Florida Panthers‘ 3rd year center Chase Balisy(50) signed a one-year two-way extension as restricted free agency approached.
He put up a career high 17 goals and and team leading 28 assists for 45 points in a full slate of 76 AHL games with a +4 rating on a non-playoff bound affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds.
The not exactly huge forward that works hard every time he’s on the ice has a power play and short-handed goal in the early going of 2017/2018.
His efforts earn him a first NHL recall.
He skated a healthy 16 shifts for a conservative 10:47 of total ice with 2 shots, 1 hit, 1 giveaway and 1 takeaway for a nicely rounded game in a. shootout loss.
The 25-year old should continue to excel in the minors but with some heavy lifting could find himself a spot up in the show on occasion.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ undrafted rookie center Scott Eansor(20) not even six months ago was lifting the 2017 WHL Championship trophy over his shoulders as captain of Seattle Thunderbirds.
The smallish 5’9″ 174 lbs. forward was always a decent scorer in juniors but never one to pop lid off the stat sheet, although he did notch very close to point-per-game numbers as a senior skater and added another 5 goals and 7 assists in 20 playoff games on the way to the title.
He was an invite to both New York Islanders‘ training camps but cut early and has got himself off to a hot start in the minors with 7 goals in 6 AHL games with a +2 rating.
It looks like the 21-year old is playing for a spot at the higher level and just may land himself up to a big league contract.
Ottawa Senators‘ 2nd round pick in the 2015 draft (#48 overall) Czech Republic-born rookie center Filip Chlapik(41) scored a quick recall to the big league and made the most of his first NHL game recording an assist while playing a sparing 8 shifts for 6:49 minutes with one hit and was 100% in the face off circle.
The 6’1″ 196 lbs. forward played three years with Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL scoring well over a point-per-game in each of his campaigns.
He came over with much seasoning having played 4 years of junior hockey and international tournaments for his home country.
Only up for a single appearance, he went back to affiliate Belleville Senators and popped in a beauty of a first professional goal to go along with the 4 assists he has in 8 AHL games.
The 20-year seems set to make his mark in short order and is off to a nice start despite it being only the first year of his three-year entry level deal.
12th year center Rob Schremp(44) makes a late decision to return to EC Salzburg of Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for 2017/2018, a team he did well with late in 2012/2013 after leaving the KHL.
He registered 9 goals and 27 assists in 26 games, then added a league leading 11 assists and 2 tallies in 11 playoff contests.
The speedy, good passing forward finished up another 20 goal season in the AHL overseas for 2nd tour and did well in his second stint in the NLA with SCL Tigers, then switched over to Nurnberg Ice Tigers of DEL and once again took it up a notch in the postseason connecting for 3 goals and 10 assists in 12 games.
There is little doubt the now 31-year old will continue to light it up big in Austria.
The big question is whether he’ll stay past one campaign or move onto a 17th team.
Bentley Falcons‘ Connor Brassard(7) and teammates are all smiles after the absolute fluke 4-3 go ahead goal late in the third period of Friday night’s match-up vs. rivals Mercyhurst University Lakers.
11th year defenseman Jakub Kindl(46) heads home after ten years playing North American pro hockey to skate with his brother Denis Kindl for HC Plzen of Czech Extraliga.
He leaves having played another 39 NHL games with Florida Panthers taking his total to 331 and even started the campaign with 13 AHL games with affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds but has been under some handsome contracts for the past seven years.
The 32-year old will likely have a lot of fun back where it all first started in juniors.
11th year defenseman Tyson Strachan(23) decides it’s time to try something new, signing a one-year deal with Cardiff Devils of the EIHL.
It’s the veteran blue liner’s first foray overseas after spending 186 NHL and 404 AHL games.
He last spent time in the show playing a full campaign of 45 contests in 2014/2015 under contract to Buffalo Sabres before signing a minor league deal last year with affiliate Rochester Americans.
The almost 33-year old will likely have a good run in the United Kingdom but could return for one more run as he transitions into life after playing pro hockey.
Philadelphia Flyers‘ 1st round pick in the 2014 draft (#17 overall) defenseman Travis Sanheim(6) played a full slate of 76 AHL games as a rookie for affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms without so much as getting a sniff from the parent club to see what he could do.
The big but wiry 6’3″ 187 lbs. former top scoring WHL blue liner in his second campaign with Calgary Hitmen was able to make the big league squad out of the gate as a sophomore skater but hasn’t been in the lineup for all 10 games.
He’s been playing some decent minutes and has his first NHL point, an assist, but is also a -5 rating.
There’s little doubt the 21-year old will need to start connecting soon like he was able to do last year in the minors (10 goals, 27 assists with a +7) or either be sidelined or sent down for more seasoning.
Boston Bruins‘ 4th round pick in the 2014 draft (#116 overall) Danton Heinen(43) is making a statement that he belongs on the big league roster full-time for his sophomore season.
He started the new campaign playing with the parent club and got a first assist in his 2017/2018 debut, then added two more helpers in his next outing but as top offense weapons started to heal was sent down to affiliate Providence Bruins.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. forward took his demotion in stride and got to work with the farm team scoring a goal and seven assists in 4 AHL games with a +5 rating.
That was plenty enough to get the attention of the brass and he was summoned back up less than 10 days later.
In his first game back, the smart, stick handling pivot scored his first NHL goal, a short-hander and then added the game-winning tally in a 2-1 win.
That would be good enough to earn him top star of the game.
The 22-year old has basically won every scoring mark ever set out in front of him at one time or another and it’s come time to do it on the pro level and start making a difference.
