Montreal Canadiens‘ rookie defenseman Ryan Johnston(89) gets the opportunity to show his game in the show as the regular season winds down and the parent club is out of the playoff picture.
In 2 NHL games the not exactly huge 5’10” 180 lbs. blue liner received increased ice time in a second appearance despite playing a fairly reserved role in his debut.
He’s not exactly mixing it up big in with minor league affiliate St. John’s IceCaps with no goals, 9 assists in 34 AHL games and a -18 rating on a struggling club, but he has been recovering from an early injury.
Missing almost half of his first year, through three years at Colgate University he showed he can affect the score sheet on a decent basis putting up 29 assists in his last pair of campaigns before turning pro.
The already 24-year old is considered a versatile, great skating d-man that can play in all zones and contribute to the offense.
He’s getting his chance early to put it on display.
New York Rangers‘ former 1st round pick, 12th year left wing Daniel Paille(20) started the season on a minor league tryout before getting an outright deal almost a couple months into 2015/2016.
He was there simply doing his part as an effective role player with Rockford IceHogs, not really putting up big points with a goal and 3 assist in 31 AHL games but keeping them on pace to be a top tier team.
Almost immediately at the turn of the new year, the Blueshirts came sniffing and signed him for the rest of the season.
The decently-sized 6’1 200 lbs. skated 12 games right away after getting his contract but in a limited role failed to put up any points and was reassigned to Hartford Wolf Pack.
He’s putting up points at a better clip than earlier in the season with two goals and 4 assists in 17 games, while always competing hard to help his squad in their Calder Cup Playoff push.
It would be his first time in the postseason, while on a farm team.
He hasn’t played on an NHL affiliate since 2006-2007, his third year with Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans.
The 32-year old had 6 huge years with Boston Bruins as one of the best 4th lines ever assembled and won the 2011 Stanley Cup.
Next?
We could see him returning to Finland, hooking up with a team like Ilves, which he did during the last lockout.
Veteran right wing Ashton Rome(44) lasted just five ECHL games with Greenville in 2012/2013 before jumping ship for Dusseldorfer EG of DEL.
He would spend two seasons with the team, then jump allegiances to Schwenninger Wild Wings for his next two campaigns, reaching almost point-per-game totals in 2015/2016 scoring 17 goals and 15 assists in 39 contests.
The 11th year pro switches it up once again but stays for a 5th run in the German league joining Iserlohn Roosters.
He did briefly return on a pto with Norfolk Admirals but was released after only a couple of AHL appearances and returned overseas to resume his career.
The 30-year old he still seems to have plenty left in the tank and seems to be simply enjoying the ride.
New York Islanders‘ 2nd year defenseman Ryan Pulock(6) is earning his time up with the big club and up to 12 games played with his first 2 NHL goals on the score sheet and a nice +2 rating.
He looks to remain in the lineup as the team heads into the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the team continues to lose manpower to injuries on the blue line.
If starters get closer to returning and he’s sent back to affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he has a career high 17 assists in 51 AHL games and is a responsible +6 plus/minus, it wouldn’t be the worst news ever as they are entering the Calder Cup postseason for the first time in a few years.
Regardless, the now still only 21-year old looks to be ready for a full-time spot in the show.
Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 1st round pick in the 2014 draft (#26 overall) rookie left wing Sonny Milano(22) is having a pretty decent first year with affiliate Lake Erie Monsters.
The only 19-year old forward has 12 goals and 15 assists in 48 AHL games with a +10 rating on a league leading squad.
Taking a bit of a unique path before turning pro at such a young age, he played two seasons with the United States National Team Development Program in the USHL as a point-per-game performer, while also playing for the under 17 and 18 of the USDP recording even better numbers.
As a highly touted player, he would leave to skate the next season with Plymouth Whalers, once again exploding on the score sheet with 22 goals and 46 assists for 68 points in 50 OHL games.
He would sign his three-year entry level deal at the conclusion of that campaign and be reassigned to join then minor league team Springfield Falcons for the remainder of the calendar getting five assists in 10 games.
His impressive play and possibly that the parent club is out of the postseason picture, earns him a first recall.
In two games, utilized for an average 12 minutes of ice time, he recorded his first NHL point, an assist with 1 shot, 3 hits, 2 breakups and 1 giveaway with a +1 rating.
He’s easily impressed and if he comes into 2016 training camp in good shape, should get a serious look to start the season in the show.
Calgary Flames‘ 4th round pick in the 2012 (#105 overall), 2nd year defenseman Brett Kulak(2) was one of the few players each season that appears in games with three different leagues over the course of one season.
Although he was a late cut from the parent club’s training camp to be reassigned to then affiliate Adirondack Flames, a month into his rookie campaign he was sent further down to Colorado Eagles.
The 6’2″ 190 lbs. blue liner stayed with the team for 39 ECHL games scoring 9 goals and 21 assists with a +9 rating before being recalled to resume his play at the higher level.
He was able to put up decent marks with 4 goals and 9 assists in 26 AHL appearances and then summoned to NHL for a game at the end of the regular calendar.
Starting 2015/2016 in the big league he would skate 6 games playing limited minutes before being sent to new minor league club Stockton Heat, where he would eventually match his point totals in twice the amount of games but more than double his shots on net before heading back up for a pair of contests.
The 22-year old is signed for another year on his entry level deal and may still be looking for his first points but that should come as it did in juniors with Vancouver Giants of the WHL, when he had 46 assists in his final campaign.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 8th year defenseman Andrew Campbell(48) had only a minor league contract, signed a couple of days after free agency, as he headed into 2015/2016 after playing 33 NHL games with Arizona Coyotes in the previous campaign.
Sure, he only had one assist to his credit with a -13 rating on a super young under-performing but he’s mostly a big 6’4″ 206 lbs. punishing blue liner to play against so getting points isn’t exactly his forte.
Invited to the Leafs‘ camp he had a stellar showing earning himself a two-year two-way deal and he was only reassigned right before the start of the new season.
He took over captain’s duties for Toronto Marlies and has been guiding this team from the get-go to a league best record and his +39 plus/minus is tops.
The large d-man is also affecting the score sheet nicely with a career best 9 goals and 23 points in 65 AHL games.
Not having to worry about free agency again heading into 2016/2017 it will be interesting to see if the 28-year old will finally be able to establish himself in the big league.
Arizona Coyotes‘ 7th year defenseman Alex Grant(47) is having a career year with affiliate Springfield Falcons scoring a career high 11 goals, 29 assists for 40 points in 66 AHL games and an eye-popping 171 shots on net.
He gets rewarded with his first big league game in a couple seasons skating 22 shifts for 14:08 of total ice including :35 on the penalty kill and power play.
The big d-man was also accessed a five minute fighting major, had 2 shots and 1 hit.
He’s only appeared in three total games. His debut coming late in 2013 with Anaheim Ducks and he scored his first NHL goal. Then on the next night he would tally his second.
Almost oddly enough though, that was his only taste of the show as he would get traded to Ottawa Senators at the deadline, dispatched to the minors and even signed to a one-year extension but no given another chance to prove his game.
Maybe it’s all just starting to pull together for the 27-year old but we’re perplexed as to why no one has taken a chance on this very sizable 6’4″ blue liner with an absolute bomb of a shot from the point.
Signed only through the end of the season, it’ tough to predict whether he stays or he heads to like an SHL for his next step.
Chicago Blackhawks‘ 16th year veteran goaltender Michael Leighton(49) set the AHL career record for shutouts recently this season with his 46th through 406 games.
He signed a 1-year 2-way deal with his 1999 draft team (round 6 #165 overall) after his only season away from North America tending the cage for Donbass Donetsk of the KHL putting up outstanding numbers with a 1.74 GAA and .933 SV% in 42 contests.
Reassigned to be the #1 goalie for affiliate Rockford IceHogs he backstopped a good team into the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The 6’3″ 200 lbs. net minder was re-signed to a one-year extension by the parent club and has been doing it again with the farm club. He gets rewarded with his first NHL time since 2012/2013 for Philadelphia Flyers.
Through 2 periods of relief he would back stop 16 of 17 shots putting up phenomenal 1.54 GAA and .941 SV%, which in our minds should give him some more time, especially now with a playoff berth already in hand.
He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent for like the billionth time and will turn 35-years old soon, so it remains to be seen if he gets retained for a third straight year but we’re betting his chances are good.
Montreal Canadiens‘ 5th round pick in the 2011 draft (#138 overall) 2nd year defenseman Darren Dietz(44) is filling in one of the holes at the blue line due to a string of injuries to the parent club regulars.
In 8 games he has his first pair of NHL assists and 6 penalty minutes, while usually skating fairly limited minutes.
The 6’1″ 201 lbs. d-man also looks to insert himself right into the action and effect plays, much like he did through 3 seasons of juniors with the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL.
He averaged over 30 assists in his final two campaigns and over 40 points from all three years.
He’s putting up ok numbers in the minors and has virtually matching goals and assists in the AHL (4-12-16) in the last two seasons, currently for St. John’s IceCaps, but if he ever goes back down should edge that total up slightly for career bests in all categories.
The 22-year old is on a three-year entry level deal and set to become a restricted free agent at the end of 2015/2016. It would be easy to think he’ll be given a qualifying offer to continue.
