NHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

15Jun

Jason Akeson(38) Philadelphia Phantoms

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Undrafted Adirondack Phantoms‘ rookie right wing, Jason Akeson(38) had just about the kind of season a first year player could want.

He appeared in all 76 AHL regular season games and scored 14 goals to go along with 41 helpers that was first on the team by a pretty wide margin. His 55 points put him at 8th for rookie scoring in the league and his assists had him in a three-way tie for first.

The 5’10” 190 lbs. forward signed a 3-year entry level deal with Philadelphia Flyers through 2014.

If he has a strong training camp there’s every reason to believe the 22-year old will be playing more than a handful of games in the NHL next season. Maybe they’ll finally even get his picture posted on either league’s site to go along with his stats.

14Jun

Ryan Duncan(32) Portland Pirates

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Undrafted, former Hobey Baker Award winner in 2007 for best collegiate player (as a sophomore), right wing Ryan Duncan(32) had a decent enough first season, playing with Portland Pirates scoring 14 goals and adding 22 assists in 64 games played.

The 26-year old signed a one-year AHL contract with Phoenix Coyotes a month before the start of 2011/2012, after spending his first two pro seasons in the Austrian Elite League skating for EC Red Bull Salzburg.

At only 5’7″ 170 lbs. the forward definitely looks very undersized out there but has the ability to get into the open areas and isn’t timid about getting involved to create a scoring opportunity.

A pre-Memorial Day tweet from him @rduncan16 suggests he’s going right back to Salzburg for 2012/2013.

13Jun

Calle Ridderwall(22) Providence Bruins

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Undrafted, Swedish-born rookie left wing Calle Ridderwall(22) had himself a pretty impressive but maybe a bit under the radar first pro season in the AHL with Providence Bruins. In 68 games he scored 8 goals and 20 assists, while going a +5 on a team that didn’t always finding themselves on the winning side of the scoresheet.

He was signed to a minor league contract before the start of 2011/2012 but did attend Boston Bruins‘ prospect and regular training camps.

The 6’ 193 lbs. 24-year old style is to put it all out there every shift and leave the ice exhausted. He’s fully unafraid to get himself right in the middle of scoring opportunities and digs hard along the boards.

It would be no surprise to see Boston sign him to an entry level contract. I mean, he already has his own page on the team’s site.

12Jun

Trevor Gillies(51) Vityaz Chekhov

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Soon-to-be 14th veteran left wing, Trevor Gillies(51) will be taking his brute force game over to Russia, joining Vityaz Chekhov in the KHL for 2012/2013.

The 6’3″ 231 lbs. forward has been with NY Islanders‘ organization for the last three seasons and appeared in 56 NHL and 50 AHL games with their affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers. During that time he’s amassed a whopping 474 penalty minutes in the two leagues.

At 33-years old this is in all likelihood a good move for him to make as there’s no telling how many years he can continue to use his fists to protect teammates.

He sat out a good chunk of last season with a groin injury that limited him to 29 games.

The stocky forward was also seen helping out as an “assistant coach” behind the Sound Tigers‘ bench while he was on the sidelines.

Ironically after watching him play for the last 10 years, he skating and stick work has improved greatly over the last couple campaigns since he started extra sessions with Isles’ Skills’ Development Coach Bernie Cassell.

He will be missed at North American hockey barns, because he may be one of the toughest guys to lace up the skates but he’s also one of the nicest.

11Jun

Tyler Johnson(25) Norfolk Admirals

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Undrafted Norfolk Admirals‘ rookie center Tyler Johnson(25) finished his first pro year with some impressive numbers.

In 75 AHL games he scored 31 goals and 37 assists, while going a +17 plus/minus for the Calder Cup Championship.

Limited to 14 postseason contests due to a lower body injury, he was still a point-per-game player with 6 goals and 8 assists, including 2 strikes in the series-clinching finale.

He was voted Reebok/AHL Player Of The Month for March, as the Admirals were en route to a 28-game unbeaten streak.

He put up 22 points in 12 games. The speedy forward was also named to the AHL All-Rookie Team.

The 5’9″ 175 lbs. 21-year old signed a 3-year entry level contract with Tampa Bay Lightning.

No doubt he’ll continue turning heads as he enters his second season.

10Jun

Michael Kostka(21) Norfolk Admirals

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Unlikely hero award: undrafted, 4th year Norfolk Admirals‘ defenseman Michael Kostka(21) scored both the game 3 and game 4 Calder Cup Championship series’ winning goals, which certainly makes it an odd AHL playoff stat I’m sure.

He managed just 7 goals in 52 games during the regular season, yet in 18 postseason contests he had 6 goals and 6 assists, good enough for first in scoring among defenseman in the playoffs.

When Tampa Bay Lightning traded for him back in December, they definitely saw some point-scoring potential from the 26-year d-man.

He put up 16 goals and 39 assists in 80 games with Rochester Americans in 2010/2011, which led the team but were picking him up mostly for some added depth in their own zone.

Signed to a one-year, two-way deal by Florida Panthers, he was a bit surprisingly one of the last roster cuts before being reassigned to their AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage.

Originally on a 2-year entry level deal out of college with Buffalo Sabres, the 6’1″ 210 lbs. blue liner will in all likelihood be rewarded with at least a two-year extension to stay in the system and a taste of some NHL playing time can’t be far behind.

09Jun

Patrick Maroon(19) Anaheim Ducks

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Anaheim Ducks’ jumbo truck-sized left wing Patrick Maroon(19) signs a one-year contract extension joining them for a 3rd season in their system.

He had a career year in 2011/2012 scoring highs in goals, assists and points (32-42=74) in 75 AHL games for Syracuse Crunch, leading the team in points.

In 289 regular season AHL games (first with Adirondack Phantoms) he’s racked up 92 goals and 136 assists.

The 24-year old was originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 6th round pick in the 2007 draft (#161 overall).

He didn’t play his first pair of NHL games until this past season though, not finding his way on the scoresheet.

As the Ducks regroup for the next year, if he has a good training camp there’s reason to think the 6’4″ 225 lbs. forward could find himself on the opening night roster.

08Jun

Justin Azevedo(15) Lukko

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Los Angeles Kings‘ 6th round pick in the 2008 draft (#153 overall) center Justin Azevedo(15) will be taking his restricted free agent status to Finland, joining Lukko of the SM-liiga.

Although the deal is done, they have to wait until after the Kings‘ battle in the Stanley Cup Finals is over to announce it. There’s a bit of irony in there too, as he’s one of L.A.’s “Black Aces” practicing with the team as they push towards the finish.

The 5’7″ 172 lbs. forward leaves never having skated in an NHL game over four seasons with the team’s minor leaugue affiliate Manchester Monarchs.

He has played in 271 AHL regular and postseason games scoring 79 goals and 108 assists. He had a career-year for goals scored with 28 in 2011/2012.

The 24-year always worked hard out there despite his smaller size and was probably a bit overlooked for at least a few games at the end of a season test-run in the big league.

07Jun

Andy Thomas(38) Olimpija Ljubljana

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Former Washington Capitals‘ 4th round pick in the 2004 draft (#109 overall), defenseman Andy Thomas(38) leaves North American pro hockey to join Olimpija Ljubljana in the Austria Hockey League.

He initially signed a one-year entry level deal with Anaheim Ducks and was reassigned to their AHL and ECHL affiliates, Iowa Chops and Bakersfield Condors in his rookie season.

From there he was in the Devils‘ prospect system, spending most of the next 3 seasons with Trenton Titans/Devils appearing in 157 games, scoring 5 goals and 29 assists.

The 6’2′ 220 lbs. has also skated in 70 AHL (2 goals, 5 assists) with 6 teams, including 3 in 2011/2012 alone. He failed to hit the scoresheet though.

A move to European hockey may be the best move for him as he considered a veteran in the ECHL now and some new scenery is exactly what the 25-year might need.

05Jun

Brandon Segal(26) Norfolk Admirals

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9th year Norfolk Admirals‘ veteran right wing Brandon Segal(26) is the perfect old school presence the team needs on the ice and in the locker room to help stabilize the mostly young group of players as they continue their push for a first Calder Cup Championship in 12 AHL seasons.

He was obtained in a minor league deal back in February for his second stint with the organization. He skated in 91 games with them just a couple of year ago from 2008 – 2009.

The soon to be 29-year old has played in 454 regular and postseason games including a trip to the finals with the other Admirals, Milwaukee in 2006.

He has appeared in 102 NHL games (11 goals, 11 assists) with 4 different teams including making his first appearance and most recent with the same team, Tampa Bay Lightning. In 12 games with the Bolts he’s yet to tally on the scoresheet.

Originally a 4th round pick by Nashville Predators in the 2002 draft (#102 overall), it’s unclear at the moment what will be next for the as of July 1 soon to be unrestricted free agent.