Featured | CollegeHockeyPlayers

07Oct

Devin Setoguchi(16)

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9th year, former San Jose Sharks‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#8 overall) signed a pto by Toronto Maple Leafs to attend their training camp in hopes of finding a spot with the team for the 2015/2016 season.

He’s a 3-time 20-goal scorer (all with the Sharks) and even struck for 31 in his sophomore campaign 2008/2009.

The 6′ 205 lbs. split last season with Calgary Flames (12 games, no points) and their affiliate Adirondack Flames (19 games, 3 goals, 7 assists) but found himself on the sidelines as a healthy scratch on far too many occasions.

He bounced around a bit in the three previous years skating two for Minnesota Wild and one with Winnipeg Jets performing decently but failed to live up to what he achieved earlier in his career.

The 28-year old was cut a couple of weeks before the start of the new season and is headed overseas signing a one-year deal to join HC Davos of Switzerland’s NLA.

05Oct

Jonas Gustavsson(89)

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12th year Swedish-born net minder Jonas Gustavsson(89) signed a training camp try-out agreement with Boston Bruins in hopes to secure a job for the 2015/2016 season.

He spent the last three campaigns with Detroit Red Wings but playing time was getting scarce for the back-up goalie as younger prospects started to come up and the unrestricted free agency was left to search for new employment.

The fairly large 6’3″ 212 lbs. back stop spent his first 5 years working his way up the ladder in his home country, first appearing in games for AIK Division 1 team.

He moved up to skate a pair of seasons with the team in tier two Allsvenskan before two runs for Farjestad BK, where he won the 2009 SHL Championship and owned the best save % and GAA honors along with being named the top player in the league.

Coming over to the NHL on a 1-year deal with Toronto Maple Leafs, he suffered a few medical setbacks due to a heart condition and missed some time but persevered and stayed with them for 3 seasons before being traded to Winnipeg Jets.

He was never signed though and the free agent went on to strike up a deal with Detroit from 2012/2015.

The almost 31-year old has worked hard throughout his career and it’s paid off for him to snag another contract as the Bruins ink him on a one-way to be their new back up goaltender.

05Oct

Zdeno Chara(33)

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Zdeno Chara(33) will be starting his 19th season of professional hockey and tenth as captain of Boston Bruins in 2015/2016.

His team is a little thin with new blood on the blue line so the 38-year old, who will turn 39 before the end of the season, has to be ready to log lots of minutes.

He got in a little extra workout after practice at a recent training camp session.

Push ups on ice were punishment for missing the net on a slap shot drill.

04Oct

David Ling(71)

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Heading into his 21st season, the mini might that is David Ling(71) has a back-up supply of Energizer batteries in his body as he’s returning to Nottingham Panthers for 2015/2016.

He was last with them a few years ago and put up a league leading and career high 95 points in the EIHL.

It was the second time he earned 60 assists in a campaign (last time was 2004/2005 with St. John’s Maple Leafs) and his 35 goals set a new best mark.

Unsure what made him decide to return to North American hockey least season under contract with the lowly Brampton Beast.

He had a decent 9 goals and 32 assists in 46 ECHL games but was a woeful -33. Despite that figure he still grab a recall for three more AHL games with Oklahoma City Barons, where he got an assist.

Set to turn 41-years old by mid-season, he would love to win another Championship with the team like they did in 2013 and pick up more player and forward of the year accolades.

03Oct

Corbin McPherson(33)

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New Jersey Devils‘ 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#87 overall) defenseman Corbin McPherson(33) signs his third AHL deal with affiliate Albany Devils for 2015/2016.

The 27-year old was under a one-year two-way entry level deal last season after a good sophomore campaign with the farm team in 2013/2014 but left unqualified heading into the new schedule making him an unrestricted free agent.

The big 6’5″ 220 lbs. blue liner has never been a big point producer, preferring a more stay at home, bruising style game but he does own a nifty +15 rating through 223 games.

The Californian-born d-man spent four years at Colgate University and was captain in his final season.

For such a towering presence, he doesn’t fight much (only two in 2014/2015) and doesn’t take many costly penalties.

He was still invited to training camp and with a little more grit he could easily be dangerous to play against and the parent club probably stills sees the potential.

01Oct

Matt Register(22)

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Undrafted 4th year defenseman Matt Register(22) has easily worked for every inch he’s gained in pro hockey.

Starting a little late as an 18-year old in the AJHL (Alberta Junior Hockey League), which is a rung lower than say the WHL, then transferring out after three years to the local senior ice hockey Chinook HL before half way through what could be looked at as his really strange rookie season signed a deal with Allen Americans of the old Central Hockey League.

The decently-sized 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner must have been comfortable, because quickly in the off-season he signed his first deal with Tulsa Oilers.

He spent 2 months with them, then left for Arizona Sundogs. He lasted another two months there then we’re going to need someone to explain this one to us, as he was signed to an AHL deal with Manchester Monarchs and reassigned to affiliate Ontario Reign for the remainder of 2012/2013.

In 17 ECHL games his offensive completely sprung to life scoring 4 goals and 9 assists with a +6 rating. He also appeared in all 10 playoff games putting up three assists with a +5 plus/minus.

It’s almost like he was waiting for his chance and someone had it under their radar.

For 2013/2014 he signed a one-year contract to return to Ontario Reign.

It was his third season and his game seemed to be stepping up to the challenges and was named CCM Defenseman Of The Year.

He skated 67 contests putting up a career high 14 goals and 30 assists with a +21 rating, which is crazy for a kid that literally popped out of nowhere.

Last year he had probably his best showing yet, tying his goal mark at 14, adding 36 assists for 50 points in his third year skating for Ontario Reign.

He was even loaned up to Chicago Wolves for a couple of weeks and played his first 6 AHL games and even throwing out 4 helpers.

The 26-year old recently signed on for 2015/2016 with Atlanta Gladiators but has been given a try-out with new affiliate Providence Bruins.

In preseason action he may have been on the 4-2 losing end of a preseason game but he certainly didn’t seem out of place out there.

On 10/5 he was reassigned to start the season with his team of contract, Atlanta Gladiators.

23Sep

Jacob Markstrom (35)

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After already playing two years in his home country Sweden’s top league SHL with Brynas IF, he came with pro experience.

While spending most of the last 5 seasons in the minors, the 25-year old has earned and is very ready to become Vancouver Canucks‘ backup net minder for 2015/2016 with a new two-year deal in place.

He took farm team Utica Comets all the way to the AHL Calder Cup Finals last year with an outstanding 1.88 GAA and .934 SV% in the regular season and 2.11 GAA and .925 SV% in 23 postseason match-ups.

Previously he had played 43 NHL games for Florida Panthers with most of those games coming in the 2012/2013 campaign.

Otherwise, he was mostly on reassignment with affiliate San Antonio Rampage until traded at the 2014 deadline.

The mammoth 6’6″ 196 lbs. goalie is heading into his 8th season and will be tested to help backstop a squad that failed to make the playoffs just a year ago.

19Aug

Cody Kunyk (20)

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Undrafted 2nd year center Cody Kunyk(20) experienced quite the ride in his first season of pro hockey.

After 4 years at University Of Alaska-Fairbanks setting all sort of records including 2013/2014 NCAA/WCHA Player Of The Year and led the WHCA in scoring and did the same for his team in many key offensive categories.

He would be immediately signed to a one-year deal by Tampa Bay Lightning upon the completion of his college hockey career and skated 15 shifts for 10:12 total ice time with 2 shots on net, 1 hit, 1 breakup with only 20% effectiveness in the face off dot in the final game of the 2013/2014 regular season.

The not exactly huge looking 5’11” 200 lbs. forward would need to be re-signed quickly in the off-season, which he was to another one-year, two-way contract.

Things looked to go amiss from here though as he was a quick exit from training camp and in 69 AHL games with affiliate Syracuse Crunch scored 10 goals and 16 assists with a -12 rating.

He also did not connect for a point in 3 Calder Cup Playoff match-ups in a quick first round exit.

He was not offered a qualifying offer to stay in the prospect system rendering him an unrestricted free agent.

At already 25-years old he probably surveyed possible scenarios for his sophomore season and came away with the best possibility being to take his hockey elsewhere, signing with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of DEL for 2015/2016.

Before ever suiting up in Germany he was released and put under contract a week later for Genofte Stars of Denmark’s Metal Ligaen.

13Aug

Austin Fyten(11)

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Undrafted 4th year left wing Austin Fyten(11) will join his fourth AHL team for 2015/2016 signing for one year with Hershey Bears.

Not sure what the team sees in the 6’2″ 200 lbs. forward that put up point-per-game numbers in his final year of WHL with Lethbridge Hurricanes and done it in the ECHL on two visits with Idaho Steelheads.

His best scoring season in the upper league was his 2nd year while under contract with Oklahoma City Barons, where he put in 7 goals and 13 assists with a +7 rating.

He also scored a goal and an assist in three postseason contests.

Last year was spent skating games for Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

His games played reached a new high at 64 but he only notch two goals and 9 assists.

To his defense he wasn’t on the best of teams and forced into more of a checking role.

The 24-year old still has a lot to prove.

10Aug

Viktor Svedberg(8)

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Chicago Blackhawks‘ undrafted Swedish-born defenseman tower (6’9″ 234 lbs.), Viktor Svedberg(8) is entering his fifth pro season and third in the prospect system.

He started with a pair of seasons in his home country skating for Frolunda Indians of the SHL before signing a two-year entry level deal.

He had his best season yet in 2014/2015 playing a career high 49 games with a best 3 goals, 11 assists for 14 points with a +14 rating with affiliate Rockford IceHogs. and added another four helpers in 8 Calder Cup Playoff contests.

Going into the off-season he entered his first restricted free agency and it only took a month to sort out a one-year extension keeping the big blue liner in the organization and continue work on his progress.

At 24-years old he may just be getting started and should give the parent club every reason to have a look on the NHL level in 2015/2016.

He did join the team as a member of the black aces to help with Stanley Cup Playoff preparations.