NHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

26Oct

Brian O’Hanley(38) San Antonio Rampage

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5th year defenseman Brian O’Hanley(38) was originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 9th round pick in the 2003 draft (#267 overall) and bounced his way around from ECHL to the AHL in pretty much each of his pro seasons, although he continues to call Cincinnati Cyclones his home base having played games with the team in every year, including one full season, 2009-2010; the only time he ever skated for a single club in a campaign.

He appeared in AHL career highs last season with 44 games scoring 4 goals and 7 assists, most of them with his real hometown team, Worcester Sharks. He was born in one hour away Quincy, MA and played his college hockey at Boston College.

At 5’11” 191 lbs. he isn’t the biggest of the blue liners out there but plays the puck pretty well and is accountable for his space on the ice.

Heading into the new season he signed a training camp tryout with San Antonio Rampage and stuck but was reassigned, yes, once again to Cincinnati to start the season. And he did scoring 2 goals and adding 2 assists in 3 games earning him his first call-up.

The 27-year old should be able to flourish with all the talent in the upper league.

25Oct

Evan Bloodoff (25)

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Phoenix Coyotes‘ 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#157 overall) left wing Evan Bloodoff(25) never signed a deal with the team but upon being reassigned to their affiliate Portland Pirates out of training camp inked a two-year AHL contract that started in 2011/2012.

In 48 games last year, he hit the scoresheet for 6 goals a pair of assists, while going a shaky -10 plus/minus.

The 5’11” 205 lbs. forward was also a healthy scratch for way more games that he would have liked to have been in the stands for.

He skated in only one game so far for the Pirates in 2012/2013 and has been reassigned for the first time in his short pro career to get some more playing time in the ECHL with their affiliate Gwinnett Gladiators.

He should get some quality ice time down there which should help his game.

24Oct

Tyler Brenner(16) Bakersfield Condors

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Toronto Maple Leafs undrafted 2nd year right wing Tyler Brennan(16) split time in his rookie season with both their AHL and ECHL affiliates Toronto Marlies and Reading Royals but also spent time on the sidelines as a healthy scratch and bitten by the injury bug.

He’s signed for a 2-year entry level deal and has shown he can put numbers up on the scoresheet (3 goals and 6 assists in 29 games over a season and an ato with the Marlies and the same totals in 20 games with the Royals). He also contributed very well in college at RIT playing Division I Atlantic Hockey and has some size at 6’2″ 200 lbs.

The 24-year old was just reassigned to Bakersfield Condors to start 2012/2013 after not appearing in the first 5 games of the AHL regular season. He should fit in well in California and will probably help them win more.

23Oct

Julien Brouillette (29)

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Undrafted 5th year defenseman Julien Brouillette(29) started his pro career in the ECHL but has played the last two seasons exclusively with AHL teams.

He had career highs for games played, goals, assists, points and penalty minutes (74-7-14-21-24) last season in the league with Hershey Bears, who he was signed with for the season.

The small-ish 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner re-upped with the club for 2012/2013 but was a healthy scratch for the first contest and reassigned to their new ECHL affiliate Reading Royals midweek for a game to get in some playing time.

He was inserted into the lineup for their second road contest and scored his first of the new campaign but sat for the home opener the next night.

The soon-to-be 26-year old will likely always be the type of player that needs to earn his spot.

22Oct

Adam Henrique(14) Albany Devils

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This one gets slotted in the “can you believe this is happening?” file. But regardless, is still too cool.

2nd year center Adam Henrique(14) is back skating with Albany Devils, the first pro emblem he wore on his chest, as the NHL, where he well-excelled in his rookie season, waits.

He’s picked up an assistant captain letter on his jersey since his last time with the A-Devils and a whole lot of gusto to his game. Despite going the first couple of dates without a point, he fixed that with a goal in the team’s first road contest, a 4-0 win.

On a side note, he now wears the same no. 14 that he does with the big club.

See related posts: 5/26-12, 10/24-11, 8/27-11

21Oct

Joe Morrow(6) WBS Penguins

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Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#23 overall) rookie defenseman Joe Morrow(6) has all the attributes to become one of the NHL‘s leading scorers for his position. He sees plays develop and moves the puck up to the forwards quickly, but is also a great stick handler with the ability to lead the rush into the offensive zone as well.

The not quite yet 20-year old showed these strengths in his final two season of juniors so it’s easy to see why he was selected so high in the draft.

He starts his pro career with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL as the NHL keeps a lock on its doors. He notched his first ever goal, a slapper from the point, the other night in Springfield.

He’s listed at 6’1″ 198 lbs. but honestly doesn’t seem to have that much size or weight. He appears smaller maybe because of the ease he moves through spaces out there whether they’re large or small.

Just looking at him, you know this is a kid that brings his A game every time.

20Oct

Micheal Haley(18) CT Whale

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Our favorite player movement of the 2012 offseason.

6th year undrafted fists of fury forward Micheal Haley(18) didn’t have to trade in his number when he to the drive up the street to join his new team.

After 5 straight seasons in New York Islanders‘ prospect system playing mostly for their affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, the now veteran 26-year old calls Hartford home.

In the offseason the unrestricted free agent was signed to a 1-year 2-way deal with New York Rangers and is currently playing the same role and penalty killing for Connecticut Whale.

He had career highs in goals (15), assists tie (10), points (25) and even managed less penalty minutes, but not by much.

He’s the type of player we love to see out there. At only 5’11” 198 lbs. he’s all guts and glory.

The pic is post-first fight to bloody up the new uniform a bit with old teammate Blair Riley.

19Oct

Kael Mouillierat(20) Idaho Steelheads

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Undrafted 3rd year forward Kael Mouillierat(20) must have been holding out to see if any higher league offers trickled in after his best pro season yet in 2011/2012 on recall by Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He finished the year having played a career high 44 AHL games and achieved bests in scoring with 8 goals and 15 assists for 23 points and a mighty impressive +16 plus/minus.

With no takers, he once again signed with Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL for a third straight season. He’s an asset on the ice though as the 6′ 185 lbs. skater is basically a point per game guy with the team and in his first appearance of the 2012/2013 season he hit the scoresheet for both a goal and an assist.

Once the NHL shakes hands on a new CBA, the 25-year will almost certainly continue his playing time in the AHL.

This highlight reel goal is a thing of beauty.

18Oct

Francois Bouchard(61) Cincinnati Cyclones

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5th year Washington Capitals‘ 2nd round pick in the 2006 draft (#35 overall), center Francois Bouchard(27) found himself at the start of the season without a contract in what’s maybe been a bit of a tricky year for more than a few players to get work playing pro hockey.

After his initial 3-year entry level deal was up, he signed on for one more campaign in the Capitals‘ prospect system but was bounced from his time with Hershey Bears (where he won back-to-back Calder Cups in 2009 & 2010) to New York Rangers‘ AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale and uneventfully finished out the term of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent.

For the first time in his career he signs a minor league deal to play in the ECHL with Cincinnati Cyclones for 2012/2013.

It just maybe a smart move as he needs to reenergize that scoring touch he showed in his second year, when he popped in 21 and assisted on another 31 in 74 games played and was a crazy good +21 plus/minus.

If he starts to ignite and the NHL unfreezes the lockout, expect him to move back up the ladder.

17Oct

Sean Couturier(14) Adirondack Phantoms

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After putting up a fairly sturdy 13 goals and 14 assists to go along with a phenomenal +18 plus/minus, Philadelphia Flyers‘ 1st round pick in the 2011 draft (#8 overall), 2nd year center Sean Couturier(14) finds himself fine tuning his game in the AHL with their affiliate Adirondack Phantoms, as everyone in the higher league stomps their feet and continues to not play pro hockey.

The still not quite yet 20-year old is a tall kid at 6’4″ but his 191 lbs. frame is pretty lanky ala an early Joe Thornton. It’s almost a bit surprising he hits the scoresheet as much as he does, but he looks to skate a fairly committed game and always seems to be engaged right where the play is happening.

In two AHL regular season games, he’s already a point per game guy with a goal and an assist. It’s a pretty certain bet that he’ll be able to continue this pace in the league.

He also appeared in 11 playoff games for the Flyers last season and connected for 3 goals and an assist.

The bet is he hits the scoresheet like he did in his last two seasons of juniors, where he was basically a 1.5 points per game forward and had an unheard of +117 plus/minus.