Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 4th year center Carter Rowney(37) fresh off his first big league contract signed back in March of last season scores the early recall for an NHL debut after just about a point-per-game start with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Last season while playing under a minor league agreement, he potted a career high and team second 24 goals and 54 points while finishing with a leading +23 rating in 74 AHL games.
He took his hot hand into the Calder Cup Playoffs, where through 10 match-ups he scored 4 goals and 8 assists.
The now 27-year old skated 11 shifts for 9:20 total ice time with 2 hits, one takeaway, went 30% on the face off dot and left a 4-2 victory with a -1 rating.
That is likely easily remedied if he can stick around to be inserted back into the lineup.
Rookie defenseman Nolan Zajac(39) is the fourth and final brother to enter into a pro hockey career.
His older siblings Travis, Darcy and Kelly play in the NHL, GET-ligaen or the ECHL currently.
At a small 5’8″ 180 lbs., he plays a much bigger style than listed and is the only blue liner in the family.
Signed to a one-year minor league contract with Toledo Walleye he’s already eclipsed decent marks he set at four years of University Of Denver, where he average roughly 5 goals and 20 assists each campaign.
Previously, through a seemingly long term of three years at juniors in the USHL, he had a pair of seasons with 27 assists before heading off to college.
In 40 games he already has a very nice team leading for d-men and first year skaters 8 goals, 25 assists for 33 points with a +16 rating.
The 24-year old was recently loaned for three AHL games to Hershey Bears.
He grabbed his first assist in the higher league, was a +1 and looked to be a full-on part of the team before being returned.
5th year left wing Alexandre Mallet(95) switches up overseas teams mid-season in the Czech Extraliga, leaving slumping HC Dynamo Pardubice for HC Kometa Brno.
He was off to a slow start scoring only a goal and 6 assists in 36 games but has already struck for his first tally with his new squad.
Originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#57 overall), he skated most of his rookie season with Kalamazoo Wings before spending the entirety of his sophomore campaign for farm club Utica Comets.
In 59 AHL games he would only get a goal and 4 assists.
The decently sized 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward put up some outstanding numbers in his third and final year of the QMJHL with Rimouski Oceanic, but that was his only breakout before being selected and turning pro.
He was traded a month into the final year of his entry level deal to New York Islanders but was immediately shipped to Stockton Thunder to finish out 2014/2015.
Left unqualified, he agreed to a minor league deal with his team of three seasons, K-Wings and had his best offensive output of 23 goals and 34 assists in a full schedule of 72 ECHL games.
It will be interesting to see where the 22-year old heads next but he’ll need an impressive run to finish out 2016/2017 to climb the hockey ladder.
Anaheim Ducks‘ undrafted 3rd year net minder Ryan Faragher(68) signed a new one-year deal at almost the halfway point of the current campaign after again impressing with ECHL affiliate Utah Grizzlies.
It’s his third season with the team after a stellar 2015/2016, where he posted a 24-13 record in 41 games with a 2.33 GAA and .917 SV%, including three shut outs.
The 6’2″ 200 lbs. goalie has been loaned to direct farm squad San Diego Gulls but has yet to start for them in 2016/2107.
He was initially signed to a one-year entry level deal with the Ducks after three solid campaigns at St. Cloud State University and a 2010 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship with Bismarck Bobcats.
It’s a bit uncertain why the 26-year old was inked so late, as they have a good amount of depth at the back stop position, but it was certainly some good news for him to score a new term.
Providence Bruins‘ veteran center Peter Mueller(93) looks to gain an advantage on Springfield Thunderbirds‘ pivot Chase Balisy(13), who has the puck just on the back hand of his stick, near his left skate for the defensive zone face off win.
14 year veteran left wing Matt Ellis(37) decided to hang up his skates after a nice, long pro career for an undrafted player, who started his career with 71 ECHL games with Toledo Storm, while under the watchful eye of Detroit Red Wings.
He spent the first three seasons signed to a minor league contract before netting his big league contract.
It would take him another campaign with affiliate Grand Rapid Griffins, getting an AHL best 28 assists before he earned his first recall.
The 6′ 212 lbs. forward split time in 2006/2007 but was skating full-time in the show in the next campaign but after a waiver claim by Los Angeles Kings, finished a short stint in California before being once again grabbed on the wire by Buffalo Sabres to start 2008/2009.
He would spend his next 8 seasons in upper state New York finishing up on a contract with Rochester Americans in 2015/2016.
The 35-year old transitions into coaching now that his playing days are behind him at the Academy Of Hockey.
He has 356 NHL games on his resume.
New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd year center Joe Blandisi(9) has already tied his 14 assist mark with affiliate Albany Devils through 26 AHL games and is only a pair of goals shy of his high of 9.
The 6′ 200 lbs. forward will likely spend more time in the minors in his sophomore season than he did as a first year player, when for 41 NHL contests he netted 5 goals and 12 assists with a bit of a woeful -14 rating.
He was one of the final training camp cuts to be reassigned to the farm club and in the final year of his entry level deal, so it seems a bit odd that he has yet to appear with the big club in 2016/2017.
The former Barrie Colts‘ assistant captain and top scorer of the OHL with 52 in 2014/2015 will likely see a stat sheet breakout but needs to regain the opportunity.
Originally a Colorado Avalanche 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#162 overall), he was left unsigned and even attended Buffalo Sabres 2014 camp before his huge season in juniors, when he was noticed and inked.
At just 22-years old, he certainly plays like a skater that deserves to be a full-time member of the show but with all their prospects in the pipeline it will be interesting to see if he continues where he is or move on.
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 7th year defenseman Cameron Gaunce(24) is making the most of a first NHL recall in a couple seasons.
Through 3 games he already has a pair of assists and is getting himself very situated in game play with 4 hits, a pair of play breakups and takeaways, four minutes of penalties, twice skating 15+ minutes of ice time with a+3 rating and all three appearances were in decisive victories.
He was signed quickly on the first day of unrestricted free agency to a one-year two-way contract.
In 39 AHL games with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins he scored 2 goals and 6 assists with a +6 rating.
He set new career high 35 assists and 37 points in 75 games last season with Portland Pirates, while under contract to Florida Panthers.
The decently sized d-man also won a 2014 Calder Cup Championship with Texas Stars, while on the books with Dallas Stars.
He also played 9 games with them in 2013/2014.
The 26-year old may have found himself a solid home in Pennsylvania for the time being.
Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#161 overall), 3rd year defenseman Jake Dotchin(59) skates his first NHL game after getting off to a career year start with affiliate Syracuse Crunch.
He already has 3 goals and 9 assists in 33 AHL games with a +10 rating, which is 2nd on the team.
The big 6’3″ 212 lbs. plays a hard-hitting style game but also can affect the score sheet as he did in his third and final year with Barrie Colts, where he notched 35 assists in 63 OHL games.
In his debut he dished out 4 hits in 18 shifts for 11:47 of total ice time but left the game with a -1 rating in a 5-3 loss.
Not one to drop the gloves often, the 22-year old is unafraid to protect teammates and could become a valuable tough guy in the parent’s club lineup.
3rd year right wing Derek DeBlois(39) returned one month into the new season from a lower body injury suffered in the 2nd round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs and signed with South Carolina Stingrays, the team he’s spent most of his pro hockey time with.
In 12 ECHL games he got off to a speedy start scoring 10 goals and 8 assists with a +8 rating.
The hard-skating forward must be ready to pursue a new avenue as he’s agreed to play out the rest of the current calendar in Germany’s DEL2 for EC Kassel Huskies.
After spending most of 2015/2016 on loan and eventually under contract to Cleveland Monsters skating a career high 35 AHL games scoring 2 goals and 3 assists before being returned for the postseason.
Before getting injured he was able to contribute 3 goals and 6 assists in 10 playoff match-ups.
The 25-year old should continue to excel in scoring as he moves overseas and will likely climb the ladder to tougher levels of play.
