Category: NHL

17Nov

Shaun Heshka(37) Peoria Rivermen

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

6th year undrafted pro, defenseman Shaun Heshka(37) returned from one season overseas playing in Austria for Salzburg EC and signed a contract to play with Binghamton Senators for 2011/2012.

Only 10 games in, they have dished him to Peoria Riverman for future considerations (a bag of rocks), where he should join the team for tonight’s game vs. Lake Erie Monsters.

Originally signed by Vancouver Canucks to a 3-year entry level deal, he spent 3 seasons with Manitoba Moose without ever getting called up.

It wasn’t until the next season, where he signed a one-year contract with Phoenix Coyotes that he got into his first NHL action (8 games, no goals and 2 assists).

17Nov

Arturs Kulda(44) Winnipeg Jets

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

4th year defenseman, 2006 Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 7th round draft pick (#200 overall) Arturs Kulda(44) recently got into his first NHL action of the 2011/2012 season. He’d been called up for short stints in the past couple of years in the Thrashers‘ system (7 games, 0 goals, 2 assists).

He was re-signed by the Jets in the offseason after his entry level contract expired to a one-year, two-way deal.

He’s been excelling in the AHL with St. John’s IceCaps putting up 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 13 games; but he’s a more important +9 player.

 

 

16Nov

Ben Street (10)

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

ben-street

2nd year, undrafted center Ben Street(10) showed in his rookie season what he is capable of in 74 games with WBS Penguins and their ECHL affiliate, Wheeling Nailers putting up combined totals of 36 goals and 38 assists.

Entering the 2011/2012 he was signed to a one-year AHL contract.

In 12 games, he’s on a recent tear with 2 goals and 8 assists (8 of those points coming in 3 games last weekend), which was good enough to earn him AHL Player of the Week.

Despite only playing half the season with Wheeling last year, he was named ECHL Rookie Of The Year.  I think he will eventually be signed by Pittsburgh Penguins.

15Nov

Andrei Loktionov(48) and Slava Voynov(76) Los Angeles Kings

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Did you hear the one about the two Russians?

Within a day of each other both Manchester Monarchs‘ center Andrei Loktionov(48) and defenseman Slava Voynov(76) were called out west by the parent club, Los Angeles Kings.

Voynov is headed back to the show after an impressive first 5 games (2 goals, 1 assist) last month.

Loktionov was first reassigned to Ontario Reign of the ECHL but that was purely a stopover before the team confirmed they would need him. He’s up for his first time this season. Last year he played in 19 games posting 4 goals and 3 assists.

14Nov

Jared Ross(18) Ingolstadt ERC

Posted in AHL, ECHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Undrafted center, 7th year pro Jared Ross(18) was all the rage in the Philadelphia Flyers‘ system for a few moments but in 22 NHL games (13 regular season, 9 playoff), he’s only registered one goal in the postseason.

He’s a proven prolific scorer in the AHL despite his small size (5’9″ 165 lbs).

For the 2011/2012 season, he finds himself playing pro hockey overseas, joining former Boston Bruins‘ tough guy Jeremy Reich on Ingolstadt ERC in Germany. That’s a long way from his Huntsville, Alabama place of birth and where he attended college at the University Of Alabama, which both are quite the anomaly for a NHL caliber player.

13Nov

Nino Niederreiter (25)

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

nino-neiderreiter

New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick of the 2010 draft (#5 overall), Swiss-born Nino Niederreiter(25) has been sent down to start the season with their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers on a two-week conditioning stint.

He was injured in the NHL preseason.

Last year he played 9 games with the big club (1 goal, 1 assist) until being sent to his only one-year junior club Portland Winterhawks of the WHL.

He looked all set to play at the top level in 2011/2012 and put up some points.

He’s a big power forward at 6’2″ 205 lbs. and looks every bit of that.

In 5 AHL games he has 2 goals and an assist.

11/14: Niederreiter comes back to the Isles after his 3-game conditioning stint but found himself to be a healthy scratch for the team’s last three games.

10Nov

Chris Clark(17) Providence Bruins

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

For the first time since the 2000/2001 season, 14-year veteran Chris Clark(17) finds himself playing in the AHL with Providence Bruins on a pto.

He was an NHL training camp tryout invite from Boston Bruins but was ultimately cut just before the start of the season.

Originally selected by Calgary Flames in the 3rd round of the 2007 draft (#77 overall), he’s played 6o7 career NHL games scoring 103 goals and 111 assists.

At 35 years old, it’s doubtful that he’ll find his way back to the show but he could become the new Mike Keane of the AHL, which isn’t such a terrible thing.

11/21: Clark is released from his pto.

09Nov

Corey Tropp(14) Buffalo Sabres

Posted in AHL, NHL | Leave a comment

Had to think it wasn’t going to be long before hard-nosed wing Corey Tropp(14) would get an invite to play with Buffalo Sabres, the team that drafted him in the 3rd round of 2007 (#89 overall).

On November 8, he also put in his first NHL goal in just his third game up.

He did have an excellent rookie season with the Sabres then AHL affiliate Portland Pirates (10 goals, 30 assists in 76 games) and early in 2011/2012, he already is showing improvement on those numbers. In just 10 games with Rochester Americans he has 4 goals and 3 assists.

Another asset to his playing, he never turns down a dancing partner when it comes to fisticuffs.