NHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

23Dec

Pierre-Marc Bouchard(96) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Former Minnesota Wild 1st round pick in the 2002 draft (#8 overall) veteran left wing Pierre-Marc Bouchard(96) is spending his first time in the AHL since the lockout season of 2004/2005, when he skated with minor league affiliate Houston Aeros.

A veteran of 12 seasons he’s skated 593 NHL games scoring a very tidy 110 goals and 246 assists with an overall +6 rating.

Standing at a mid-sized 5’10” with a small 175 lbs. frame, he’s a quick moving forward with great instincts but has also been injury-prone in the last few years and missed 2009/2010 altogether.

In the four previous seasons though, he was averaging almost 60 points a campaign with over 40 assists.

Reassigned to minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers by New York Islanders, his first team other after a phenomenal 11 seasons with the Wild, he’s already put up a goal and 3 assists in 4 games.

The 29-year old is a great stabilizing presence for what is a young squad in the parent club’s prospect system.

He’s likely to reach the 600 game mark in the show but may need to wait another season.

22Dec

Akim Aliu(78) Hartford Wolf Pack

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5th year right wing Akim Aliu(78) is a bit of an enigma.

Originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#56 overall), the rough and tough forward has only played in 7 NHL games while under contract with Calgary Flames, who picked up the last year of his entry level contract, then qualified him for another season.

In his first pair of big league games he notched a pair of goals and an assist but through his next five contests in last year’s lockout shortened season he failed to connect with the score sheet.

The 6’4″ 225 lbs. power forward spent most of his time with farm club Abbotsford Heat, where in 84 games he’s collected a sparse 14 goals and 11 assists with an unsettling -20 rating.

Through 214 AHL contests his point totals are surprisingly low.

It’s fairly well documented that the still young 24-year old has temper and attitude problems, which probably has a lot to do with his limited success.

He started the current campaign on a try-out contract with Hamilton Bulldogs but was released after 14 games.

Picked up a month later by a struggling Hartford Wolf Pack, in a pair of appearances he scored his first tally with the team, has one fight and unloaded 5 shots on net.

He seems to fit with the team pretty well but without a sizable increase of offense production, it seems unlikely he’ll be given an spc to stay through the regular season.

21Dec

Arron Asham(45) Hartford Wolf Pack

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16-year veteran right wing Arron Asham(45) last spent time in the AHL with teams that are long-defunct: Quebec Citadelles and earlier Fredericton Canadiens. This occurred more than 10 seasons ago, when he was signed to the team that chose him in the 3rd round of the 1996 draft (#71 overall), Montreal Canadiens.

He spent four seasons with the team and in their prospect system until he was traded to New York Islanders and would play the next 10 years exclusively in the NHL.

The 5’11” 210 lbs. forward has played in a staggering 789 big league games scoring 94 goals and 114 assists with a -42 rating, which isn’t great and makes us wonder how he managed to sign so many one-way contracts throughout his pro career.

Signed to a two-year deal with New York Rangers that ends at the conclusion of 2013/2014, the 35-year old has been up and down with minor league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack but will likely see his career make it to 800 big league games.

Where he ends up next (possible retirement) is a crap shoot.

20Dec

Brendan Shinnimin (16)

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Phoenix Coyotes‘ 2nd year undrafted center Brendan Shinnimin(16) is sort of quietly putting up decent scoring numbers for minor league affiliate Portland Pirates.

Through 24 AHL games he has 4 goals and 8 assists.

In his rookie season he scored a handy 12 tallies and added 21 helpers in 74 contests.

He was also an unfortunate -18 plus/minus.

At 5’10” 185 lbs., he’s not necessarily the biggest looking guy out there but has shown the ability to connect with decent consistency on the score sheet.

In his final WHL campaign with Tri-City Americans, he put up a league high 134 points (58 goals, 76 assists).

He finished his junior hockey career scoring 131 goals and 201 assists in 267 games with a monstrous +85 rating.

The 22-year old is signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2015.

If he can stay active on the score sheet, he’s bound to earn himself an NHL recall.

19Dec

Ilari Melart(22) Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ undrafted, large-sized Finnish-born rookie defenseman Ilari Melart(22) has decided to pack his bags and move his game “on loan” to the KHL joining Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk for the remainder of the 2013/2014 season.

The 6’4″ 227 lbs. blue liner was playing on reassignment with minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons. In 24 AHL games, he netted one goal and two assists but connecting on the score sheet has yet to really become part of his impact.

Through four pro seasons with HIFK in SM-Liiga, he never put up big numbers but was always a leader in penalty minutes and never shies away from the rough stuff, playing a very defensive-minded game.

Signed to a 1-year entry level deal with the Blue Jackets, it’s a bit doubtful they will qualify him to keep him around but the still young 24-year old might be better suited for pro hockey closer to home.

18Dec

Dan DaSilva(22) Worcester Sharks

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Undrafted 9th year right wing Dan DaSilva(22) was leading the ECHL in total point with 7 goals and 19 assists through 14 games, when he was called up and signed to a pto to help a struggling, young Worcester Sharks‘ club find their identity.

Although the 6’1″ 195 lbs. forward has only a pair of assists, it’s the intangibles he brings along with leading by example that has the team playing better hockey and back in the hunt posting a 5-3-1 record since his arrival.

His return to the minor league club he spent three seasons from 2008-2011 with before leaving for a campaign overseas that never quite seem to fit too well happens after concluding a successful run on loan to Houston Aeros in 2012/2013.

The 28-year old was recently signed to an AHL contract in hopes his veteran presence will continue to gel with the squad and get them into a playoff position.

See related: 11/18-10, 1/25-11, 9/2-11

17Dec

Tomas Jurco (28)

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Detroit Red Wings‘ 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft (#35 overall), Slovakian-born wing Tomas Jurco(28) received his first NHL recall after his 100th regular season AHL game with minor league affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins.

He’s off to a blistering start in his sophomore season with 11 goals and 16 assists in 26 games with a +12 rating, which surpasses his rookie season helpers number and is only one point off last year’s total points in 74 contests.

The 6’2″ 193 lbs. forward skater a 16:45 ice time, including 1:27 on the power play with 1 shot on net and 2 hits in the team’s 3-0 loss.

He’s signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2015.

He was a key contributor to the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cup Championship with 8 goals (most for a rookie) and 6 assists in 24 games.

In three years of QMJHL hockey he was a point per game player putting up 87-88-175 in 172 games and won a league title and Memorial Cup Trophy.

At only 20-years old this is a guy that is still awaiting his big breakout and it looks almost certain to happen soon.

16Dec

Troy Grosenick(1) Worcester Sharks

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San Jose Sharks‘ undrafted rookie net minder Troy Grosenick(1) is off to a formidable start to his pro career.

Originally slated to be the back-up goalie with minor league affiliate Worcester Sharks, he’s stepped it up in each appearance to be on somewhat of a rotating start schedule.

In 9 AHL games he has a 5-3 record with a 2.01 GAA and .922 SV%. He also has one shutout and 3 shootout wins.

The 6’1″ 185 lbs. backstop had great success in a pair of seasons at Union College winning ECAC Championships both seasons with a league best GAA and SV% in his first year, along with being voted Goaltender Of The Year and was a Hobey Baker Award Finalist.

He’s initially signed a 1-year entry level deal at the end of 2012/2013 and a few months later that was quickly upped another two seasons with an extension, which will keep him in the system through 2015.

The 24-year old has surprised folks at every level and there’s enough reason to think he’ll continue the pattern.

15Dec

Justin Peters(35) Carolina Hurricanes

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Carolina Hurricanes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2004 draft (#38 overall) 8th year goaltender Justin Peters is finding his footing and looks to potentially take over the number one job in net.

In 16 NHL games this season he has a 6-8 record but his 2.23 GAA and .925 SV% always gives his team a chance to win.

He’s played 63 total games serving mostly as back-up net minder with appearances in each of the last 5 seasons.

The 6’1″ 210 lbs. goalie has played in 214 AHL games sporting a nifty 2.64 GAA and .912 SV%. He is on the record books with Charlotte Checkers for best in both categories in a single season, most shutouts in a year and overall and has appeared in two All-Star Games receiving best net minder for his play in the 2013 skills competition.

He was re-signed to a two-year contract extension with 2013/2014 as a one-way deal. It will be tough to reassign the player without losing him on waivers.

The 27-year old will likely be staying put with the only team he’s dressed for.

13Dec

Ben Youds(2) Providence Bruins

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3rd year undrafted defenseman Ben Youds(2) is looking to best his AHL rookie season career highs in a big way, as long as he can stick with a tough Providence Bruins‘ roster to crack.

Signed to a minor league contract with Rockford IceHogs, he had 4 goals and 13 assists for 17 points as a rookie in the 2011/2012 season.

He was re-signed but ended up splitting time with ECHL affiliate Toledo Walleye for most of his sophomore campaign. His numbers in the lower league were pretty stellar at 17 goals and 27 assists with a +11 rating in 43 games.

The 5’11” 180 lbs. d-man was an invite to Boston Bruins‘ training camp but reassigned to the farm club, where he signed a one-year deal in the off-season.

In 15 games with the P-Bruins he has a goal and 8 assists with a +5 plus/minus, already matching his point totals from last season in just 23 games.