Featured | CollegeHockeyPlayers

21Jul

John Negrin (11)

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8th year defenseman John Negrin(11) seems to be just starting to find his game.

He played a career high 58 AHL games under contract with Utica Comets recording a best 11 assists and 12 points in 2015/2016.

It was his third season with the team and the 6’2″ 202 lbs. blue liner was just signed for a fourth term.

Originally a Calgary Flames 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#70 overall), he played most of three campaigns with affiliate Abbotsford Heat before being dealt to Winnipeg Jets nearing the end of his entry level deal.

He was left unqualified heading into 2012/2013 and signed with Chicago Wolves.

Reassigned for most of the year down to Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL he was recalled and sent to Lake Erie Monsters, where he finished out the season.

He’s shown quite the ability to head man the puck in the WHL, where he had 41 assists in each of his last pair of years with Kootenay Ice, then Swift Current Broncos before turning pro at the end of 2008/2009.

Set to play his first games in the minors he was recalled and ended up finishing out the calendar with his first 3 and only NHL games, getting an assist.

At 27-years old, he may decide that this is his last skate in North America and head overseas at the conclusion of 2016/2017, especially if he can continue to add to his point totals.

20Jul

Stefan Fournier (26)

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Undrafted 4th year right wing Stefan Fournier has found a nice landing spot with Arizona Coyotes after a trade from Montreal Canadiens, where he was signed to a three-year entry level deal but spent most of his time either on the sidelines or playing few games with affiliates Hamilton Bulldogs or in the ECHL with Wheeling Nailers/Brampton Beast.

The big 6’3″ 223 lbs. forward played 32 AHL games after the transaction brought him on reassignment to a struggling Springfield Falcons, where he would score 2 goals, 2 assists and fit right in.

These would be added to his 5 goals and 2 assists with St. John’s IceCaps earlier in the campaign, bringing his season totals to a career high 7 goals and 4 assists for 11 points, including 13 fighting majors.

The former 2012 QMJHL Champion and eventual Memorial Cup Champ scored a crazy 16 goals and 13 assists in 17 playoff games en route to the first title, as captain of Halifax Mooseheads.

The 24-year old is a player that leaves it all out there every shift and it would surprise us none, now that he’s signed a one-year extension, to see him get his NHL shot this season.

19Jul

Pierre-Cedric Labrie (22)

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Chicago Blackhawks‘ 10th year (that’s amazing) left wing Pierre-Cedric Labrie(22) went from signing a minor league deal to scoring a major one the following season now twice.

It first occurred after he was traded from his initial contract team Vancouver Canucks to St. Louis Blues, sent down and left unqualified.

The big 6’3″ 223 lbs. player signed a 2-year deal with Norfolk Admirals in 2010/2011 and started to click on the score sheet.

Parent club Tampa Bay Lightning noticed but waited for a hot start to begin the next season before inking the burgeoning power forward to a 2-year contract.

He even scored his first NHL appearances, skating 14 games and getting his first two points, assists.

In the 2nd year of his deal he would produce his best numbers for the farm club scoring 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points through 56 AHL games, then tack on another 9 points on the way to winning the 2012 Calder Cup Championship.

He would also appear in a season high 19 games with the parent club scoring his first two goals and an assist.

These efforts would earn him a first one-way contract for 2012/2013, but unfortunately he fizzles and the unrestricted free agent was on the hunt for a new squad.

The Blackhawks were the next suitors agreeing to one year term, but the big, powerful skater continued to sputter offensively.

It would leave him yet again looking to secure a next stop.

He wouldn’t need to go far as affiliate Rockford IceHogs was quick to invite him to return despite limited output.

Working under pressure seems to suit this player well.

He notched a career best 20 goals, dwarfing his previous high from 4 years earlier and got himself another big transaction, re-signing with Chicago.

It’s also been that long since he played a big league game but the 30-year old could get that opportunity in the upcoming campaign.

18Jul

Ryan Carpenter (40)

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San Jose Sharks‘ undrafted 3rd year right wing Ryan Carpenter(40) had a breakout season in 2015/2016.

He exploded for career highs in all scoring categories, pocketing 18 goals, 37 assists and 55 points with a +20 rating in 66 AHL games with affiliate San Jose Barracuda, then got another goal and assist in 4 Calder Cup Playoff contests.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward always plays a tenacious, hard skating style game that keeps opposing players on their toes and opens himself up for scoring chances.

His efforts grabbed him a first NHL recall but unfortunately it only lasted a single outing for 13 shifts and 7:21 total ice with 1 hit in a 2-0 loss before being reassigned back to the farm team.

The Florida-born prospect has always shown the ability to affect the score sheet, initially through two years in the USHL with Sioux City Musketeers before joining Bowling Green University, where he spent three campaigns, serving as team captain as a sophomore and junior.

We expect the 25-year old to compete hard for a spot on the big league club out of the upcoming training camp.

17Jul

Brandon Carlo (73)

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Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2015 draft (#37 overall) big 6’5″ 203 lbs. defenseman Brandon Carlo(73) is set to step into his rookie season after three years with Tri-City Americans, where he scored high totals of 22 assists and 27 points in 52 WHL games through 2015/2016.

He signed his three-year entry level deal at the end of last season but spent one more campaign in juniors, then was reassigned to start his pro career with affiliate Providence Bruins upon completion of his junior schedule.

He would net his first point, an assist in 7 AHL games with a +3 and also appeared in one postseason contest.

Not really considered for point production, it’s still thought he can be an asset in zone breakouts, head manning the puck for scoring chances as he sees the ice very well.

This was recently on display in his second Development Camp, where he was easily one of the most regular training camp ready of the bunch.

At 19-years old, he’ll turn 20 as the new session gets started and no doubt he’s playing to fill a role on the parent club’s opening night roster.

16Jul

Sean Kuraly (65)

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Boston Bruins‘ center Sean Kuraly(65) will be a rookie heading into the 2016/2017 season.

Traded from draft team San Jose Sharks (2011 5th round, #133 overall) last year, he signed a entry level deal through 2018 after his fourth campaign at Miami University (Ohio), where he was captain as a senior and won the 2015 NCAA/NCHC Championship as a junior, assistant captain.

His pair of years in the USHL with Indiana Ice definitely gets the nod for this player’s early development.

In his 2nd season he scored 32 goals in 38 assists in 54 games putting him at 5th overall league scoring and fourth in goals and assists, which definitely had an affect heading into the next step, college hockey.

At the recently concluded 2016 Development Camp, on the Friday he was maybe the best, most well-rounded player out there that definitely looked like he fit right in.

It was his 2nd visit to this camp and first before turning pro.

The 23-year already looks to be set for the start of the official training camp and you can see it in his play that he’s set to earn a spot on the big league roster right out of the gate.

15Jul

Cory Conacher (71)

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Last year left wing Cory Conacher(71) made the tough decision to abandon the NHL dream for 2015/2016 signing with Bern of Switzerland.

He basically went over and became the team’s leading scorer with 52 points in 48 games, then added another 9 points in 14 playoff games en route to the 2016 NLA Championship.

The speedy, small, crafty forward also helped Team Canada take the annual Spengler Cup tournament hosted in the country.

Almost ironically his last hockey in North America before splitting for a season was under countract with Vancouver Canucks but reassigned to affiliate Utica Comets, who would head all the way to the 2015 Calder Cup Finals before bowing out.

The 26-year returns for his 6th pro season on a one-year one-way contract with his original squad Tampa Bay Lightning for 2016/2017 and he’ll most definitely be putting up a fight in camp for a spot on that opening night roster.

14Jul

Shane Berschbach (10)

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Undrafted right wing Shane Berschbach(10) returns for a third season with Toledo Walleye.

Last year he posted an ECHL career high 24 goals and 67 points with 142 shots on net, while also helping with a team leading 43 assists. He had a career high 48 helpers in his first year for the squad.

In the almost weirdo stats category, he served a crazy little 6 penalty minutes through 61 games.

He was accessed only 10 minutes in the box as a rookie with a two-year +27 rating total, so he’s very accountable with his ice time.

After four years at Western Michigan University, where he helped them win the 2012 NCAA/CCHA Championship, he skated 3 games with Kalamazoo Wings (1 goal, 1 assist) then signed an AHL contract with Grand Rapid Griffins but only skated 5 games (0 points) before being reassigned.

He definitely excels in the lower league and even put together one heck of a Kelly Cup Playoff run in 2014/2015 with 8 goals and 17 assists in 21 games heading all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals before bowing out.

As a juniors player, he played two seasons for Indiana Ice winning the 2009 USHL Clark Cup Championship with his first great postseason performance.

It will be interesting to see how much longer the 25-year old will continue in North America pro hockey before taking his game overseas for better opportunities.

For now, he seems to be content playing close to his Clawson, Michigan hometown.

13Jul

Thomas Larkin (9)

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Medvescak Zagreb‘s 4th year extra large 6’5″ 230 lbs. defenseman Thomas Larkin(9) signs on for a 2nd KHL season.

Known more for his shut down style of play, he scored a pair of goals and 3 assists in 35 games in his first year in the league.

Previously, the Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#137 overall) played with affiliate Springfield Falcons, where he posted a career high 5 goals, 12 assists and 17 points with a +5 rating in 62 AHL games with a +5 rating.

In his rookie campaign he would split time reassigned to Evansville Icemen scoring 3 goals and 17 assists in 33 ECHL games.

Born in the United Kingdom, he moved to Italy at a young age and played some of his earliest juniors hockey there while also attending school in the US before heading off to Colgate University.

He was named team captain as a junior and senior.

At only 25-years old, he seems to be still growing his game and with another successful season or two in Russia could find himself back under contract with an NHL team or stay and enjoy his time overseas.

12Jul

Tye McGinn (16)

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Tampa Bay Lightning 6th year left wing Tye McGinn(16) had his best season in the minors with affiliate Syracuse Crunch in 2015/2016 and was rewarded with a 1-year extension.

In a career high 72 AHL games the sizable 6’3″ 205 lbs. tied the 20 goals he’d put up a year earlier, then tacked on a new best 24 assists, 44 points and 129 shots on net.

He only played two games with the parent club but didn’t seem to be for anything more than lack of room on the lineup.

This may have come as a bit of a surprise to a player that saw his first full NHL season after being traded to San Jose Sharks as a restricted free agent.

He would make their opening night roster and stick with the team through 33 games getting a goal and 4 assists before being put on waivers only to be claimed by Arizona Coyotes spending the remainder of the calendar with them.

Through 18 games he only had a goal and an assist before he was left unqualified heading into last season.

It’s a bit of a wonder why the former Philadelphia Flyers‘ 4rd round pick in the 2010 draft (#139 overall) has yet been able to cut a permanent path for himself in the big league but with the free agent movement this summer and him getting a new deal to stay the 25-year old may just be back up on a more permanent basis for 2016/2017.