March 3, 2015: Adirondack Flames‘ fight leader at 14 bouts, the not exactly large 5’11” 185 lbs. center Mathieu Tousignant(16) is fed up with the way the game is going so picks a fight from some feistiness in front of the opposing net with Rockford IceHogs‘ 2nd year left wing Garret Ross(26) who is credited with 4 mix ups this season and is similarly sized at 6′ 182 lbs.
It was basically a draw with some good punches thrown.
Tousignant was just named “Man Of The Year” too.
Less than a year ago, Washington Capitals‘ 3rd year Russian-born right wing Stanislav Galiev(49) was barely a consideration to be recalled to the parent club when an injury took down one of the starters.
At the end of 2014 he appeared in first round playoff games for ECHL affiliate Reading Royals. He was also part of their 2013 Kelly Cup Championship team scoring 4 goals and 7 asssists in 10 games as a rookie.
All that changed at the beginning of the final campaign of his three-year entry level deal though, as he has exploded with scoring abilities for farm team Hershey Bears in 2014/2015.
The not exactly huge 6’1″ 187 lbs. forward has a career high (and team leading) 25 goals, 20 assists and 45 points through 64 AHL games with a +5 rating.
His 15 power play tallies also lead the league.
The two-time, consecutive 2011 and 2012 QMJHL Champion and 2011 Memorial Cup winner always put up big numbers in juniors taking the most assist honors in his first season 2009/2010 and leading the way in the 2012 postseason for Saint John Sea Dogs with 16 goals and 34 points.
In his first NHL game, he skated 13 shifts for 9:56 total ice with :18 on the power play and had one shot on net, one hit, one giveaway and one takeaway.
See related: 11/20-12
After four seasons in the St. Louis Blues‘ prospect system right wing Tyler Shattock(16) was not given a qualifying offer to continue with the team after putting up career best assists (16) and points (20) in the AHL with affiliate Chicago Wolves.
Originally a 4th round pick in the 2009 draft (#108 overall), he skated his first three seasons with then farm team Peoria Rivermen but was unable to replicate the numbers he achieved in four campaigns of the WHL, where he put up back-to-back more than a point-per-game totals first with Kamloops Blazers, then finishing out juniors with Calgary Hitmen.
The fairly big 6’3″ 200 lbs. forward was likely looking around for another contract but with no takers signed a one year minor league deal with Stockton Thunder and he has exploded on the score sheet.
He was already at least a bit familiar with the ECHL when he was reassigned for a brief stint early in 2012 with Evansville Icemen. Wasting little time connecting with the back of the net he scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 3 games and was quickly recalled.
Again, he got right to work with his new club and through 63 games has a team second 23 goals and a leading 39 assists and 62 points, while firing 141 shots on net and a new high 99 penalty minutes.
He was loaned temporarily for three games to Worcester Sharks earlier in the season but played more of an energy line, checking role and came away with no points.
The 25-year seems like he should be higher up on the hockey ladder than he is currently but it may be a better bet for him to take his game overseas for 2015/2016.
Montreal Canadiens‘ undrafted rookie left wing Daniel Carr(11) plays a full on energy style that leaves it all on the ice after every shift.
The generously listed 6′ 189 lbs. forward won the 2014 NCAA Championship with underdog success story Union College and was leading scorer. He posted his college best 22 goals and 28 assists for 50 points in 38 games but in a deep field didn’t come away with a Hobey Baker nominee nod despite point-per-game efforts through four years of Division 1 school hockey and also winning three straight ECAC titles before taking it all.
He continues on a scoring tear as a first year pro. In 70 AHL games with affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs, he leads rookie scoring with 22 goals and has 12 assists for 34 points with a +13 rating on a team that scores as much as it’s scored upon.
The 23-year old signed a two-year entry level contract that keeps him in the system through next season. He’ll need to continue to prove his mettle but he definitely has it and could become a scary presence around the net in the show.
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 7th year defenseman Taylor Chorney(44) spent the last pair of seasons exclusively in the minors while under contract with St. Louis Blues.
Previously he’d skated in at least a couple contests each campaign, and spent over half of 2009/2010 with draft team Edmonton Oilers (2005 round 2, #35 overall). He’s appeared in 65 NHL games scoring a goal and 5 assists.
The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner has reached 20+ points in the AHL five times, including his 4 goals and 16 assists mark this season.
He’s received a pair of recalls and played in 4 games, increasing his time on ice to 24 shifts for 15:24, including 1:38 on the power play and 2 shots on net, 2 hits and one break up.
The 27-year old is only signed through the end of the season but could extended to stick around in eastern Pennsylvania.
Anaheim Ducks‘ rookie center Stefan Noesen(64) was probably thinking if it wasn’t for bad luck, he’d have no luck at all to begin his pro career.
Originally an Ottawa Senators‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#21 overall), he was traded after three seasons of more than a point-per-game production in juniors with Plymouth Whalers.
Ready to start with his new team, he was reassigned to minor league affiliate Norfolk Admirals and after only two games in, he popped both his acl and mcl requiring season ending surgery.
The tough-playing forward that’s always grinding in front of the opposing net was able to return for the second round of the playoffs and instantly contributed 4 assists in 4 postseason contests before being eliminated.
Ready to make a comeback for his new first campaign to start 2014/2015, he got all of four games under his belt before yet again fell to an injury to the tune of a severely cut Achilles’ tendon that required him to be sidelined for another 3 and a half month stint.
Finally set to begin what should be a great run playing the sport he loves, the 6’2″ 205 lbs. pivot was introduced back into the lineup and isn’t looking back.
In 23 AHL games he has 3 goals and 5 assists on a team that is win challenged but he always brings the energy and the gusto.
The 22-year old’s persistence to be a difference maker on the ice has caught the attention of the parent club who gave him a first NHL recall.
He skated a conservative 10 shifts for 6:54 total ice time with one breakup.
This digger prospect will definitely find his place in the show eventually but needs to continue to work hard to completely return to form and assure his place.
New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2013 draft (#15 overall) rookie defenseman Ryan Pulock(6) is having himself the kind of season with minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers that he was setting up in four years of junior hockey with Brandon Wheat Kings.
He spent his last two years as team captain scoring 23 goals in 66 WHL games and also averaged over 36 assist in each campaign.
The 6’1 220 lbs. blue liner continues his scoring streak as he has a team leading d-man goal mark of 15 on the farm club and 28 points to lead all first year players in scoring.
He was an emergency recall on one occasion but has yet to skate an NHL game.
The still super young 20-year suffered an injury during training camp that sidetracked him some but is under an entry level contract through 2016/2017, so has time to continue his already pretty speedy development and will likely compete for a roster spot out of the next training camp.
Undrafted 4th year defenseman Taylor Fedun(43) signed a one-year, two-way contract with San Jose Sharks on the second day of free agency after spending his first three seasons in Edmonton Oilers‘ prospect system, but had to sit out the entirety of what would have been his rookie campaign with a broken femur suffered in preseason.
The versatile puck-moving blue liner posted his first NHL goal in his debut and then got another two nights later playing 4 games with Edmonton in 2013/2014, but was left unqualified when it was time to re-up despite also coming off a year with affiliate Oklahoma City Barons that gave him new career bests in goals (10), assists (28) and points (38).
He also fired a new high 190 shots on net in 65 AHL games.
The small-ish looking but listed at 6′ 200 lbs. d-man is likely on his way to earning another notch up in his helper totals, as he’s at 27 in 63 games with farm team Worcester Sharks and should eclipse that mark unless he happens to stay up with the parent club.
He had always increased his numbers in four years at Princeton University and even scored 10 goals in his senior season as team captain.
The now 26-year old but will be 27 when 2015/2016 starts is unrestricted and it’s definitely a bit of a wonder where he’ll end up next. He fits in nicely where he’s at but will that be enough to keep him around for a continued look.
He’s doing nicely in his 2nd call-up with the Sharks, receiving plenty of playing time, skating over 17 minutes in each of his first two games and even got his first big league assist in a win.
Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#10 overall) rookie defenseman Slater Kookkoek(65) has been working hard putting up points, contributing with minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch for his first NHL recall.
In 66 AHL games he has 5 goals and a team 19 assists (1st on the team for his position) with a +10 rating as his squad gets ready to clinch their spot in the postseason.
The 6’2″ 197 lbs. blue liner continues a scoring touch from four years in the OHL, where he averaged more than 20+ assists a season, was team captain for Peterborough Petes, assistant in his final campaign of junior hockey with Windsor Spitfires and lead in d-man points on two occasions.
In his debut he skated 21 shifts for 15:31 total ice time, had a pair of shots on net and ended the 3-1 defeat with a -1 rating. He usually manages to get the puck to the net a couple of times each outing with the farm club.
The 21-year old is signed to a three year entry level deal and has probably just started his time in the big league but plays on a team with a lot of defensive depth so will have to be good on a nightly basis.
Philadelphia Flyers‘ 4th round pick in the 2012 draft (#117 overall) left wing Taylor Leier(23) is having an impressive rookie campaign with minor league affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Skating in 63 AHL games with a team that hovers around the .500 winning mark he’s managed to put up 13 goals and 15 assists, while directing 109 shots on net.
The not exactly large 5’11” 177 lbs. forward played his junior hockey with Portland Winterhawks for three seasons, always increasing his point totals to become more than a point-per-game in his final run as captain.
He also won the 2013 WHL Championship and helped his squad with 9 goals and 7 assists in 21 games on the way to the title. They actually almost went all the way a 2nd year in a row taking it to game 7 of the 2014 Finals and close yet again in his first year, making it every year he was with them.
Signed to an entry level deal through 2016/2017, this still young 21-year old definitely is a prospect that looks to bring it forward, but he’s going to have to work every day and want to make it happen.
