Ottawa Senators‘ 4th year defenseman Patrick Sieloff(23) finally received his first recall in two years in the team’s prospect system.
As he did in his only other NHL game with draft club Calgary Flames, he scored a goal skating 19 shifts, 11:11 total ice time in a tough 7-2 loss.
This modest feat put him in a league with no other player: scoring a goal in his debut with two different teams.
The very decently sized blue liner also had three shots on net, one hit and one play breakup with a -2 rating but was reassigned back to affiliate Belleville Senators shortly thereafter, where he has a goal and 5 assists in 48 AHL games.
He recorded new career high marks last year, posting 10 assists and 12 points
The still young 23-year old is on a one-year extension through the end of the current calendar and seems to be a good guy to keep around as he could continue to grow into the type of player that is great at shutdown style even if he doesn’t score again.
Undrafted 2nd year center Brian Ward(22) is blowing up the stat sheet in his 2nd ECHL season with Adirondack Thunder.
He currently leads the team with a new career high 28 goals and was first last year with 27 tallies.
The 6’2″ 202 lbs. forward has already reached 49 points for a 2nd straight time and is a +8 rating.
Last year he owned a +18.
The former St. Lawrence University standout twice recorded 17 assists in a campaign as a 2nd and 3rd year player.
He also achieved more than a point per game status (22-32 in 42) in his third year with Tri-City Storm of the USHL pre-college.
His play has deservedly earned him loans up.
Initially he played his first pro game with Charlotte Checkers after completing his third and final year of school.
He was also recalled to Albany Devils last season and earned his first point, an assist.
In the current year he’s seen time in a game for Utica Comets and is currently suiting up for Providence Bruins adding another assist to his credit in 2 AHL games.
It would seem the 26-year old could earn a spot at a higher level out of training camp sooner than later but needs the opportunity or should maybe split for bigger ice surfaces.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 3rd year right wing Kyle Baun(12) found himself involved in a 2nd trade that initially sent him from original contract club Chicago Blackhawks to Montreal Canadiens at the beginning of 2017/2018 to his current squad at the deadline.
The sizable 6’2″ 214 lbs. forward signed a two-year one-way deal at the end of his rookie season.
He skated 3 NHL games after completing three impressive 20+ point years at Colgate University and then found himself on the opening night roster as 2015/2016 started but was reassigned for the remainder to affiliate Rockford IceHogs.
Although not quite connecting for anything extraordinary on the scoresheet (1 goal, 8 assists in 44 AHL games), he would play almost a full slate of 74 contests as a follow-up, pocketing 14 goals and 20 assists, but did also have a dreadful -14 on a non-playoff team.
The 25-year old is set to become a group 6 UFA at the end of the current calendar and unless he explodes with Toronto Marlies won’t likely be retained.
It seems kind of likely someone will step in on the opening day of unrestricted free agency and offer him a one-year two-way deal.
We’ll see what happens.
Los Angeles Kings‘ 7th round pick in the 2014 draft (#209 overall) rookie right wing Spencer Watson(21) has split time this season between affiliates Ontario Reign and Manchester Monarchs.
The tough, take no shit forward is lighting it up at the lower level with point-per-game stats (20 goals and assists in 39 ECHL games with a +16 rating) but has only a goal and an assist in 11 AHL games.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. winger was even better affecting the scoresheet in four seasons with Kingston Frontenacs tallying 307 points (147-154) in 274 OHL games and played an over-age campaign with Mississauga Steelheads.
Although a deep selection, it would be little surprise to see the soon-to-be 22-year old make an NHL appearance sooner than later on a club that prides itself on toughness.
He’s on three year entry level deal through 2019.
Boston Bruins‘ 2nd round pick in the 2014 draft (#56 overall) center Ryan Donato(17) signs a two-year entry level deal after completing his third year at Harvard University and plays his 1st big league game on the same day.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. forward even scored a first NHL goal and added 2 assists in a wild 4-3 overtime loss.
He skated 19:40 total ice with 6 shots on net, 1 hit and was perfect on the face-off dot.
Twice a 20+ goal scorer in college, he was tied for most goals with 5 at the PyeongChang, South Korea 2018 Winter Olympics for Team USA.
He split time in his final year of high school with games in the USHL, USPHL and USDP before heading to school, where his dad, former Bruin’ Ted Donato is the coach.
The 21-year old is a sniper in the pro ranks immediately and quite possibly could spend zero time in the minors.
Undrafted rookie defenseman Matt Petgrave(3) signed for his rookie season with Brampton Beast.
In 42 ECHL games he has 8 goals and 14 assists with a -1 rating.
He’s been loaned up to Laval Rocket for 7 AHL games (no points, +1 rating), was recently up with Belleville Senators and has also been called upon but didn’t play when Toronto Marlies summoned him.
The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner was always able to put up excellent numbers through 4 years of juniors and won the 2011 OHL Championship with Owen Sound Attack but his best was his last when he scored 10 goals and 40 assists in 50 games for Oshawa Generals.
Instead of turning pro, he decided to head to school joining University Of New Brunswick and almost wackily scored exactly 4 goals and 15 assists in three of his four years there.
It would be little surprise to see the 26-year old sign a contract in the higher league for his sophomore run.
Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2015 draft (#76 overall) sophomore goaltender Adin Hill(33) played his first 3 NHL games early this season.
Not bad for a backstop who started his rookie campaign in the ECHL with Rapid City Rush.
He went 0-3 with a 3.75 GAA and .880 SV% on a team that sits dead bottom of the league standings but did recently score his first victory between the pipes.
The big 6’4″ 204 lbs. net minder is better for affiliate Tuscon Roadrunners where he commands a 14-10-3 record, including a pair of shutouts with a 2.41 GAA and .911 SV%.
He spent only two campaigns with Portland Winterhawks before turning pro, but his .917 SV% was a WHL best before signing an ato with Springfield Falcons.
Signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2019, the 21-year old becomes a restricted free agent at the conclusion of next season.
New Jersey Devils‘ 4th round pick in the 2015 draft (#97 overall) rookie defenseman Colton White(6) has been with affiliate Binghamton Devils for most of his first season (32 AHL games, 2 goals, 5 assists) but he’s also been a healthy scratch too often and sent down to Adirondack Thunder for 11 ECHL games (2 goals, 2 assists).
Not a huge scorer through four years with Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, the 6’1″ 185 lbs. did put up 26 and 25 assists in his last two seasons of OHL.
The 20-year old is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2020, so has some time to develop but there’s no time like the present for him to step up his efforts.
Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 7th round pick in the 2013 draft (#202 overall) Swedish-born 5th year left wing Andreas Johnsson(18) earns a first NHL recall after blowing up the score sheet for affiliate Toronto Marlies scoring a career high 26 goals and 28 assists for 54 points in 54 AHL games with a +16 rating.
The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward skated 14 shifts for 7:34 total ice with one shot on net, one hit and left a 6-5 shootout victory with a -1 rating.
He skated three years for Frolunda Indians always increasing his scoring totals with each campaign and helped them win the 2016 SHL Championship and Champions Hockey League title.
At 23-years old he is in the last season of a three-year entry level deal but should be able to get qualified to continue.
Undrafted sophomore right wing Zac Lynch(39) absolutely tore up his 2nd season with Manchester Monarchs.
In 55 ECHL games he’s grabbed a new career high 22 goals and 23 assists for 45 points and is a somewhat weird -8 rating.
Not that he did so shabby as a rookie either scoring 18 goals and 16 assists in 34 contests, while under contract to Springfield Thunderbirds.
He scored three goals and one assist in 21 AHL games on two stints.
The 6′ 190 lbs. was with them through the end of the season but reassigned and scored 8 goals and 4 assists with a +5 in 17 Kelly Cup Playoff matchups.
A former Hobey Baker Finalist in his senior year at Robert Morris University (25-30-55, +23), where he left as all-time leading scorer, signed an ato with Portland Pirates after college.
He also attended Florida Panthers‘ training camps on a tryout before being released.
The 25-year old was recently loaned up to Utica Comets and has one assist in three games.
It seems like he’s ready for another deal in the upper league for 2018/2019 or may decide to split overseas for better hockey and money.
