New Jersey Devils‘ 4th year goalie Scott Wedgewood(31) has been mostly playing second string to a veteran net minder the team has ridden with great success this season, but the 16 AHL games with affiliate Albany Devils he’s been in net for he’s posted a 9-2-3 record with a 1.69 GAA and .928 SV%, which would lead the league if he’d played enough games.
Still, it was good enough for the parent club to have a look for his debut start in the big league.
Stopping 27 out of 28 shots for his first NHL win, a 3-1 score, he has a 1.00 GAA and .964 SV% as a virgin in the highest level of the game.
At 23-years old with a year still left on his extension there’s no doubt he’s going to get a continued look and the former 3rd round selection might be a nice pick up.
Winnipeg Jets‘ 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft (#70 overall) 2nd year right wing Scott Kosmachuk(72) is getting the shot to prove his game at the highest level of hockey and he’s pretty much answering the bell.
In 7 games he has three assists with fairly limited ice time in the 12/13 minute range per night, but an interesting side note is the amount of shifts he skates, which is in the 19 or 20 range at times.
He also has a +1 rating.
His first NHL recall makes sense for the slumping parent club as he’s posting similar numbers as he did in his rookie campaign in less games with AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose and looks to have taken his game to the next level.
At 5’11” 185 lbs. he isn’t exactly the biggest power forward out there but he plays a bang ’em, shoot on the net style, which is obviously leading to scoring opportunities.
He was able to score big through 4 years of juniors with Guelph Storm and even won the 2014 OHL Championship before he left to turn pro.
The 24 year old still has one more season left to his 3-year entry level contract, so there’s no time like the present to step up your game.
Wheeling Nailers‘ 2nd year center Derek Army(39) isn’t spending a lot of time in the ECHL this season, having only skated 29 games.
He’s been AHL recalled on multiple occasions: first for four games with Portland Pirates, then a month later suiting up for 12 contests with Ontario Reign getting his first goal in the league and a nifty 4 assists.
Only one week later, he once again found himself traveling to another probably completely strange minor league city and was in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins-land for a bit over a month and notched goals two and three with another 2 helpers in 13 games.
And the call-ups are coming more quickly as it took only four days before Texas Stars was in need and gave him a ring.
The 5’11” 185 lbs. forward that plays with enough gusto out already has another three games under his belt and who knows how long this will last for the former 2o-point per season Providence Friars‘ scorer.
The soon-to-be 25-year old had a team high 29 goals in his rookie campaign to go along with 33 assists for 66 points and a +9 rating.
He’d definitely be welcome back if Wheeling can position themselves for a Kelly Cup Playoff spot.
The starters for Hartford Wolf Pack on a recent Friday night: Daniel Paille(20), Nicklas Jensen(13), Marek Hrivik(15), Mat Bodie(22) and Brady Skjei(6).
This would be a formidable lineup even in the higher league.
The Pack would win 4-3 in overtime on Jensen‘s third goal of the evening.
New Jersey Devils‘ 5th year right wing Mike Sislo(46) has been recalled twice in the current season and not only did he get an assist in his first game back up, but notched his first NHL goal in his 4th game on the most recent visit to the big league and then he got a second one in a decisive 7-4 win.
He had previously only recorded one assist in 10 contests while up in 2014/2015 and no points in his 14 appearances a year earlier but has been an effective energy line player.
In the AHL this season with affiliate Albany Devils he’s blowing the roof off his previous scoring totals.
His 27 goals leads the league with 25 assists and 52 points shattering what he was able to put up through his first four campaigns in the prospect system.
The 28-year old is set to become an unrestricted free agent and will likely be looking for his first one-way contract and can maybe expect that from the only team he’s ever suited up for.
6th year defenseman Joel Chouinard(49) re-signed at the beginning of 2015/2016 to continue with Toledo Walleye.
Loaned late to Iowa Wild, he finished out last year on the bottom dwelling squad before being returned to participate in the postseason , where he notched 8 assists in 19 Kelly Cup Playoffs match ups.
He’s notching career high marks in the current campaign scoring 6 goals and 19 assists for 25 points as he seems to be settling into a leadership role before once again being called up to the higher league.
He first played just one contest with Chicago Wolves, then returned to Grand Rapid Griffins, who he skated two games for in 2014/2015.
Getting off to a good start, he blended into their system nicely as he recorded a goal and two assists in 7 games before being signed to a two-way deal for the rest of the season.
The soon-to-be 26-year old could be looking to split playoff hockey time between the two squads but there’s still a little time to see if that occurs.
Regardless, this is a player that seems to be getting better as a veteran skater and deserves to be playing at the higher level, but could also be looking overseas to continue.
Washington Capitals signed 8th year versatile defenseman Taylor Chorney(4) to a one-year one-way deal after he was inked to a contract with Pittsburgh Penguins but played all but 7 games with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins through 2014/2015.
This season he’s played a career high 51 games with the big club scoring his 2nd NHL goal and 5 assists with a +9 rating on the league’s top team.
His play has been deemed so consistent that he was recently given a tw0-year extension through 2018, keeping him with the team through his 31st birthday.
Not bad for the former University Of North Dakota standout that won the 2006 NCAA/WCHA Championship.
Boston Bruins‘ undrafted rookie center Noel Acciari(55) has been just the kind of spark plug the team was looking for to complete their roster.
Playing mostly limited minutes on an average of 15 shifts per contest, he’s effectively making his presence felt using his small-ish 5’10” but wide 208 lbs. frame to break up plays and agitate the opposing offense despite only notching an assist in 7 NHL games.
He has 6 penalty minutes and a +1 rating.
The team has also magically posted a 5-0-2 record in his time up with the big club.
He has proven he knows how to win as the Providence College squad he skated with for four years won the 2014 NCAA Championship and he was regionally voted as the best defensive forward.
The 24-year old has seemingly played a similar role on reassignment to affiliate Providence Bruins but has also decently affected the score sheet in his first season with 7 goals, 12 assists and a +8 rating in 42 AHL games.
Signed to a 2-year entry level deal he likely just looking forward to become a fixture on the roster.
Calgary Flames‘ 2nd year left wing Kenny Agostino(51) was a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ deep 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#140 overall) but was traded, then finished up the fourth-year of his college career at Yale University.
He won the 2013 NCAA Championship and before he knew it upon graduation was playing in his first games at the highest level of hockey.
The 6′ 200 lbs. forward scored his first NHL goal and added an assist in 8 games at the end of the 2013/2014 session.
Signed to a 2-year entry level contract he was reassigned to affiliate Adirondack Flames to start his official rookie campaign.
He would prove himself as an effective scorer much like he did at school, leading the team in points with 43 (15 goals and a best 28 assists) in 67 AHL games.
Heading into his sophomore season, he would continue effectively marking up the score sheet with new farm squad Stockton Heat.
He was tied for second in goals at his new high 17 and sits one away from tying his earlier assists and point totals in significantly less contests.
In his so far single appearance with the parent club in 2015/2016 he had no points but contributed with 1 shot, 3 hits, 2 takeaways, 1 giveaway and even 1:55 of power play time over 19 shifts for 14:20 total ice in a 4-1 loss.
The soon to be 24-year old is set to become a restricted free agent for the 2nd time and looks likely to stay in the system with another qualifying offer.
