Mike Yeo was named the new head coach of Minnesota Wild after only one season with their AHL affiliate, Houston Aeros, a year which saw him take the team to the Calder Cup Finals and lose in 6 games to the Binghamton Senators.
He did win a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009 as an assistant coach and also spent 5 seasons as a player with the Aeros of the old IHL.
Houston Aeros‘ rookie defenseman Jared Spurgeon(28) has spent more time in the NHL with the Wild than in the AHL in his first year.
Originally drafted by New York Islanders in 2008 (6th round, #156 overall), they never signed him and he was picked up by the Wild after an impressive training camp.
He is small at 5’8″ and got absolutely clobbered by a Binghamton Senators‘ freight train in game 5 and wasn’t seen for the final game 6.
With the injury bug biting the Aeros deep during the Calder Cup playoffs, veteran tough guy Pascal Morency(37) got the nod to make his first appearance in the Finals vs. Binghamton.
He split of the season in the ECHL with Bakersfield Condors, AA affiliate of Minnesota Wild, and Houston. He even put up some very respectable numbers (17 goals, 10 assists) in 36 games played with the Condors.
Houston Aeros‘ veteran players, Drew Bagnall(29) and Warren Peters(25) were signed by the Wild on the same day in the off-season.
Peters(25) also went to the Calder Cup Finals last season with Texas Stars, who were beaten by Hershey Bears.
Another 8-year pro for the Aeros, captain Jon DiSalvatore(14) displayed great leadership for his team throughout the year and the playoffs, despite not quite winning the Calder Cup. He has one more year on his 2-year deal with the Wild, so expect him to take his team far into the playoff hunt again.
As far as I know he’s the only player to list his birthplace as Bangor, ME. He was originally drafted by San Jose in 2000 but only has 5 games of NHL experience with St. Louis in the ’05/’06 season.
At 310 NHL games (21 goals, 30 assists) to his credit, 32-year old, Houston Aeros’ 8th year pro Jed Ortmeyer(22) was the most experienced player on either team in the AHL Calder Cup Finals.
Undrafted 6th year defenseman, in his first with Binghamton, Andre Benoit(61) at 5’11” and 186 lbs isn’t the biggest guy on the ice but he’s definitely a guy opponents least want to skate against due to his unending pesky behavior.
He’s not an all-purpose pest though. He ended notching quite the playoff point totals with 18 (3 goals, 15 assists) in all 23 games played and went a +6.
He also won a Calder Cup trophy in 2007 with Hamilton and was a teammate of Corey Locke. Both players are 27 years old.
B-Sens‘ trade deadline pick-up from the Blackhawks‘ system, center Ryan Potulny(22) ended the AHL Calder Cup playoffs as the leading scorer with 26 points, 14 goals and 12 assists in all 23 games played. I’d say that played out pretty well for them.
Ottawa‘s 2008 5th round draft pick (#139 overall) Mark Borowiecki(5) signed a 2-year entry level deal and was assigned to Binghamton as soon as his college team’s season was over. He skated in 9 regular season games with the team.
In the AHL Calder Cup playoffs he was one of the B-Sens‘ steadiest d-men playing 21 games with 2 helpers and a team best +5.
Binghamton got a big boost when 4th year defenseman Derek Smith(24) returned to the lineup from a concussion he suffered in the opening round vs. Manchester.
In game 4 against Houston he scored an insurance goal, his first career playoff marker, and helped provide the shutdown defense to keep the Aeros off the scoreboard and tie the Calder Cup Finals at 2 games apiece.
