NHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

04May

Joey Mormina(3) WBS Penguins

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Unlikely hero #2: 7th year Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins‘ defenseman Joey Mormina(3) scored the game-winning goal in the second contest of the best-of-seven AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Finals vs. St. John’s IceCaps to even the series at one apiece.

It was his first-ever postseason point in 39 games and what a big one to get for the extra-large 6’6″ 220 lbs. blue liner. Making matters even more exciting, it happened to be a shorthanded goal for the mostly stay-at-home d-man that happened to jumped into the play.

He’s played in 456 AHL games (21 goals, 82 assists) with four different teams and this is his second-go-round with the Baby Pens in 4 seasons.

He even had a career high in goals in 2011/2012 scoring 6.

The 29-year old signed a one-year AHL contract and chances are he’ll re-sign with them for a 5th campaign as he plays is fairly accountable in his own zone and was a league 2nd best +37 plus/minus a couple of seasons ago.

He has only appeared in one NHL career game with Carolina Hurricanes in ’07/’08 and was originally a Philadelphia Flyers‘ 6th round pick in the 2002 draft (#193 overall). He didn’t sign with them initially but did ink a contract in 2009 and was reassigned to Adirondack Phantoms.

03May

Andreas Thuresson(55) Connecticut Whale

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Unlikely hero #1: 5th year Connecticut Whale right wing Andreas Thuresson(55) scores the overtime winning goal at 2:53 in game 1 of the Calder Cup Eastern Conference Semi-Finals vs. the red-hot Norfolk Admirals to take the series lead 1-0 on enemy ice.

Originally a 5th round pick by Nashville Predators in the 2007 draft (##144 overall) the Swedish-born 6’1″ 211 lbs. forward has played 277 regular season games with their AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals scoring 53 goals and 65 assists.

He has also appeared in 25 NHL games over a couple of seasons and put a goal and a pair of assists up on the scoresheet.

A peek at his postseason stats of 8 goals and 11 assists in 37 games suggests he’s more than capable of coming through with that big point when it counts.

He was traded to New York Rangers on the day after free agency began and signed to a one-year, two-way contract. We think they’ll issue him a qualifying offer for another season.

02May

Mike Vernace(48) Connecticut Whale

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6th year defenseman Mike Vernace(48) has been on quite the ride through the AHL this season as he was traded twice and is currently playing for his third team in the 2011/2012 season.

Ironically all three teams he skated for are still in the postseason.

He started the year with Norfolk Admirals, the team he’d been with for the entirety of 2010/2011 and even got into 10 games with the parent club Tampa Bay Lightning.

From there he was dished to Florida Panthers but skated only with San Antonio Rampage.

That relationship lasted only 22 games before he was once again passed along to New York Rangers in a trade deadline deal and reassigned to Connecticut Whale, where he’ll play his former team, the Admirals in the AHL Eastern Conference Semi-Finals in a best-of-seven series.

Originally a San Jose Sharks‘ 7th round pick in the 2004 draft (#201 overall), the 6’ 216 lbs. blue liner has only appeared in 22 NHL games throughout his playing career.

It’s a bit doubtful that he’ll crack New York Rangers‘ lineup next fall or if they’ll even sign him up for another year, as he’ll be a UFA at the conclusion of the playoff run.

We still think he’s got plenty of pop to crack a big league lineup.

01May

Mark Louis(33) Portland Pirates

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Undrafted 6’4″ 220 lbs. defenseman Mark Louis(33) signed a one-year, two-way contract with Phoenix Coyotes for the 2012/2013 season.

He was originally signed to a pto with their AHL affiliate Portland Pirates late last season and inked an standard player contract with them a little more than a week later.

In 23 games he has no goals and four assists but never backing down from a challenge accumulated 72 penalty minutes.

The one aspect of his game where he’ll need to be more accountable is plus/minus. The 25-year old was a -7.

As he approaches his first full year of pro hockey as a rookie, he’ll learn to play with more responsibility in his own zone. Chances are because of his extra-big-sized frame, he may even merit some looks for some NHL action.

30Apr

Ryan Potulny(27) Hershey Bears

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Hershey Bears‘ 7th year center Ryan Potulny(27) was a very smart 2-year pick up for Washington Capitals last season.

In 61 AHL games he scored 33 goals and 32 assists, good enough for top 10 in the league, and was a veteran force for a team that was in a bit of a rebuilding mode.

They didn’t make it out of the first round of the postseason but in 5 games he added another pair of goals and assists.

This was the first season where he failed to appear in an NHL game, which is a bit odd. In 126 games the 27-year old has recorded 22 goals and 27 assists but is an effective agitator out there.

Going into 2012/2013 his contract dictates he’s signed on a one-way contract and will be paid a minimum of $525, which again is smart and nicely deserving of this team player.

His contributions to Binghamton Senators’ 2011 Calder Cup were undeniable.

28Apr

Alex Killorn(19) Norfolk Admirals

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Tampa Bay Lightning 3rd round pick in the 2007 draft (#77 overall) center Alex Killorn(19) signed a two-year, two-way entry level deal with the team in mid-March and at the completion of his college playing career was signed to an ato by their AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals for the remainder of the regular season and Calder Cup Playoff run.

In 10 regular season contests he potted his first pro goal (along with one more) and added four assists showing the brass what he is capable of producing.

He was a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top collegiate player each year.

In his short time playing pro, no goal has been more important (or better) than the 22-year old’s tally at 13:27 of the first overtime in game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Manchester Monarchs on Friday night to move the Admirals onto the next round.

He also has 5 assists to go along with that goal in only 4 games so far this postseason.

He’s making his mark early and often.

26Apr

Nick Drazenovic(10) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Columbus Blue Jackets re-signed soon-to-be 6th year center Nick Drazenovic(10) to another one year, two-way contract for the 2012/2013 season.

He failed to receive an NHL call-up in what was an injury-plagued year for the 6’1″ 200 lbs. forward.

Originally a St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2005 draft (#171 overall), he appeared in three games with the team registering no points.

In 278 games over four seasons with their AHL affiliate Peoria Rivermen, he’s scored 70 goals and 90 assists.

Even being limited to only 41 games with Springfield Falcons, he managed 13 goals and a career high 28 assists, making him a point per game player.

If he’s healthy, the 25-year old should almost certainly see some more time in the show in the upcoming year.

26Apr

Riley Holzapfel(26) Syracuse Crunch

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Love this minor (league) detail when the AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Playoff match-ups were set.

4th year center Riley Holzapfel(26) was traded from Winnipeg Jets‘ affiliate St. John’s IceCaps to Anaheim Ducks AHL team, Syracuse Crunch for Maxime Macenauer.

In 28 games with the Crunch he has 8 goals and 14 assists but nothing in the postseason as of yet.

At 6’3″ 190 lbs. the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets‘ 2nd round pick in the 2003 draft (#43 overall), the 23-year old can get in there and get points but he sometimes plays more of a finesse game than he should considering his size.

Macenauer has only appeared in one of the 3 games, an IceCaps‘ loss but looks to be on the team that will continue their playoff push.

25Apr

Mike Brodeur(29) Houston Aeros

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For the first time in his 8-year pro career, goaltender Mike Brodeur(29) didn’t sign a contract to play with a team for the 2011/2012 season.

This is after two seasons in the Ottawa Senators‘ system, where he appeared in 7 games from 2009-2011. Last season he appeared in NHL, AHL and ECHL games.

Then seemingly out of nowhere, he signs a pto 3 weeks before the end of regular season with Houston Aeros and finds himself to be the back-up but would come in to relieve an injured Matt Hackett in each of the first two games AHL Calder Cup Playoffs and got the call to start game 3 backstopping 31 shots for the 1-0 win to put them back in the series.

Aeros did get bounced from the Calder Cup Playoffs by Oklahoma City Barons on Tuesday night.

Originally a Chicago Blackhawks‘ 7th round pick in the 2003 draft (#211 overall), it’s a wonder where the 29-year old will end up next season. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him go the Europe route.

24Apr

Cameron Talbot(33) & Kevin Poulin(38)

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Connecticut Whale & Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ goaltenders Cameron Talbot(33) and Kevin Poulin(38) shake hands at the conclusion of the round 1 AHL Calder Cup Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

The Whale took the best-of-five in 3 straight to move on to the Semi-Finals.

The two net minders seemed cordial enough with one another at the end of the series ritual but we were looking to see if there may have been more of a nod from Poulin to Talbot for the two away game shutouts he posted to start the sweep.

Maybe it was more of a subtle verbal gesture than we were able to pick up on.