Category: NHL

10Jan

Sebastian Collberg(49) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Sebastian-Collberg

New York Islanders‘ Swedish-born rookie right wing Sebastian Collberg(49) got the wake-up call pretty quickly as he was reassigned down to affiliate Stockton Thunder when he wasn’t really producing much with farm club Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

In 6 ECHL games he produced 4 goals and 3 assists that proved he definitely belonged on a higher level of hockey. He already had 3 seasons of pro experience in his home country’s top league SHL skating for Frolunda.

He rebounded nicely, in 18 AHL games he now has 3 goals and 5 assists and is definitely starting to contribute. Two of those tallies were notched when he returned up the ladder.

The 5’11” 186 lbs. forward, who was originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#33 overall) then traded, is only officially signed through the end of this season, when his three-year entry level deal with two years on loan, expires.

The only 20-year old will need to continue to step it up and prove himself worthy for a look at the next level to earn a qualifying offer.

08Jan

Colin Fraser(24) Chicago Wolves

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Colin-Fraser

10th year veteran center Colin Fraser(24) signed a one-year two-way deal to join St. Louis Blues‘ organization after three seasons with Los Angeles Kings that saw him score a second 2012 Stanley Cup.

He won his first final hardware a couple of years earlier with Chicago Blackhawks and story has it even though he only appeared in 3 postseason contests still was granted his name engraved on the trophy.

You could even stretch it a bit and suggest he was part of a team that has won it all every other season for the last 6 years, as he skated with the Kings for 33 games, but was reassigned to the minor league affiliate Manchester Monarchs for the first time since 2008 with the intent of sending the soon to be unrestricted free agent on his way elsewhere.

And although he was only part of the practice squad for the 2014 run, he was still given his day with the Cup.

The 6’1″ 190 lbs. former Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2003 draft (#69 overall) has played 359 NHL games scoring only 20 goals and 38 assists but given his track record of being around a championship, he has his upside.

He was recalled for a game recently raising his years of appearances in the highest hockey league to 9.

Used ultra sparingly with only 6 shifts and 4:42 total ice he did at least manage a shot on net, one hit and one break up play.

Where the 29-year old takes his game next is anyone’s guess but if he is even associated with another team that wins it, then you can be sure luck will give him yet another shot in the show.

06Jan

Jordon Southorn(3) Portland Pirates

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Jordan Southorn

5th year defenseman Jordon Southorn(3) scored his first goal in his longest stint yet in the AHL.

He signed a 2-way contract with Portland Pirates over the summer and has been up and down a couple times already this season.

He’s skated in 11 games also adding an assist with a +4 rating on what is a roller coaster ride of a team.

The big 6’3″ 199 lbs. blue liner has played  in all kinds of situations: even strength, on the power play and short-handed and handled himself with seemingly steady precision.

Definitely a bit of a wonder why the former Buffalo Sabres‘ 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#104 overall) went unsigned and has played most of his pro career in the ECHL.

He has 213 games for 6 different teams in the league to his credit scoring 34 goals and 74 assists with a defensively accountable +31 rating.

It was surprising to see him sent down the first time but it appears that decision is rapidly becoming tougher to make as he starts connecting with the score sheet and stays tough to play against in his zone.

05Jan

Borna Rendulic(71) Colorado Avalanche

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Philadelphia Flyers v Colorado AvalancheColorado Avalanche‘ undrafted Croatian-born rookie right wing Borna Rendulic(71) became the first player from his country ever to sign a big league contract, play in a game and get an NHL goal in only his fourth appearance.

He inked a two-year entry level deal after first having participated in pro games as a youngster in his native land and Austria before moving up to the top ranks of Finland’s SM-liiga, doing decently in two seasons with HPK.

He played a lot of his junior hockey in the country before getting a contract with a team so was on their radar but he continues to train a home and still participates in all their tournament play.

At 6’3″ 199 lbs. the forward obviously dominates play in these games.

After his first parent club development and training camps, he started his pro career in North American on reassignment to affiliate Lake Erie Monsters.

There he has 4 goals and 4 assists in 26 AHL games, which isn’t exactly amazing but they must be seeing something right in his skating because he was initially recalled for three games with no points and then called back for another look where he potted his first.

He does use that large frame to play a thumping style and does throw the puck at the net on at least a couple of occasions each contest.

Regardless of how long this lasts and hopefully it will for a long while, the 22-year old has already made hockey history.

04Jan

Brett Richie(25) Dallas Stars

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Brett Richie

Dallas Stars‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft (#44 overall) 2nd year right wing Brett Richie(25) is making quite the argument to stay put on the hot-and-cold parent club after only a pair of games since his first recall.

In two team wins, the big 6’3″ 220 lbs. power forward scored his first NHL goal in his debut, then added another tally and an assist in his next appearance with a +4 rating.

Over the pair of games he was also credited with 4 shots on net, 8 hits, 1 takeaway, 1 giveaway and 2 takeaways in an average of 16 shifts and a conservative 11 minutes of ice time.

He has spent most of his playing time with the parent club’s affiliate Texas Stars, where in 90 AHL games he’s scored 33 goals and 33 assists with a monster +24 rating and has amassed a gargantuan 314 shots.

The 21-year old was also big part of the 2014 Calder Cup Championship and contributed another 7 goals and 4 assists in 13 games to the title.

Makes sense that he’s getting his opportunity now as he could be the spark plug the big league teams needs heading into the second half of the season.

03Jan

CapGeek.com ceases operations

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capgeekCompletely out of nowhere the ultimate NHL team and players’ contracts’ info site capgeek.com has shut down the entire operation.

The resource information they freely gave to interested media and fans is now frozen in cyberspace.

The message on their site mentions the declining health of its founder Matthew Wuest, but why they would just let it go, taking down all the information is the million dollar question.

We fully respect his wishes to not be bothered but everyone who loves this site is going to want to know the same thing, why?

As of this writing he Twittter post announcing the shutdown is just over 30 minutes old.

We’ll have more info as it becomes available but they will be sadly missed.

02Jan

Nikita Nestorov(89) Tampa Bay Lightning

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Nikita NesterovTampa Bay Lightning 5th round pick in the 2011 draft (#141 overall), Russian-born 2nd year defenseman Nikita Nestorov(89) earned his first recall.

He is well on his way to posting career high totals in his sophomore campaign with affiliate Syracuse Crunch scoring 3 goals and 11 assists for 14 points with a +4 rating, but the stat that seems to jump off the sheet is an average of two shots on net in each of 32 AHL games.

Before turning pro in North America, he already had a full season and a few contests under his belt in the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk while also still playing juniors in his home country.

In 45 games he somewhat surprisingly only recorded one assist.

The sturdy 5’11” 199 lbs. blue liner was a standout in WJC competitions winning a pair of bronze and a silver medal while also helping his team on the score sheet.

In his NHL debut he skated 17 shifts for 15:02 total ice time with one giveaway and a couple of takeaways.

The 21-year old also left the 5-1 victory with a +1 rating.

He’s filling in a spot due to  an injury but with continued aggressive, smart play could find himself getting a longer look.

He is signed to a three-year entry level deal through the 2015/2016 season.

30Dec

Tyler Gaudet(32) Arizona Coyotes

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Tyler GaudetArizona Coyotes‘ undrafted rookie center Tyler Gaudet(32) has been proving he’s got sauce since he first laced ’em up.

He began as an 18-year old in the QMJHL with Gatineau Olympiques but was dropped back when he failed to produce as a youngster.

The unassumingly large 6’3″ 205 lbs. forward played a couple half seasons in the CCHL with Pembroke Lumber Kings working on his game and eventually signed with Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds a year after his demotion.

He was slow to start but picked it up big in his second campaign with the team scoring 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 OHL games with a +25 rating and continued his hot streak into 9 playoff contests with a pair of tallies and 6 helpers.

Despite earlier uneven play he managed to land himself on the radar of the Coyotes and was signed to a three-year entry level deal before turning pro at the end of 2013/2014.

Arriving for his first development and training camps, the 21-year old showed the big club he was ready to go with an impressive, accountable two-way style game he was developing.

He was reassigned to Portland Pirates at the start of the season and picked up right away.

In 29 AHL games he’s grabbed 4 goals and 4 assists with a +2 plus/minus while helping keeping the club in the picture.

His consistent play has earned him a recall to the NHL.

In his debut he skated 12 even strength shifts for 9:20 of total ice with one shot on net, one hit and was a -1 in the team’s 4-2 victory.

If he can land a spot on the roster, he is easily the type of player that can be great on the penalty kill and help out on the offense too.