NHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Category: NHL

05Jun

Nathan Longpre(9) Lorenskog

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Undrafted forward Nathan Longpre(9) had quite the rookie season in 2011/2012.

The 24-year old went from an invite to Vancouver Canucks‘ prospect and training camps to their minor league affiliate Chicago Wolves main camp before signing a deal with the team to start his pro career.

Then from seemingly out of nowhere, he was traded to Springfield Falcons in a minor league deal for future considerations after posting 8 goals and 10 assists in 39 games, while going a +8 plus/minus.

He trailed off to a meager 3 goals in 20 more regular season games after the swap but as luck would have it (and his status being that of an unrestricted free agent), the Wolves came a-knocking once again, inking him to an another AHL contract to pick up where he left off with the team for his second campaign.

No word whether the 6’2″ 195 lbs. player will garner another invite to join the Canucks as they train for the upcoming season but seems like that should be a likely scenario.

See related post: 3/31-2011

Original story: 8/18-12

He would spend another pair of seasons in the Wolves‘ organization signing one year extensions to stay on and played the full 2013/2014 with the club, but last year split his time skating 28 AHL games and 33 in the ECHL with affiliate Kalamazoo Wings, where found the net for 10 goals and 17 assists.

The soon-to-be 27-year old is off to find a new hockey home leaving North America for Norway’s Lorenskog.

He should have an easy time finding his score touch to be amongst the leaders in league scoring.

04Jun

Josh Hennessy (11)

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After spending one season in North America, 10th year center Josh Hennessy(11) headed back overseas playing a few years in the KHL with moderate success.

He opted out halfway through 2014/2015 to try his hand at Swedish pro hockey signing with Vaxjo Lakers and subsequently helped them win the SHL Championship.

The 30-year old was considered pivotal in the team’s success and offered another two year deal to continue.

04Jun

Peter Regin(11) Jokerit

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Heading into his 14 season (his first six were in Europe) Danish-born center Peter Regin(11) leaves North American pro hockey after 7 years to the KHL, signing for 2015/2016 with Jokerit.

His first three seasons were in his home country where he won Championships skating for Herning in ’03 and 05.

The 6’2″ 198 lbs. forward moved on to the SHL to play with Timra for the next three campaigns.

He was an Ottawa Senators‘ 3rd round pick in 2004 (#87 overall) and eventually left Sweden to join the team in 2008/2009.

Reassigned for most of his rookie season to affiliate Binghamton Senators, he basically exploded on the score sheet getting 18 goals and 29 assists with a +15 rating before spending the next 4 seasons exclusively in the NHL.

For the 2013/2014 he signed a one-year deal as an unrestricted free agent with New York Islanders but was dished to Chicago Blackhawks a month before the trade deadline for a fourth round selection in the upcoming draft.

Given a one year extension, he would start 2014/2015 with farm club Rockford IceHogs before being recalled early for his last four game stint (one assist) in the show.

He managed to connect for a career high AHL 31 assists and added another 5 points in 8 Calder Cup Playoff games.

His best season in the NHL was his first when he had 13 goals and 16 assists in 75 games.

At 29-years old he still has plenty left in the tank to be a difference maker wherever his skates may land.

03Jun

Alexandre Bolduc(49) Phoenix Coyotes

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6’1″ 197 lbs., grisly 7th year center, Alexandre Bolduc(49) found himself without a team after basically skating his first six seasons pro in Vancouver Canucks‘ system mostly with their AHL affiliate, the famed Manitoba Moose, a team he skated 232 games with.

It didn’t last long though, as Arizona Coyotes picked up his unrestricted free agency status with a one-year two-way deal. He’s mostly skated with Portland Pirates putting up 3 goals and 11 assists in 19 games.

He’s played 46 NHL games and scored a pair of goals and three assists. He was originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 4th round pick in the 2003 draft (#127 overall) but never signed with them.

He technically signed as a rookie with ECHL Bakersfield Condors but skated more games in the AHL. For the next season he inked a two-way AHL contract with the Moose, then a one-way deal with Manitoba before scoring a contract with the Canucks for 2008/2009.

An upper body (um, shoulder) injury kept him sidelined for most of this season but he’s come back strong.

Original story 3/25-12

After inking for a second year in the Coyotes‘ system as captain of their farm team, he moved on circling back to skate for the team that selected him out of junior hockey, St. Louis Blues.

He spent the entire 2013/2014 season on reassignment with Chicago Wolves.

The following campaign he would again be signed by Arizona and once more take the lead of affiliate Portland Pirates.

He ended up having a career second best 23 goals and highs of 29 assists and 52 points to lead the team in 62 AHL games.

For his 11th pro season the 29-year old leaves North American hockey for his first run at the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk.

02Jun

Jerome Samson(17) EHC Munchen

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In his 5th season with Carolina Hurricanes, undrafted wing Jerome Samson(17) received his first call up to the NHL of 2011/2012 and promptly put the puck in the net. It was the first big league goal of his career.

The team is struggling again this season and need someone that will give them point production. He’s played 32 games and has just 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) but at age 24, he may be just starting to hit his stride.

With Charlotte Checkers, he leads the team in goals with 15 and adds 12 assists for a respectable 27 points in 37 AHL games.

He is in the final year of the two-year extension he signed in 2010.

He wears the inverse of his AHL numbers in the NHL.

Original story: 1/14-12

7/20-12: Signs a one-year, two way contract to stay with Carolina Hurricanes.

For 2013/2014 he leaves to ink another one-year deal with Winnipeg Jets but spends the entire season with affiliate St. John’s IceCaps reaching his second highest totals in the minors.

Once again he looks for an opportunity to play in the NHL and agrees to terms with Tampa Bay Lightning but is very slow to start with their farm club Syracuse Crunch and asks to be released.

He eventually is put on unconditional waivers and heads overseas joining Biel of the NLA in Switzerland.

Now 27-years old he’ll stay across the pond with EHC Munchen of the German elite DEL and will in all likelihood regain that scoring touch.

02Jun

Tim Kennedy(13) Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk

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4th year center Tim Kennedy(22) has been bouncing around from team-to-team for the last couple of seasons, skating NHL and AHL with 5 different teams.

He went from New York Rangers‘ organization to Florida Panthers and has landed in Worcester with his most current deal getting him traded to San Jose.

He played one full season NHL season with Buffalo Sabres (84 regular season and playoffs games, 11 goals and 18 assists) in 2009/2010, then got waived by them after he was awarded a $1 million deal through arbitration for the next year.

Since he has played in 33 more games, all with the Panthers. 26 of the contests were this year, where he scored 1 goal and 1 assist but had a -11 plus/minus.

In 170 AHL games he has 36 goals and 100 assists.

Since arriving in Worcester he’s almost a point per game player with 3 goals, 8 assists in 12 games but is a dismal -9.

He was originally drafted by Washington Capitals in the 6th round of 2005 (#181 overall).

He’s a small-ish presence out there at 5’10” 179 lbs. but is crafty with the puck and could be a point producer in the NHL, but needs to add a bit more muscle into his game.

Original story: 2/27-12

After spending a full season in San Jose Sharks‘ system playing in another 13 games with the parent club, which netted him a pair of goals, he signed a one-year deal with Arizona Coyotes for 2013/2014 and split time in the NHL and AHL with Portland Pirates.

He skated in a career high 37 games in the show getting 2 more goals and adding 6 assists but was not retained for another run.

Coming full circle he signed for 2014/2015 with the team that selected him 9 years earlier Washington Capitals, but was reassigned early and played the entire season with their farm club Hershey Bears, where he had his second best ever point totals at 59 in 75 games.

For his 8th season, the 29-year old leaves North American hockey for a go in the KHL with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.

02Jun

Morgan Ellis(3) St. John’s IceCaps

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Montreal Canadiens‘ 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#117 overall) 4th year defenseman Morgan Ellis(3) receives a one-year two-way contract extension to stay in the prospect system.

In his first three seasons playing mostly for affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs, he’s put up almost identical 10 point campaigns but in less AHL games played in 2014/2015 and for his first time he was reassigned further down the food chain to Wheeling Nailers, where he led the ECHL team in d-man points and tallies.

Through his last three campaigns in the QMJHL, he was a big assist getter, amassing 52 helpers in 60 games in his final run split between Shawinigan Cataractes and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

He was also a point-per-game player in that season’s playoffs with 4 goals, 7 assists in 11 postseason contests.

The 23-year old will likely join new farm club St. John’s IceCaps to start 2015/2016 but he’s a pretty rugged, tough to play against 6’1″ 204 lbs. blue liner and could be granted a first look by the parent club.

01Jun

Julien Brouilette(49) Karlskrona

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Washington Capitals‘ defenseman Julien Brouilette(29) waited six pro seasons before scoring his first NHL contract.

He was signed for the last couple years with AHL affiliate Hershey Bears and in camp with the parent club, so was definitely being watched.

The still small-ish 5’11” 196 lbs. blue liner is having a career year for goals, 9 in 37 games and is on his way to a new high for overall points.

On his first recall he notch his first point, an assist and left the game with a +2 rating. In his next appearance he would score his first goal, the game winner, and had another +2 in a second team win.

The 27-year old skated a single game with ECHL affiliate Reading Royals last season and this year is on a short list for recalls to the show.

He started his pro career in the double A league under contracts with Columbia Inferno, Charlotte Checkers twice and Greenville Road Warriors, but ended up skating double the amount of games in 2010/2011 with Lake Erie Monsters. This was just the start of his ascent.

Playing his junior hockey with he showed an early offensive upside posting over 40 assists in his final pair of campaigns.

This is a ton of hard work in progress, but from early games in the big league seems like a good player to have around.

Original story 3/2-14.

After playing under contract with Winnipeg Jets‘ last season, spending all but one appearance with the big club in the minors, heading into his 9th year he will test the waters overseas as he has signed on with Karlskrona of the SHL and should do well playing a more wide open system.

See related: 10/23-12

01Jun

Patrick McNeill(20) ERC Ingolstadt

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 7th year defenseman Patrick McNeill(8) must be liking the first change of scenery in his pro career.

He’s reached a new high in scoring with 11 goals with minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons and second most for points, currently at 36.

Originally a Washington Capitals‘ 4th round pick in the 2005 draft (#118 overall), he spent his first 6 seasons in the team’s prospect system skating for Hershey Bears.

The 6′ 198 lbs. blue liner initially showed strong offensive instincts in four campaigns of OHL juniors with Saginaw Spirit, leading all d-men scoring 77 points in 2005/2006.

He has yet to realize his first NHL contest but has appeared in a whopping 386 AHL games, registering 44 goals and 144 assists with a combined +36 rating and a back-to-back Calder Cup Championships in 2009 and 2010.

The 27-year old is signed to a 1-year, 2-way deal through the end of 2013/2014.

A contract extension may well depend upon how he and the team perform in the upcoming postseason but he’s certainly right on track.

Original story date 4/12-14.

Early in 2014 free agency, he was offered a one-year two-way deal to join Arizona Coyotes.

Suffering a shoulder injury during practice early in the season, his time was limited to just 23 games with affiliate Portland Pirates. He did fairly well scoring as he usually does with a goal and 11 assists.

The now 29-year old has decided to accept his next deal from overseas and will skate his 9th season for ERC Ingolstadt.

See related: 8/3-11, 6/19-12

01Jun

Chase Balisy (13)

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Florida Panthers step in offering 2nd year center Chase Balisy(2) a 2-year entry level deal, which will likely have him starting with new minor league affiliate Portland Pirates.

He finished his first season with a team high 21 goals and second 44 points and will definitely need to continue working hard to get on the radar for a call-up but it’s definitely attainable.

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