Ontario Reign 2nd year left wing Jordan Samuels-Thomas(18) was signed just before 2015 training camp opened and sent down to ECHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs to start his sophomore campaign.
The sizable 6’4″ 210 lbs. forward played one game in the lower league before he was quickly summoned back up.
Since his return he’s played 16 AHL games with a career high 5 goals and 2 assists for 7 points with a +6 rating.
He was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 7th round pick in the 2009 draft (#203 overall) but traded to Buffalo Sabres as he was set to turn pro before the 2014/2015 season.
Signed to a 1-year entry level contract following 2 years at Bowling Green University, then 2 at Quinnipiac, where he put up some decent numbers, he was reassigned to farm club Rochester Americans.
He spent his entire rookie season in the minors, skating 63 games with 3 goals and 5 assists with a woeful -18 plus/minus and 8 fighting majors.
The 25-year old restricted free agent wasn’t retained by the parent club and left to find a new deal for 2015/2016
He’s on pace to put up bests in all scoring categories and play himself into another big league contract.
After playing a league leading 58 AHL games in his rookie campaign for then affiliate St. John’s IceCaps, Winnipeg Jets‘ 2nd year goaltender Connor Hellebuyck(30) was a bit of a later cut from training camp as the parent club gave him an extended look.
In 2014/2015 he posted a 28-22-5 mark on a team that had just below a .500 record and played a mammoth best 3331:41 minutes making 1666 saves and managed to keep his GAA decently low at 2.58 with a .921 SV%.
Off to a bit of an uneven start for new farm team, the bottom dwelling Manitoba Moose, he’s 2-7-1 in 10 appearances but has at least kept his club in every contest with a 2.41 GAA and .927 SV%.
It was good enough for the Jets as they needed a backup when one of their starting goalies was struck down with an injury.
He’s proving the brighter lights of the NHL doesn’t phase him, as the 22-year old has won his first three outings letting in only a goal a game for a .097 GAA and brick wall .965 SV%.
With continued great play, he may give them something to think about, but considering they are fairly sound between the pipes and he’s still has one-year left on his entry level deal, is able to go up and down without clearing waivers.
Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd year left wing Daniel Carr(43) has been lighting it up early in his sophomore season with new affiliate St. John’s IceCaps to earn his first recall (8-9-17 in 21 with a +7 rating).
He wasted no time getting acquainted. On his first shift and first shot he scored his first NHL goal in what ended up being a bit of a jaw-dropping 3-2 loss.
Credited with 12 shifts for 8:21 of ice time, 3 shots, 1 breakup, 1 takeaway and even skated :13 on the power play. He, of course, also left the game with 1 point and was a +1 rating.
Depending upon how they need him, he could be making them think about a roster spot.
The 24-year old is set to become a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the current calendar.
Ottawa Senators‘ 6th year left wing Dave Dziurzynski(59) was passed over for NHL recalls the past couple of seasons, yet in the meantime he was re-upped, first for one more look, then for two, which will make him an unrestricted free agent next July for the first time in his pro career.
After a hot start with farm club, Binghamton Senators with 5 goals, 6 assists in 20 games, it was time for another try.
He skated 16 shifts for 9:42 ice time with 2 shots, 4 hits, 1 breakup and left the 3-2 overtime win with a -1 rating.
The fairly huge 6’3″ 218 lbs. power forward spent 12 games with the parent club in his third seasons scoring his first 2 goals in the big league.
The 26-year old could stay up for a bit but this probably isn’t the last time up he’ll be under contract with the parent club.
In the final season of his three-year entry level deal, Andrey Pedan(37) was traded in a prospects’ transaction to Vancouver Canucks.
He was reassigned to their affiliate Utica Comets, where he finished out his sophomore campaign with a career high 48 AHL games, 14 assists and 17 points.
The giant-sized blue liner was somewhat under-utilized in New York Islanders‘ system, even sent double down to the ECHL Stockton Thunder on a couple of occasions during his pair of years.
The now 22-year old wasn’t necessarily a late cut from his first Canucks‘ training camp but played pretty great out of the gate with the farm club scoring a goal and 6 assists in 15 games with a +3 rating and received his first recall.
In his NHL debut, he was inserted as a seventh d-man playing a sparing 6 shifts for 3:54 of ice time with 2 hits, 1 breakup in a 2-1 overtime loss.
He stayed with the parent team for a week before being sent back but if he can keep up the pace in the minors and stay healthy should get another crack at the show.
Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2008 draft (#170 overall) sixth year defenseman Matt Bartkowski(44) had pretty much done all he could under the current system with the club.
Heading into 2015/2016 he was left without a contract coming off a one-year extension for a continued look, but after a disappointing season getting only 4 assists in 47 games with a -6 rating on a non-playoff team it was time to look elsewhere.
The 6’1″ 196 d-man had his most productive year 2013/2014 wearing a spoked B, as he dished the puck for 18 assists and was a +22 plus/minus and was looked at as a blue liner strong in his own zone with the ability to move the puck.
It was his first full year up in the big league.
In his first three campaigns he split time between the parent team and minor league affiliate Providence Bruins, where he was able to connect for almost 20 assists each season and always counted on to punish players in the attacking zone.
It didn’t take long for Vancouver Canucks to step in, signing him to a nice pay increase on a one-way contract as unrestricted free agency opened.
The 27-year old has new life, striking for his first two NHL goals and 5 assists in the first 25 games with the new club and also looks to show a healthy increase in penalty minutes.
Time and change of scenery may be just want the doctor ordered for this deep draft selection to realize his potential.
Boston Bruins‘ 7th round pick in the 2008 draft (#170 overall) sixth year defenseman Matt Bartkowski(44) had pretty much done all he could under the current system with the club.
Heading into 2015/2016 he was left without a contract coming off a one-year extension for a continued look, but after a disappointing season getting only 4 assists in 47 games with a -6 rating on a non-playoff team it was time to look elsewhere.
The 6’1″ 196 d-man had his most productive year 2013/2014 wearing a spoked B, as he dished the puck for 18 assists and was a +22 plus/minus and was looked at as a blue liner strong in his own zone with the ability to move the puck.
It was his first full year up in the big league.
In his first three campaigns he split time between the parent team and minor league affiliate Providence Bruins, where he was able to connect for almost 20 assists each season and always counted on to punish players in the attacking zone.
It didn’t take long for Vancouver Canucks to step in, signing him to a nice pay increase on a one-way contract as unrestricted free agency opened.
The 27-year old has new life, striking for his first two NHL goals and 5 assists in the first 25 games with the new club and also looks to show a healthy increase in penalty minutes.
Time and change of scenery may be just want the doctor ordered for this deep draft selection to realize his potential.
For his 5th year pro goaltender Tyler Beskorowany(30) did decide to head overseas joining Dusseldorfer EG of DEL and wound up being the leagues 2014/2015 Goalie Of The Year with 42 starts and a 2.53 GAA and .920 SV%.
He also appeared in 12 playoff games posting a 2.88 GAA and .910 SV%.
For 2015/2016 the still young 25-year old net minder barely wasted any time during the summer before deciding to return to North America after a single season abroad signing an AHL contract with Springfield Falcons.
Unfortunately they had a bit of a logjam with players vying for time between the pipes and he found himself reassigned down to affiliate Norfolk Admirals after a couple rough outings.
He would fare no better through 4 games on a team that has struggled to win early in the campaign.
Recalled to be the backup as Arizona Coyotes‘ prospect parts were moving around he stayed only a short time before being returned to the ECHL.
The back and forth a few times must have been plenty enough as he inked for the remainder of this year’s hockey calendar to return to Germany and suit up with Nurnberg Ice Tigers.
Los Angeles Kings‘ 14th year veteran goaltender, Slovakian-born Peter Budaj(31) is having one of his best season starts with new affiliate Ontario Reign.
In 14 AHL games he’s posted a 10-3 record with a stingy 1.64 GAA, .934 SV% and 4 shutouts.
This comes after an horrendous outing with Winnipeg Jets‘ minor league club St. John’s IceCaps, where he went 0-9-6 in 19 contests.
His pro playing career started as a Colorado Avalanche 2nd round pick in the 2001 draft (#63 overall).
He spent the first three years with former farm club Hershey Bears, making his early mark.
The 6’1″ 192 lbs. net minder would spend his next 6 seasons either in the starter role or splitting playing time with the parent club before signing a two-year deal in 2011 with Montreal Canadiens as an unrestricted free agent.
He would ink a 2-year extension as the earlier deal was expiring and played more games for Le Bleu Blanc Rouge 2013/2014 than previous seasons but found himself thrown into the mix on a trade for a prospect to Winnipeg in the final year of his contract.
The 33-year old was in some unfamiliar territory, without a deal but ready to guard the cage somewhere.
Given a training camp tryout with the Kings he was impressive enough to score himself a more time and may even get another shot for the big club before it’s all done in 2015/2016.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 7th round pick in the 2011 draft (#170 overall) 3rd year goaltender Garret Sparks(31) spent most of his time in net last season on reassignment to Orlando Solar Bears, where he put up some decent numbers.
He had a 21-7-2-1 record with a 2.34 GAA, .936 SV% and 5 shutouts in 36 ECHL games.
The 6’2″ 200 lbs. net minder rebounded with an outstanding training camp and preseason making him a late cut to be sent down to affiliate Toronto Marlies.
He’s off to a blazing start splitting time in between the pipes with a rookie but seeing lots of action.
In 11 AHL games he has an 8-2-1 mark with a rock solid 1.98 GAA and .938 SV% and two shutouts, helping his team to the second best record in the league.
With a slumping parent club, his efforts are giving him the chance to prove his mettle at the highest level of hockey.
The 22-year old received his recall and NHL start.
He made 24 saves on equal number of shots for the 2-0 win and a first ever blanking of an opponent in a Maple Leafs‘ goaltending debut.
Signed through the end 2015/2016 he’s set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season but will no doubt be upped for another year or two at the current pace he’s setting.
He also possesses the coolest pair of goalie pads out there.
