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.
Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2014 draft (#55 overall), 2nd year defenseman Brandon Montour(71) scores his NHL debut after a hugely successful rookie season and quick start to the current campaign with affiliate San Diego Gulls.
The 6′ 192 lbs. blue liner has always been able to connect for big assist numbers going back to a year and a half of American junior hockey with Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL, then agreed to head to UMass-Amherst, where he spent barely a full year before signing his 3-year entry level deal and joining then minor league farm squad Norfolk Admirals for the remainder of 2014/2015.
In his first foray of pro hockey he would score his first goal and add 9 assists with a +10 rating on a non-playoff team in 14 AHL games.
It’s also important to note he had 5 assists in only 3 Calder Cup contests last season.
He was also one of the last players to be reassigned from training camp.
For his first big league game he skated 21 shifts for 17:54 of total ice time with 2 penalty minutes, 1 play break up and 1 shot on net.
The 22-year old is known for consistently firing lots of pucks on goal, which is likely why he nets so many helpers.
Tampa Bay Lightning 7th round pick in the 2011 draft (#207 overall) 2nd year center Matthew Peca(63) earns his first NHL recall after a good start to his sophomore season with AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch and a solid rookie showing, where he led all first year players in assists (35) and points (43).
The only downside was his -11 rating for a skater that plays bigger than his listed 5’8″ 178 frame.
In his big league debut he was on the ice 16 shifts for 13:03 with 1 shot on net, 2 hits and went 50% on the face off dot, which happened to be a 4-3 OT win.
He signed a two-year entry level deal after four seasons at Quinnipiac University, where he was always a 30+ point guy and in two campaigns had very close to 40.
The 23-year old is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of 2016/2017 but will likely be kept around for at least one more spin to see if he can ignite that scoring touch from the minors and college.
Washington Capitals‘ 1st round pick in the 2014 draft (#14 overall) Czech Republic-born left wing Jakub Vrana(13) first came over after playing two years in the SHL for Linkoping HC as a 17 and 18 year old skater.
His first games late last season were on reassignment to affiliate Hershey Bears as they were pushing for a playoff berth.
In three AHL games he struck for 5 assists then added another 6 points int he postseason.
Through only 38 minor league games (the other half lost to injury) as a rookie he was able to produce a healthy balance of 16 goals and 18 assists and then on the way to the Calder Cup Finals added another 14 more points with a +8 rating in 21 contests.
The now 20-year old started what is considered his rookie campaign (and only the first of his three year entry level deal due to a pair of under-age slides) in the minors as almost a point per game skater but has since been recalled.
At 6′ 195 lbs. he isn’t exactly a big guy on the ice but skates a very strong style and has a first NHL goal and two assists with a +2 in 12 games so far.
The future looks bright for the player but he’s going to need to play at a top level.
After a bit of a disappointing year with Lehigh Valley Phantoms (11-17-28 in 57 AHL games and a -18 rating), 8th year right wing Aaron Palushaj(21) signed a one-year minor league deal with 2016 Calder Cup Champions Cleveland Monsters one week before the current campaign was set to begin.
In 28 games he has 3 goals and 9 assists with a +3 on what is a contending squad but has decided to return to the KHL agreeing on a contract for the remainder of the season with Dinamo Minsk.
It will be interesting to see if the 27-year old can find his footing to close out the 2016/2017 calendar with a bang.
