Los Angeles Kings‘ former 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (#15 overall), 3rd year defenseman Derek Forbort(7) managed to make the NHL opening night roster but it took him three straight team losses out of the gate to crack the lineup.
The parent club has to be happy about inserting him as they’ve now won two straight.
The big 6’4″ 212 lbs. blue liner skated an average of 18 shifts for 10 minutes of ice time, 2 shots on net, 2 minutes in penalties, 2 giveaways, 1 breakup and a 0 rating.
Last season he put in a career high 4 goals with affiliate Manchester Monarchs on their way to winning the 2015 AHL Calder Cup Championship and also received his first recall for a couple of weeks before being sent back.
Still only 23 and in the final season of his entry level deal, he can be sent down to new farm club Ontario Reign without having to clear waivers but if the team continues to score wins it’s a good bet he’ll stay put.
After a season overseas playing hockey in Finland’s Liiga for Tappara, 7th year defenseman David Kolomatis(6) returns to a familiar place signing with Manchester Monarchs.
He spent his first four campaigns as a youngster in the city while under contract with Los Angeles Kings before signing a 2013/2014 deal with Washington Capitals‘ organization and skating for their affiliate Hershey Bears.
The now veteran blue liner had a ok year away from home but put up only half the numbers he was used to scoring. In 64 games he had a goal and 12 assists with a -10 rating.
At 26-years old he grabbed his old jersey number and was smartly named captain of his new ECHL squad, his first time playing in the lower league.
He definitely has what it takes to lead this group far.
Washington Capitals‘ 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft (#77 overall) center Chandler Stephenson(18) played his first NHL game in just his second pro season.
He skated 9 shifts for 8:43 total ice time and was a great 83% in the face off dot with one takeaway and one giveaway in an impressive 4-1 victory.
In four years of junior hockey with Regina Pats he posted 30 goals and 59 assists with a +27 rating in 69 WHL games in his final campaign.
On reassignment to farm club Hershey Bears for his rookie season he played a tenacious style but seemed to be getting situated with 7 goals and 7 assists in 54 AHL contests but really came to life in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games getting 1 goal and 4 assists with a +4 rating through two rounds before exiting.
Heading into his sophomore season he had a strong training camp and was one of the last cuts before 2015/2016 started.
The super-young 21-year old may not stay with the parent club unless they keep winning but he’s off on a good skate to begin his time in the big league.
Boston Bruins‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#176 overall) fourth year right wing Tyler Randell(64) scored his first NHL goal in his debut, a 6-2 win over Colorado Avalanche for the team’s first win of the 2015/2016 season. His tally turned out to be the game-winner.
He had a great training camp and was on the opening night roster, despite being a healthy scratch for three games to start.
Last season with affiliate Providence Bruins he posted career highs in virtually every category: 74 AHL games, 11 goals, 9 assists, 20 points, a +4 rating, 107 shots on net and 120 penalty minutes with 14 fights.
He even dropped the mitts in three preseason games with the big club, which may have helped solidify his spot.
The 6’1″ 198 lbs. tough skating forward had a bit of a roundabout path to get to where he is.
Signed to his three-year entry level deal at the conclusion of his fourth OHL season mostly with Kitchener Rangers he was returned for an overage fifth campaign after starting 2011/2012 in the minors.
He would start his official rookie year 2012/2013 on reassignment to South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL but was called up and sent back on a couple of occasions.
The 24-year played his first full year with the farm team in 2013/2014 but only skated 43 games and was a healthy scratch more often that he would have liked.
With lots of hard work and perseverance he’s put himself into a good position with the parent club and they are seeing the results.
6th year right wing Brandon Kozun(51) shows no adjustment lag in his first season away from home skating with his new team Jokerit in a new country, Russia.
He’s off to a speedy start with 8 goals and 12 assists in 18 KHL games, good enough for third in league scoring.
The power mini-forward signed a one-year deal after splitting time in 2014/2015 with Toronto Maple Leafs and their affiliate Toronto Marlies.
He was able to connect for his first NHL goal and one more plus 2 assists in 20 games.
He even started on the opening night roster and finished the regular season with the parent club before deciding to take his game elsewhere as he approached his third restricted free agency.
Originally in Los Angeles Kings‘ prospect system for his first 3 campaigns before getting traded in the middle of his fourth year, he was never recalled despite consistently putting up big numbers.
Still just 25-years old, he may just find his way back to North American pro hockey under a one-way contract if he continues to excel and wants to return.
Boston Bruins‘ undrafted rookie forward Frank Vatrano(49) is maybe the most ragtag long shot story to possibly make the NHL out there at the moment.
In his first two AHL games starting his pro career with minor league affiliate Providence Bruins he already has 5 goals with a +4 rating and shows zero signs of letting up. Four of those tallies came in a single game.
He was a strong spark plug in both the parent club’s training camps leading into the 2015/2016 season.
Listed at 5’10” 215 lbs. he isn’t the biggest skater out there but plays a big game all the way.
He took a completely unlikely route to get to where he is.
Starting as a teenager skating for Boston Jr. Bruins, he actually came back after his bid at Boston College went south and played another season before finally getting to UMass-Amherst.
He potted 18 goals and 10 assists in 36 games.
2014/2015 would be his only campaign of college hockey.
He also spent two years in between 4 EJHL seasons with the US National Development Team in the USHL scoring 18 goals and 16 assists for 34 points in 59 games.
Already 21-years old he probably figured it was time to get the pro career started and in stepped his hometown (from East Longmeadow, MA) Black & Gold.
With the big club going south pretty quickly out of the gate, he may be worth a quick look in the show.
Montreal Canadiens‘ undrafted 3rd year goaltender Mike Condon(39) was stellar in his first NHL start only letting up one short-handed goal on 21 shots for a 3-1 team win.
He finished the game with a .952 SV% and of course 1.00 GAA.
The 6’2″ 195 lbs. net minder has definitely worked his way up to earn his time in the big league.
After 4 seasons playing goal for Princeton University he signed an ato fresh out of college with Ontario Reign but was loaned up to Houston Aeros after four games of impressive play posting a 1.48 GAA and .943 SV%.
He was quickly signed to a two-year entry level deal and started his rookie season with affiliate Wheeling Nailers. where he played 39 ECHL games posting a 23-12 record with more amazing numbers in between the pipes (2.18 GAA, .931 SV%).
He also took them through two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
In his the sophomore year of his contract, he was officially brought up to be the starting goalie for farm team Hamilton Bulldogs.
He guarded the cage for 48 AHL games with a 23-19-6 record on a non-playoff squad.
Even before the 2014/2015 regular season was over he was offer a 2-year contract extension to stay in the system.
Heading into the 2015 training camp, he was ready to make a big impression and did scoring the back-up job for the parent club as the 2015/2016 season started.
10th year veteran center Rob Schremp(10) signs a 2015/2016 contract to play with his fifth team in five years in five different countries.
To his credit, in his travels he play in one league twice.
Currently inked for the new season with Portland Pirates after a successful training camp tryout, he returns to North American hockey for the first time since 2011/2012.
The former Edmonton Oilers‘ 1st round pick in the 2004 draft (#25 overall) had just finish a second full season in the NHL mostly with New York Islanders before being claimed from the waiver wire late season by Atlanta Thrashers.
The 5’11” 205 lbs. forward actually had decent numbers in the show with 20 goals and 34 assists for 54 points in 114 games but never quite caught on before he decided to go elsewhere.
His first stop was the SHL for a year skating for MODO.
Next he decided to try his stick in the KHL agreeing to terms with Dinamo Riga but he failed to catch on.
Mid-season he left to finish out his second year overseas in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga with EC Salzburg.
He had big success.
Continuing to move around he next landed in the Swiss NLA with EV Zug.
He had really good season scoring 9 goals and 27 assists with a +4 rating in 42 games, which was identical to what he just did in EBEL.
But once again he refused to sit still agreeing next to return to Sweden with Skelleftea AIK for 2014/2015.
The now 29-year old, who will turn 30 mid-season, starts strong in his first AHL season since 2008/2009 with a goal and an assist in his opening game.
There’s no reason to believe he once again won’t be a top 10 scorer in the league.
Arizona Coyotes‘ 6th year Swedish-born defenseman prospect Klas Dahlbeck(34) starts the new season with the big club after being traded late last year from Chicago Blackhawks.
The former 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#79 overall) played his first three seasons in North America with affiliate Rockford IceHogs having his best season 2013/2014, where he skated a career high 75 AHL games and had all bests scoring 10 goals, 25 assists for 35 points with a +21 rating and a not so terrible 175 shots on net.
He plays in his first 4 big league games with the Blackhawks and got his first NHL goal before being dealt.
After the transaction he joined the Coyotes immediately playing another 19 games with three assists to add to his totals before being reassigned to Portland Pirates to help them with their playoff push.
The fairly big 6’3″ 207 lbs. blue liner played the final three games of the regular season registering an assist and then helped the team push their first round playoff series to a deciding fifth game with the eventual Calder Cup winner Manchester Monarchs.
Returning with a new one-year deal, the restricted free agent made sure he staked his claim to a full-time spot in the show as the 24-year old is ready to fill a bigger role.
Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2nd year, Finnish-born defenseman Ville Pokka(29) has yet to play his first NHL game but coming off a strong training camp he was on the opening night roster as the 2015/2016 season started.
The 5’11” 200 lbs. blue liner played his entire rookie season with affiliate Rockford IceHogs scoring a career high 8 goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 68 AHL games. He added 3 more helpers in 8 playoff contests.
Another outstanding stat on his score sheet was unloading a healthy 125 shots on net from the point.
Originally a New York Islanders‘ 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#34 overall), he was dealt in the Nick Leddy trade before the start of his first North American campaign.
The 21-year old had already skated in three Liiga seasons for Karpat and was the league’s plus/minus leader (+32) at the end of 2013/2014.
He’s definitely already proven his abilities in the minors and ready to show what he can achieve in the show. He’ll very likely be given that opportunity soon.
