NHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

09Apr

Sean Collins(17) Springfield Falcons

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 7th round pick in the 2008 draft (#187 overall) center Sean Collins was another freshly signed player to pot his first professional goal over the weekend. He adds the tally to his 3 assists he has in 6 games played.

He was signed to an NHL two-year entry level contract upon completion of his four year college career and then as is the case with most newly inked players accepted an ato to join their AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons for the rest of the season.

At 6’3″ 195 lbs. he very much looks to already be developing into a future big-time power forward.

09Apr

Matt Tennyson(5) Worcester Sharks

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Undrafted defenseman Matt Tennyson(5) signs a two-year entry level contract with San Jose Sharks, leaving the last year of college behind for now.

He also signed an ato with their AHL affiliate Worcester Sharks and over the weekend scored his first professional goal.

At 6’2″ 210 lbs. he’s already a pretty big almost 22-year old blue liner and in three games seems to play a pretty smart game out there with reasonable accountability.

Great little fact: he’s from the San Jose area and started as a Junior Sharks‘ player, making him the first to be signed from that far back in the team system.

08Apr

Peter Holland (22)

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Anaheim Ducks‘ 1st round pick in the 2009 draft (#15 overall) rookie center Peter Holland(22) lit it up and gets some notice in the month of March earning the AHL Rookie of the Month honor.

He notched 4 goals and 14 assists in 15 games, not to mention had a tidy +12 plus/minus on a team that’s all of the sudden streaking at the right time towards a Calder Cup Playoff berth, Syracuse Crunch.

In 4 NHL games he got his 1st goal but hasn’t been back since mid-November 2011.

In 69 AHL games he ranks 2nd on the Crunch in scoring with 23 goals and 37 assists.

At 6’3″ 200 lbs. the 21-year old is probably still at a bit light for where his prime playing weight will be but he’s not afraid to get dirty and should get a longer look in what might be a bit of a rebuilding Ducks for 2012/2013, especially considering he’ll only be in the 2nd year of his three-year entry level deal.

08Apr

Stephen Gionta(11) New Jersey Devils

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6th year left wing Stephen Gionta(11) skated in 12 games with a slumping New Jersey Devils‘ team last season failing to register a point.

He hasn’t really had the best of all seasons this year with only 6 goals and 10 assists in 56 games with Albany but has done a nice job as team captain for the AHL team.

He was finally rewarded with his first recall and responded with his first NHL goal, which just so happened to be the game-winner.

No doubt, he’ll be either called back up or staying depending upon the Albany playoff fate.

He’s been with the Devils all six of his pro seasons and is only signed to another one-year, two-way deal. It will be interesting to see if he moves zip codes for 2012/2013.

05Apr

Gabriel Dumont(40) Montreal Canadiens

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Montreal Canadiens‘ 5th round pick in the 2009 draft (#139 overall) centre Gabriel Dumont(40) received his first NHL call-up and skated 13 shifts for 8:25 minutes of ice time in his debut.

The 5’9″ 180 lbs. forward is in the 2nd season of his 3-year entry level deal.

He’s having a career year in the AHL with Hamilton Bulldogs for goals and points this season with 13 markers and 22 points. He also performed pretty well with them in last year’s Calder Cup Playoffs hitting the scoresheet for 6 goals and 3 assists in 20 games.

The one knock for 2011/2012 is his plus/minus, which is a lowly -14.

Without much size, the 22-year old is going to have to rely on his speed and tenacity if he wants to make it to the NHL on a more permanent basis.

04Apr

Matt Donovan (46)

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New York Islanders‘ rookie defensemen Matt Donovan(46) is having an impressive pro debut with their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He was originally a 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#96 overall).

In 69 games he has 10 goals and 32 assists with a +9 plus/minus on a team that has fought hard for every victory in their playoff bound 2011/2012 season. He happens to lead rookie d-men in assists and points.

At 6′ 202 lbs. he isn’t the biggest guy defending the blue line but always plays a rough and tumble style of hockey.

Earlier this week he received his first NHL recall and skated 24 shifts for almost 22 minutes of ice time going a -1 in the team’s 3-1 loss.

The soon to be 22-year old will likely receive a good, long look in next year’s training camp for roster spot on the Isles.

It will be the 2nd year of his 3-year entry level contract.

4/4: Donovan was one of a pair of defensemen named to the 2011/2012 AHL All-Rookie Team.

04Apr

Mat Clark(2) Anaheim Ducks

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2nd year Anaheim Ducks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2009 draft (#37 overall), defenseman Mat Clark(2) played his first NHL game on April Fool’s. He skated 11 shifts for 11:02 of even strength ice time and pretty much that was his lone pair of stats, which isn’t a bad thing in the 2-1 loss.

At 6’3″ 205 lbs. the 21-year old still has time to grow into his game and at the very least this year in the AHL, his second with Syracuse Crunch, he’s become a more accountable d-man.

He has another year left on his 3-year entry level deal.

Another guy that just has to take a million shots from the point and get them in on net consistently.

03Apr

Mathieu Aubin(40) Cincinnati Cyclones

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6th year Cincinnati Cyclones‘ center Mathieu Aubin(40) won the ECHL Reebok Plus Performer Award for the 2011/2012 season with a +25 plus/minus.

He was originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 5th round pick in the 2005 draft (#150 overall) and played in their system for his first few seasons with the Cyclones and Hamilton Bulldogs in the AHL.

He has 76 career AHL games with the Bulldogs, Lake Erie Monsters and this season appeared in 4 with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he scored one goal and one assist.

He’s played 224 games with Cincinnati (106 goals, 127 assists in the regular season), so obviously feels at home with the team having spent five seasons and winning two championships with the club.

Considering they failed to make the Kelly Cup Playoffs, he was quickly signed to a pto with Milwaukee Admirals, the new AHL affiliate of the Cyclones.

02Apr

Corey Cowick(23) Binghamton Senators

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Last season, Binghamton Senators‘ 2nd year left wing Corey Cowick(23) split time his playing time equally between the AHL and ECHL Elmira Jackals.

In 2011/2012, the Ottawa 6th round pick in the 2009 draft (#160 overall) has doubled his time with the B-Sens playing in career high 52 games, scoring 5 goals and 6 assists.

By no means did these numbers immune him from getting reassigned, as he was sent down in early February for the first time this season and has been on the road between the two New York hockey teams on a pair of occasions.

The 22-year old, 6’3″ 208 lbs. forward is signed to an entry level deal with Ottawa through 2012/2013. He’s going to have to use that size more to his advantage next season is how we see it.

01Apr

Dalton Prout(4) Columbus Blue Jackets

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#154 overall) rookie defenseman Dalton Prout(4) received his first recall to the NHL.

The 6’3″ 219 lbs. blue liner has skated well in his first season with their AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons recording 4 goals and 8 assists in 60 games with a -3 plus/minus.

He’s appeared in two games for the Blue Jackets over the weekend playing an average of 14 minutes with no points but was a +1 on ice in a pair of winning efforts.

The 22-year old was signed to a three-year entry level deal, so there’s still plenty of time to see if the big man will continue to develop that shutdown ability while adding a few points to the scoresheet.