Binghamton Devils‘ undrafted rookie right wing John Edwardh(20) has skated a career high 10 AHL games scoring new bests 3 goals.
In the lower league he’s detonated the scoresheet grabbing 23 goals and 28 assists through 47 ECHL games for affiliate Adirondack Thunder.
The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward was a decent scorer in college hockey, especially his third year at UMass-Lowell, when he helped them win the 2017 NCAA (Hockey East) title.
At 24-years old, he will likely try to be retained by his current contract club and very likely skate on more of a one-way contract as he continues.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 2nd round pick in the 2015 draft (#61 overall), 2nd year right wing Jeremy Bracco(27) currently leads the AHL with a career high 53 assists and is tied for 2nd in scoring but only off by a single point.
His 19 goals and 72 points are also personal bests.
He also has 8 multi-point outings in the current campaign.
It’s almost a bit odd that he has yet to receive a game in the big league as he’s in the 2nd season of his entry level deal.
Despite always putting up pretty huge scoring numbers, the 5’11” 171 lbs. forward has seemed to need to prove himself at whatever level he’s competed in.
His knack for started early as a bantam skater and continued through a year of New Jersey Rockets, tier 3 junior hockey, then he went big for the US National U17 & U18 teams posting 58 and 64 assists while also playing games for the USNTDP in the USHL with similar results.
He moved on from there to a very short stint at Boston College (5 games) before agreeing to terms with Kitchener Rangers, where he was a more than point-per-game guy grabbing 147 points (46-101) in 106 OHL games and also won the CHL Memorial Cup Championship playing for Windsor Spitfires in 2016/2017.
The 22-year old went on to win the 2018 Calder Cup with affiliate Toronto Marlies in his rookie run.
There’s really only one more challenge left for this youngster.
Carson Brier(14) is about to complete his 2nd season of NAHL action for Johnstown Tomahawks.
A year that he’s taken his scoring up to new heights with 41 goals and 42 assists in 56 games, good enough for 2nd overall in the league.
For 2019/2020, the 5’9″ 181 lbs. forward has committed to Arizona State University to pursue his college hockey.
One would have to think after putting up the kind of numbers he did in this campaign that the 19-year old’s draft eligibility would go up exponentially.
His dad is Daniel Briere(48), veteran of 973 NHL games scoring 307 goals and 389 assists.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms‘ undrafted 2nd year center Michael Huntebrinker(27) has been enjoying some extended time up in the AHL scoring his first pair of goals in the higher league while appearing in 21 games.
He’s almost equally split time with affiliate Reading Royals, who he was signed with as a rookie, where in 29 ECHL games he’s more than a point-per-game performer scoring 15 goals and 20 assists with a +9 rating.
The 5’11” 194 lbs. forward may not reach the marks he set as a first year player (20-21-41) but that was over the course of almost 3 times more games at 65.
He was a decent scorer in his last two years at Minnesota State University (Mankato) with 18 assists as a senior and 12 in his junior campaign.
Leading up to college he did extremely well with Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL.
It would be little surprise to see him score another 1-year two-way contract heading into 2019/2020 but he could also look elsewhere for a more permanent opening.
Boston Bruins‘ 14-year right wing Lee Stempniak(18) stuck around for a long time through a strong training camp then continuing to practice with the team as they made a decision whether or not to sign the veteran of 911 NHL games (203-266-469).
It would be the 5’11” 195 lbs. forward’s 2nd stint in 3 years with the club after a trade deadline deal sent him up to the New England area initially.
He eventually signed a one-year deal after being sent to affiliate Providence Bruins, where he skated 7 games potting 2 goals and 3 assists and was recalled on an emergency basis to play his first game.
Having made appearances with no less than 10 squads throughout his long career, the 2003 St. Louis Blues‘ draft pick (5th round, #148 overall) has 9 times eclipsed 10+ goals and on 6 occasions ascended to 20+ assists.
At 36-years old he may not be putting up quite those stats anymore, especially playing limited minutes, but could be some accountability insurance as the Black N’ Gold pushes towards a postseason berth.
Recently reassigned to the AHL he has increased his totals in the minors to 4 goals and 3 assists in 9 games.
New Jersey Devils‘ 5th year left wing Kenny Agostino(17) almost ironically signed his first two-way deal to join Montreal Canadiens on the opening day of unrestricted free agency after being on a one-way contract with Boston Bruins in 2017/2018.
He was actually dispatched to affiliate Laval Rocket to start the current calendar potting 4 goals and 6 assists in 12 AHL games but a month in was recalled and tried not to look back to the tune of 2 goals and 9 assists in 36 games.
Unfortunately it was decided to reassign him back to the minors and that’s when his hometown Garden State club stepped in and claimed him off waivers.
He seems to be fitting in with his new team rather nicely popping in a goal and 3 assists in 14 games with a +1 rating.
The 54 games played marks a career high in the big league for the deep 2010 draft pick and his 5 goals and 15 assists are also new bests.
His other NHL deal was after Calgary Flames didn’t qualify him on his one year extension and that’s when St. Louis Blues stepped in quickly.
The soon-to-be 27-year old may get extended where he is but if he doesn’t look for him to once again quickly find a new home.
Bentley Falcons‘ goalie Aiden Pelino(30) & Robert Morris University Colonials‘ Francis Marotte(1) engage in the end of series handshake after RMU scored the overtime tally to win 3-2 and 2 out of 3 to advance to Buffalo.
That’s the smile of Freshman forward, Ottawa Senators‘ 7th round pick in the 2018 draft (#188 overall), Jakov Novak(11) scoring the game-winning goal with only 1:37 left in the third period of NCAA Division 1 Atlantic Hockey playoff game 1: Bentley Falcons hosting Robert Morris University.
He’s an energetic, young player who had a decent 6 goals and 8 assists for 14 points in 34 games as a rookie.
The Windsor, Ontario native has basically taken a path through the U.S. to pursue his hockey dream.
He was named the NAHL Most Valuable Player and Forward Of The Year with Janesville Jets for scoring a huge 32 goals and 41 assists with a monster +41 rating in 2017/2018 before heading to college.
The 20-year old definitely has a bright path forward.
