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Category: NHL

24Jan

Tomas Hertl(48) San Jose Sharks

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San Jose Sharks‘ 1st round pick in the 2012 draft (#17 overall) Czech Republic-born 2nd year center Tomas Hertl(48) may have been shaking his head some when he was reassigned to skate games over the NHL All-Star break with minor league affiliate Worcester Sharks and it’s possible that if the parent club isn’t happy they could keep him down longer.

He’s definitely off to a less than impressive start in his sophomore campaign as his numbers are down dramatically from his rookie season, where he put in 15 goals and 10 assists in 37 games with a -11 rating.

The absolutely towering 6’2″ 210 power forward has only managed 8 goals and 9 assists in 48 games so the spotlight is on him to improve.

There’s little doubt he looks out of place on the farm team this could be the wake up call he needs to become a fixture in the highest level of hockey. In two AHL games he has a pair of assists with a +1 plus/minus.

He already had two years of pro experience as a teenager in his home country’s top league Czech Extraliga with HC Slavia Praha putting up 28 and 30 point seasons

The 21-year old is signed to a three-year entry level deal so it’s important for him to step it up but it’s very doubtful that if he fails to settle in California, another club will definitely give him a huge chance in a different system.

23Jan

Cory Conacher(89) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Undrafted, 4th year left wing Cory Conacher(89) has been on a bumpy ride with four different teams since signing his first NHL contract before the lockout shortened season with Tampa Bay Lightning.

He inked his initial 2-year 2-way entry level deal after winning the 2012 Calder Cup with then affiliate Norfolk Adrmirals, being named AHL rookie of the year, playoff MVP and putting up more assists than any other first year player during the regular season and in the playoffs.

Although he is most definitely under-sized at 5’8″ 179 lbs., he was merely following up a celebrated run at Canisius College, where he recorded all-time highs for goals, points and game-winning tallies and an incredibe first run with three teams in two different leagues he recorded 8 goals and 4 assists in 10 games but was held to only an assist in seven postseason contests.

He jumped out quickly when the big league got back under way 9 goals and 15 assists in 35 games but ultimately he was expendable when the parent club needed goal tending and found himself traded off to Ottawa Senators at the deadline.

He played his only full slate of regular season games in 2013/2014 but fell short of expectations with 4 goals and 16 assists in 60 games.

Ultimately he was to be reassigned back down but the horrible Buffalo Sabres picked him up on waivers.

He skated with them for the remaining 17 games and got himself a nifty 3 goals and 3 assists but was a woeful -7 plus/minus.

Heading into his second unrestricted free agency, first since he signed a minor league contract to start his pro career, he didn’t have to wait long as New York Islanders saw something they liked and swooped right in on opening day getting him to agree to a one-year two-way deal.

It looked like he’d come out strong but through 15 games faltered on a roster filled with lots of bigger, younger studs with only a goal and a pair of assists.

The 24-year was waived and sent to farm team Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he’s settled in quickly hitting the back of the net 4 times and dishing 11 helpers in 15 games.

He be a free agent at the end of this year and it’s looking like the small forward might have better luck taking his game across the pond.

See related: 11/8-11

20Jan

Jordan Binnington (30)

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St. Louis Blues‘ 3rd round pick in the 2011 draft (#88 overall) goaltender Jordan Binnington(30) has one of the more interesting artist renderings on his mask for 2014/2015.

That’s Will Smith as The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air that graces one side of his cage.

The story goes he is a huge fan of the actor in the tv show and thinks he can basically do no wrong on the silver screen.

Between the pipes the 2nd year net minder is earning his keep with minor league affiliate Chicago Wolves.

The 6’1″ 176 lbs. backstop has a 11-6 record in 19 AHL games with a 2.33 GAA, .911 SV% and one shutout.

He played the majority of his rookie season in the ECHL posting similar stats but was fairly outstanding in three Kelly Cup Playoff games going 1-1-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .946 SV%.

The 21-year old won the 2011 OHL Championship and was voted Outstanding Goalie at the Memorial Cup despite not winning.

He was also named 2013 Goaltender Of The Year in his final season with Owen Sound Attack.

He’s received one recall and probably isn’t too far from an NHL start.

19Jan

Nick Shore(37) Los Angeles Kings

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Los Angeles Kings‘ 2nd year center Nick Shore(37) is putting up some mightily impressive career highs with affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

In 37 AHL games he is 2nd in the league in points at 41, tied for first in goals (20) and his +22 rating is tops.

The 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward earned his first recall and made his NHL debut with 17 shifts for 10:35 total ice time, including 1:03 on the power play, 1 shot on net and 1 hit in a shootout loss.

He’s set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the current campaign but the 22-year old looks to be in line for a nice extension on his current tear.

18Jan

Josh Anderson(53) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 4th round pick in the 2012 draft (#95 overall) rookie right wing Josh Anderson(53) has been playing a consistently aggressive, hard-nosed power forward style with minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The big 6’3″ 212 lbs. forward’s efforts earned him a first recall when the parent club needed a checking line skater to fill in a roster spot due to injury.

He’s put up a decent 4 goals and 7 assists in 37 AHL games with a +1 rating after putting up point-per-game numbers in his third and final season of junior hockey.

He won back-to-back OHL Championships with London Knights and was assistant captain in the year before he decided to turn pro.

In a pair of NHL games he skated an average of 20 regular strength shifts with just over 13 minutes of ice time, 2 shots, 2 penalty minutes, 1 giveaway, 1 break up, 2 takeaways and a thumping 11 hits (8 in one game alone) with a -2 plus/minus.

One of the last cuts from training camp, the 20-year old looks to be establishing himself early.

He’s signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2017.

17Jan

Parker Milner(30) Quad City Mallards

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2nd year undrafted net minder Parker Milner(30) was a 2-time NCAA Championship with Boston College Eagles and voted MVP in the 2012 Tournament but can’t seem to catch a break.

After signing a one-year, two-way minor league deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he barely got to show anything on a training camp invite to parent club New York Islanders, who were reported to sign him over the summer but already had a glut of goaltenders, before being released.

With little room to play on the AHL club, he was reassigned to start his pro career with Stockton Thunder, where he spent the majority of his rookie season.

In 25 ECHL games he may not have posted a winning record at 9-14-1-1 but had a respectable 2.84 GAA and .907 SV% with a pair of shutouts. He had similar numbers in 8 games on recall but managed a 4-2 record on a farm team that struggled and even won three straight starts.

The 6’1″ 188 lbs. backstop inked a one-year deal with Quad City Mallards for his sophomore campaign and looks to be on his way to setting new high marks.

In 18 contests he’s 9-6-2 with a 2.48 GAA and .919 SV%.

He earned a call up to Iowa Wild and was thrown into the net as they were getting shellacked and unable to stop the bleeding.

The 24-year old has worked hard to gain notice and will continue to earn every inch he gets.

15Jan

John McCarthy(17) Worcester Sharks

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6th year veteran center John McCarthy(17) got a bit of a surprised when he was reassigned back to Worcester Sharks‘ organization in a minor league transaction after less than half a season on a one-year, two-way deal with St. Louis Blues.

He has spent his entire pro career in the San Jose Sharks‘ system, playing 267 AHL games with their farm team (59-82-141, +31 rating) and one campaign as team captain.

The 6′ 195 lbs. plays a power forward style despite being a little shy of the usual size but only in his rookie season was he able to attain 20/20 scoring status.

He’s also thought of as a good checking, somewhat agitating to play against opponent, which completely goes against his real good-guy off ice persona.

In 25 games on reassignment with Chicago Wolves he only has a 5 goals and 3 assists so far this season but was injured for a spell, which might have thrown his game off.

At 28-years old it’s tough to say where this train will stop next but it would be little surprise to see him succeed quite nicely taking his game overseas in 2015/2016.

See related: 1/28-12, 4/7-11, 3/16-11, 2/4-11

14Jan

Steve MacIntyre(74) Utah Grizzlies

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Norfolk Admirals‘ absolutely huge 6’5″ 250 lbs. 13th year veteran left wing Steve MacIntyre(74) has seemingly taken his demotion to Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL for the first time since 2006 in stride this late in his pro career.

He actually played the next season 2006/2007 in the old UHL with Quad City Mallards, who maybe ironically are now playing their games in the same league.

His brick wall, tough guy style and persistent attitude helped take his game to the next level when in 2007/2008 he skated a full AHL season with Providence Bruins.

It would be the last time he put up over 200 penalty minutes in a season and although he threw fists 18 times, that was easily the most fights in a campaign he’d ever settled.

Edmonton Oilers took notice and grabbed him off waivers from Florida Panthers, who reclaimed him a year later.

He would play games mostly in Alberta, but he also got some time with Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 34-year old skated last season with Oklahoma City Barons but only appeared in 11 games.

He’s been held pointless for at least the last three years.

It’s pretty likely that if he wants to still play the sport he will take his game to England next and be a hero.

12Jan

Joni Ortio(37) Calgary Flames

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Calgary Flames‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#171 overall) Finnish-born goaltender Joni Ortio(37) earned a 1-0 shutout on recall in his first game of 2014/2015.

His numbers shouldering the majority of the starts with AHL affiliate Adirondack Flames are only slightly off the marks he set from the previous season with Abbotford Heat as a rookie.

He actually was one of very few players to appear in three leagues in his first year, starting with 4 games in the ECHL for Alaska Aces, where he posted a 3-1 record and a phenomenal 1.01 GAA and .944 SV%.

In 9 NHL games that same season, the 6’1″ 185 back stop went 4-4 with a 2.51 GAA and ..891 SV%.

He came to North American pro hockey having already played a full campaign in his home country Liiga for HIFK and parts of three previous years with TPS.

The 23-year signed a two-year extension after his entry level deal was up.

He’s on a one-way contract next season so it will be interesting to see if he makes a clean jump up the ladder.

11Jan

Willie Coetzee(26) Worcester Sharks

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5th year undrafted South African-born right wing Willie Coetzee(26) has already cycled through three different leagues and two countries in his first season out of contract with Detroit Red Wings.

He started in Austria on a tryout with Graz 99ers but after 12 games was released.

A week later he signed a one-year deal with Reading Royals and went right to work in a league he was already very familiar from his time on reassignment with Toledo Walleye.

In 9 ECHL games he caught fire quickly scoring 2 goals and 10 assists, which got the attention of the injury plagued Worcester Sharks, who signed him to an spc essentially keeping him for the season.

Once again, the not huge 5’10” 185 lbs. forward stepped in attacking the score sheet unlike he did while playing for Grand Rapids Griffins, although he did have an ok sophomore campaign getting 11 tallies and 11 helpers.

In 8 AHL games he’s blowing the lid off the pace of his previous marks, amassing 4 goals and 7 assists with a +6 rating.

However the switch was activated, the 24-year old that missed all of 2013/2014 with a knee injury has seemingly arrived.

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