Featured | CollegeHockeyPlayers

27Oct

Justin Fontaine (14)

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Undrafted 6th year right wing Justin Fontaine(14) agreed to a late contract joining New York Rangers for 2016/2017 after 5 seasons with Minnesota Wild.

He has spent the past three campaigns in the NHL skating 197 games scoring 27 goals and 41 assists with a very accountable +22 rating.

The 5’11” 174 lbs. forward spent his rookie and sophomore years with affiliate Houston Aeros, where he was close to a point-per-game performer in the AHL.

After four successful years at University Of Minnesota-Duluth, where he won a 2009 WCHA Championship, then the 2011 NCAA title as a senior.

He signed a two-year entry level deal and was extended twice before being left an unrestricted free agent heading into the current calendar.

The 28-year old has agreed to a two-way agreement and was immediately sent to Blueshirts‘ farm club Hartford Wolf Pack in all likelihood to get his footing, as he was absent from any training camps.

He’ll easily be on a short list for a recall as soon as any injury occurs.

26Oct

Kyle Bonis (28)

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Undrafted 4th year left wing Kyle Bonis(28) is back at it again, scoring big points in the ECHL.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward has always been close to a point per game player in the league and has eclipsed that mark early in 2016/2017.

He continues a pace that he started as a junior at Ferris State University, then as captain in his senior campaign.

Originally signed to an ato with Norfolk Admirals after college, he played 6 AHL games scoring his first goal and an assist.

He inked a contract with Charlotte Checkers for his rookie season but only played 3 games with them and 65 with affiliate Florida Everblades.

Next he would agree to a one-year term with Grand Rapid Griffins but suffered a bit of the same fate spending most of his playing time for Toledo Walleye recording his best output netting 36 goals and 23 assists, then another 15 points in 21 Kelly Cup playoff games.

For his third season, he basically just cut out the middle man and return under a deal with Toledo but almost ironically spent half his playing time on loan to San Diego Gulls, where he was able to strike for a career high 4 goals and 6 assists and was a +6.

The 27-year old has returned to Ohio, where he seems to be comfortable and made himself a nice home.

There’s little doubt he’ll find himself recalled once again for some higher league action.

25Oct

Tim Schaller (59)

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Boston Bruins‘ 4th year center Tim Schaller(59) was reassigned before the start of 2016/2017, but recalled quickly on an emergency basis to fill in a spot opened by early season injuries to the blue line and has appeared in 3 big league games recording a pair of assists with a 0 rating.

The undrafted forward was originally signed to a 2-year entry level deal with Buffalo Sabres after a successful four year run at Providence College including 14 goals in 26 NCAA games as a junior.

He spent his rookie season in the minors with Rochester Americans putting up decent stats (11-7-18) in a personal high 72 AHL games.

The fairly large 6’2″ 209 lbs. player produced a personal best 15 goals and 28 assists in his sophomore campaign but also earned his first time with the parent club skating in 18 games getting his 1st NHL goal and assist.

He would raise that mark slightly in his third year with another goal and 2 assists.

The soon-to-be 26-year old could easily play himself into a full-time position and asset on the black & gold’s squad moving forward despite only being signed to a one-year contract and becoming an unrestricted free agent for a second time at the conclusion of the season.

24Oct

Christian Ehrhoff (10)

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18th year veteran German-born defenseman Christian Ehrhoff(10) was given a tryout agreement to join Boston Bruins‘ training camp after a good showing with team Europe in the 2016 World Cup Of Hockey that got them interested, as they were/are still looking.

Unfortunately the sides didn’t meet and he was released but that didn’t stop him as he quickly signed with Kolner Haie to head home to where it all started with 9 games in 1999/2000.

He actually played three full seasons in DEL for Krefeld Pinguine and was San Jose Sharks‘ 4th round pick in the 2001 draft (#106 overall) at the conclusion of his rookie season.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. started his North American pro career with 41 games in the big league getting his first NHL goal but also played 27 games with farm team Cleveland Barons.

In his sophomore campaign, he spent the full ride in the minors before making the opening night roster in 2005/2006 and not looking back.

He would spend the 6 years with the team he was selected by before a trade prior to 2009/2010 sent him to Vancouver Canucks for a pair of campaigns.

It would be his next contract that maybe baffled some outsiders, a lucrative 10-year $40 million contract with Buffalo Sabres.

After his third season with them though, the 7-time 20+ assists (30+ on 3 occasions) d-man would be bought out of the remaining time of his contract.

In 2014/2015 he signed with Pittsburgh Penguins, then split time with Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks last year.

The 34-year old blue liner with 789 games (74-266-340) and +48 rating may have seen his last time on the ice this side of the pond but will continue to make just under $1 million until 2021, when his buyout finishes.

What a career! And it’s still going.

23Oct

Springfield Thunderbirds home debut

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The AHL‘s latest team Springfield Thunderbirds took to the Mass Mutual Center ice for their debut in front of a packed house containing 6793 folks.

The fans greeted their new team, which almost wasn’t until a last minute deal was worked out to buy out Portland Pirates and move them a little south and west to where the league office is located.

Minor league hockey has been a staple in the city since 1926, when Springfield Indians took to the ice.

They won 7 championships with the last one in 1990/1991, played for a few more seasons before relinquishing the franchise, but new ownership stepped right in to fill the void and Springfield Falcons were born.

When NHL affiliate Arizona Coyotes decided to move their farm team closer to home, it was close to curtains but pro hockey was once again saved.

The home squad, won their opener 5-4 with two 3rd period goals to tie it and the overtime game-winner to send the fans home happy, hopefully hungry for more.

They are the farm club of Florida Panthers.

22Oct

Stefan Legein (49)

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9th year career minor leaguer Stefan Legein(49) gets back to playing hockey for the love of the game signing with semi-pro Stony Creek Generals of Allan Cup Hockey for 2016/2017.

He’s already credited with a goal and and an assist in the first two games.

Originally a Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#37 overall), he was selected after his most productive season of juniors with Mississauga IceDogs, where he potted 43 goals and 32 assists for 75 points in 64 OHL games.

The 5’10” 185 lbs. forward only lasted a year and a half in the system before being traded to Philadephia Flyers, finishing out his sophomore campaign with a career high 26 goals and 11 assists in 76 AHL mostly with Adirondack Phantoms.

He also had a sordid -19 rating on a non-playoff team.

At the start of 2011/2012, he was once again on the move, this time to Los Angeles Kings.

He had a decent showing that was definitely off his previous year totals but in the end good enough to earn him a one-year extension.

The follow-up run wasn’t as successful though and his scoring totals dropped to a low of 17 points.

Signed to a minor league deal with Toronto Marlies at the start 2013/2014, he would decide to leave less a couple of months in for Sweden’s tier two Allsvenskan joining VIK Vasteras HK despite getting off to a quick start with 3 goals in 7 games.

As it looked like he would return to North American hockey, he changed it up signing a late contract with Heilbronner Falken of DEL2 and had decent success in the regular season but took it up in the playoffs striking for 4 goals and 4 assists in 8 contests.

The 27-year did come back in 2015/2016 inking with Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL.

He had played two seasons there in the upper league when he was a Kings‘ prospect.

One more transaction sending him to Tulsa Oilers and that may have been enough moving around for the veteran skater.

21Oct

Darik Angeli (24)

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Undrafted 2nd year right wing Darik Angeli(24) signed in the off-season to return to Manchester Monarchs for another campaign but was recently traded for future considerations to Western Conference hometown team Colorado Eagles.

He potted a modest 6 goals and 10 assists through 50 ECHL games playing a high energy, hard checking style with a -7 rating.

These marks eclipsed what he was able to produce in any single seasons of four at Ohio State University but not quite as well as he in two years of USHL junior hockey with Tri-City Storm, Chicago Steel and Sioux City Musketeers.

The 6’3″ 205 lbs. forward was loaned up on a couple of occasions, first early in his rookie run to Portland Pirates for a game (no points) and then late in the year he joined Manitoba Moose for 10 AHL contests scoring a goal and 2 assists.

The just turned 26-year old will likely have a breakout season and could even be looking at some extended time skating at a higher level of hockey.

20Oct

Aaron Dell (30)

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San Jose Sharks‘ 5th year goaltender Aaron Dell(30) received his first major contract as 2014/2015 was nearing its conclusion due to his stellar play through 26 AHL games with affiliate Worcester Sharks.

He had actually started the campaign in a second stint with Allen Americans, but this time as a first year team in the ECHL, before being loaned up and never looking back a month into the season.

Signed to a new 1-year deal going into 2015/2016, he became the starting net minder for new farm club San Jose Barracuda playing a career high 40 games with a 17-16-5 record, 2.42 GAA and .922 SV%.

He also received his first big league recall for a week, then was re-signed to a 2-year extension on the opening day of free agency and came into training camp with a strong performance.

Having prospects so close has probably helped him solidifying his spot in the system, as he was able to grab the back-up goalie roster spot and gets the early nod for his first NHL start.

The 27-year old scored his first win stopping 23 of 25 shots with a 2.00 GAA and .913 SV%.

It’s been a bit of a journey up but he looks to be embracing it and playing to stay.

19Oct

Jerry D’Amigo (19)

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7th year left wing Jerry D’Amigo(19) had some reports suggesting he would sign his first minor league deal to stick with last contract team Buffalo Sabres‘ affiliate Rochester Americans, the team he’s mostly skated for in the last year and a half.

He played 9 additional NHL games after a mid-season trade from Columbus Blue Jackets in 2014/2015, but failed to connect with any points.

The not exactly huge but tough playing forward has endured a couple of tough AHL seasons seeing his diminishing returns on his point totals.

It’s little surprise to see the 25-year old switch it up, accepting a one-year deal with Ilves of Finland’s Liiga.

Although he may be taking his game overseas at this point, he should be able to see some nice returns for his game and will likely start affecting the score sheet again.

18Oct

Luke Adam (90)

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7th year center Luke Adam(90) found himself in the tough spot of being an unrestricted free agent with few options heading into 2016/2017.

Accepting a tryout agreement with Calgary Flames, he was released to affiliate Stockton Heat, where matters didn’t improve and he was let go a second time.

He’d always scored big league contracts for each of his previous campaigns, staying with draft team Buffalo Sabres for the first 4 and a half years of his career before a mid-season 2014/2015 trade sent him to Columbus Blue Jackets.

The fairly big forward had consistently appeared in NHL games, spending the majority of his sophomore season up with the parent club appearing in 52 games scoring a respectable 10 goals and 10 assists.

More has always been expected of the #44 selection in the 2008 draft though, as he excelled as a point per game player through his final three years of QMJHL. and started strong in the minors.

The 26-year old didn’t spend too long thinking about where to go next, agreeing on a one-year deal with Adler Mannheim of DEL to start a new chapter.

Chances are good that he’ll detonate the score sheet in his new place and will work his way up the overseas hockey ladder in short order.