Undrafted 2nd year right wing Ty Loney(24) has already crushed ECHL scoring totals he set last season.
In a career high 30 games he has a team leading 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points with Adirondack Thunder.
He signed a one-year deal just before training camp started after splitting time as a rookie with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Wheeling Nailers.
The fairly big 6’4″ 208 lbs. really started to catch fire in last year’s Kelly Cup playoffs, where he struck for 7 goals and 11 assists in 26 match-ups.
He was a decent point-getter through four years at University Of Denver but was maybe even more effective in his second campaign of USHL for Youngstown Phantoms.
With such a good year brewing, he’s received his first call up from Albany Devils.
It’s tough to think that if he can start to affect the score sheet, whether it’s on his first loan or later, he’ll find himself back up playing a higher level of hockey.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 14th year center Brooks Laich(23) was a late cut from training camp reassigned to affiliate Toronto Marlies to start 2016/2017.
It was his first appearance in the minors since helping Hershey Bears win the 2006 Calder Cup trophy.
The 6’2″ 215 lbs. forward spent 13 seasons with Washington Capitals (11 of those exclusively in the NHL) after being traded as a rookie from draft team Ottawa Senators (2001, 6th round, #193 overall).
It was easily a gut-wrenching decision to move the veteran player who’s name was synonymous with one squad for such a long time compiling three 20+ goals, 30+ assists and twice over 50 point campaigns with a career high 59 mark in 2009/2010.
The 33-year old has only skated 16 AHL games in the current calendar with a goal, 5 assists and a +5 rating but likely sits as a healthy scratch that are easily not performance related.
He’s in the final year of his lucrative 6-year deal signed in 2011.
He did spend some of the lockout year in the NLA with EHC Kloten and it would be little surprise to see him keep going for another couple seasons overseas as he sorts out post-hockey life.
Undrafted 3rd year defenseman Alex Roach(4) makes what is easily a wise decision and splits to birthplace Germany joining Eisbaren Berlin of DEL for the remainder of the 2016/2017.
Originally signed at the onset of the season by Providence Bruins but hadn’t skated a game with them before being reassigned a month in to affiliate Atlanta Gladiators.
The big 6’5″ 225 lbs. back fielder got a pair of assists in 12 ECHL games before departing overseas.
Originally a Los Angeles Kings‘ signing, he spent his entire run in double A hockey, first with Ontario Reign, then skating a career high 64 contests notching new bests 6 goals and 24 assists for Manchester Monarchs in 2015/2016.
He was also a healthy scratch on occasion, which easily has contributed to his decision to move on.
The blue liner had put up a pair of 30+ assist campaigns in his last two years for Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, so he does have the ability to play sound defensively and contribute some offense.
At 23-years old he may find his footing on the bigger sheets of ice and it will be interesting to see if he stays where he is or moves on if he can make his mark.
New York Islanders‘ 4th round pick in the 2014 draft (#108 overall) rookie defenseman Devon Toews(7) was voted to join the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic after posting some impressive numbers with affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the first half of 2016/2017.
The 6’1″ 180 lbs. blue liner has 4 goals and a team leading 18 assists in 33 AHL games.
A former standout at Quinnipiac University, he had a career high 7 goals and 23 assists in his third and final year en route to an NCAA/ECAC title at the school before turning pro.
The Canadian-born player also helped win the 2013 BCHL Championship for Surrey Eagles in his 2nd campaign before committing to college.
The 22-year old is probably on the cusp of a 1st NHL appearance but will have to continue to work hard and excel in the minors.
Montreal Canadiens‘ 1st round pick in the 2014 draft (#26 overall) Russian-born right wing Nikita Scherbak(38) receives his first recall after being one of the last cuts from training camp and gets his 1st NHL goal on the power play with his only shot in a disappointing 5-3 loss.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. forward skated 20 shifts for 11:48 total ice with one play breakup and left the game with a +1 rating.
After only a pair of junior campaigns, first with Saskatoon Blades, where he had a most goals, assists and points by a first year player, then traded to Everett Silvertips scoring almost 30 goals and 50+ assists per campaign in identical 65 WHL games, he decided to turn pro.
On reassignment for his full rookie season to affiliate St. John’s IceCaps he had 7 goals and 16 assists in 48 AHL games but was an absolutely horrendous -26.
He was off to a solid start as a sophomore skater putting up a tied for team best 10 goals and 10 assists in 27 contests.
The 21-year old, signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2018, plays a power style game and if he can continue to connect will play himself into a full-time roster spot with the big club sooner than later.
New York Rangers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft (#75 overall) 5th year Russian-born center Pavel Buchnevich(89) hadn’t played a pro game for just under two months, so the parent club decided to send him south to get back in game shape with affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.
In his AHL debut he posted the game’s first tally in a 2-1 win over Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers), a much better team on record with an absolute blast from the low slot, almost on the goal line over the shoulder of Anthony Stolarz(41).
The 6’2″ 193 lbs. forward played in all types of situations and was basically a magician with the puck on most occasions, although wasn’t exempt from some bad plays like passing a puck right to an opposing player.
In his official North American rookie season he already has 4 NHL goals and 4 assists in only 10 games with a +4 rating.
He comes in with 4 years experience in the KHL lacing up the skates for his hometown team Severstal Cherepovets, where he was quickly becoming a scoring stud.
The 21-year old won a U17 WHC gold medal in 2010 and is signed to a three year entry level deal.
Folks from Connecticut got a treat getting to see this kid play, as he ain’t coming back anytime soon.
Tampa Bay Lightning‘s 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft (#33 overall) 2nd year left wing Adam Erne(73) has earned his first pair of big league games after getting off to a good start with affiliate Syracuse Crunch.
In 30 AHL games he has 8 goals and 10 assists, which looks to surpass what he had as a rookie (14-15-29).
The fairly large 6’1″ 214 lbs. forward was always a big producer in four years with Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, but really blew the lid off the scoring sheet in his final year when the team lost in the Finals of a 7-game series.
He posted a playoffs best 21 goals in 22 match-ups and was named MVP with 30 points in 22 contests.
In his 2 NHL he skated an average of 17 shifts for 12:03 and 14:59 total ice time with 2 shots and a massive 10 hits but went -3 in 2 team losses.
The Connecticut-born 21-year old, who spent one year in the USHL with Indiana Ice before heading north for junior hockey in Canada should be able to find more space to score some points but it may take a bit more grooming in the minors to achieve the desire effect.
After completing his 10th pro season Tyler Kennedy(48) was unable to secure a contract for 2016/2017 and has decided that age 30 it’s time to hang up the skates instead of looking overseas for more ice time.
He signed a one-year deal a bit after a month into 2015/2016 with New Jersey Devils, where he was on an invite to training camp then agreed to a pto but had to leave and returned before inking officially.
In 50 games he had 3 goals and 13 assists but was a bit of a dismal -14 on a non-playoff team.
He did however push his NHL games played total past 500 to 527, which is a nice achievement after a long career that included a Stanley Cup.
Buffalo Sabres‘ 5th year defenseman Taylor Fedun(38) has played 9 games in the 2016/2017 eclipsing his former best of 7, when he was part of San Jose Sharks‘ organization.
He’s earned a career matching 4 assists in the current campaign with a +1 rating but will likely hit a new high mark, if he can stay put for even a bit longer.
In 20 AHL contests, he is close to a point per game producer with affiliate Rochester Americans (4-13-17).
Through the last three seasons in the minors he’s achieved over 20 assists and 30+ points.
If he gets reassigned it doesn’t look like it will be a problem for him to build on those successes.
The 28-year old spent 2015/2016 with Vancouver Canucks playing mostly for Utica Comets but in his one game had an assist.
He’s had points in each of his 4 years skating few NHL games and may have found a home in upstate New York unless another team waves a multi-year deal, one-way deal at him.
New York Rangers‘ 7th year defenseman Steve Kampfer(8) was acquired in a swap of disgruntled players that has him reassigned to affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack for the time being.
In 24 AHL contests he has a goal and 4 assists with a bit of a woeful -14 rating on a club that’s a bit oddly last in their division.
The 5’11” 194 lbs. blue liner plays like he belongs at a higher level of hockey and spent all of last season on Florida Panthers‘ roster scoring no goals and 4 assists in 47 games with a +5.
He recorded his only pair of NHL goals with the team in 2014/2015 but has appeared in 134 big league games total for Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild and Florida with 9 goals, 14 assists and a +8 plus/minus, which is fairly accountable.
It’s definitely not out of the question for him to receive a look from the Blueshirts at some point.
The 28-year old, former 2-time NCAA/CCHA Champion with University Of Michigan is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current calendar.
It will be interesting to see where it leads him.
