Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2013 draft (#26 overall) defenseman Shea Theodore(53) received his first NHL game after a few recalls with no appearance and tearing it up with new affiliate San Diego Gulls.
In 27 AHL games, he’s already tied his career high 4 goals and added new bests 12 assists and 16 points.
The rookie blue liner has already appeared in 4 different stints in the minors; first on an ato with former farm club Norfolk Admirals, then was reassigned for conditioning after a 2014 training camp elbow injury but sent back for his final year with Seattle Thunderbirds, where he was named team captain before being signed to another ato to finish out the season in the minors.
To conclude 2014/2015, he would put together more than point-per-game production with 4 tallies and 7 helpers in 9 games.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. d-man has always been a prolific on the score sheet through juniors and won his share of WJC gold medals and top player, scorer nods.
In his big league debut, he skated 21 shifts for 15:45 total ice with 1 shot on net, 1 break up and 1:24 on the power play in a 1-0 win.
The 20-year looks to stay put for the moment and could play his way to a more permanent role.
Tampa Bay Lightning‘s right wing Mike Blunden(46) is making the most of every recall and there’s been a couple already.
He has equal to his career highs of 2 goals and 2 assists, but this year has the mark having skated just 9 games.
It took him 39 contests with Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009/2010 and 40 while playing for Montreal Canadiens a couple years later.
The just turned 29-year old is set to hit new bests, which could just keep him around for another season right where he is.
Florida Panthers‘ 6th year defenseman Dylan Olsen(4) was a former Chicago Blackhawks‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#28 overall).
The fairly sizable 6’2″ 223 lbs. blue liner played for three full seasons in their ‘Hawks‘ system before being a component part of a trade early in 2013/2014.
He played mostly with affiliate Rockford IceHogs, and even left college after competing in the World Juniors with Canada, then signing his three year entry level deal to join the team for the second half of 2011.
A late cut from the following training camp he was reassigned but recalled a couple of months befoe the conclusion of 2011/2012 and skated his first 28 NHL games and one in the playoffs recording only an assist with a -5 rating but also seemed to fall of the depth chart.
He was never one to put up a lot of points, being mostly a punishing stay at home d-man.
Upon being acquired by the Cats, he was sent to farm club San Antonio Rampage but summoned quickly, skating 44 games with his new squad scoring a career best 3 goals and 9 assists for 12 points.
He would be quickly extended for two more year on a one-way contract but did continue to spend some time on a short leash in the minors.
The 24-year old has split time evenly between the big league and AHL so far in 2015/2016 and will enjoy one more season as a restricted free agent at the end of the current campaign.
It would appear that he’s fitting in nicely where he’s at and will be full-time in the show soon.
Winnipeg Jets‘ third year Finnish-born right wing Joel Armia(40) is likely very much enjoying his new found time in the NHL in what is a contract year for the future restricted free agent.
At 6’3″ 205 lbs. he’s got good size and can play an intimidating power forward style but still needs to prove he’ll be able to play an effective two-way game in the big league.
In 3 games he’s skated an average of 14 shifts for roughly 10 minutes per contest, had 2 shots on net, 4 hits, 2 breakups, 1 giveaway and 2 takeaways with a 0 rating in 2 losses on 1 win.
Originally a Buffalo Sabres‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#16 overall), he played for a year and a half in their system (including one game with the parent club) before being part of a big trade.
He spent a successful rookie season with Rochester Americans scoring 7 goals and 20 assists and would add to those totals in his sophomore campaign with 12 tallies and 21 helpers, splitting time with new AHL squad, St. John’s IceCaps after the transaction.
The 22-year old started his pro career playing three seasons in his home country’s top league with Assat and even won the 2013 SM-liiga Championship.
It will definitely be interesting to watch if he can catch on.
New York Rangers‘ 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#28 overall) defenseman Brady Skjei(6) received his first recall from minor league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack just over a couple months into his rookie season.
The fairly large 6’3″ 207 lbs. blue liner decided to turn pro after three years at University Of Minnesota and previously two campaigns of juniors in the USHL with the US National Development Team Program.
He joined the farm team on an ato late last season and skated in all 15 Calder Cup Playoff games scoring his first AHL goal and adding 2 assists.
Upon being reassigned, he’s appeared in 28 contests, affecting the score sheet unlike he’s ever done with 2 goals and 11 assists.
In his 2 NHL games he skated an average of 22 shifts for roughly 15 minutes of ice time with 2 shots on net, 2 hits, 4 break ups, 1 giveaway, 3 takeaways, 2 penalty minutes and 4:21 in short-handed situations.
The team went 1-1 while he was up.
The 21-year old is signed to a three year entry level contract and could spend the remainder 2015/2016 in Connecticut to continue his progress but he’s definitely being given a good look to see how he reacts, when given the opportunity with the big club.
Happy Hockey Christmas to all our skating family and friends!
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 5th year defenseman David Warsofsky(5) was picked up on the first day of free agency in his first run at the open market after 4 solid years developing in Boston Bruins‘ organization.
In his time in Beantown he played 10 NHL games scoring his 1st goal in the big league and added a pair of assists with a +2 rating.
Unfortunately as one report had it, there was little room in the system for another solid puck-moving, small blue liner, and having two is just crazy talk.
Where he is, the 25-year old fits in nicely on what is a bit of a young, shaky d-corps to begin with but has a lot of power up front.
A super-late cut from training camp he started the season with affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins but was called up a month and a half in and has stayed.
One more game played and he will have more games with the Pens than he did in two years with Boston, and has himself his 2nd goal but is a bit of a woeful -7 plus/minus.
He’s definitely starting to look the part out there and it would be no surprise to see him stay.
Arizona Coyotes‘ 4th year net minder Louis Domingue(35) was recently recalled under somewhat emergency conditions as due to injury the team was minus a starting goalie.
In his first game of the 2015/2016 season, he was called in from the bench to put out a fire that erupted into a 7-5 defeat and unfortunately was saddled with the loss.
The big goaltender’s efforts earned him a start in the next contest.
Facing 25 shots he brick walled them all for his first shutout win.
A few nights later he would return in between the pipes to stop 37 of 39 attempts for a 2nd victory heading into the Christmas break.
His early record of 2-1 with a 1.62 GAA and .946 SV% could be a sign that he’ll stick around for a little longer than may have been initially thought.
Not bad for the now 23-year old deep draft selection that is set to become a restricted free agent for a second time at the end of the current season.
Chicago Blackhawks‘ 7th year left wing Brandon Mashinter(53) was named captain of affiliate club Rockford IceHogs at the beginning of the season.
In 12 AHL games he already struck for a nice three goals and 4 assists before getting his first recall in a year and a half with the parent club.
He was initially acquired in a minor deal from former team New York Rangers and spent the remainder of 2013/2014 and all of last season on the farm putting up decent numbers but really seemed to get it going in eight 2015 Calder Cup Playoff games scoring 3 goals and 3 assists.
The big 6’4″ 212 lbs. power forward is known more for mixing it up with opponents than affecting the score sheet but finally got on the board in his 12 appearance, connecting for his 1st NHL goal.
With extended time in the big league, he looks like he could stay put and has already reached a new season high games played.
The 27-year old is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the current calendar is done but will in all likelihood be retained to continue in a system he looks very comfortable with.
Pittsburgh Penguins made sure they locked up undrafted free agent left wing Conor Sheary(43) for at least a couple seasons signing through 2017 on an entry level deal.
Already under the watchful eye, he has put up impressive numbers ever since he landed on an ato for the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs with farm team, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
He would end that short first run with 6 goals and 5 assists in 15 AHL games with a +4 rating through 3 postseason rounds.
For 2014/2015 he would return with a minor league contract in hand and a dream to be had.
In 58 games his 20 goals and 25 assists for 45 points were good enough to lead the Baby Pens in scoring as a first year guy.
Once again playing the extended part of the regular season, he lead the team with 5 goals and 7 assists but they were eliminated in the second round.
A late cut from the parent club’s 2015 training camp, he reported and started to rock and roll right away getting 6 goals, a league 2nd best 19 assists with a +8.
The second year pro gets his first recall a couple of months into 2015/2016 and makes his debut.
In his 2nd appearance he nets his first NHL goal to start the game and adds an assist in what turned out to be a 6-2 drubbing at the hands of Boston Bruins.
He’s gone on to skate roughly 16 minutes with lots of power play time in 4 games but is a suspicious -4 rating.
It will be interesting to see if the 23-year old sticks. Regardless, good story right here.
