Category: NHL

26Jun

Troy Grosenick(1) San Jose Sharks

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Troy-Grosenick2

San Jose Sharks‘ undrafted 2nd year goalie Troy Grosenick(1) is continuing his pattern of stepped up play in his sophomore campaign.

He’s in a four way tie for first place amongst AHL net minders with 7 victories in 10 starts.

The 6’1″ 185 lbs. backstop put up a very decent showing in his rookie season with affiliate Worcester Sharks.

In 35 games he had an 18-14 record with a team that mostly struggled to win and a 2.62 GAA and 2.62 SV% including a pair of shutouts and 6 shootout wins.

He was on pace to start 50+ contests in the minors for 2014/2015 but with the hot start and an injury sidelining the parent club’s backup goaltender, he earned his first recall and got his first big league start.

The 25-year old that always seems to be in exactly the right spot to make saves this season was stellar in his NHL initiation, shutting down the mostly abysmal Carolina Hurricanes‘ 45 shot offensive flurry and capturing the game’s first star award in the process, along with setting a new league record for most stops in a debut.

He may be making the coast-to-coast flight many times if he can maintain his game, which will be a good thing for a player that is set to become a restricted free agent.

Original story 11/18-14

After appearing in a new career high 20 AHL games posting 20 wins and making his stellar NHL debut, he nets a new 2-year contract that is one-way for 2016/2017.

The soon-to-be 26-year old will likely be given the workload of minutes with new affiliate San Jose Barracuda in the upcoming campaign but could easily challenge for the starter job in the 2nd year of his new deal.

25Jun

Teigan Zahn(18) Colorado Eagles

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teigan-zahn

Double NHL draft pick defenseman Teigan Zahn(33) was first a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2008 5th round selection (#132 overall) but went unsigned and back into the pool and later chosen by Tampa Bay Lightning in the 7th round of 2010 (#186 overall) but not tendered an offer. He attended training camps with both teams.

After his overage season serving as captain of WHL Saskatoon Blades in which he posted career bests in games played, assists, points and +39 plus/minus, he decided to go the college route and enrolled at University Of Calgary.

The 6’2″ 221 lbs. blue liner with good size and grit to his game signed a one-year AHL contract with Oklahoma City Barons to start his pro career but was dispatched to affiliate Stockton Thunder, where he stayed for most of his first campaign. He was recalled for a month and appeared in 5 games registering his first point, an assist.

To start his sophomore season he scored a training camp tryout with Anaheim Ducks before he was reassigned to farm club, Norfolk Admirals‘ camp and continued to get passed along landing with Utah Grizzlies.

The 24-year old was again summoned up and got into three more games in the higher league notching yet another assist but was returned a couple of weeks later.

In 42 ECHL games, he has 3 goals and 9 assists putting him on pace for career highs in all categories.

He will need to keep connecting and finding his game or he may be looking overseas for his next hockey home.

Original story: 2/20-14

After posting career highs for goals, assists and points (7-11-18) in 2013/2014, he signed his next contract with Colorado Eagles.

He continued to increase his totals achieving new marks for games played (70), assists (17), points (20), plus/minus (12), shots on goal (107) and more than doubled his penalty minutes to a whopping 298, good enough for 2nd in the ECHL.

Another stat that made a huge jump for the increasingly agitated skater was fighting majors, which made a big step up to 20, almost doubling what he had in two previous seasons.

The still just 25-years old agreed to return for another season in Loveland, CO and will likely continue to see his overall game step up.

22Jun

Art Bidlevskii(27) Kallinge/Ronneby

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Art Bidlevskii

Undrafted 2nd year defenseman Art Bidlevskii(27) has decided to stay put with Bakersfield Condors for the 2013/2014 season.

He played 10 games with the team at the end of his rookie year after being dished at the trade deadline by South Carolina Stingrays, where he was released to and signed after attending Providence Bruins‘ training camp on a tryout.

The 6’ 198 lbs. blue liner started his pro career in the AHL signed to an ato by Bridgeport Sound Tigers after 5 years of juniors with Prince George Cougars.

He plays a style of hockey that seems like he constantly has a chip on his shoulder and is not afraid to drop the mitts. He had 9 dust ups last season and a 2nd career high 14 in his final WHL season with another four more scuffles in his first 10 pro games. He’s regularly in the triple digit club for penalty minutes.

The 22-year old has never been known for his point totals; last season 2 goals, 3 assists in 54 ECHL games but could work his way up with a strong defensive zone game and maybe a few more marks on the score sheet.

Original story: 8/8-13

Literally right before the 2013/2014 season started he got traded to Ontario Reign. He stayed with the team for 26 ECHL games before sort of unceremoniously getting traded to Gwinnett Gladiators, where he finished out the season scoring a career high one goal and 8 assists with a +8 rating. He also had 8 fighting majors.

With an offer to come back to Gwinnett for another season, he took it but ended up getting injured early in the campaign and only managed to appear in 13 games getting three assists.

For 2015/2016 the now 24-year old has decided to take his game overseas signing a one-year deal with Kallinge/Ronneby IF of Sweden’s Hockeyettan.

21Jun

Sebastian Wannstrom(38) Rogle BK

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Sebastian-Wannstrom

St. Louis Blues‘ 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft (#44 overall) Swedish-born center Sebastian Wannstrom(38) decided to leave North American hockey and head home signing a two-year deal with Rogle BK of the SHL.

Despite having put up career high assists (9) and points (12) in 36 AHL games with affiliate Chicago Wolves, he’s only really ever put up big numbers in his final year of SuperElit with Brynas J20 team.

Otherwise, he’s been a healthy scratch and even through 115 games in his home country’s top league he only has 8 goals and 9 assists in that span.

His overall numbers in the minors (89 games with 9 goals and 16 assists) are fairly short of amazing.

At 6’2″ 205 lbs. he’s big enough to be a power forward but the 24-year old with already 7 years of pro hockey to his credit is going to have to put himself straight into the mix to get results.

20Jun

John Persson (23)

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John-Persson2

19-year old Swedish-born left wing John Persson(23) signed an ato with Bridgeport Sound Tigers to join them for the remainder of the 2011/2012 season.

The 6’2″ 222 lbs. forward was a New York Islanders‘ 5th round pick in the 2011 draft (#125 overall).

He plays with size out there and in his 2nd game he picked up his first professional goal in the team’s 3-2 shootout loss over the weekend.

The Islanders might be taking a long look at him in next year’s training camp before deciding whether to have him join their ranks or send him back to his junior team for one more season. Our prediction is that won’t be an easy decision to make.

Original story: 3/24-12

He finished his short initial stint with Bridgeport with 4 goals and 4 assists in 12 AHL games.

Signed to a three-year entry level deal he had his best showing as a rookie for the farm team scoring 17 goals and 12 assists in 65 contests.

It was good enough to earn him a 10 game look with the Islanders at the end of 2013/2014.

He scored his first NHL goal.

He struggled slightly in the final year of his contract with only 11 tallies and 10 helpers but wasn’t entirely helped playing on a team that was on mostly on the losing side of the scorecard.

The 23-year old is set to become a restricted free agent but has decided it’s time to head back to Sweden inking for 2-years with Farjestad of the SHL.

He’s a fairly large skater with good hands and muscle and should excel in his home country.

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19Jun

Alexandre Picard(45) HC Fribourg-Gotteron

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9th year defenseman Alexandre Picard(45) signed a one-year two-way deal with Pittsburgh Penguins shortly after free agency started in the offseason.

With 243 NHL games to his credit (19 goals, 46 assists), he is looks to be mostly considered a 6th or 7th defenseman.

He’s off to a good start this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. In 12 games, he has 1 goal and 4 assists but it’s the +9 that’s getting most of the attention.

Into his second recall, he’s already a +5 with the Pens in 7 games with no points.

Original story: 12/1-11

After skating 17 games with Pittsburgh recording 4 assists with a +4 rating and playing 12 Calder Cup Playoff games getting 6 assists, he decided that he would try his game overseas joining HC Lev Praha of the KHL but suffered a shoulder injury and was later released.

After only appearing in 11 games in the 2012/2013 season, he moved on signing a one-year deal with Graz 99ers of Erste Banke Liga.

The 6’3″ 215 lbs. d-man would once again go elsewhere and departed for DEL, where he inked to play with ERC Ingolstadt.

Now 29-years old he’s decided to head to yet another country agreeing to lace up the skates for HC Fribourg-Gotteron of NLA.

There’s no telling if he’ll finally settle but chances are probably not.

 

19Jun

Joe Cannata (35)

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The 25-year old gets another one year extension as Vancouver Canucks look to open up the starter job for affiliate Utica Comets with a goaltender trade before 2015/2016 season starts.

He spent most of his 3rd year in the ECHL with Ontario Reign but was impressive with a 12-6 record and 2.02 GA and .927 SV% in the regular campaign and then he went 4-4 with a 2.33 GA, .904 SV% and a pair of shutouts in the Kelly Cup Playoffs before being eliminated in the Western Conference Final.

In his AHL 2014/2015 season he was a pretty sharp 3-2 with a 1.99 GA and .932 SV% and joined the team as back up through the Calder Cup Final round.

From here it will be interesting to see what he does with a full season workload for the farm club if he gets it. He could easily put himself in a good spot for a first NHL recall.

19Jun

Brandon Yip (18)

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Brandon-Yip

5th year right wing Brandon Yip(32) appeared in his first NHL game of the 2013/2014 with his new team, Phoenix Coyotes.

The unrestricted free agent signed a one-year, two-way deal after spending a season and a half with Nashville Predators.

He was originally a Colorado Avalanche 8th round pick in the 2004 draft (#239 overall) and inked a one-year entry level deal and extended for another two seasons.

After posting no points in 10 games he was dispatched to their minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters but never made it before getting claimed off waivers by the Predators.

The 6’1″ 198 lbs. forward was able to pick up his scoring pace but still fell short of the even modest numbers he notched in his first two campaigns.

The 28-year old has already been reassigned and recalled 6 times in the early going and skated in his first AHL games since 2009 with the parent club’s farm team Portland Pirates.

In 2 appearances he has a quick 2 assists to his credit.

Original story: 10/23-13

After a pair of games with Phoenix, he was reassigned back to the farm team and spent the entire season in the minors scoring 14 goals and 20 assists with a -22 rating.

Heading into 2014/2015 he was an invite to Anaheim Ducks‘ training camp but released and inked a contract with affiliate Norfolk Admirals, where he skated 31 games getting 3 goals, 9 assists and a -11 rating.

He was reassigned for the first time in his pro career down to Utah Grizzlies and stuck around for 7 ECHL games before seeking to be released from his contract.

Within a couple of days he signed with Adler Mannheim, finished out the regular season and skated the entire playoffs of 14 games recording 4 assists to help the team to a DEL Championship.

They liked what they saw, because the 30-year old will be back for more in 2015/2016, his 7th year pro.

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18Jun

Aaron Palushaj(28) Philadelphia Flyers

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Aaron-Palushaj

At least a few players in Montreal Canadiens‘ system are racking up those Air Canada frequent flyer miles, but probably none more than 3rd year right wing Aaron Palushaj(28).

Originally chosen in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft (#44 overall) by St. Louis Blues, he was traded late in his rookie season and has pretty much skated with Hamilton Bulldogs ever since, excluding a 3-game call up to the NHL last season, where he didn’t register a point but at least went a +1 plus/minus.

He’s a point-per-game producer in the AHL this season (13 goals and 18 assists in 31 games) with a +1.

His current recall makes it 5 so far in 2011/2012.

In 19 games he has one assist.

He’s bound to get his first NHL goal before the end of this season.

Original story: 2/19-12

For 2011/2012, he would end up splitting time equally with 38 games for the big club, where he did get his first goal and 35 games with the farm team producing another point-per-game effort.

The 5’11” 192 lbs. forward was given a one year extension but suffered a shoulder injury in the minors a couple of months into the season.

When he was set to return, he was set to be reassigned but claimed off waivers by Colorado Avalanche.

He skated in 25 games scoring a pair of goals and 7 assists, which wasn’t deemed good enough to get him a qualifying offer to stay.

For 2012/2013 he would sign for a year with Carolina Hurricanes but only played two games with them and was mostly once again a big point producer scoring a career tying 22 goals and high 36 assists, 58 points for affiliate Charlotte Checkers.

He would look overseas for his next deal signing with Medvescak Zagreb of the KHL but traded shortly into his term to Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.

Now, the still only 25-years old, starting his 7th campaign decided to return to North American hockey accepting a two-way contract with Philadelphia Flyers that could see him playing a veteran role mostly with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.