NHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

15May

Jaroslav Janus(30) Norfolk Admirals

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3rd-ish year Norfolk Admirals‘ Slovakian-born goalie Jaroslav Janus(30) got his first start in the AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Finals and blanked Connecticut Whale 4-0 to help his team take the 3-2 series advantage. He was a Tampa Bay Lightning 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#162 overall).

A couple of nights later he would be in net again to sail his team to a 2-1 win into the Conference Finals.

In 2011/2012 he played in a career high 34 games winning 23 games with a 2.36 GAA and .914 SV%.

In the playoffs he’s really shutting down the opposition with a 1.69 GAA and .937 SV%. He has 3 wins against 1 loss.

This is the final year of his 3-year entry level deal. He’ll almost assuredly be qualified for another season and maybe even sign an extension for 2 more.

Between this 22-year old and their other goaltending prospect, Dustin Tokarski, this should be the future of the Lightning‘s occupancy between the pipes.

14May

Keith Aucoin(11) Washington Capitals

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Veteran AHL center Keith Aucoin(11) has played a whopping 673 regualar season games in the league throughout his amazing 11-year career run.

Despite appearing in only 43 games this season, he still ranked 5th in scoring with 70 points (11 goals, 59 assists).

On February 28, the 33-year old was recalled from Hershey Bears for the fourth time in a month by Washington Capitals and stayed in the NHL throughout their Stanley Cup Playoff run, which included a pair of 7-game series.

In his first 14 big league postseason contests ever he had a pair of assists but more importantly was utilized on the power play and provided a tough fourth line checking forward for the opposition to deal with.

The 5’8″ 171 lbs. forward (that plays with hockey stick that’s bigger than he is) has been in the Caps‘ system for the last 4 seasons and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but we expect him to be re-upped for at least one more year.

13May

Pat Cannone(12) Ottawa Senators

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Undrafted center Pat Cannone(12) was rewarded by Ottawa Senators for a successful rookie season in what couldn’t have been the easiest season to play with their bottom dragging AHL affiliate in Binghamton.

Originally signed to a 1-year entry level two-way deal, he re-signed for two more and won’t have to worry about a contract through 2013/2014.

The 25-year old 5’11” 197 lbs. forward has shown through his college years that he can acquaint himself with the scoresheet. In 76 games with the B-Sens he scored 19 goals and 24 assists.

He played 2 games last season scoring a goal and an assist and was with the team practicing during their fairytale Calder Cup Championship run but did not appear in any games.

He’s very likely to put up more points next season.

12May

Mike Zigomanis(93) Toronto Marlies

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Everyone’s favorite 12th year vegan pro, Toronto Marlies‘ center Mike Zigomanis(93) got the OT winner in the series vs. Abbotsford Heat to lift them into the AHL Calder Cup Western Conference Finals for the second time in the team’s history.

He becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season after spending the last two in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system. His last NHL appearance was eight games in 2009/2010.

The 6’0 200 lbs. forward has appeared in 197 NHL games scoring 21 goals and 19 assists.

Chances are probably pretty good that the Leafs will keep the 31-year veteran around for another year. He’s pretty much the consummate player to have on your team.

11May

Alex Henry(5) DEG Metro Stars

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13 year pro defenseman Alex Henry(5) leaves North American hockey for Germany (his second stint in the country; he was there in the 2004/2005 NHL lockout year). He joins DEG Metro Stars of the DEL (Deutsche Eishockey Liga).

The always daunting 6’5″ 220 lbs. blue liner was originally a 3rd round pick by Edmonton Oilers in the 1998 draft (#63 overall). He only played 3 of his 177 NHL appearances with the Oilers. He’s credited with 2 goals and 9 assists.

Starting his pro career with Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL for the first three seasons; he closes this chapter of playing hockey having played the last four years with the team, including the last two as their captain.

The 32-year old has played a massive 546 regular and postseason games with the Bulldogs and 701 AHL contests overall. Hardly considered for his offensive prowess, he’s found the back of the net only 19 times and filled in the scoring sheet with 78 assists.

10May

Alexandre Picard(9) Norfolk Admirals

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Former Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 1st round pick in the 2004 draft (#8 overall), left wing Alexandre Picard(9) is finding his scoring touch in the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs with his new team of the 2011/2012 season, Norfolk Admirals.

The 6’2″ 206 lbs. power forward was signed to a one-year two-way contract by Tampa Bay Lightning at the beginning of free agency.

In 67 NHL games over the first five years of his pro career with the Blue Jackets, he only managed a pair of assists. He was not recalled this season and in 49 AHL games scored 6 goals, 19 assists for 25 points.

He did however have his best plus/minus with a +9.

Through 7 seasons, he’s played 351 AHL regular season games scoring 111 goals and 121 assists.

In 9 postseason contests he has seemingly exploded for 6 goals and 6 assists and leads the team and league in scoring.

He potted another two in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, including the winning tally to put the Admirals up in the series 3-2 in the best-of-7.

09May

Alex Bourret(22) Wichita Thunder

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Wichita Thunder 6th year right wing Alex Bourret(22) was originally an Atlanta Thrashers‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#16 overall).

He started his pro career playing 168 AHL games with a few different teams, a couple of trades later.

By his fourth year, he seemed to burn out or something because he went off the pro map playing a couple of games in the LNAH, 16 in the Czech Elite League and even 16 in the Asian Hockey League but each of the last two seasons also kept a toe-hold in North American hockey with a couple of teams in the ECHL.

For 2011/2012 season, he signed with the Thunder of the Central Hockey League and tore it up with 57 points (20 goals, 37 assists) in 43 games and a mighty +20 plus/minus.

The 5’10” 205 lbs. 25-year old forward was called up for 6 games with Worcester Sharks this season and chipped in with 3 helpers. It was his first action in the A since 2009.

By all indications he should be playing in higher league. He helped Wichita to the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals but was injured and limited to 14 games (5 goals, 9 assists).

08May

Brock Trotter (39)

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When St. John’s IceCaps picked up center Brock Trotter(39) in early March on an AHL loan deal he was on the sidelines nursing an upper body injury that made his immediate playing future a bit unclear.

He managed to return before the regular season concluded and skated in the last couple games with the team after missing 20 previous contests.

The point per game forward failed to reach the scoresheet.

The IceCaps’ Calder Cup future was already sealed though and they opened as the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Throughout 8 postseason games (so far) he is back to form contributing 5 goals, while adding 4 assists but none would add up more importantly than the pair he pocketed in the Semi-Finals‘ 2-1 overtime game 3 win vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to put them in the series lead.

He’s set to become an restricted free agent as summer approaches and bets are on that Winnipeg Jets will make a move with Phoenix to sign the fully stretched 5’10” 185 lbs. minor league scoring machine up for another season.

07May

Iiro Tarkki(35) Salavat Yulaev

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Finnish-born, undrafted Syracuse Crunch rookie goaltender Iiro Tarkki(35) put up some pretty impressive numbers in his first season of AHL action with a 24-17 win/loss record and a 2.45 gaa and .925 SV%. He played less well against a loaded St. John’s IceCaps‘ team in the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

He was signed to a one-year entry level deal by Anaheim Ducks and appeared in one game for them getting his first NHL win in his only game, but he also let up a goal on the first shot he faced and was lit up for another 2 in only 9 more in the two periods he played in relief. It just so happened the Ducks popped in 7 goals to get him the W.

We honestly think he didn’t want to spend another year in the minors so decided to sign on with Salavat Yulaev of the KHL and work that angle. He started his career playing three years for the top league in his own country.

At 26-years old, he may just be one of those late-bloomers, because he seems to have a pretty good skill set.

05May

John Mitchell(24) Anaheim Ducks

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3rd year undrafted left wing John Mitchell(24) was rewarded for working hard with their AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch despite not being signed by Anaheim Ducks with a two-year, two-way entry level NHL deal that will take him through 2014.

He originally signed an AHL contract with the Crunch as a rookie in 2010/2011 and re-signed for a second campaign last season.

The 25-year old basically had mirror image seasons on the scoresheet but was a very respectable +7 plus/minus this year and played hard for them in their first round exit of the Calder Cup Playoffs scoring a goal.

He’s listed at 6’5″ 216 lbs. which seems big from when I saw him play. But if he is, then he should be banging like an extra large power forward.