
In his first pair of appearances he potted his first and second NHL goals skating limited minutes but then failed to connect in his third before almost strangely being returned to the farm club.
Back up with the parent team he once again strikes for his third goal in 4 outings and may just have earned his spot for the remainder of the calendar.
The still super-young 19-year old is on an entry level contract for two more seasons but is likely to become a fixture at the highest level of hockey starting 2017/2018.
Buffalo Sabres‘ 7th round pick in the 2012 draft (#193 overall), extra big 6’4″ 234 lbs. 3rd year defenseman Brady Austin(67) had a strong NHL debut skating 27 shifts for 15:37 total ice with 3 shots, 2 penalty minutes and 1 hit in a 2-1 win.
The upcoming restricted free agent had a pair of 20, one 20+ year as an overage skater in the OHL but is most considered a strong, stay-at-home style blue liner.
He’s played 199 AHL games with affiliate Rochester Americans scoring 5 goals and 25 assists on a squad that will miss the playoffs for a third straight season with him in the ranks.
The soon-to-be 24-year old is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of 2016/2017, when his entry level deal expires but it looks like almost a sure bet to pick up at least a one-year extension to continue.
Heading into his 6th pro year, left wing Jared Gomes(12) re-signs with DEL2‘s SC Riessersee after appearing in only 15 games with the team in 2016/2017, when he succumbed to a season-ending shoulder injury.
He managed to score 6 goals and 10 assists before being sidelined.
Set to turn 29-years old at the beginning of the 2017/2018 campaign, if he can manage to stay healthy and continue on the scoring tear it would be surprising to see him stay put once again, especially when he has the chance to move up the hockey ladder overseas.
But we shall see…
Skelleftea AIK re-signs 10th year veteran right wing Bud Holloway(4) for a 5th season 2017/2018 after he rejoined the team for 28 SHL games (including playoffs thus far) scoring 11 goals and 12 assists.
He started 2016/2017 CSKA Moskva on a 2-year deal but left after getting 3 goals and 6 assists with a +4 rating in 12 KHL contests before heading back to Sweden a month later.
In his previous campaign he returned to North American pro hockey inking with Montreal Canadiens, but spent all except one brief visit up to the NHL with affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, where he was their leading scorer with 61 points and a team high 42 assists.
The 29-year old seems like he’s quite comfortable and could play out his remaining seasons without switching up the scenario again.
12 year veteran left wing Derek Nesbitt(17) has definitely skated a long, hard road in his pro career playing a phenomenal 372 AHL and 343 ECHL games.
He left North American briefly for one season overseas in EBEL with Italian-based HC Bolzano and had a pretty big showing scoring 14 goals and 28 assists with a +18 rating, then added another 7 points in 7 playoff contests.
In 2015/2016, he would return to Atlanta Gladiators, where he spent his rookie year 2005/2006 and parts of two other seasons.
He had another successful campaign recorded a career 2nd high 28 goals and third best 34 assists.
His goal scoring is tops in team history.
For 2016/2017, the former Ferris State University standout, re-signed to once again play in the southern state, his second as team captain.
At almost 35-years old, he’s probably likely to hang up the skates soon and move onto coaching, where he’ll be great, but as a top scorer he may delay life after hockey for as long as possible.
