Category: NHL

Dan Sexton (23)

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4th year undrafted Anaheim Ducks‘ right wing Dan Sexton(23) failed to crack the NHL lineup in 2011/2012 but in his rookie and sophomore seasons he played a combined  88 games scoring 19 goals and adding 32 assists for 51 points.

Last season for their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch he put up 13 goals and 30 assists in 71 contests.

At 5’10” 170 lbs. he can almost easily be tough to spot on the ice when he’s out there.

He does dig but is more of the type of player that finds those open spaces in the offensive zone to score or feed the helper.

It’s almost surprising the only major injury he’s suffered thus far has been a surgically repaired nose from taking a slap shot to the face.

The 2nd year of his two-way deal he signed before last season is a one-way contract paid out at the league minimum.

Not bad on the negotiation but will he find his path back to the show?

Still, good for a guy that started his pro career in the ECHL with Bakersfield Condors and eventually made it to Anaheim within that same season.

In fact, he was sent back to Bakersfield once to keep him closer by for recall.

I’m sure he’ll look back when it’s all done on that rookie year where he played 72 games in three leagues scoring 27 goals and 30 assists.

Next year he could skate in his fourth minor league city (Norfolk Admirals) despite being signed by the same parent club.

Undrafted defenseman Torey Krug(74) leaves the final year of his college career in the books and signed a 3-year entry level deal with Boston Bruins. This occurred late last March, which made him eligible to skate his first pro games. It just so happened that the hotly tipped blue liner would find himself on the roster for a couple of contests in the show with the big club and even notched his first point, an assist.

At only 5’9″ 175 lbs. the 21-year old is an usually small d-man but brings a powerful slap shot and offensive upside to the table without sacrificing too much in the defensive zone.

He never seemed out of place when he appeared in his first two NHL games with the Bruins; but he will have to fight hard for a spot on the roster in his rookie season or find himself a spot in Providence to continue to grow and develop as a player. He looked strong on his skates and ready to compete in prospect camp.

 

21-year old New Jersey Devils‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#54 overall) defenseman Eric Gelinas(24) failed to score a rookie season recall and stuck with Albany of the AHL through 75 games, one short of a full regular season.

He arguably put up better numbers during his first pro year than he ever did in any of his time in juniors. In 2011/2012 he was tied for 3rd in the league for scoring by rookie d-men with 37 points (16 goals and 21 assists) and was first by a long margin on the A-Devils.

At 6’4″ 205 lbs. he’s still probably a good 15 pounds light of his eventual playing weight, but this is a guy that probably won’t be playing in the minors much longer.

2012/2013 will only be the 2nd year into his 3-year entry level deal he signed.

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Boston Bruins‘ signed their 5th round pick in the 2010 draft (#135 overall) left wing Justin Florek(29) to a 2-year entry level deal, as he started skating with the team’s AHL affiliate in Providence after the conclusion of his score sheet-filled college career at Northern Michigan University.

He signed an ato with the P-Bruins‘ before the ink was barely dried and had yet to be formally announced by the big club.

For the 6’4 200 lbs. forward’s pro debut he scored two goals and added a pair of assists in his 8-game stint before being released just before the end of the regular season.

At 22-years old he’s definitely a big presence, but as reported needs to put more muscle into his game.

He certainly has all the attributes to becoming a full-fledged power forward as he develops, a strength he started to show at Bruins‘ prospect camp.

Look for him to have a strong rookie season in the minors.

Opponents got much more than they bargained for mixing it up with Worcester Sharks‘ rookie defenseman Sena Acolatse(14) last season than they probably expected.

Standing in at only 5’11” 205 lbs. he may have not seem like a lot to handle, but once those gloves come off opponents quickly found him to be much stronger than his size might indicate and on the losing end of the battle.

Springfield Falcons 6’3″ 202 lbs. veteran left wing Dane Byers(34) got himself acquainted, only to get pummeled in his exchange with the smaller player.

Both guys will be around again with their respective teams for 2012/2013, so we’ll see if any rematch ensues.

Watch the fight here.

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4th year center Tony Romano(8) was not qualified by New York Islanders after his three-year entry level contract expired at the conclusion of last season.

He was a local player, born on Long Island in Smithtown, NY.

For 2012/2013 he signed a tryout agreement with Vienna Capitals of the Erste Bank Hockey League (Austria).

It would be a big surprise if he failed to make the team.

In 2011/2012, his third AHL season with Bridgeport Sound Tigers the 24-year old put up career highs in just about every category scoring 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points, finishing 5th on the team.

He was also a +3 plus/minus and connected with 117 shots on net.

Still, the 5’10” 177 lbs. is relatively small and not always as strong on the puck as he should be, so found himself in and out of the lineup at times and was even reassigned to the ECHL Chicago Express for a wake-up weekend.

It actually worked because his point production  soared afterwards.

He was originally a New Jersey Devils‘ 6th round pick in the 2006 draft (#178 overall) but traded to the Isles before he ever signed.

Undrafted 7th year center Bobby Robins(21) signed his first AHL contract since his rookie season with Binghamton Senators by re-upping for a full campaign with Providence Bruins, the team he spent 33 games with in 2011/2012. He was originally recalled from the ECHL, signed to a pto and upped to an spc as he continue to stick with the team.

The stat that pops out from his sheet is penalty minutes. He ended the regular season with 150 pims. That’s 3 games shy of a five minute (fighting) major per game. His actual number of incidents was more like 20 though, good enough for a three-way tie for 3rd in the league. It’s likely that he accomplished his feat in lesser contests than the other players did, which is a key reason why the P-Bruins found it necessary to get him under contract before the new season starts.

The knock on the team the last few years of postseason drought has been how undersized they were. This, at the very least, gives them 6’1″ 220 lbs. of protection out on the ice. The almost 31-year old also had a pair of goals and 10 assists (a career high) and we’d expect that number to go up too.

 

6th year undrafted left wing Kyle Greentree(37) hops over to skate in Austrian pro hockey for 2012/2013 with Medvescak Zagreb after two successful seasons with Hershey Bears. He was signed for a couple of years at the beginning of 2010 by Washington Capitals but appeared in no NHL games with the team.

The 6’3″ 212 lbs. forward has skated in four games, a pair apiece with Philadelphia Flyers, the first team he signed with and then with Calgary Flames, during his best offensive year with Quad City Flames. He failed to register a point in either visit. Interesting enough though he managed to be exchanged from one team to another and onto a third in trades.

The 28-year old is probably making a wise move and will likely be able to exited the fans of the game overseas.

Former Worcester Sharks‘ captain/defenseman Mike Moore(8) and former Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ left wing Micheal Haley(18) had an axe to grind all season mixing it up on a number of occasions when the two teams met during the 2011/2012 season. The sluggers match up fairly well at roughly the same size and weight.

They won’t get to see much of one another next year though as both players have signed contracts that will see them play in different conferences.

Moore will likely be guarding the blue line for Milwaukee Admirals, while Haley moves up the highway joining Connecticut Whale.

Both could see some time in the NHL with affiliates Nashville Predators and New York Rangers, which could reopen the can of worms.

Left wing Justin Courtnall(90) decides to forego his final year of college hockey in the Hub with Boston University Terriers and signs a minor league contract to start up his pro career with Providence Bruins.

Originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 7th round pick in the 2007 draft (#210 overall), he was an invite to Boston Bruins‘ 2012 prospect camp and his willingness and tough play earned him some looks.

Although 6’3″ 210 lbs. forward didn’t really put up stellar numbers in his three years of college hockey, the 23-year old is the son of Geoff Courtnall, who a sniper in over 1000 pro games in his career from 1983 – 2000.

Pretty much should be a no brainer that he shows up in Bruins’ training camp when and if that opens for in a couple of weeks.