Category: NHL

29Jan

2013 AHL All-Star Game Winners: Western Conference

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It was Toronto Marlies‘ captain Ryan Hamilton(12) putting the cherry on his hat trick for the night to give the Western Conference the win with 11.5 seconds left on the clock breaking the 6-6 tie for the win at the AHL All-Star Game held this season at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, home of Providence Bruins.

He was also named the game’s MVP, of course.

P-Bruins is always near the top in league attendance, this year at 7,409. The ASG turned out 10,846 hardcores, which is/was a very full building really wanting an Eastern Conference W, despite them hating some of the home squad’s teammates at any regular season game.

They did get a huge cheer going when captain Trent Whitfield(23) tallied the game-tying goal late in the third.

AHL Western Conference

 

28Jan

Garnet Exelby(2) Providence Bruins

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11th year defenseman Garnet Exelby(2) signed a one-year two-way contract with Boston Bruins for the 2012/2013 season.

An Atlanta Thrashers‘ 8th round pick in 1999 (#217 overall) he has skated in 408 NHL games, mostly with his draft team but played one season patrolling the blue line for Toronto Maple Leafs.

His time as a Leaf was his last in the league. He was with Grand Rapids Griffins in 2011/2012 and Rockford Ice Hogs for the previous campaign. The now 31-year old was selected as team captain for both seasons in the AHL.

He has never been a big point-getter but is a good-sized presence in the defensive zone at 6’1″ 210 lbs., has always been fairly accountable on ice and never afraid to drop the mitts to protect a teammate.

In 19 games with Providence Bruins (he’s been hampered by injuries) he has a pair of goals. If the parent club suffers some injuries at the d-spot, the veteran could get a call-up but it’s a bit of a long shot maybe.

Garnet Exelby

27Jan

Anthony Stewart(21) Manchester Monarchs

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Former Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2003 draft (#25 overall), right wing Anthony Stewart(21) was one of the NHL signed players to head overseas during the lockout. He somewhat ironically inked with Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL and scored 6 goals and 5 assists in 19 games.

He has played 262 (27 goals and 44 assists) NHL games with the Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers and Carolina Hurricanes. The latter team dished him and his $1M contract to Los Angeles Kings in favor of a tough guy.

With little space in their front line, the Kings reassigned the 6’2″ 230 lbs. winger to their AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs, a league he hadn’t been in since 2010, but has 42 goals and 56 assists in throughout his 8-year pro career

In 3 games, he posted a goal and two fighting majors but appears a bit disinterested out there, although that could just be his style of play.

At 28-years old it’s a bit of a wonder where the power forward will land next.

Anthony Stewart

26Jan

Cal Heeter(35) Trenton Titans

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ undrafted rookie goaltender Cal Heeter(35) might be spending too much time in the “waiting” room before his next appearance in net with their AHL affiliate Adirondack Phantoms, where he has played the entire first half of his first pro season.

In 20 games he’s compiled a 7-11-1 record with a respectably decent 2.97 GAA and .906 SV% on a team that has been challenged to string together wins and sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

At 6’4″ 195 lbs. he’s a pretty big frame in there and moves pretty well, but the 24-year old just hit a logjam in the Flyers‘ system that sends him to the ECHL Trenton Titans for the first time.

He’ll likely take it in stride, play hard and looks to be part of at the very least the Phantoms‘ future.

His two-year entry level deal keeps him in the system through 2014.

Cal Heeter

25Jan

Andrew Agozzino(11) Lake Erie Monsters

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andrew-agozzino

Lake Erie Monsters‘ undrafted rookie left wing Andrew Agozzino(11) signed a one-year AHL contract with the team to start his pro career.

He’s quickly put up 13 goals and 22 assists in 42 games, which ties him for the team lead in scoring.

He is also a big +15 plus/minus.

At 5’9″ 185 lbs., he’s fairly unassuming out there but obviously sees the ice well and can get the puck to another player for a scoring situation or put the biscuit in the basket on his own.

The under-sized forward consistently put up points in the OHL and was Niagara IceDogs‘ team captain in his last two and a half seasons (one as an over-ager).

He also led them in scoring for three straight campaigns.

The 21-year old did attend a St. Louis Blues‘ prospect camp and suited up for their minor league affiliate Peoria Rivermen at the end of 2010 but that situation failed to go any further.

He was also invited to a Tampa Bay Lightning development camp.

Look for him to score an NHL deal (likely of the two-way variety), maybe not with parent club Colorado Avalanche, but he should latch on with some big league club, especially if he continues to tear up the scoresheet.

He was chosen to participate in the upcoming AHL All-Star Game.

23Jan

Mike Sgarbossa(43) Lake Erie Monsters

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mike-sgarbossa

Undrafted Colorado Avalanche rookie center Mike Sgarbossa(43) is going to someday (maybe really soon) play in the NHL.

The promising pivot was originally acquired in a 6-player trade with San Jose Sharks before he ever took to the ice as a pro.

For now though, he’ll continue to put up points in the AHL with their minor league affiliate Lake Erie Monsters. The 5’11” 180 lbs forward (knock on his size?) has 14 goals and 18 assists in 36 games, tying him for first on the team.

In his last two seasons in juniors, he was virtually a two-point per game guy.

The almost 21-year old is signed with the ‘lanche through 2015 so there’s time to develop but his game might just be ready now.

22Jan

Mark Schiefele(42) Winnipeg Jets

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19-year old Winnipeg Jets‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#7 overall) center Mark Schiefele(42) initially started his pro career last season but was returned to his junior club Barrie Colts after 7 games. In the brief stint, he did manage to pot his first NHL goal.

After the end of the season OHL season for his team, he joined AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps for their deep bid at the Calder Cup. That bid ended at the Eastern Conference Finals.

In 10 postseason match-ups he had one helper to add to his pro scoring stats.

Starting the 2012/2013 campaign, he continued his development in juniors, where he is a more than a point per game player.

As soon as the lockout ended, the 6’2″ 184 lbs. forward was ushered to Jets‘ shortened training camp  and once again impressed enough to be on the opening night roster with the big club.

In two games he has yet to reach the scoresheet but will likely stick at this level or be reassigned to help the slumping IceCaps.

Mark Scheifele

21Jan

Vladislav Namestnikov(18) Syracuse Crunch

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#27 overall), Russian-born rookie center Vladislav Namestnikov(18) starts his pro career with their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch. Not that he had a chance to begin in the NHL with the lockout erasing all of 2012.

Seemed a bit peculiar that he wasn’t invited to attend the Lightning‘s shortened training camp but they probably thought it was better for their young prospect to continue uninterrupted development with their farm team.

The 6’ 170 lbs. forward did suffer a fairly bad shoulder injury only a few contests into his 2012/2013 debut that sidelined him for 5 weeks.

Returning to action as the calendar flipped to a new year, the 20-year old has skated in 14 games scoring a pair of goals and 3 assists.

He’s pegged to become an elite power forward in the top league and despite playing at a weight that’s probably 15-20 pounds under where he should be, he muscles his way into situations and looks to have the abilities to turn into what’s projected for his future.

Vladislav Namestnikov

20Jan

Brian Sutherby(14) Lake Erie Monsters

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12th year former Washington Capitals‘ 1st round pick in the 2000 draft (#26 overall) center Brian Sutherby(14) started the season on a  pto with St. John’s IceCaps but was released after being a healthy scratch from the first two games.

Two and a half months later, the 30-year forward signs a standard player contract with Lake Erie Monsters.

A veteran of 460 NHL games with Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars and the Capitals, he’s quite literally under-scored where he should be with only 41 goals and 49 assists.

An unrestricted free agent last season, he signed a minor league deal with San Antonio Rampage but failed to produce as they would have liked and was released. He spent the rest of the year sidelined with back ailments. In 85 AHL games he’s scored 13 goals and 31 assists.

At 6’2″ 209 lbs. he’s built like a power forward and skates like one.

Despite having no points in 5 games with the Monsters, he really seems to fit into this team pretty well, making sure that if he has yet to quite hit the scoresheet yet, he’s still a big pest to play against.

Brian Sutherby