Category: Featured

30Nov

Miles Wood (44)

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New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2013 draft (#100 overall) rookie left wing Miles Wood(44) started his first year on the opening night roster but after 2 games with limited impact was shipped to affiliate Albany Devils to gain some jets.

It worked because in 14 AHL games he pocketed 3 goals and 3 assists and looked like a player possessed to play at a higher level.

Recently recalled, he has his first NHL goal skating a new best 21 shifts for 14 minutes of total ice in what turned out to be a close game team loss.

He’s taken a fairly quick path to pro hockey playing only one year at Boston College before signing his three year entry level deal.

Previously he’d skated only high school hockey for three seasons putting up almost 2 points-per-game stats and a couple seasons at tier 3 junior hockey locally.

The 21-year old comes from hockey blood as his dad is Randy Wood, a veteran of 741 games in the big league.

This kid is hockey.

29Nov

Michael Leighton (32)

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It’s been close to six years since long-standing goaltender Michael Leighton(32) recorded a win in net but he achieved that feat when he was recently pressed into a start for Carolina Hurricanes.

He returned to the team on a two-year one-way deal after spending a couple seasons in Chicago Blackhawks‘ system.

His last victory was on a one game recall December of 2010 for Philadelphia Flyers, a team he helped backstop the previous year into the Stanley Cup Playoffs after being picked up on waivers from the aforementioned Hurricanes.

They rode his coattails all the way to the Finals.

Once again, he’s one of the top goalies in the minors with AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers already posting a 6-2-1 mark with a pair of shutouts and jaw-dropping 1.66 GAA and .937 SV%.

He is the energizer bunny and will turn 36-years old before the end of the current campaign and from the looks of it will continue to keep on ticking.

28Nov

Anthony Stolarz (41)

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd year net minder Anthony Stolarz(41) finally received his first NHL start, a win, after being recalled and sent back what seemed like a weekly trip through 2015/2016 and less as a rookie without so much as a sniff.

After playing a career high 47 AHL games with affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season (21-18-7) he came out of the gate strong posting a 6-2 mark with a 2.39 GAA and .927 SV% and one shutout.

In his debut, the giant-sized goalie stopped 29 of 32 shots for a 3.00 GAA and .906 SV% for a 5-3 victory.

The 22-year old is in the final run of his entry level deal and set to become a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the current calendar.

It’s very likely they will extend him for at minimum another short look, but if he can play more games with the parent club could be looking at a longer term and possible one-way contract.

27Nov

Joseph Labate (62)

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Vancouver Canucks‘ 4th round pick in the 2011 draft (#101 overall) big 6’4″ 205 lbs. sophomore center Joseph Labate(62) scores himself an early recall from affiliate Utica Comets, where he looks to be setting up a breakout campaign already scoring 2 goals and 4 assists in 12 AHL games.

He had a very decent 10 goals and 10 assists in 66 contests as a rookie but was also a healthy scratch on occasion.

In his first three NHL games, he’s been put to limited use skating roughly 5 minutes of total ice each appearance, but is a +1 rating and has a fight to his credit, as the team posted a 2-1 record.

He dropped the gloves 9 times as a rookie and once with the parent club in preseason, so easily doesn’t shy away from battles.

The extra large-sized forward had a formidable run through four years at University Of Wisconsin averaging 20 points a season and won the NCAA/WCHA Championship as a second year player.

At still only 23-years old, he is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of 2016/2017 but looks to be setting himself up for at least a one year extension.

26Nov

Phil Kessel (81)

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in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 24, 2016 in Tampa, Florida.

Congratulations to Pittsburgh Penguins‘ forward Phil Kessel(81) on reaching the 600 point milestone in 771 NHL games.

The 29-year old has 279 goals and 321 assists but a bit of an abysmal -69 rating.

The former Boston Bruins 1st round pick in the 2006 draft (#5 overall) has played 11 seasons at the highest level of hockey and only ever played 2 games in the minors.

24Nov

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Have a safe and great holiday!

23Nov

Radoslav Illo (61)

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3rd year Slovakian-born left wing Radoslav Illo(61) was originally an Anaheim Ducks‘ 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#136 overall) but never signed.

He played his rookie season back in his homeland for MHC Martin scoring 5 goals and 8 assists in 37 Slovak Extraliga after playing 2 years of  junior hockey in America for Tri-City Storm in the USHL putting up solid numbers before deciding on four years at Bemidji State University getting 10 assists twice and potting 10 goals as a senior.

The small 5’9″ 198 lbs. forward signed his first deal an ato after college with AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals but saw limited action in 3 games with no points and remained unsigned by the parent club making him an unrestricted free agent.

He returned to the U.S. initially signing with Evansville IceMen before being traded at the start of the season to Tulsa Oilers, but only played a single ECHL game with them before being released from his spc and ultimately finding his way via reported another trade back to Norfolk Admirals but this time in a lower league.

His time on the blocks wouldn’t end there as he was once again he was on the move to Idaho Steelheads to finish up his sophomore campaign but actually starting clicking with 3 goals and 4 assists in 19 games, then another pair of points in 5 Kelly Cup Playoff match-ups.

The 26-year old quickly made a decision to remain in the country signing at the start of the off-season with Missouri Mavericks and looks to be on his way to posting career highs with already 3 goals and 4 assists in only 12 games.

It’s still hard to think he’ll stay put if he can find that scoring touch.

22Nov

Jordan Knackstedt (10)

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9th year right wing Jordan Knackstedt(10) signed for 2016/2017 with his 13th different team, Herlev Eagles of Metal Ligaen and 7th pro league.

He hasn’t been with the same team twice since his three year entry level deal with draft team Boston Bruins (7th round in 2007, #189 overall), who he was with for 2 and a half seasons before getting traded to Florida Panthers mid-season then reassigned to affiliate Rochester Americans.

The big 6’3″ 200 lbs. forward would next leave heading to Italy’s HC Bolzano for 2011/2012.

He would win his only league championship lighting it up for 10 goals and 11 assists in 12 playoff games with the team.

But instead of sticking around, he decided to leave for Sweden’s tier 2 Allsvenskan signing with Tingryds AIF but that experimented was quickly ditched and he returned to Italy for the remainder of the calendar signing with Milano.

For the 2013/2014 season he decided to return to North American inking with Bakersfield Condors and had his best offensive output putting up 19 goals and 32 assists for 51 points in 69 ECHL games and even earned himself a one game recall to Abbotsford Heat.

Once again, he would take his game back overseas to Russia’s VHL but was unable to find footing on two squads, so split for DEL2, where he connected nicely for ESV Kaufbeuren.

Returning closer to home for 2015/2016 his next contract would come from Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he spent the majority of the season before being traded to Quad City Mallards.

He finished the campaign with a second best 44 points.

The 28-year old’s is off to a hot start in Denmark with 3 goals and 9 assists in 9 games but it’s fairly doubtful the journeyman will stay put.

 

 

21Nov

Jared Gomes (12)

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Undrafted 5th year left wing Jared Gomes(12) looked as though he was ready to play out the season in the new Alps Hockey League with Ritten Renon as he joined them for the Continental Cup Tournament grabbing two goals and two assists in 3 games.

Instead he decided to head back over to Germany’s DEL2 signing with SC Riessersee for the remainder of 2016/2017.

The sturdy 6’1 189 lbs. forward skated 41 games in the higher league for Straubing Tigers scoring 4 goals and 10 assists a couple of seasons ago.

After this campaign, he returned to North American pro hockey, where he started playing two years for San Antonio Rampage and had his highest point totals as a rookie potting 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points.

For 2015/2016 he signed with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, establishing himself as a hard-checking, hard to play against instigator that could affect the score sheet on occasion.

He scored almost a point per game in his final run in juniors with Mississauga Steelheads, then went on to play three years of college hockey at University Of Prince Edward Island.

Now 28-years old, it will be interesting to see what direction he takes next.